Controllerless Networks

Hi all,

I have an issue with setting wide (or 40Mhz) channels on an Aruba instant RAP-109. The config seems fine th me, but still only 20Mhz channels are showing in both inSSIDer and Ekahau Site Survey. Anyone a clue as to what could go wrong here?

My config:

version 6.3.1.0-4.0.0
virtual-controller-country NL
virtual-controller-key ---
name Instant---:--:--
organization ----
terminal-access
clock timezone none 00 00
rf-band 5.0
ams-ip ----
ams-key -----
ams-identity ----

allow-new-aps
allowed-ap 24:de:c6:--:--:--



arm
 wide-bands 5ghz
 80mhz-support
 a-channels 36,40,44,48
 min-tx-power 18
 max-tx-power 127
 band-steering-mode prefer-5ghz
 air-time-fairness-mode fair-access
 client-aware
 scanning


syslog-level warn ap-debug 
syslog-level warn network 
syslog-level warn security 
syslog-level warn system 
syslog-level warn user 
syslog-level warn user-debug 
syslog-level warn wireless 






mgmt-user admin -----

wlan access-rule "Free WiFi"
 index 0
 rule any any match any any any permit

wlan access-rule default_wired_port_profile
 index 1
 rule any any match any any any permit

wlan access-rule wired-instant
 index 2
 rule 192.168.13.191 255.255.255.255 match tcp 80 80 permit
 rule 192.168.13.191 255.255.255.255 match tcp 4343 4343 permit
 rule any any match udp 67 68 permit
 rule any any match udp 53 53 permit

wlan ssid-profile "Free WiFi"
 enable
 index 0
 type employee
 essid "Free WiFi"
 opmode opensystem
 max-authentication-failures 0
 auth-server InternalServer
 rf-band all
 captive-portal disable
 dtim-period 1
 inactivity-timeout 1000
 broadcast-filter none
 g-min-tx-rate 11
 a-min-tx-rate 12
 dmo-channel-utilization-threshold 90
 local-probe-req-thresh 0
 max-clients-threshold 64

auth-survivability cache-time-out 24



wlan external-captive-portal
 server localhost
 port 80
 url "/"
 auth-text "Authenticated"
 auto-whitelist-disable
 https


blacklist-time 3600
auth-failure-blacklist-time 3600

ids classification

ids
 wireless-containment none


wired-port-profile wired-instant
 switchport-mode access
 allowed-vlan all
 native-vlan guest
 no shutdown
 access-rule-name wired-instant
 speed auto
 duplex auto
 no poe
 type guest
 captive-portal disable
 no dot1x

wired-port-profile default_wired_port_profile
 switchport-mode trunk
 allowed-vlan all
 native-vlan 1
 shutdown
 access-rule-name default_wired_port_profile
 speed auto
 duplex full
 no poe
 type employee
 captive-portal disable
 no dot1x


enet0-port-profile default_wired_port_profile

uplink
 preemption
 enforce none
 failover-internet-pkt-lost-cnt 10
 failover-internet-pkt-send-freq 30
 failover-vpn-timeout 180


airgroup
 disable

airgroupservice airplay
 disable
 description AirPlay

airgroupservice airprint
 disable
 description AirPrint

inSSIDer result

Cheers,

Steven

I can see that Your arm profile configure to enable 40mhz only in 5.0 ( as recommended ) but you configure only 4 channels in that spectrum.

I'm sure it will sound stupid... But,

Does the laptop u examine with supporting 40mhz ?  ( I mean ...check that the driver is on AUTO and not on 20mhz only)

I'm not very familiar with IAPs, but do they have HT SSID profiles like standard APs would?  If so, HT should be enabled.

Thanks for your replies,

@kdisc98: I've tested this with multiple adapters on the same Windows machine and on a MacBook. All of which support 40Mhz.. The reason I've only allowed UNII1 channel is because otherwise the 5Ghz was not visible immediately. Probably DFS CAC.

