Major Wi-Fi issues.

[abillybob]

Hello Everyone,

 

Recently after buying another 30 iPads our Wi-Fi has been really playing up with computers that did connect just fine now being able to connect but saying it's unidentified network and not allowing you to do anything. I've checked our DHCP scope and we have more than enough addresses to cover the schools devices.

 

Though we have around 150 laptops, 150 iPads, 30 MBP and some BYOD devices connected to the schools network!

 

Is this too much? I have tried re-installing Wifi drivers and all sorts but some machines just refuse to connect. We do have 5Ghz Wi-Fi all around the school although granted a lot of our devices still use 2.4.

 

Could it be the fact our Wi-Fi infrastructure just can't handle the load? How would I be able to find this out?

 

Thankyou

[andydis]

how many AP's? make and models? do you have a heat map? have you checked interferance on the channel(s) ?

[Oaktech]

What is your wifi infrastructure like?

 

What brand/device? what switching have you got? are the connections to the access points gigabit?

 

It sounds at first read like your access points can't take the strain, but it could just as easilly be the backhaul connection from the point to servers.

 

Also, have you checked that your access pints are capable of spitting out 2.4 and 5 ghz simultaneously? I had an issue with a system I looked at for a friend where they had bought in 'dual band' wireless only to find that on the firmware they were using the first device that connected set the frequency and only the same frequency could connect!

Edited January 22, 2015 by Oaktech

[abillybob]

We have Aruba AP's:

Model 124 - 1

Model 105 - 9

Model 135 - 14

 

So in total we have 24 access points around the school, some are different models as seen above. Our switches are HP ProCurves and all is POE.

@andydis sorry don't have a heat map

 

Sorry should of also added some machines will connect but will say Unidentified Network and can't do anything such as access the internet or contact the servers.

Edited January 22, 2015 by abillybob

[fairm010]

Bonjour traffic anyone?

[BFCIT]

It sounds as though you could be overkilling the wireless - perhaps worth testing the wireless on these computers when the wireless network is in low use to see if you get the same issue? The alternatives are paying for a wireless assessment (not cheap) but this would provide capacity information that is very helpful. You can do it yourself but I think it is very expensive to buy the gear required.

[abillybob]

Thank you guys

@fairm010 could it seriously be the Bonjour traffic from iPads and Macs killing it?

[NikChillin]

Try the KB2617858 hotfix, we had the same problems and had tried this, hopefully it will fix it.

[fairm010]

I can't say for sure but I read that anything over 50 - 60 Apple devices can kill a network with Bonjour traffic unless VLAN'd off correctly. We're currently at 47 Apple devices so I am looking into VLAN's for this reason.

[Abaddon]

Less than that will do it. Bonjour is absolutely your problem here.

[abillybob]

So setting up a VLAN for all Apple devices is the best route do you guys reckon? Only problem then if all Apple devices are on one VLAN then how can you get the Mac Server to connect with AD?

 

I've also never had experience setting up any kind of VLAN is it fairly hard to do?

[fairm010]

You'll have to permit traffic to the DC's IP for that VLAN. VLAN'ing doesnt look simple as I'm discovering at the moment!

[Mr_Jiminy]

If you can, try disabling bonjour broadcast traffic on your switches. That might be at least a good starting point.

[abillybob]

You'll have to permit traffic to the DC's IP for that VLAN. VLAN'ing doesnt look simple as I'm discovering at the moment!

 

Nothing ever is simple it would seem. Is the school training you up on the subject or are you just teaching yourself so to speak? If so how are you teaching yourself?

 

If you can, try disabling bonjour broadcast traffic on your switches. That might be at least a good starting point.

 

I would in a heartbeat although we need it so that our iPads can find our AppleTV's etc...

[fairm010]

I'm teaching myself but we are gaining devices at a rate where I may have to get someone in to help me with it!

