Intel 4965AGN not using N

that makes sense, but as see I have wireless N enabled, but it never gives me the option to use N.  Is there anyone else that has an Intel 4965AGN that has been able to N?

Anyone have any luck using a 4965AGN card on an N network?  I've seen other forums that claim they have been able to.

i have the software on my laptop no card.. just the built stuff..

but I don't have N around to test sorry..

Did you check for any driver updates, maybe from the Intel Site? What about a firmware upgrade on the Router? Also as the "N" mode isn't properly standardized it is possible that it'll work with some hardware combinations and not others.

Rindi I just double checked again and 11.5.1.15 is the latest driver posted on Intel's website and the Cisco 1252 is also up-to-date.  As a last restore I might have to buy another N card to see if it would have better luck connecting to the Cisco then this Intel card.

Although the version on the intel site seems the same, it is about a month older. I'd try that. If you get another card I'd try getting one that is from the same manufacturer as the router.

The driver thats posted is the one I installed last week, I'm not sure why the date on the website is different then whats posted in Device Manager, but I've downloaded on two separate laptops and its the same.

I've just run into the exact same issue with a Cisco AP1252 (2.4 and 5 GHz radios). This is on a Dell 830 with the 4965AGN card.

I've got a Mac in the same area that connects to the same AP1252 using N on both 2.4GHZ and 5GHz, but the Intel will only connect using 2.4GHz for g/n.

As a test, I set the Intel 4965AGN card's mode to 802.11a only, and it will not see the 1252's 5GHz radio with "a/n" running. It finds no networks. I also tested a Dell D820 with just a Intel ABG card, and it too can't see the 5GHz radio in "a" mode.

In anycase, I've sent off a question to my Cisco SE, and I'll post back what he has to say.

ScrJeff,
I have been able to connect the 4965AGN card to the Cisco AP1252 using A(5GHz) or G(2.4GHz).  However I haven't been able to connect using N draft.  I'm very curious to know what your 4965AGN settings are.  Also what are you using to manage the connection?  Intel's Proset? or Is it something Dell provided.  

Also do you have any other WLAN cards that you've tried to connect to the AP1252 using A?

4965AGN is set to defaults. I'm managing the settings using Intel's Proset.

The Mac I mentioned has a b/g/a/n card from Apple that reports as being a broadcom-based part. It has no trouble connecting on A.

The AP1252 is in LWAPP mode and connected to a Cisco 4404 controller running 5.x code.

Any chance that you've got a 4965AG card and not the 4965AGN?

The Lenovo T61 line switched from 4965AG to 4965AGN.  So we do have both in the office, but the one I've been using for testing is definetly 4965AGN.  I've also used a Lenovo x300 that uses the 4965AGN card with no success.  So when you open your Proset it shows your connected to N, whats the mbps it displays?  Man this is frustrating.  our WLAN controller is a 2000 series, but Cisco said it would be an issue.  I'm going to comb though the 1252 settings again, but I do know its working on both 2.4 and 5GHz.

The proset indicates "G" and "N" in the graphic and reflects as much when I get details. It reports a speed of 140mbps. If I look at the client in Cisco's WCS, it also shows the client at 802.11n (2.4GHz).

What software version do you have in the 2000 series controller?

ScrJeff
Did you ever hear back from your Cisco SE?

Here is some info that I've discovered during my recent testing. #3 may apply to you.

1) for an open SSID - connect at "n" speeds on both 2.4 and 5GHz

2) for an SSID defined as WPA or WPA2 and PSK (private shared key) - connect at "n" speeds on both 2.4 and 5GHz

3) for a defined WPA/WPA2 SSID using 802.1x for authentication, my clients will only connect at "g" or "a", but not n. I think this may be what you're running into? I'm waiting for my SE to get back to me.

Also, and as a FYI, the Intel chipsets do not support some of the added channels available in the UNI-II area. Make sure to configure your DCA channels to exclude UNI-II (I think it's US2 in WCS), or turn off channels (100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140). If you don't, and AP may auto select one of these channels and your Intel-based computers won't connect to the 5GHz band. Same applies for Apple MacBook Pros.

Cyclops - I've was given another project at work and haven't been able to continue working on this, but will start agian next week.  I'm not sure how this works, but I would like to keep this question open and its not abandoned.

ScrJeff - Thanks for all the help on this, I will check the setting when I get early next week and let you know how it turns out

Check the 4965's driver settings in Device Manager on the Advanced tab, not just in the PRO/set connection manager.

I'm fairly certain the Intel drivers do NOT support 40MHz-wide channels in the 2.4GHz band because of potential intrerference with legacy b/g devices. e.g. full 11n speed from Intel draft-n adapters and Linksys or Netgear draft-n wireless devices will not be possible (both manufacturers have apparently abandoned 5GHz 11n and currently offer only 2.4GHz units)... I don't know what Cisco's plans are in that area.

