Wireless Access

Hi,

 

I have an AP-225 and I'd like to test its bandwith.

 

I have a Macbook Pro which supports 802.11ac Wifi, all my ethernet cables support the gigabit and so does the switch. 

I'm using iperf as a server on a computer wired to the switch, and iperf as a client on the Macbook. The maximum bandwith I get is 150 Mbp/s. The datasheet says that the AP supports 1.3 Gbp/s.

 

Do you know how can I get a better bandwith ? I know that I can't get 1.3 Gbp/s but 600 Mbp/s should be reachable, right ? 

 

 

Thank you in advance for yours answers !

 

 

#AP225

What iperf string are you using? Does your switch support jumbo frames? What controller are you using, or is this an IAP? What is the server and what string are you running on it?

I'm using iperf v2.

My switch supports the jumbo frames.

I'm using a 3600 as controller.

The server is the computer wired to the swith and the client is the macbook. Both work with iperf v2, in tcp. Or is that something else that you asked ?

 

More informations : The AP 225 is connected to the switch. The switch is connected to the controller and to the computer (which is the server of my iperf)

The mac that you are connecting with, when you click on Apple-Airport, what is the speed, band and mcs does it say the laptop is connected at?

 

Band 5ghz, 80 Mhz

Speed Between 1050 and 1300 Mbps

MCS Between 7 and 9

you need to make sure you are setting frame size to between 512 and 2K, as well as running 6-8 simultaneous streams to get maximum performance. I'm not familiar with Iperf v2 so I don't know the command strings but it should be documented somewhere.

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@nbemowski wrote:

Band 5ghz, 80 Mhz

Speed Between 1050 and 1300 Mbps

MCS Between 7 and 9

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If you cannot enable jumbo frames on your switching infrastructure, you should change the Virtual AP forwarding mode to "Decrypt Tunnel".  In addition, your iperf string should have the Window Size at 512k or larger ( -w 512k).

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@nbemowski wrote:

My switch supports the jumbo frames.

I'm using a 3600 as controller.

 

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Just a side note here, but the 3600 doesn't support jumbo frames.  You'll need a 7200 controller for that.  So any large frames (A-MSDUs) sent over the air will get fragmented at the AP. It is said that this will have some effect on throughput, but I've never attempted to measure it.

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@thecompnerd wrote:

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@nbemowski wrote:

My switch supports the jumbo frames.

I'm using a 3600 as controller.

 

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Just a side note here, but the 3600 doesn't support jumbo frames.  You'll need a 7200 controller for that.  So any large frames (A-MSDUs) sent over the air will get fragmented at the AP. It is said that this will have some effect on throughput, but I've never attempted to measure it.

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The Compnerd,

 

Please see the following passage from the 802.11ac Networks VRD here: http://community.arubanetworks.com/t5/Validated-Reference-Design/Aruba-802-11ac-Networks/ta-p/242637

 

 

Colin, thanks for informing me of that exception.

Thanks to all for your responses.

 

 

So I tried to do the simulation as you said, in decrypt tunnel mode, with a windows size at 512k. I also tried this on a new controller, a 3400. I had the same results as before : about 150 Mbp/s maximum.

Then I tried the same simulation with 4 simultaneous streams : they were all at about 90 Mbp/s for a total of 350 Mbp/s. It's already better even if it's still not the maximum I can get. 

 

I'd like to achieve this in order to show the power of the Aruba APs to new customers.

It's tempting to show off 11ac speeds, but high speeds aren't necessarily a
good indicator of WiFi performance. For instance, in high density
deployments, you'll have to use smaller channel widths in order to reduce
co-channel interference. You cut your bandwidth in half each time going
from 80, to 40, to 20. At that point your customer will never see the fast
rates you demoed for them. So don't get stuck in the marketing hype and
focus on deploying stable, consistent WiFi.

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@nbemowski wrote:

Thanks to all for your responses.

 

 

So I tried to do the simulation as you said, in decrypt tunnel mode, with a windows size at 512k. I also tried this on a new controller, a 3400. I had the same results as before : about 150 Mbp/s maximum.

Then I tried the same simulation with 4 simultaneous streams : they were all at about 90 Mbp/s for a total of 350 Mbp/s. It's already better even if it's still not the maximum I can get. 

 

I'd like to achieve this in order to show the power of the Aruba APs to new customers.

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The 3400 and the 3600 were made before 802.11ac came out, hardware-wise, so they were not designed for throughput tests like that.  Before I ask you to use a 7200 series controller, instead,  please try using the iperf string below:

 

iperf –c <ip-address of Server> -w 1M –P 1 –t 60 –N

 

What is the encryption on the SSID you are using?

Do you have Drop Broadcast and Multicast Enabled on that SSID?

What is the channel utilization on that access point on the 5ghz band?

 

 

T@thecompnerd, that's not the point. There are competitors out there who are using this to reach the customers. Even if it's not really useful, it works. We should be able to do the same with Aruba, so let's do it ! :) 

 

@cjoseph wrote:

The 3400 and the 3600 were made before 802.11ac came out, hardware-wise, so they were not designed for throughput tests like that.  Before I ask you to use a 7200 series controller, instead,  please try using the iperf string below:

iperf –c <ip-address of Server> -w 1M –P 1 –t 60 –N

What is the encryption on the SSID you are using?

Do you have Drop Broadcast and Multicast Enabled on that SSID?

What is the channel utilization on that access point on the 5ghz band?

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We tried "iperf –c <ip-address of Server> -w 1M –P 1 –t 60 –N" and this changes nothing.

 

What is the encryption on the SSID you are using?

- We tried with AES, 802.1x and open

Do you have Drop Broadcast and Multicast Enabled on that SSID?

- No, it's disabled

What is the channel utilization on that access point on the 5ghz band?

- 0%, we did a completely new network in our lab to test it.

 

I hope I won't have to buy a 7200 to succeed !

 

nbemowski,

 

I hope you won't be selling customers 3400s or 3600s, because they are end of sale.   The suggested replacements also cost less  the 3400 or 3600, so it is a better value.  http://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/support/EOS_Notice_3000_Series_Controllers.pdf   If you want performance, you need to use equipment that is modern and designed for that type of throughput you are testing.  Technology marches forward all of the time, and while we can get things to work, if you are talking about maximum theoretical throughput, you need to use something designed for that task.

Well I'll probably buy an IAP 225 or 325 later. I'll come back to you if this still doesn't work !

 

Thank you for trying to help me.

 

Sincerely yours,

Nicolas