iPAD vs. WLC 5508, AIR-CAP3502I-A-K9s

[lcaruso]

Hi,

A client purchased Cisco infrastructure to primarily support Supervisors with iPADs. 
Now we find out iPADs cannot support APs that have multiple SSIDs assciated with one mac address. 

Autonomous APs can deal with this issue via

MBSSID - Multiple Basic Service Set Identifier
 The goals of MBSSID is to create unique beacon transmissions for  each BSSID allowing access points to appear to client devices to be  several distinct co-located AP’s or multiple-virtual AP’s. This allows  up to: 8 MBSSIDs per radio or 16 MBSSIDs per AP (in a dual-radio AP),  multiple multicast streams, support for existing clients with no  changes/impact on client devices

But the controller-based APs don't support MBSSID.

So what are we to do--tell them they can only have one WLAN otherwise their iPADs won't work?

Thanks.

[George Stefanick · Accepted solution]

Sorry, not sure I follow.

Controllers support multiple SSIDs.

[lcaruso]

iPads apparently don't like APs with mulitple SSIDs coming from one mac address.

see https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/340242

The iPad sees all the rouge APs within range, none of which are Cisco.

[George Stefanick]

I see your concern, but a few items I can share. Those post are a bit old, for one. And I can assure you iPad and iPhones support and work in a multi ssid environment. I have 5 SSID here, with 6,000 wifi radios, over 6,000 wifi devices. I have my own iphone and ipad as well as a hundred or more others with no issues.

What is your deisgn strategy for the iPad / iPhone? Do you plan on having a single SSID just for these devices? What security do you plan on using ?

[George Stefanick]

If you have apple on your network, you may want to be more worried about this ..

http://revolutionwifi.blogspot.com/2012/05/are-apple-iphones-misbehaving-on-wi-fi.html

[lcaruso]

Thanks. We have a dedicted SSID/WLAN for the IPads with WPA2 security.

[lcaruso]

And I can assure you iPad and iPhones support and work in a multi ssid  environment. I have 5 SSID here, with 6,000 wifi radios, over 6,000 wifi  devices. I have my own iphone and ipad as well as a hundred or more  others with no issues. 

Why would a default iPad only see non-Cisco devices then--any ideas what to change on the iPads?

[George Stefanick]

Not sure I follow .. What do you mean ?

[lcaruso]

I'm remotely support a client.

They have a shipment of new iPads running iOS 5.1.1 and just tried one out against the new Cisco wireless APs/WLC.

All of of the Cisco gear tested succesfully with laptops running Windows, but the iPads do not see any of the three SSIDs being broadcast. The iPads see all other non-Cisco APs within range just fine.

My question was perhaps there is a setting on the iPad to make it see certain type of SSIDs. Did you do any configuration on the iPads that work in the environments you support? Is there any Cisco specific settings on them? Do they use the iPad supplicant or is there a Cisco supplicant being used?

I'm trying to find a reason why these particular iPads don't see the SSIDs. Make sense?

[George Stefanick]

Are you certain the SSID is being broadcasted ?

[lcaruso]

That's how the laptop based clients connected. Bring up the network list and select an SSID.

Going to troubleshoot with TAC in a couple of days. I'll update this thread with any findings.

[George Stefanick]

Hard to say. I'm not having that issue. I might look at how your WLAN is configured. What security are you using ?

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPad App

[lcaruso]

Two WLANs are configured with WPA2 and a third is Web Auth.

[Leo Laohoo]

All of of the Cisco gear tested succesfully with laptops running Windows, but the iPads do not see any of the three SSIDs being broadcast. The iPads see all other non-Cisco APs within range just fine.

I agree with George on this one:  Are any of the three SSIDs broadcasting the SSID? 

[lcaruso]

We are in testing phase.

Guess I don't understand how a Windows client that's never connected to these WLANs could connect w/o a broadcast.

Interface Group Configuration

WLAN Configuration

WLAN Identifier...................... 1

Profile Name......................... MC-County-Board

Network Name (SSID).................. MC-County-Board

Status............................... Enabled

MAC Filtering........................ Disabled

Broadcast SSID....................... Enabled

WLAN Configuration

WLAN Identifier...................... 2

Profile Name......................... MC-Management

Network Name (SSID).................. MC-Management

Status............................... Enabled

MAC Filtering........................ Disabled

Broadcast SSID....................... Enabled

WLAN Configuration

WLAN Identifier...................... 3

Profile Name......................... MC-Visitors

Network Name (SSID).................. MC-Visitors

Status............................... Enabled

MAC Filtering........................ Disabled

Broadcast SSID....................... Enabled