01-17-2007 02:21 PM - edited 07-03-2021 01:29 PM
I've got 4 1130ag's, three at one site and one at another.
I get just about 2Mbps over them. I've limited the AP's to only use G speeds per Cisco's docs, I've verified the ethernet port on the 3560's they plug into, they transfer at real 100Mbps Lan speeds, easily over 2Mbps
I should get more than this with B! I'm using linksys wpc54gs ver 2 and Belking F5D7011 cards on around 20 laptops. Speed tests were taken on each individual AP with others powered off and no traffic to the two test machines (1 server and 1 laptop). The linksys card is slightly slower so I think it may be a driver/XP issue. I've downloaded all the latest drivers to no avail.
I get a LOT of errors in the ap stats screens:
Retries: 10408
Packets With One Retry: 6728
Packets With More Than One Retry: 1734
Duplicate Frames: 564
CRC Errors: 122
This is over 3 speakeasy tests and one 33MB file transfer test with the Belkin. There are no other wireless devices, phones, etc in the same band. Open air from about 10-15 feet from the AP's
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
01-17-2007 06:30 PM
Load Netstumbler (www.netstumbler.com) on the laptop nad take a look at the RF environment you're woring in.
NS will give you an indication of the best channel (1, 6, or 11) is the cleanest ... environmental interference as well as other wireless systems.
What kind of signal strength, *AND* what kind of signal quality are you seeing? Of the two, signal quality is much more important.
The indications from the stats you posted suggest interference and / or poor signal quality.
Good Luck
Scott
01-17-2007 08:07 PM
That was my very first thought so I did use NS to take a look. I'm on channel 1, nothing else at all shows up. I also tried 11 and it was about 3-6 dB lower, no performance difference. Signals are:
Belkin:
SNR 68 (54 at chnl 11)
Noise -100
Signal -32 dBm (-46 at chnl 11)
Linksys:
SNR 47 (49-51 at chnl 11)
Noise -100
Signal -53 dBm (-47 at chnl 11)
01-18-2007 11:09 AM
a drop of 3db = half the strength
a drop of 6db = quarter the strength.
Do the following, login to the AP's CLI and issue the following command. (change to appropriate radio)
show int dot11radio 0 statistics
Copy the results to your fav text editor.
Then issue:
clear dot11 statistics dot11Radio 0
Now wait 10 minutes or so and issue the first command again... Post the results.
show int dot11radio 0 statistics
01-18-2007 03:06 PM
After:
DOT11 Statistics (Cumulative Total/Last 5 Seconds):
RECEIVER TRANSMITTER
Host Rx Bytes: 2097968 / 704 Host Tx Bytes: 2351077 /1079
Unicasts Rx: 7590 / 10 Unicasts Tx: 7006 / 10
Unicasts to host: 7590 / 10 Unicasts by host: 6905 / 10
Broadcasts Rx: 101 / 0 Broadcasts Tx: 13269 / 48
Beacons Rx: 0 / 0 Beacons Tx: 13033 / 48
Broadcasts to host: 101 / 0 Broadcasts by host: 235 / 0
Multicasts Rx: 0 / 0 Multicasts Tx: 1482 / 6
Multicasts to host: 0 / 0 Multicasts by host: 1478 / 6
Mgmt Packets Rx: 0 / 0 Mgmt Packets Tx: 101 / 0
RTS received: 0 / 0 RTS transmitted: 4 / 0
Duplicate frames: 7 / 0 CTS not received: 1 / 0
CRC errors: 701 / 0 Unicast Fragments Tx: 7003 / 10
WEP errors: 0 / 0 Retries: 1790 / 1
Buffer full: 0 / 0 Packets one retry: 770 / 1
Host buffer full: 0 / 0 Packets > 1 retry: 464 / 0
Header CRC errors: 0 / 0 Protocol defers: 178 / 0
Invalid header: 1 / 0 Energy detect defers: 454 / 0
Length invalid: 0 / 0 Jammer detected: 0 / 0
Incomplete fragments: 0 / 0 Packets aged: 0 / 0
Rx Concats: 0 / 0 Tx Concats: 0 / 0
Before:
DOT11 Statistics (Cumulative Total/Last 5 Seconds):
RECEIVER TRANSMITTER
Host Rx Bytes: 45681718 / 0 Host Tx Bytes: 590600614 / 315
Unicasts Rx: 295262 / 0 Unicasts Tx: 434310 / 0
Unicasts to host: 295262 / 0 Unicasts by host: 426141 / 0
Broadcasts Rx: 27845 / 0 Broadcasts Tx: 882486 / 49
Beacons Rx: 0 / 0 Beacons Tx: 875149 / 49
Broadcasts to host: 27845 / 0 Broadcasts by host: 7337 / 0
Multicasts Rx: 0 / 0 Multicasts Tx: 87408 / 6
Multicasts to host: 0 / 0 Multicasts by host: 87406 / 6
Mgmt Packets Rx: 0 / 0 Mgmt Packets Tx: 8169 / 0
RTS received: 0 / 0 RTS transmitted: 324 / 0
Duplicate frames: 2066 / 0 CTS not received: 292 / 0
CRC errors: 12252 / 0 Unicast Fragments Tx: 434262 / 0
WEP errors: 0 / 0 Retries: 64411 / 0
Buffer full: 0 / 0 Packets one retry: 26613 / 0
Host buffer full: 0 / 0 Packets > 1 retry: 18184 / 0
Header CRC errors: 0 / 0 Protocol defers: 21 / 0
Invalid header: 86 / 0 Energy detect defers: 6320 / 17
Length invalid: 0 / 0 Jammer detected: 0 / 0
Incomplete fragments: 0 / 0 Packets aged: 0 / 0
Rx Concats: 0 / 0 Tx Concats: 0 / 0
01-22-2007 09:56 AM
The only thing i really see out of the ordinary is your Energy detect defers. This is the number of times your AP detected radio transmissions and waited befoer sending data.
