Wireless Access

I've started receiving errors this morning similar to the message below and random users aren't able to connect. These are users who have successfully authenticated in the past and are connecting to the SSID but they aren't able to reach the captive portal page for login. Has anyone seen this in the past? I'm not able to find a pattern as to device type / OS / etc.

 <authmgr 199802>  <ERRS> |authmgr|  message.c, handle_sta_up_dn:1977: Failed to add wired station 24:ab:81:07:25:ac:01:80:c2:00:00:03

Does this just happen with captive portal?

Captive portal does not work if it cannot resolve DNS query... if your DNS is randomly failing or something like it you will see that problem that they cannot reach the captive portal page and then when its workign correctly it will work...

When the user connect do you see the user with the pre authenticated role at least?  on the user table? on the gui you can see it on monitoring--->Client  does it appear there? or the client does not even appear there?

I believe DNS is resolving the captive portal properly as I have hundreds of users connecting successfully. When this message appears I don't see the device in the user table at all.

Interestingly the controller shows valid DHCP leases for the specific device (all the same IP) but its occasionally echoing an error of "Module DHCP Daemon is busy. Please try later"

While the client has a valid lease, there's no arp entry on the controller (default gateway) so of course has no IP connectivity.

so it doest even get an ip address?

The dhcp you using seems to be on the Wireless controller

If it that way how many users do you have using the DHCP Server?

What is the firmware you got?

You know that since the version 6.1.3.x the limit of the DHCP leases is 512...

The thing is that when you go over that strange things can happen... its on the release note... as aruba saw this was happening i think, since hte 6.1.3.x they limited it.

I always recommend having the DHCP server on a DHCP server not on the controller, not onthe switch not on the firewall... on a DHCP SERVER.  Because they are resourses that the wireless controller could be using for something else....

I just recommend it having it if its for Guest users and they are not many...

Can you clarify that? The limit is 512? I have 6.1.2.7 and about 800 valid leases. Are you saying this may be the problem?

Yes ill clarify you this

On the firwmare 6.1.3.x Aruba decided that they should put a limit on the DHCP server to 512  to all their platforms, because if you exceed that limit  may result in excesive cpu utilization and unpredictable negative impact on the controlller operations....

http://community.arubanetworks.com/t5/ArubaOS-and-Mobility-Controllers/Is-the-512-Leases-limit-is-also-for-the-VPN-leases-RAP-address/td-p/48472

Here is a topic with the screenshoot of what it says the release note so you dont have to search for it.

Hope this info help you and lets hope thats your issue so it can be resolved fast.

Cheers

Carlos

Thanks for the info. Certainly not what I wanted to hear but its good to know as I was planning to upgrade and would have had a real problem.

Good to know i was helpful :)

It is possible that you could do a DHCP server a windows one a create a scope for it and turn off the DHCP server of the Controller?

You would need the DHCP server and the ip helper onthe core swithc or the one routing those vlans.

I think the problem would go awaqy with it...