And I've seen in the Advanced tab settings where a/b/g/n had to be selected to enable the 'draft-n' functions in either band. That was originally pointed out by compfixer101 in the first reply to this thread, but you may not have been looking in the right place to find that option.

why is the abandoned? I am experiencing the same issue. at least i feel better that otthers are having the problem.

i have Cisco 4404 controllers, 1252aps, and Lenovo X61 and R61 with the intel card 4965AGN. I will be working on this issue this week and if i find a solution i will post it.

Since I posted that Linksys has come out with a couple dual-band draft-n routers...  WRT600N and WRT610N.
Netgear has not, however.

ScrJeff you were right on the money.  We didn't have WMM enabled on our 1252AP.  After enabling it and rebooting my Lenovo T61 I'm now connecting at speeds between 78-144 Mbps and it actually shows "n" as an available network.  

As a little recap on my Intel 4965AGN card I didn't have to configure anything past the default, even though my Wireless mode says : "802.11 a/b/g" and some people posted it was nessesary to change some of the Defaults.

Drivers:
4965AGN - 12.1.0.14
Intel Proset - 12.1.1.0
Aironet 1252 -
                      - WMM enabled
                      - WPA2 PSK
                      - LWAPP mode

I hope this helps people and thanks everyone for the help.

Thanks a Ton ScrJeff and sorry it took me so long to finish this one off.

> After enabling it and rebooting my Lenovo T61 I'm now connecting at speeds between
> 78-144 Mbps and it actually shows "n" as an available network.  

If you connect on the 5GHz band with 40MHz-wide channels you should be able to get speeds up to 240 Mbps... it sounds like you're currently using the 2.4GHz band.

If I go into connection details it shows

Band "802.11a, 802.11n"
Ant in use "3"
Radio Frq "5GHz"

I resolved the issue
updated WCS
updated 4400 controllers
updated code on 3750e PoE switch
tested on Linksys N adapter and Intel AGN

To achieve 100M via 802.11n
on the Cisco 44000 controller LWAPP or 1252 Autonomous AP
create SSID:TEST with WPA2 + AES encryption
This in mandatory for 802.11N on the controller

I was then able to achieve 100M data rates on the AGN client adapter @ 20Mhz

To achieve 300M high bandwidth speeds you have to enable channel bounding AP by AP. The default bandwidth is 20Mhz. In the current version's of code (things are going to change in the next release ) Radio Resource Management is not working, therefore you have to manually assign a channel and a power output.

This is how I configured the 40Mhz below/above bandwidth assignment. See the list of available channel on 5GHz:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels#802.11_Clause_17_.28802.11a.2Fh.2Fj.29_.284.9.2F5.C2.A0GHz.29
I made the choose of using "above" only and I started with CH 36 and counted up 40Mhz from there. I had to leave a couple channels at 20Mhz. It seemed to work out well (see below for more details)

**Note - Because of where the 5Ghz channels begin and end these are constant.
-channel 36: only above
-channel 64: only below
-channel 100: only above
-channel 140: only below
-channel 149: only above
-channel 165: only below

i.e Lets take channel 36 you can't use anything below in the US, under frequency you will see 5180. If you count up 40 from there and the avaliable next ch is 44. where you see big gaps in the frequency that is where the band ends.

I also setup 802.11N on the Linksys Wireless-N Broadband Router - WRT300N.
Setup an SSID: TEST with a WEP key.
I then left the channel to "Auto" and selected channel width to "40Mhz."

same concept 20Mhz = 100M
                        40Mhz = 300M (lose available channels)

but Linksys didn't care if I used WPA2 + AES encyption (Pre shared Key) like Cisco required.

works great...

The client adapter had nothing to do with the issue.

The current Cisco code 5.1 code does allow for setting 40Mhz wide channels controller wide (no AP by AP required). It's done in the Country/DCA section (there is a pull down). It also does Radio Resource Management too.

Also to note, don't enable any of the UNI-II channels as there is a continuing problem with Macintosh systems (Brodcom based) where they will be flakey. Basically, don't use any channels (in 5Ghz) between and including 52 and 140

Also, forgot to add that Cisco does not require WPA2 + AES encryption for N. What Cisco says is... If you wish to get the fastest data rate _when using_  WPA/WPA2, you must use AES. TKIP is not hardware accelerated, so when running WPA/WPA2 with TKIP, the client data rate will not be a high. This does not apply to an open SSID, which can also deliver the highest data rates.

Thanks for the info! good stuff, i have seral mac labs

Interesting, thats not how I interpreted it from Cisco. I was banging my head against the wall with SSID's with WEP and WPA/WPA2 + AES. As soon as I created an SSID with WPA2 + AES BAM! instantly worked.

Im confused you def. have to setup 40Mhz wide channel on the controller for EACH access point.

r u sure RSS works for 1252's for high data rates 300m? as soon as i setup the CH and TX power manually it was at 300m

both of these were like a light switch being turned on, it worked immediately