@thecompnerd: I don't see an option for HT. HT datarates are being advertised so it's not 11a only.

I did some packet capturing and did some interesting discoveries. AP is transmitting different beacons with different BSSID's, but I've only configured one SSID on 5Ghz:

1: beacons containing configured SSID info

2: beacons without SSID info

The HT capabilities IE includes MCS index up to 23, which is translated into 216,70 mbps, because of guard interval, 20Mhz and 3 spatial stream.

This is also shown in WiFi Scanner:

Ekahau Site Survey sees even the 2 different AP's for the same BSSID however with different capabilities:

This might be a glitch of ESS, but I've never seen it before with any other vendor.

So, to conclude: not only are 40Mhz channels nog showing, also the RAP-109 is advertising 3 spatial streams while it should only support 2 by hardware design (http://www.arubanetworks.com/products/access-points/rap-100/)

I'm confused :smileyindifferent:

Cheers,

Steven

Steven Bos,

Please set 40mhz channels in the ARM profile (e.g. 36+, 44+)

Hi cjoseph,

As far I can see I have configured arm to use 40 Mhz channel.

arm
 wide-bands 5ghz

 The CLI ref guide says about this command:

Allows administrators to configure 40 MHz. channels in the 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz bands. 40 MHz channels are two 20 MHz adjacent channels that are bonded together. The 40 MHz channels double the frequency bandwidth available for data transmission. For high performance, enter 5GHz. If the AP density is low, enter 2.4GHz.

 So it seems like the proper command for the job.

Cheers,

Steven

Please display the output of "show arm-channels"

Hi cjoseph,

Actually you where right about the selected channels! I did not include 36+ and 44+ so therefore no 40Mhz was being used. After selecting these it works :smileyhappy: 

show arm-channels confirms:

5.0 GHz
-------
Channel  Status
-------  ------
36       enable
40       enable
44       enable
48       enable
52       disable
56       disable
60       disable
64       disable
100      disable
104      disable
108      disable
112      disable
116      disable
120      disable
124      disable
128      disable
132      disable
136      disable
140      disable
36+      enable
44+      enable

 Only now it's broadcasting a max PHY of 450mbps. Still 3 spatial streams...

Cheers,

Steven

Actually you where right about the selected channels! I did not include 36+ and 44+ so therefore no 40Mhz was being used. After selecting these it works 

sad u didnt read my first post - i wrote the same :) (but with diffrent english) -

here is my first post:

I can see that Your arm profile configure to enable 40mhz only in 5.0 ( as recommended ) but you configure only 4 channels in that spectrum.

 Only now it's broadcasting a max PHY of 450mbps. Still 3 spatial streams...

The product does 2x2 I Think - that the apple device u did the wifi scanning with supproting up to 3 streams (your screenshot showing details about  rx info)

Good to hear that now the 40mhz working for u as needed.

Hi kdisc98,

After re-reading your post, you are absolutely right about the channels. Aruba instant is still new for me and I trying to find my way with it, so getting to the right conclusion is a bit of a challenge still :smileywink:

Not only the MacBook, but also Ekahau Site Survey is showing a max PHY of 450 and the number of streams of 3. Even if it was RX only, the specs of the AP tell different:

2x2 MIMO with two spatial streams and up to 300 Mbps 
wireless data rate per radio

 Cheers,

Steven

yep the product (108/109) itself is only 2X2 .. that's y i wrote that it might be something in your macbook .... very wired..

You sure that u dont got iAP114 or iAP115 ????

Can u look on the unit itself? (it got more than 1 eth port? = RAP / it got leds under aruba logo? = AP114/115)

This is RAP 108/109:

This is iAP114-115:

Hi,

Yes I'm 100% sure it's a RAP-109. 2 ethernet ports + USB on the side and it came with a nifty desktop stand.

Cheers,

Steven