However this could have just been during higher activity on your wirelses network.
01-22-2007 10:38 PM
Wow!
What kind of environment are you in? I'm guessing an airplane hanger with trees in it wrapped in chain link fence!
Seriously, the signals you have assuming a -100 dBm noise floor should be fine for voice and data in a clean environment.
I am assuming mulipath and that is what Scott was alluding to when he spoke of signal quality.
It is supposed to be a diversity antenna so that should be taken care of, but what is the power set to?
Please describe the environment. The walls floors, ceilings...office space, bank vault, Kryptonite factory, etc.
I would like to see the sh run and any results you got from a site survey.
Did it ever work or has it always been like this?
01-23-2007 09:12 AM
One location is a single story office building, not much around it except a lot of parking lots. On the outer edges of the building (outside) I pick up 3 other wireless networks with NS, but the signal is so low I can't even associate to them. The building is brick with typical wood studs in the inner walls. Nothing too weird. The other site (where the readings are from but almost the same as the other location) is a house in a residential district, no other ap's even when walking around the yard perimeter. House was built in the 1960's, again nothing strange about it.
The speeds were better when I first installed everything, they just suddenly dropped in December. Nothing has changed.
I have power output set all the way up. What do you mean "the sh run"?
01-23-2007 11:32 AM
I'm sorry "sh run" is geek for 'show run' which is a command that you type in to the AP to show the configuration.
I would suggest turning the power down as much as possible, at least to test the throughput in a less "hot" environment.
However, if this doesn't show any marked improvement, you will have to test a new Known Good AP in this environment and test a Possibly Bad AP in a Known Clean Environment.
Something should reveal itself at that point; either the good one will work and you have crappy radios that need to be replaced or, the good one won't work in your current environment but the bad works fine outside of it.
Then you need to either get some serious spectrum analysis or move and call a priest.
01-23-2007 01:29 PM
Hi John,
It's always nice to see some humor along with your good ideas :) I was laughing pretty good on these last two posts. 5 points from this end! I think your troubleshooting ideas were also very good.
Take care,
Rob
01-23-2007 05:12 PM
Current configuration : 4552 bytes
version 12.3
no service pad
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
service password-encryption
hostname -------
clock timezone UTC -7
clock summer-time UTC recurring
led display alternate
ip subnet-zero
ip name-server ---------
aaa new-model
aaa group server radius rad_eap
server --------- auth-port 1812 acct-port 1814
aaa group server radius rad_mac
aaa group server radius rad_acct
server --------- auth-port 1812 acct-port 1814
aaa group server radius rad_admin
server --------- auth-port 1812 acct-port 1814
cache expiry 1
cache authorization profile admin_cache
cache authentication profile admin_cache
aaa group server tacacs+ tac_admin
cache expiry 1
cache authorization profile admin_cache
cache authentication profile admin_cache
aaa group server radius rad_pmip
aaa group server radius dummy
aaa authentication login default local cache rad_admin group rad_admin
aaa authentication login eap_methods group rad_eap
aaa authentication login mac_methods local
aaa authorization exec default local cache rad_admin group rad_admin
aaa accounting network acct_methods start-stop group rad_acct
aaa cache profile admin_cache
all
aaa session-id common
dot11 ssid --------
authentication open
authentication key-management wpa
guest-mode
wpa-psk ascii 7 -----------------
dot11 aaa csid unformatted
dot11 network-map
bridge irb
interface Dot11Radio0
description 802.11G Radio
no ip address
no ip route-cache
encryption mode ciphers tkip
ssid ---------
speed basic-1.0 2.0 5.5 6.0 9.0 11.0 12.0 18.0 24.0 36.0 48.0 54.0
channel 2462
station-role root
no dot11 extension aironet
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 1 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
no bridge-group 1 unicast-flooding
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
interface Dot11Radio1
description 802.11A Radio
no ip address
no ip route-cache
encryption mode ciphers tkip
ssid ------------
speed basic-6.0 basic-9.0 basic-12.0 basic-18.0 basic-24.0 basic-36.0 basic-48.0 basic-54.0
station-role root
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 1 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
no bridge-group 1 unicast-flooding
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
interface FastEthernet0
description Ethernet Link
no ip address
no ip route-cache
duplex auto
speed auto
bridge-group 1
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
hold-queue 160 in
interface BVI1
ip address dhcp client-id FastEthernet0
no ip route-cache
ip http server
ip http authentication aaa
no ip http secure-server
