Printer fails to connect when AP has multiple SSIDs

[Simon Given]

Hello,

I have a number of Barcode printers.

The can connect to an AP when configured directly as the Dotradio interface and a single ssid, but can not connect to the same AP when dotRadio subinterfaces are used, and there are multiple SSIDs on the AP.

Has anyone experienced this also?

Thanks

Simon

[George Stefanick · Accepted solution]

I had a recent issue with a batch of printers that required the SSID to be broadcasted. They did not connect to hidden SSIDs for some odd reason. Have you looked at that ?

[daviwatk · Accepted solution]

George has a good point.  Some devices don't like non-broadcast SSIDs.  Now, are you sure that your sub-interfaces,  bridge groups, and VLANS are all configured properly?  Do "other" devices connect properly to the SSIDs tied to the sub-interfaces?

Can you post the run-config of this AP with the subinterfaces configured/etc.  Also, please specify the SSID you are having trouble connecting to.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

Both have very good points.  As what George and David has pointed out, there are alot of poorly written wireless codes out there that are currently in the market.  In order for you to find out which is which, try this:

1.  Broadcast SSID;

2.  802.11b

3.  No encryption.

If your printer works, then try ramp up your settings one at a time until you "break" the wireless connection.

[Simon Given]

Guys,

Great suggestions.  I'll try them out and  report back.

Thanks for all the responses

[Simon Given]

Hi Guys,

Well I've dont a number of thigs and i'm still having problems.  I'll try to outline them as much as possible here:

We currently have a single AP (Cisco 1121) with a single SSID, no subinterfaces and our small zebra QL220+ printers connect fine.

We need to roll out these printers thoughout our wireless network (Cisco 1231s) and put the SSID onto our other APs.

Only 1 printer connects when there are multiple SSIDs on the access point. I've set the ssid to guest-mode so it should be broadcasting. To be specifc, all printers authenticate, and seem to pass the WPA PSK encrytion, but why i do a "Show dot11 associations all-client", the good printer gives an IP address and is pingable but the others giev 0.0.0.0 as theirs and are not pingable.

The printers are a mix of QL220+ and QL320+ with Q2C and Q3C firmware (B only cards) and the one printer that works is a Q2D firmware with B/G Card.

I've upgrated the firmware of the 1231 to the latest (12.3-8.JEE), which was an experience in itself.  De-taring a file over tftp! (But if we didnt enjoy these things we wouldnt do them).

All the rates are supported on the new APs, and we are showing 0.0.0.0 associated @ 11.0 B only quite happily, but no IP.

If i take the configuration from the single AP and put if onto the other type, then all the printers work fine.  All show their IP and are pingable. 

I am confident that is isnt the printers because they do work where the radion interface isnt subdivided and i'm also confident the WPA PSK using TKIP is working fine, becasue they can associate on the single perfectly and give association messages when running debugging on the AP with multiple SSIDs. If i change the PSK to an incorrect one, then authentication fail messages appear.

The printer themselves have been updated to the latest firmware are still work fine with a single SSID on an AP.

So, i'm getting layer 1/2 authentication through WPA and TKIP ciphers, but no layer 3 information is being exchanged.  I cannot ping the printer from the AP and the AP from the Printer. If i am getting an association at layer 1/2 then this indicates the radio card being only B should affect the comms?

I've been at this for a few days, so any help suggestions would be gratefully recieved.

Simon

[Leo Laohoo]

Try with OPEN authentication.

[George Stefanick]

What rates are supported and mandatory ?

[Simon Given]

Thanks again for the responses.  I set up a new vlan with no security at all and still get the same issues:

Test#show dot11 ass all-

Address           : 000b.2802.1234     Name             : NONE

IP Address        : 0.0.0.0            Interface        : Dot11Radio 0

Device            : WGB-client         Software Version : NONE

CCX Version       : NONE

State             : Assoc              Parent           : self

SSID              : Network7

VLAN              : 50

Hops to Infra     : 1                  Association Id   : 6

Clients Associated: 0                  Repeaters associated: 0

Tunnel Address    : 0.0.0.0

Key Mgmt type     : NONE               Encryption       : Off

Current Rate      : 11.0               Capability       :

Supported Rates   : 1.0 2.0 5.5 11.0

Voice Rates       : disabled

Signal Strength   : -56  dBm           Connected for    : 106 seconds

Signal to Noise   : 61  dB            Activity Timeout : 60 seconds

Power-save        : On                 Last Activity    : 0 seconds ago

Apsd DE AC(s)     : NONE

Packets Input     : 45                 Packets Output   : 6

Bytes Input       : 1572               Bytes Output     : 510

Duplicates Rcvd   : 0                  Data Retries     : 0

Decrypt Failed    : 0                  RTS Retries      : 0

MIC Failed        : 0                  MIC Missing      : 0

Packets Redirected: 0                  Redirect Filtered: 0

Test#

and here is the output of the good printer:

Test#show dot11 ass all-

Address           : 0002.78c4.1234     Name             : NONE

IP Address        : 192.168.1.47        Interface        : Dot11Radio 0

Device            : unknown            Software Version : NONE

CCX Version       : NONE

State             : Assoc              Parent           : self

SSID              : Network4

VLAN              : 49

Hops to Infra     : 1                  Association Id   : 7

Clients Associated: 0                  Repeaters associated: 0

Tunnel Address    : 0.0.0.0

Key Mgmt type     : WPA PSK            Encryption       : TKIP

Current Rate      : 54.0               Capability       :

Supported Rates   : 1.0 2.0 5.5 11.0 6.0 9.0 12.0 18.0 24.0 36.0 48.0 54.0

Voice Rates       : disabled

Signal Strength   : -63  dBm           Connected for    : 11 seconds

Signal to Noise   : 35  dB            Activity Timeout : 55 seconds

Power-save        : On                 Last Activity    : 5 seconds ago

Apsd DE AC(s)     : NONE

Packets Input     : 14                 Packets Output   : 10

Bytes Input       : 859                Bytes Output     : 1127

Duplicates Rcvd   : 0                  Data Retries     : 0

Decrypt Failed    : 0                  RTS Retries      : 0

MIC Failed        : 0                  MIC Missing      : 0

Packets Redirected: 0                  Redirect Filtered: 0

Session timeout   : 0 seconds

Reauthenticate in : never

[George Stefanick]

for testing purposes. can you make 1 mb basic and the others supported ..?

[Simon Given]

Hi George,

done and still the same association.

I'm beginning to suspect the printers.  The configuration is standard to Cisco and works for everything else.  The printers with a G radio work, the ones with B-only fail to associate and i'm beginning to think they are pre-B standard!

I'm going to run a few tests on the printers and will let you know how it goes.

Cheer

Simon

[George Stefanick]

The otheritem to look for is to see if you have aironet extenions enabled... if so disable and give that a shot.

If you have a sniffer doing a packet capture may be telling as well.

[Simon Given]

Thanks George, Leo and David.

After much config changes and trying every combination i could think of. I went back to the printers.  The ones giving me the problems are B only machines.  The firmware upgrade on these machines was through the printer vendor software (which was flakey at best) and never failed to give an error message on each flashing.  I found in the end, if i re-flashed the printers 3 to 5 times each, they THEN picked up the newer B card drivers and worked!

This was a steep learning curve and the advice here still helped in eliminating the issues and gave me more confidence when re-looking at the printer.

Thanks again for all your help.

Simon

[George Stefanick]

Im glad it all worked out. Once you go through one of these you will never ever forget it! Stop back if you run into any other problems or have questions.

Take care

[Leo Laohoo]

Moral Lesson:  Before buying, TEST the equipment