Can I tell a client to prefer a specific AP?

[keithsauer507]

I have a training room with 4 PC's and right outside of this training room is a 3500i series LAP.  Only two of the PC's are associating to it, and the other two are associating to an AP 2 floors up which much slower data rates.

I am wondering if I can fix the AP in the Wireless Lan Controller that these clients connect to, or make them preferred without having to touch the client itself and its Windows driver.  All 4 PCs are identical running the same image.  They are using Dell Wireless cards that are built into Dell Optiplex 3011 All in One PCs.

[Sandeep Choudhary]

Hi keith,

You can't do this in this environment (Light Weight) as client roaming decision is made by client. There are no control over this on WLC/AP. Means there is not a way to force the client to use a specific AP from the controller side of things.  As per the specs the client decides when and where to associate. 

You could try disabling some of the lower data rates or lowering the AP's tx power to reduce the coverage cell of each AP.  By doing this the client might not see the other AP as favourite.

Regards

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[Scott Fella]

There is nothing you can do unless the TX power of the AP's are too low. The clients are the ones that will decide which ap it wants to associate to. Just make sure the power levels if the AP are not too low and maybe that's why these devices are associating to another AP.

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[keithsauer507]

Ok I have the WLC automatically adjusting all AP's power levels.

I tried making the power level a 1 on the AP right outside this room, but it didn't make any difference at all.  So I changed it back to automatic.

[Sandeep Choudhary]

This is the only way

You could try to reduce the power level of ( 2floor UP) AP and then try it.

Otherwise you must ask for the correct site survey.

Regards

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[keithsauer507]

I have a 5508 WLC on 7.4.100.0.  Maybe I will read the release notes and look into updating it to 7.6.100.0.  Also need to upgrade FPGA 1.7 to 1.9.

[Sandeep Choudhary]

Yes you can move to 7.4.121.0 or 7.6 version.(Dont go with 7.5, its deffred from cisco), also dont forget to update FUS.

Regards

[Leo Laohoo]

Keith,

Talk to Cisco TAC and get them to give you the release for 7.6.101.X.

There used to be a function in the client's wireless drivers where it will let you "prefer" which AP to use.   I don't remember the manufacturer of the wireless NIC that had a software to do that.  Could either be Intel or Broadcom.

[Scott Fella]

Make sure you don't have client load balancing enabled on the WLAN advanced tab. I would set the min TX power level under TPC to 11dbm or 8dbm and see if that helps.

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[keithsauer507]

I ended up relocating the access point from outside the room to inside the room right above the training PC's.  Now all of them are associated to it.  WLC assigned it a power of 8.

Where is the TPC setting?

Leo,  Whats new in 7.6.101.X?  Is it safe to get for a production network, because its not listed on the downloads page.  You say I can just request it?  Do I need a business reason to request it?  I take it they would send me release notes?

[Scott Fella]

Power level 8 is too low and is the lowest power setting. If you go to the wireless tab and then 802.11bgn for example, on the left is something called TPC. You can set the min dbm value so that RRM doesn't power the radios down too much where it's not usable or clients will not want to connect to.

You should upgrade to v7.4.121.0

v7.6.101.7 is a TAC release and you may not want to be on a TAC release. If you want to know about features, look at the v7.6 release notes. v7.4.121.0 is the preferred code and only use v7.6 if you need features.

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[keithsauer507]

Thanks Scott,

I have Maximum is 30 and Minimum is -10 for Tx Power Level Assignment Algorithm. Automatic is selected for assignment method and power threshhold is at -70.  Also TPCv1 is selected.

[Scott Fella]

The min you should make it like 8 or 11 which is in dbm. TPCv1 should be checked also. Don't use TPCv2!!!!

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[keithsauer507]

negative 8 or negative 11 right.

Yeah I have TPCv1 checked off.

Maybe I will try -8 first and see what that does if anything.

[keithsauer507]

Oh wait -10 is the minimum so I can't go -11.  And it also said can't do it while network is operational.  This will be an experement for after hours.