Load balancing between two AP350

[elointernet]

I read in the AP350 documentation that is possible to load balance between two devices but it doesn't say how.

I'd like to use two AP in the same network segment with the same SSID and WEP keys.

How can I do it ?

[derwin · Accepted solution]

Simply configure the scond AP on a different channel that is 2 channels away from the first AP

You can use channels 1 6 and 11 for this.

As it is the client that decides which AP to associate to and the number of clients on an AP is sent in the Aironet extensions then Load balancing is for Cisco client cards.

[elointernet]

Thanks a lot.

[bbenton]

So are you saying the clients will associate to the AP with the least number of users? Automatically? How does Signal Strength play into it? We have a large meeting room with up to 40 people and we also need to "spread the wealth", as it were.

[derwin]

From the documentation page

Load balancing—The access point uses Aironet extensions to direct client devices to an access point that provides the best connection to the network based on factors such as number of users, bit error rates, and signal strength.

Signal stregth is a factor and it is also not a matter of 1 for 1 load balancing but a Cisco client will chose the best AP out of all that it could associate to. What makes the best AP is a combination of signal strength, quality and the least number of clients. If it can not maintain a reliable radio link (misses beacon frames) then it will roam using the same rules.

If you want to test this you really need to use more than 5 Cisco clients and idealy at least 10 NON Cisco clients will not use the Aironet extension so they wont know about how many clients are associated.

Dont forget your frequency planning and site survey as you will have overlapping cells.

[bbenton]

Thanks. We've already spread our AP strategically throughout our floors with alternating and different channels and it all appears to be working well. Adding one or two AP's for this large conf room is where we're headed next. Thanks for reminding me I need to read the manual periodically instead of once a year ago!

[elointernet]

One thing you said I did not understand:

" ... If you want to test this you really need to use more than 5 Cisco clients and idealy at least 10 NON Cisco clients ... "

Can I configure my AP with aironet extensions and have NON cisco clients connected to it ?

[derwin]

Ah I am sorry I did not write that very clearly.

Non Cisco clients will not work with Aironet extensions. That statement was meant to be 2 sentences 5 to 10 Cisco clients should show the load balancing.

Then the non Cisco clients will not load balance as they dont use the Aironet extensions

Sorry for the confussion