ip http help-path http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/smbiz/prodconfig/help/eag
ip radius source-interface BVI1
snmp-server view dot11view ieee802dot11 included
snmp-server community public RO
snmp-server location --------------------
snmp-server contact Michael Hess
snmp-server chassis-id -----------
snmp-server enable traps snmp authentication linkdown linkup coldstart warmstart
snmp-server enable traps tty
snmp-server enable traps entity
snmp-server enable traps disassociate
snmp-server enable traps deauthenticate
snmp-server enable traps authenticate-fail
snmp-server enable traps dot11-qos
snmp-server enable traps switch-over
snmp-server enable traps rogue-ap
snmp-server enable traps wlan-wep
snmp-server enable traps config
snmp-server enable traps syslog
snmp-server enable traps cpu threshold
snmp-server enable traps aaa_server
snmp-server host ----------- public
radius-server attribute 32 include-in-access-req format %h
radius-server host ------------ auth-port 1812 acct-port 1814 key xxx
radius-server vsa send accounting
control-plane
bridge 1 route ip
wlccp wds aaa csid unformatted
line con 0
line vty 0 4
sntp broadcast client
end
01-23-2007 05:14 PM
I replaced my wpa-ent with wpa-personal to rule out radius issues. I also tried as completley open, no diff. I tried with various data rate settings as well, all on, all off, g only, etc. I removed the user/password section as I assume that won't matter. Thanks for all the great suggestions guys! I do have a couple bluetooth devices in the general area that wouldn't show on NS, no cordless phones in that band though. I've tried with all the bluetooth devices off and it didn't have any affect.
01-23-2007 06:15 PM
just a couple of points...the G radio is set to 1.0 and up.
That should read speed basic-11.0 12.0 etc....
The channel for this AP is 11. If there are any microwave ovens around close to this AP, you will take a good hit when they turn it on.
Channel 11 is the closest one of the three to Channel 9 which is pretty close to the cenetr frequency of a standard microwave. It takes the worst hit.
I don't see any reason for guest mode to be in there, maybe I missed something.
There is no channel set for A.
I would at this point lower all my AP's down to like 10mW just to see what happens. I would do the same with all the client cards as well. If everything is at full power you are most likely causing your own multipath.
Ensure you are using three separate channels for G, (1,6,11)
I would then take a Card you know that Works Elsewhere and run some ping tests from the client to the AP and then to the Gateway and then to something on the network on the other side.
I would also get some Wireshark and sniff the air and see if anything catches your eye. Maybe one bad card is killing you..who knows.
If you have any (as in even one) B client the whole thing takes a dive. Since G wasn't around when they made B, the B clients cannot detect G traffic and the G traffic has to stop and make sure no B cards want to send traffic. You take a huge hit for that!
Not much else I can guess at. But at the very least rule out same channel interference by checking all your AP's, check your ping times with a continuous ping, make sure you are roaming properly and not sticking to one AP too long, No B clients - microwave locations,
wireshark the air and get a sniff and see what is dropping retransmitting etc...
Take the aluminum foil wall paper of the walls (haha) and remove the tinsel somebody draped on the AP for Christmas (Go ahead and giggle I have seen this in reality!)
And just for grins make sure there are no Draft -N products being used anywhere.
If you get past all that It would be Time To Spend Some Money and buy Cognio and perform a spectrum analysis and let it find any phones, x-10 cameras, who knows what else...
Good luck bro - I feel your pain..
01-23-2007 08:06 PM
The 1.0 rates where my last ditch effort to try everything, as was guest mode. I actually had the a radio off during my tests, just turned it back on.
I've killed all devices that emmit anything around the ap's. No microwaves. No B devices. Didn't know ethereal changed it's name, had me stumped there for a minute, thank you google, I'll try that tomorrow. I've tried with two known good cards and the ap plugged straight into a cleanly reset firewall with nothing else on it. I killed all speeds but 54 and still bad.
I will lower the power tomorrow and see what happens. If that doesn't fix it I may get Cisco to RMA one of them and see what happens. I may also take the ap, two laptops and a couple of cards to the middle of nowhere (Wyoming has a lot of that) with one of my larger ups' and see what happens. :)
No way am I going to get the board to approve buying Cognio or any of it's brethren, tried that last year with wildpackets, non-profit with donated Cisco stuff.
01-24-2007 10:22 AM
Netstumbler interoperability with certain cards cause netstumbler to report a noise of -100 and never changes.. This is not the true reading and should not be used to judge an environment.
Also should note the command 'show dot11 ass all'.. To get what the AP is seeing in terms of SNR and sig strength.
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