Wireless Access

I'm currently having a problem over several applications that has the same root cause. Clients accessing the Aruba network via a wireless bridge cannot obtain DHCP addresses. I have three distinct use cases that I'm seeing this issue. The first is VMWare Fusion, when you put the guest into bridge mode for networking. The second issue is a few old machines that do not have wireless cards. We used a Linksys WET54G to connect these machines. Lastly we have some specialized equipment that uses a wireless bridge to connect to the network. In all of these cases if I assign a static address to the client, things work fine. This did not seem to be an issue until I upgraded our controllers to 6.x from 5.x. Is there something that has changed behavior? This seems like a setting that I'm just missing and need to turn on or off. Thanks for your help!

What wireless bridge is this?  How it is configured and how does it connect to the network?

This issue has cropped up again.  It was resolved last time when I upgraded firmware to 6.1.3.7 from 6.1.3.4.  After updating to 6.3.1.2, this has happened again.  Any insight into what might have caused this?

Sounds like you need to disable broadcast filter arp, or "Convert Broadcast ARP requests to unicast"  search 

http://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_63_Web_Help/Web_Help_Index.htm#ArubaFrameStyles/VirtualAPs/Configuring_a_Virtual_AP.htm

"

Starting with ArubaOS 6.1.3.2, the Convert Broadcast ARP requests to unicast  setting includes the additional functionality of broadcast-filter all parameter, where DHCP response frames are sent as unicast to the corresponding client. This can impact DHCP discover/requested packets for clients behind a wireless bridge and virtual clients on VMware devices. Disable this option to resolve this issue and allow clients behind a wireless bridge or VMware devices to receive an IP address.

Default: Enabled"

I knew this had to be something silly that I was just flat out missing.  Thanks so much for the help!!!

I have an Aruba620 with 2 x AP205 & 2 x AP105 units connected and running ArubaOS 6.4.4.1.

I'm having this same problem.

I have confirmed that under:

Configuration -> AP Configuration -> default group -> Wireless LAN -> Virtual AP -> (profile):

Basic tab:

    Drop Broadcast and Unknown Multicast - OFF

    Convert Broadcast ARP requests to unicast - OFF

In the AAA Profile, I have also confirmed that "Enforce DHCP" is set to OFF.

I'm connecting an ethernet device to a network via a bridge wifi device - and nothing behind the bridge gets any traffic.

Is there anything further that may stop this?

Which wireless bridge is this?

The wireless module is an OEM board made by Hi-Flying - Model HF-A21-SMT.

The manual is here:

http://www.hi-flying.com/downloadsfront.do?method=picker&flag=all&id=26539c50-7273-4581-8af4-fe560266d928&fileId=c6005569-4f4d-4cc0-8783-ac1d847a39f3

The unit itself gets an IP address but nothing behind the bridge does.

We have been able to get this work fine using a normal consumer grade access point.

I am seeing the same issue with Fusion/etc. VMs and IAPs. Is there a similar setting within InstantOS? Is it GUI or CLI only?

Thanks,

John Chapman

So what is the impact of turning off Convert Broadcast ARP requests to unicast?  I understand this allows bridged devices to work (we had to do this for a 1-off config at our hospital) but should I be concerned about potential detremental impacts of allowing all of the extra broadcast traffic.

As always, thanks for your time.

Depending on how large your subnet is, turning off "Convert" might not add too much in the way of broadcasts to your environment.  You should try it and see if you have any issues.