Wireless Clients ( 5 GHz ) preferring ONE AP in the AREA

[prakashcsco]

We are using 9120 AX APs and 3504 controllers. In specific areas, wireless clients are a little high like 70 clients. They generally use Low data and sometimes Voice calls between them.  IN that Specific Area three AP are installed and all three are in different 5ghz channels (161,157, 153) and set power level as 2. but most of the clients prefer the AP configured with channel 157.

Need some Advice why its happening.

[Flavio Miranda · Accepted solution]

Hi,

  Considering that in that area the APs are installed accordingly, I mean, you did a site survery or predictivy site survey and put them around with proper distances and considering clients are all over the place and not concentrated under this 157 channel AP, them the problem could be the clients itself.   After all, clients takes decision on where to connect.

 Just make sure they are really on the same power level cause this could be a reasonable explanation.

[prakashcsco]

HI,

Yes power level are same as set to 2 

[Leo Laohoo]

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@prakashcsco wrote:
but most of the clients prefer the AP configured with channel 157.

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Means the wireless clients are all hanging on to one, single AP that is broadcasting in Channel 157.  

[prakashcsco]

Most of the clients choose that AP  ex AP 7 and other clients connect to AP 6 or AP 8.

[JPavonM]

Conisder upgrading client's wireless driver (or OS release if it's and iOS or Android one).

[Arshad Safrulla]

Also check what channels clients are capable of (capturing the client association request should tell you what client capabilities are). If the client of capable of all the channels which you mention, it is always the client who decides what AP to connect and this is hardcoded in to the clients WLAN drivers. So as @JPavonM mentioned try upgrading to the latest. Most vendors always recommend upgrading the WLAN drivers to the latest.

[prakashcsco]

In the client scan for AP, I can see 3 APs. 

brcmfmac: [0] [6c:41:0e:45:8a:ee] [Channel: 157] [RSSI = -49] [CU = 5%]
brcmfmac: [1] [6c:41:0e:45:95:6e] [Channel: 153] [RSSI = -58] [CU = 8%]
brcmfmac: [2] [6c:41:0e:45:c2:8e] [Channel: 161] [RSSI = -70] [CU = 6%]

It should connect either 157 or 153 as these are giving good RSSI. . I have raised a case with cisco , will update soon