WLAN disconnections @ big Events

[a-weitzel]

Hello,

we have regularly tradeshows in our exhibition halls. During the sales event, customers must make their order via Wi-Fi.

We have built up a WLAN with WLC5508 (Ver. 7.2) and 40x 3502e APs.

Unfortunately, the customers complain in the 2.4 Ghz network on permanent disconnections.

During a measurement, the ending of the event, we noticed very, very many foreign WLANs are active leading to interference problems. These are smartphone customers with an active hotspot and WLAN APs by the exhibitors.

In a hall we could find happiness with all the strange WLANs and off for a certain time. From there, the customer had in the area, no more crashes.

What technical possibilities we have that comes in spite of the foreign Hotsports to no disconnections in the 2.4 Ghz more?

Works EDRRM here reliable?

How to make the Cisco else at such events?

Thank you for your fast support

Alex

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

You will never be able to prevent the rouge hotspots from users.  The thing you need to look at is your settings.... In a high density environment, you need to adjust your data rates and TX power to create smaller cells.  Number of users per AP is also a big problem that can cause the end user to complain.  In high density, you can almost hit high numbers of clients per AP and you need to look at if you need to deploy more AP's to alleviate this issue.  Creating smaller cells help with this, but you have to understand your environment.  Power and data rates is the key here along with how your users are getting onto the wireless.  Many devices have 5ghz so allowing that band also helps.  The go to code for the 5508's is v7.4.110.0 MR1 or v7.4.121.0 MR2 just to let you know.  v7.2 is for FIPS compliant but you should move to v7.4.

EDRRM can help also, but you don't want your channels changing very often.  This is something you need to also play around with.  DCA you should change to 24 hours not leave it at default at 10 minutes.  You have CleanAir so would use it, but test and see what works for you. 

Here is a high density deployment guide:

http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/docs/education/cisco_wlan_design_guide.pdf

Thanks,

Scott

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[a-weitzel]

Hello Scott,

forgive my mistakes, but e have on the WLC 5508 7.0 and not 7.2 in use.

Could this be another problem?

What exactly is FIPS, what difference does here v7.4 as opposed to 7.2 / 7.0? Thank you.

Thanks and regards

Alex

[Leo Laohoo]

Doesn't really matter what firmware you are using.

The main thing to consider is that you are using an AP with CleanAir capabilities and I recommend you enable this.

Think of it from another point of view:  Why are users allowing their phones and laptops as hotspots?

Maybe there's not enough AP and/or maybe there's not enough bandwidth.

What you could potentially do is adjust the data rates of the 802.11 b/g and putting more APs on the floor.  You could potentially put an AP in each stand or exhibit booth and turn down the data rates.

In my opinion, majority of the people who use their smartphones and/or laptops into hotspots are some of the booth "holders" themselves.  Some of these people may not be technical but the very minute they see this blinking "Cisco box" in their booth ...

As what Scott has said, make sure your DCA is set for 24 hours (starting at midnight) and make sure you have TPC enabled to automatic as well.