[DMcCoy]

The Aruba APs you have should be fine, while not the current range the 135s should be fine with many clients (3x3 n) and the 105s are less powerful but 30 per AP shouldn't be an issue (2x2 n).

 

No matter what wireless you throw at it if they are all in the same area connecting to the same few APs then you will need to look at what connections each AP has (helpfully very easy with the Aruba controller).

 

Unidentified network means it is connecting to the AP, do you get an IP? what authentication on the WLAN (it could be auth stopping traffic).

 

 

Regarding the other post, unifi would be a *big* downgrade compared to the 135s, how are the APs wired in? the controller? Remember by default all Aruba traffic is tunneled from the AP to the controller, then to the wired network.

 

Also which Procurves, hope there aren't any v1910s in there

Edited January 22, 2015 by DMcCoy

[Haptic]

Have you tried asking Aruba support or even the partner that sold you the solution if this is a common issue?

 

It could well be Bonjour, but there may well be a simple fix for it as I am sure you are not the first to experience this with Aruba.

 

We find that with most vendors, issues are common and there is usually a straight forward fix for it.

 

Just thinking about you running through everything and trying to save you some time

 

It should't mean swapping out your AP's to another solution, that is for sure!

 

Hope it helps.

 

 

Chris

[Abaddon]

Unfortunately, the "simple fix" for this is either VLANs or a relatively expensive upgrade solution with Aruba (they have a product for dealing with Bonjour, but I forget what it's called, and it is quite a few quid).

[abillybob]

I'm really stuck seems to be happening on most devices now!!! One computer had the problem but then when I changed it's internal WiFi card the problem went away and it connected properly, though I have just bought 3 new laptops for Staff and they are all having this problem after being re-imaged.

 

I've checked drivers and all the obvious stuff I really don't know where to go from here!!!!

 

Anyone???

[TronXP]

Regarding the other post, unifi would be a *big* downgrade compared to the 135s

 

Funny, My UniFi system is sitting working perfectly with between 150-200 Apple devices a day. We are running BYOD with them and vast majority of devices are Apple, being iPhones/iPads/iPod touches and of course Macbooks.

 

 

 

abillybob, have you spoken to Aruba yet about your issues? and what switches do you use?

[abillybob]

We use HP ProCurve Switches POE Gigabit. No I haven't does anyone have the contact details for Aruba?? I'm worried this could be a problem with my Network rather than the Wireless AP's, could this be a case?

[IrritableTech]

You said in your first post that you'd checked DHCP and you had 'plenty of addresses'. Have you double checked that the subnet is set correctly on your DHCP scope?

Have you any wired devices, and are they seeing any issues?

Can you ping your AD servers IP or the routers IP on a wired machine?

On a troublesome wireless machine, what IP info are you actually getting? How does this correspond to what you think should be set?

Can you ping your AD server IP and the router IP on a wireless machine?

Looking at your switches GUI, are you seeing any high load on any ports? Could there be a loop or a faulty device causing lots of traffic?

Does DNS look correct - can the machines resolve the domain, can they resolve the servers?

Have you fired up Wireshark - what type of traffic is actually creating the most packets in the list - where is it coming from?

 

It could well be an issue with bonjour - or that could be a red herring. Start simple and work upwards.

[Joanne]

The ones with limited connectivity... what IP do they get? Is it the 169.254 (or summat) addresses?

 

My first thought, like others, was Bonjour.

 

Quick lesson for VLAN: program server port on switch as a TRUNK so it can handle multiple VLANS. I'm rusty from VLAN stuff, so can't remember much more than that!

 

Are ethernet machines OK?

[Joanne]

Could there be a loop or a faulty device causing lots of traffic?

 

Yeah this...

[3s-gtech]

I'd be inclined to agree with the above - I have a feeling that this issue goes beyond Bonjour traffic. If you have a loop or something like a dodgy NIC spamming your network somewhere, it may be worth isolating areas of the network to work out where the fault is. Quick and dirty, but very quickly after disconnecting the faulty zone things should come back to life.