Wireless Access

 

We created a new Regulatory Domain Profile in our Aruba controller and applied it to some AP groups. We added 4 new 5Ghz channels, 52, 56, 60 & 64 for a total of 13 5Ghz channels available for use. The 4 new channels aren't being utilized by any of the APs. We have mainly 105's and 125's that could use them, but a small number of 70's and 135's that could as well.

 

I believe we set all the profile options appropriately to take advantage of the new channels. But for some reason, none of them are used by any AP.

 

Can you direct me to where I can find more info?

 

 

 

(aruba-local-1) #show ap regulatory-domain-profile custom-reg-dom-profile

Regulatory Domain profile "custom-reg-dom-profile"
--------------------------------------------------------
Parameter                         Value
---------                         -----
Country Code                      US
Valid 802.11g channel             1
Valid 802.11g channel             6
Valid 802.11g channel             11
Valid 802.11a channel             36
Valid 802.11a channel             40
Valid 802.11a channel             44
Valid 802.11a channel             48
Valid 802.11a channel             52
Valid 802.11a channel             56
Valid 802.11a channel             60
Valid 802.11a channel             64
Valid 802.11a channel             149
Valid 802.11a channel             153
Valid 802.11a channel             157
Valid 802.11a channel             161
Valid 802.11a channel             165
Valid 802.11g 40MHz channel pair  N/A
Valid 802.11a 40MHz channel pair  N/A

#AP135

You need to enable 802.11h

Those channels are part of the 802.11h dfs ,
I personally haven't had a good experience after enabling that . Some devices sometimes don't like that

Hi Victor

 

We're not sure how the changes will go, but we're in an area where there shouldn't be interference issues w/ radar or the like. We may end up w/ a similar experience to your own, but can't get there to find out yet.

 

I believe we do have the 802.11h option enabled under the "802.11a radio profile". Is that what you're referring to?

Here's output from the controller.

 

 

 

(aruba-local1) #show rf dot11a-radio-profile default

802.11a radio profile "default"
-------------------------------
Parameter                                      Value
---------                                      -----
Radio enable                                   Enabled
Mode                                           ap-mode
High throughput enable (radio)                 Enabled
Channel                                        N/A
Beacon Period                                  100 msec
Non-Wi-Fi Interference Immunity                2
Beacon Regulate                                Disabled
Transmit EIRP                                  15 dBm
Advertise 802.11d and 802.11h Capabilities     Enabled

[....]

 

 

billysneed,

 

To see what channels are available to an access point in your regulatory domain, based on the model of access point, you can do this:

 

(Aruba3600) #show ap allowed-channels ?
ap-name                 Name of AP for which to display allowed channel list
country-code            Country code for which to display allowed channel
                        list
ip-addr                 IP address of AP for which to display allowed
                        channel list

(Aruba3600) #show ap allowed-channels ap-name survey125

Allowed Channels for AP "survey125" Country Code "US" Country "United States"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHY Type                 Allowed Channels
--------                 ----------------
802.11g (indoor)         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
802.11a (indoor)         36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 132 136 140 149 153 157 161 165
802.11g (outdoor)        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
802.11a (outdoor)        52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 132 136 140 149 153 157 161 165
802.11g 40MHz (indoor)   1-5 2-6 3-7 4-8 5-9 6-10 7-11
802.11a 40MHz (indoor)   36-40 44-48 52-56 60-64 100-104 108-112 132-136 149-153 157-161
802.11g 40MHz (outdoor)  1-5 2-6 3-7 4-8 5-9 6-10 7-11
802.11a 40MHz (outdoor)  52-56 60-64 100-104 108-112 132-136 149-153 157-161
802.11a (DFS)            52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 132 136 140

 Some access points are allowed to only use specific channels in certain regulatory domains.  That command will let you know what you are allowed to use:

 

 

Huh.

We've mainly 61's, 105's and 125's in production. The 61's speak 2.4Ghz only, so they're not involved.

 

For a 125 I do see channels 52-64 as available. For a 105 I do not. Is there some way to enable the channels by model in the controller config?

