Wireless Network Woes

[maniac]

Having just re-designed our wireless system, I appear to have in-advertantly made the system a little less reliable than it was already.

 

Previously we had a basic system using WEP encryption and a stupidly easy encryption key. Obviously this had to change. We have Cisco 1200 series access points, so they are fairly good and are of course capable of using RADIUS for authentication, so this is what I've done. Firstly updating the firmware on on them all to the latest version from the CISCO website, and then first experiementing with two access points getting them working on RADIUS. This all went well, I was able to roam between the two of them quickly, and everything worked well. I rolled out the new GPO for the wireless policy, then waited a month before slowly switching all my APs to the newly designed policy, testing each one as I went. Everything worked well, or so I thought.

 

Now I've run into some problems. Since changing this over, there are major problems with users roaming around the building. When a laptop is used in one location it all seems to work well with no problems at all. As soon as you pick it up and walk, sometimes it will roam OK. Most of the time however it will sit there and say it's connected, but when you try pinging a server or callling data up from the network nothing happens. Even if you do a repair, it still won't talk to the network, even thou the wireless reports it is connected and has received an IP number etc. A total re-start however and the laptop connects flawlessly. This is driving me nuts! Any one got any ideas what might be causing this?

 

Many thanks,

 

Mike.

Edited February 5, 2009 by maniac

[spc-rocket]

Having just re-designed our wireless system, I appear to have in-advertantly made the system a little less reliable than it was already.

 

Previously we had a basic system using WEP encryption and a stupidly easy encryption key. Obviously this had to change. We have Cisco 1200 series access points, so they are fairly good and are of course capable of using RADIUS for authentication, so this is what I've done. Firstly updating the firmware on on them all to the latest version from the CISCO website, and then first experiementing with two access points getting them working on RADIUS. This all went well, I was able to roam between the two of them quickly, and everything worked well. I rolled out the new GPO for the wireless policy, then waited a month before slowly switching all my APs to the newly designed policy, testing each one as I went. Everything worked well, or so I thought.

 

 

 

Now I've run into some problems. Since changing this over, there are major problems with users roaming around the building. When a laptop is used in one location it all seems to work well with no problems at all. As soon as you pick it up and walk, sometimes it will roam OK. Most of the time however it will sit there and say it's connected, but when you try pinging a server or callling data up from the network nothing happens. Even if you do a repair, it still won't talk to the network, even thou the wireless reports it is connected and has received an IP number etc. A total re-start however and the laptop connects flawlessly. This is driving me nuts! Any one got any ideas what might be causing this?

 

Many thanks,

 

Mike.

 

Hmm, interesting that it worked in the past but doens't now, have you check the cert on the IAS server to see if its nearing expiration.

 

Also i think cisco Aironet APs had some issues in the past where the fast connect would not work but i'm unsure if they have fixed it in the last IOS for the APs.

 

Have you tried it without using the fast connect or reconnect option and see if it works.

 

Is there anything on the AP's log to suggest that the client has moved to another AP or on the IASs logs?

 

Ash.

[maniac]

Hmm, interesting that it worked in the past but doens't now, have you check the cert on the IAS server to see if its nearing expiration.

 

Also i think cisco Aironet APs had some issues in the past where the fast connect would not work but i'm unsure if they have fixed it in the last IOS for the APs.

 

Have you tried it without using the fast connect or reconnect option and see if it works.

 

Is there anything on the AP's log to suggest that the client has moved to another AP or on the IASs logs?

 

Ash.

 

The logs from the AP appear to indicate a sucessful connection, as do the IAS logs. Thanks for mentioning fast re-connect, I have got this turned on at the moment, but might try switching it off on my test laptop and see if this improves things at all - I hadn't thought of this. As far as I'm aware I am using the latest IOS release from Cisco, but their website is so difficult to navigate, it's hard to work out if I have got the latest one.