Why Does Creating a New WLAN Cause All Networks to Drop Momentarily?

[Matthew Martin]

Hello All,

Wireless Controller: AIR-CT2504-K9

If I create a NEW Wlan that is not yet associated to Any AP or AP Group, etc... Why would saving/applying settings to that WLAN cause all of our SSID/Wireless Networks to drop momentarily?

If this new WLAN is brand new and not yet associated to any AP or FlexConnect Group to be broadcast, then why would modifying/saving it cause clients to get kicked off all of our other non-related WLANs?

Is this supposed to be happening? Basically, it seems like I cannot modify any WLAN on the Controller without it causing all other WLANs to drop momentarily..?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in Advance,
Matt

[ammahend]

i tried on mine and don't see any such warning wither through GUI or CLI, see attached.

are you getting a warning message while applying/saving ?

[Matthew Martin]

Thanks for the reply!

I don't remember seeing any kind of warning message when I first created the WLAN, which was through the GUI.

What happened was, I was creating a new WLAN and after I finished configuring everything for the WLAN, I clicked the apply button. Then, about 30 seconds or so later, my manager asked me if I was doing anything to the Wi-Fi because he dropped off the Wireless network he was connected to, and when I went and checked my phone, I could see that I was no longer connected to our Wi-Fi at that moment either... I have seen stuff like this happen before. I remember once when I was modifying our Public Wi-Fi network, and everytime I made a change and Applied it, all the other networks had a momentary drop from the network.

Any idea what kind of tasks will cause OTHER Wlans, besides the one your modifying, to have a momentary drop? For example, by modifying a WLAN directly, adding a WLAN to a FlexConnect Group, AP Group, etc... Does that make sense?


Thanks Again,
Matt

[Scott Fella]

I always create test SSID's with no issues to the existing wlans. Maybe there is a bug on the code you are running.  I also have a 2504 at home and I also create new wlans and delete wlans for testing without dropping any clients.

-Scott 

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[Matthew Martin]

Now that mostly everyone in my building is gone for the day I decided to try a test...

I connected my cell phone to a WLAN/SSID other then the new one I created. The one I'm now connected to shares nothing with the new WLAN I created. Neither are configured in the same AP Group or FlexConnect Group, neither share an interface, etc... I created a new AP Group and new FlexConnect Group for this WLAN. The AP broadcasting the new WLAN is not in the FlexConnect or AP Group that all the other APs are in, so this one Access Point is only broadcasting the new WLAN, and looking at that AP, the light is solid green, meaning no devices are connected to it.

So I went into the newly created WLAN on the Controller and went to the Advanced Tab, then I ticked the checkbox to enable "FlexConnect Local Switching" and as soon as I hit apply I looked at my cell phone, which is connected to a different WLAN, and I could see the Wi-Fi icon disappear for about 10 seconds, then it reappeared/reconnected...
So it seems like maybe something is happening here that shouldn't be.

The WLC is running Version: 8.1.131.0

-Matt