NetStumbler.org Forums - View Single Post - Cisco Aironet unstable

Dutch · 07-20-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by loxthefox

I've buildt a relative large wireless network for an camping resort, and I have some troubles with stability.

This is how the network is buildt:

Total of 5 AIR-AP1231G-E-K9 Cisco Aironet AP1210 802.11g IOS software, 54Mbit 802,11g AP's with 2 AIR-ANT2506 - Cisco Antenna, 2,4GHz 5,2 dBi Omni Dir. Antennas at each AP.

How the network is connected: www.loxus.org/camping.gif

2 AP's wired at the main bulding, then 3 AP's in "series" wireless (repeater -> parent) covering almost the entire area. (2 more AP's are being planned to cover 100% of the site).

My problem

After 5-6 weeks of uptime, the 1st (main) parent AP seems to start getting buggy. All the AP's using that one as a parent (or "grand parent"?? lol) loses the connection for about 10-20 seconds, at least 50-60 times a day. When the main AP is rebooted, everything seems to be working 100% stable for another 5-6 weeks.

I have experienced the same thing with cheap D-Link and Asus AP's also, what is the cause for this? Is there any settings I can change, or do I have to create a schedule that reboots the AP once a month?

I forgot to mention that my college mentioned something about stacks... logs.. something that builds up over time - If that can give you any hints...

Thanks for all your help in advance.

Updated 20.07.2006:
I will come back to you with the versions numbers... I upgraded them to the latest version avaliable around march 2006 I think. Don't know what that was. I'll have to get to the site to check this out tomorrow or something.

It's IOS Software yes (if you look closer in the first post

The symptoms are so easily that everyone gets disconnected from the radio/network. In WinXP you get that annoying bubble stating that there is no awaliable wireless networks around. After 10-30 seconds you get connectivity again. The radio is nowhere to be found, in winxp wlan utility, nor in netstumbler / swscanner during these 10-30 seconds.

This affects all clients connected to that AP, and every AP that uses that one as a parent (repeater). This same thing is happening on all the AP's, but AP#1 is the one with most traffic (since it holds AP#2 and AP#3's traffic also) so it's happening more frequent there.

To perform an cold restart of the AP('s) let them go for another period of weeks without problems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by loxthefox

I see that you're a bunch of really nice guys here in the forum... thanks for all you help pointing out that I have a wireless connectivity between AP#2 - #5, I didn't know that ??!

Of you don't have anything constructive ore helpful to say, please just keep it to yourself :-)

"streaker69: I'm thinking repeater/ap modes are coming into play here."

So you are telling me that Cisco's repeater/parent function doesn't work?

"Dutch: And whats the idea of using a consumer device as the feed, when using enterprise grade devices for enduser connect ? FUBAR from the word gitgo..."

I honestly don't see the problem. Why should one care about using a Linksys broadban-router as a feed to our Linux-firewall... none of those have anything to do with the Wireless connection, and they have never crashed the way this "high-end" Cisco equipment does

Wrong attitude, mr Steffen Norske Fjeldabe. You came in here, misrepresenting the deal, not stating that this was something that your company has setup for a customer, and appearently botched. Furthermore, you hope we will fix something that you should have taken up with Cisco. We aren't the official Cisco support channel. Look at the forum name. Does it say "Cisco" or "Netstumbler" there ?

You are talking to some of the most knowledgeable people with regards to 802.11 connectivity, comprising people who have written books about the stuff (Thorn), people who manage large installations (streaker69), people who daily make their living from fixing stuff fubar'ed by other contractors (mikep928, brwrdrvr), people who give lectures to law enforcement agencies (me) on WiFi security, people who did network audits for the armed services (wrzwaldo) and a whole host of experts who have forgotten more about WiFi than it is appearent you've ever learned.

When people come in here asking for a freebie in fixing their mess, they will get our uncensored opinions, whether they're norwegian, british, american or from timbuktu. We do not need to be nice to anyone. Deal with it, if you want our help. Remember, YOU came asking US for help... If you want somebody to be nice to you, feel free to ask if anybody would like to submit an offer for going to Kristiansand to fix it. After all, you are getting money from the customer to fix it, so why should we both be nice to you AND help you earn money at the same time ?

Dutch