 

#show ap allowed-channels country-code US ap-type 105 

Allowed Channels for AP Type 105 Country Code "US" Country "United States"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHY Type                 Allowed Channels
--------                 ----------------
802.11g (indoor)         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
802.11a (indoor)         36 40 44 48 149 153 157 161 165
802.11g (outdoor)        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
802.11a (outdoor)        149 153 157 161 165
802.11g 40MHz (indoor)   1-5 2-6 3-7 4-8 5-9 6-10 7-11
802.11a 40MHz (indoor)   36-40 44-48 149-153 157-161
802.11g 40MHz (outdoor)  1-5 2-6 3-7 4-8 5-9 6-10 7-11
802.11a 40MHz (outdoor)   149-153 157-161
802.11a (DFS)            

(M3-aruba-local1) #show ap allowed-channels country-code US ap-type 125 

Allowed Channels for AP Type 125 Country Code "US" Country "United States"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHY Type                 Allowed Channels
--------                 ----------------
802.11g (indoor)         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
802.11a (indoor)         36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 132 136 140 149 153 157 161 165
802.11g (outdoor)        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
802.11a (outdoor)        52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 132 136 140 149 153 157 161 165
802.11g 40MHz (indoor)   1-5 2-6 3-7 4-8 5-9 6-10 7-11
802.11a 40MHz (indoor)   36-40 44-48 52-56 60-64 100-104 108-112 132-136 149-153 157-161
802.11g 40MHz (outdoor)  1-5 2-6 3-7 4-8 5-9 6-10 7-11
802.11a 40MHz (outdoor)  52-56 60-64 100-104 108-112 132-136 149-153 157-161
802.11a (DFS)            52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 132 136 140

 

When looking at the specs for the 100 series, it mentions the frequencies for those channels as being available, 5.250 to 5.350 GHz. http://www.arubanetworks.com/products/access-points/100-series

 

Am I out of luck here for using some channels on the 105's?

 

Regardless, the 125's do see those channels as available, but not one of our 125 APs are using them. Channels 35-48 then 149-165 are the only ones in use.

 

What am I missing?

According to the output  AP105 cannot use DFS channels.  The AP125 has the option of using DFS channels, but does not have to.

 

The question is, do you have clients that can see and use those channels?

 

Do we have clients that can use those channels? Great question. I'm assuming so.

Our client base is roughly 70+% Apple devices (IOS and MacOS) and I believe their more recent clients can talk on those channels.

 

I've expected at least one of those channels to be in use somewhere. There's over 150 active AP125's in our deployment. I didn't realize the 105's wouldn't be able to take advantage, good thing to learn.

 

How many 5Ghz channels are US based organizations using?

 

---

@billysneed wrote:

Do we have clients that can use those channels? Great question. I'm assuming so.

Our client base is roughly 70+% Apple devices (IOS and MacOS) and I believe their more recent clients can talk on those channels.

 

I've expected at least one of those channels to be in use somewhere. There's over 150 active AP125's in our deployment. I didn't realize the 105's wouldn't be able to take advantage, good thing to learn.

 

How many 5Ghz channels are US based organizations using?

 

---

By default, NONE of the DFS channels are enabled on most WLAN controllers because:

 

-  Many Vendors have not enabled clients to scan on those channels and it involves driver maintenence for them to do so...so they don't go back and enable those channels.

- Access points must vacate those channels and not return for a set period of time when they detect radar.  This process can cause disruption of clients when many of them have to change channel at the same time.

- Clients cannot probe on those channels, they must only passively listen to see if there is service.

- Radar detection is troublesome and can result in inadvertent changing of channels

- For every client that does not support/scan on those channels, you are effectively creating a black hole

- In some regulatory domains, the output power that is allowed on those channels are less than other channels

- Too much trouble...  If some clients cannot operate on those channels...why bother?....

 

Even Apple has an article on how to make sure their wireless equipment is on a channel that is supported by all devices:  http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4572

Well, that answers a lot of questions. Thank you very much cjoseph.

 

And thank you vfabian. Both of you have helped a lot.

 

Regards,

Billy

 

That's correct.

 

Are you using channel bonding (40 Mhz) ?

 

What AOS code you have installed ?

We are using 40Mhz bonding, but we haven't specified any particular channels pairs.

I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. We're debating on just disabling the bonding altogether. I think our deployment would be better served w/ more channels that w/ higher speeds.

 

AOS version: 6.1.3.8