Question

Cisco Aironet dropping clients, is it the laptop or the access point???

Asked by: khessert

Where to begin...we have a Cisco 1100 Aironet AP running about 25 clients in a auto service center.  The clients keep losing signal to the AP, almost like some pulled the power plug on the 1100.  The problem seems most persistent when the clients are left idle for minutes, but it also happens mid-process as well.  Here are some of the things I've done:

-replaced old 1100 with brand new 1100 and configured from scratch...
 -added power injector and plugged into a UPS...
-changed port on switch for AP
-moved clients as close as possible to AP
-deleted profiles on clients and re-created them
-deleted SSID on 1100 and re-created it
-turned off power management features for wi-fi cards on clients
-changed the IP address of the AP twice(in case of possible conflict)
-removed 2nd 1100 AP on different network in the same building
-turned off hibernation, system standby or any power manangement feature in XP

all the clients have random wi-fi cards, ranging from belkin, linksys, intel pro-set, dell 1390.  The intels seem to be the worst...  when I have windows manage the wireless settings on the intel cards, it seems a little better.  they also have random wireless management software on the clients, ranging from XP, dell, intel...   The only thing that all clients have in common is XP, but some are home edition and some are Pro.

sometimes all the clients drop at the same time, other times just the intel cards drop at the same time.  I have to reboot the AP and the client and then its fine for a few hours.

I am wits end with this issue, I would run CAT5 or 6 but the ceiling is like 30 feet high and the runs would be well over 300 feet...

One of the employees noticed that when a car is put on a lift and raised near him, his wireless signal drops and then comes back...

the association page on the AP looks odd to me, why are there repeaters, 4500-radio's, unknowns, etc... there should only be windows XP clients with hostnames, correct?

Association
Clients: 20 Repeaters: 2
View:  Client  Repeater
Radio0-802.11G
SSID SHOPWIRELESS2 :  
Device Type  Name IP Address  MAC Address  State Parent VLAN
unknown - 10.221.30.130 0002.2d5e.fc0c  Associated self none
4500-radio - 10.221.30.21 000c.4160.a322  Associated self none
4500-radio - 10.221.30.33 000c.4162.01d8  Associated self none
unknown - 10.221.30.12 000f.6606.478b  Associated self none
ap1100-Rptr - 10.221.30.38   000f.6672.1b79  Associated self none
unknown - 10.221.30.14 000f.66a1.a4e6  Associated self none
unknown - 10.221.30.59 000f.66a1.a4e7  Associated self none
unknown - 10.221.30.136 000f.66b7.4fd3  Associated self none
unknown - 10.221.30.35 000f.66b7.503c  Associated self none
unknown - 10.221.30.142 000f.66b9.810d  Associated self none
4500-radio Default Client 10.221.30.114 0011.50da.2551  Associated self none
4500-radio SHOPWIRELESS 10.221.30.106 0013.0255.59dd  Associated self none
4500-radio SHOPWIRELESS 10.221.30.124 0013.0255.5add  Associated self none
4500-radio SHOPWIRELESS 10.221.30.137 0013.0255.5ae8  Associated self none
4500-radio - 10.221.30.75 0014.a557.57c0  Associated self none
4500-radio your-0cdc4f5844 10.221.30.39 0014.a5d9.b19a  Associated self none
unknown - 10.221.30.56 0017.f250.965f  Associated self none
4500-radio ARMIN 10.221.30.63 0018.de6a.78ef  Associated self none
4500-radio SHIRLEY 10.221.30.82 0019.7d24.275a  Associated self none
unknown - 10.221.30.112 0090.4b49.59ef  Associated self none
Others: (not related to any ssid)  
Device Type  Name IP Address  MAC Address  State Parent VLAN
unknown - 0.0.0.0 0019.7d24.5c87  Association processing self none

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Asked On
2007-11-09 at 06:16:06ID22949973
Tags

cisco

,

aironet

Topics

Wireless Technologies

,

Miscellaneous Networking

,

Wireless Local Area Network

Participating Experts
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: SysExpertPosted on 2007-11-10 at 20:32:30ID: 20258094

1) You may have a lot of EMI ( Electromagnetic interference ) in a place like an auto -shop, with all of the heavy duty equipment.

That can definitely be an issue.

You really should try using wired, and if needed, use more than 1 switch to get beyond 300 Feet ( 100 Meters).

You can use up to 3 switches If I remember correctly. Each with 100 Meters max between them

I hope this helps !

 

by: sarangk_14Posted on 2007-11-14 at 16:55:57ID: 20285680

Hi,

Have you tried implementing QoS on the router?(this would ideally rule out any latency issues as it seems from your comment "reboot the AP and the client and then its fine for a few hours"
If answer to this questions don't solve your problem, will it be possible for you to post the running-configuration of the router? I can then go through the configuration step-by-step and see if we can find and/or solve this problem

Hope this helps.

 

by: khessertPosted on 2007-11-15 at 08:48:53ID: 20290371

I have not tried to implement QoS, I am not very familiar with it, but I will give it a shot...  If it doesnt help, i'll post the config for the router...thanks!

 

by: khessertPosted on 2008-02-13 at 11:55:00ID: 20887479

I replaced the wi-fi cards on the clients with high end cisco cards with antennas, in addition one of the clients had issues with the wi-fi drivers, so the Cisco thought it was another access point instead of a client, and kept booting off all the other clients...

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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