Hp Wireless network problems

[Andi]

Last year we had a company come in and setup a wireless network in our science block for 24 laptops.

He setup 4 aerials on their own VLAN, secured with WPA2, with the wireless module of the switch acting as a DHCP server for that range, that all worked a treat and the laptops were logging onto the domain with no issues.

Recently I've setup a lot more vlans at the school, using Microsoft DHCP server, and HP procurve switches with the IP helper address pointing back to the DHCP server.

Also we have added 26 more access points to the network, making a total of 5 SSIDs with their own VLANs. The wireless module still sends and receives information from those APs on VLAN2100 (default for the module).

Hardware info:
Wireless edge services module mounted in a procurve 5406zl chassis.
APs are HP Procurve 200 series.

The problem is that the wireless networks have all slowed down since the new ones have added, so much that they are almost unusable.
Could it be:

• The fact that we now use DHCP server and the ip helper-address function on the core switch?
• The fact that each AP is pushing out the 5 SSIDs

I'm at a bit of a loss here, and would like to resolve the issue without calling out a specialist if I can, but I have a feeling I'm a bit out of my depth.

I've even gone so far as to actually reading the manual

Any help is as always much appreciated.

[DMcCoy]

Have you enabled and then scanned for neighbours, as well as setting the points to automatic channel selection? Is it just dhcp that takes a long time?

Oh, are all the RPs licensed too?

[Andi]

I haven't seen the option to scan for neighbours, I will look for that now.

The APs were all set to auto channel selection, but I have recently enabled advanced mode so that I can select which SSID gets sent through which AP, which I get the impression takes away a lot of the automation.

The problem doesn't actually seem to be related to DHCP as the laptops get an IP with nor problems (apart from one VLAN, which I'm working on separately), I put that in my original post as it is one of the things that has changed before the wireless network slowed down.

[Andi]

Yes all the RPs are licensed.

[DMcCoy]

You need to rerun the auto channel selection after discovering the neighbours, this means it actually works

[Andi]

OK, set both of those up. Will test and see how it goes.

On a related note, have you any clues why when I connect to one of our SSIDS won't find an IP address, despite all the settings that I can see are the same as the ones that work?

I tried creating a test SSID and that wouldn't connect either so I've obviously missed a vital step somewhere in the wireless setup (I managed this successfully for the wired portions of our network with this sites help).

[Andi]

When setting the radios to ACS mode it's also asking me to set the power. Currently they all appear to be on 20, is that normal?

[DMcCoy]

When setting the radios to ACS mode it's also asking me to set the power. Currently they all appear to be on 20, is that normal?

20 is full power, I've left mine on that too.

For the non working SSID, is the vlan tagged on the FUP port?

[Andi]

I can only see CDP and CUP.

Our wireless module is in bay C so could that be the reason for that? It is not tagged on that uplink port, but then neither are the working ones.

[DMcCoy]

I can only see CDP and CUP.

Our wireless module is in bay C so could that be the reason for that? It is not tagged on that uplink port, but then neither are the working ones.

Ah, yes mine is port F. On mine when I untagged the port I could no longer get traffic from that vlan, although I am getting an IP directly from that vlan itself.

I only have DP on 2100 and UP on the vlans used by the SSIDs.

Does the client authenticate and show up as a station for the non working ones?

[Andi]

I see, I didn't know what the CDP and CUP were until now, I presumed is was some protocol that needed to be tagged.

I have CDP tagged for ALL of my vlans!!!

I'll try playing with that for the non-working SSID.

[Andi]

OK I've tagged the uplink port with my wireless vlans, and removed the tag from the downlink port.

Also I have removed the tag for the downlink port for all the wired vlans.

I can now connect to all of my wlans!!! THANKS!

Now to test the speed with a class of kids....