Cisco WAP571 all choose the same channels

[ddaenen1]

I've got 3 Cisco WAP571 AP''s running configured as single point setup. This also enables channel management. Where i always have been thought to avoid overlapping channels, the WAP channel management chooses the same channel (6) for 2.4GHz and (36) for 5GHz for all 3 AP's. Is this ok?

 

[coxhaus]

I always run separate channels on wireless APs. Auto channel selection is different from single point setup. I guess it could be your neighbors effecting your channels. You need to scan using like Inssider Wi-Fi software and figure out your channels around you. Then you can lock the channels for the best through put around you. 5 GHz can be your friend because is does not go far.

So turn off your wireless and scan the channels around. Turn on 1 wireless assign your channels and get it working. Now scan again check channels figure out the best channels assign the best channels to the next wireless AP. Then scan again and assign the best channels. This will cover 3 Aps. Lock the channels once you figure it out. Scan channels from the location where the AP is located. It can be different from one side of the house to the other with neighbors.

For 2.4 GHz I would use 1,6,11 channels. Figure out where they would work best in your house based on neighbor's channels. Once you go to all this work make sure you lock them.

 

[coxhaus]

If you have to setup blind without scanning software then use channels 1,6 and 11 each. Pick one channel and assign it to one of your Cisco WAP571 APs each. Do the same with the 5 GHz channels. This will get you started. It may not be the best but it will work. Lock channels of course.

 

[coxhaus]

Did you get this fixed? Interested minds want to know.

 

[ddaenen1]

Did you get this fixed? Interested minds want to know.

Actually, not yet. What i did first is change the "change change threshold" from 75% to 50% interference reduce to see if this would trigger any change in the channel management but it did not.

This is what Netspot currently shows when i scan for my SSID which are basically both radio's for all 3 AP's:

As you can see, all 2.4 GHz radio's on the same channel and all 5 GHz channel on same.

I do not seem to see any connection issues because of this situation. What i do try to understand before making any changes, is how changing there channels might affect roaming, which currently, is working quite well.

This is what i currently see when i scan the entire area. Please note that i live in a detached house with at least 33ft between our house and the neighbours on both sides.

So based on all that, any recommendations on the channels?

Many thanks, Dominique

 

[coxhaus]

The roaming will work fine on different channels. You may have to adjust distance or power levels so roaming works smoothly incase you have too much overlap.

I would not want to run 3 wireless APs on the same channel. I don't think it will run well. You are going to be amazed when you get all 3 APs working correctly. By being on same channel you are limiting transmitting on wireless to 1 device at a time across your whole house. When you change to separate channels you will be able to have 3 devices talking at the same time. You just tripled your wireless through put. This is what makes wireless APs so much better than an all-in-one wireless router. The wireless router can only talk 1 device at a time across the whole house.

Start with channel 1,6 and 11 for 2.4 GHz. Then set 5 GHz channels so you can run 80 MHz wide without overlapping. You should be good to go.

 

[Trip]

I presume the 571's are running the most up-to-date firmware? If not, update them, then re-setup from scratch. Also, I would make sure to keep "Automatic Channel Assignment" turned OFF (under Single Point Setup > Channel Management), and manually assign channels. If you're environment is largely static in its RF channel usage, that shouldn't be a big deal.

For 2.4Ghz, depending on where you've taken that NetSpot measurement from, it appears you have a fair amount of channel 1 interference, so you want to avoid that. If you run your three APs such that the two end-most APs only overlap with the middle AP, and not each other, I would run the two end APs on channel 6 and the middle AP on channel 11.

In 5Ghz, for 80Mhz channel usage, channels 42, 58, 138 and/or 155 look clear. That should be plenty to choose from.

Beyond that, if your environment's channel usage gets much more dense and/or subject to a lot of change (ie. neighboring gear all using automatic channel assignment), then playing this manual game may get quite tedious. At that point, you might consider a product with a control plane that can auto-optimize better. With Cisco that would be Aironet with CleanAir; Aruba and Ruckus are two others that do it properly as well (on both their discrete and embedded-controller code bases).

 

[coxhaus]

Good for you Trip. I can't read what he posted with these old eyes. I can barely read it when it is full screen.

He needs to make sure channel 1 usage is the same at all AP locations. It may be he needs to use channel 1 at the far end AP. It would be best if he could use all 3 main channels. He should take readings on all 3 APs to see how to space out the channels.

PS
Once he figures this out he needs lock the channels either by manually setting them or locking them under automatic channel scan before it has a chance to change them. Either works.

 

[Trip]

Agreed. He should measure at all three locations. Going off that one measurement, it would appear channel 1 is fairly saturated, but maybe at one of the other two it isn't.

 

[coxhaus]

It should not be a problem at the far end otherwise his APs are too close together.

 

[Trip]

AP density is less the issue here than neighboring wifi channel usage. There could very well be just as much channel 1 interference at all three locations -- simply from multiple neighbor APs using channel 1 on two or more sides of the property. That's what I was referring to.

 

[coxhaus]

It could be your neighbors are setup that way. I think you still will be better off using channel 1 since you have 3 APs. If you get forced into that problem then I would assign channel 1 to the least used AP.

I would also consider maybe using the middle AP if your neighbors on both sides are using channel 1. I would probably test for my final decision.

 

[ddaenen1]

Agreed. He should measure at all three locations. Going off that one measurement, it would appear channel 1 is fairly saturated, but maybe at one of the other two it isn't.

I am going to survey all 3 AP's today and post the results. The results i posted are from the AP in the living room which is closest to the street and other houses. The 2nd one is more central in the house and the 3rd, central upstairs.

 

[coxhaus]

Did you get your APs all setup on separate channels and locked?

The way I lock channels is I figure out what channels I am going to use and set them then I turn on automatic channel scan but before the channels can change I check the box to lock the channels. From time to time I check what is recommended for the next channel and I check it to see if my neighbors have changed their channels.

This should be a fast process..

 

[ddaenen1]

Did you get your APs all setup on separate channels and locked?

The way I lock channels is I figure out what channels I am going to use and set them then I turn on automatic channel scan but before the channels can change I check the box to lock the channels. From time to time I check what is recommended for the next channel and I check it to see if my neighbors have changed their channels.

This should be a fast process..

Nope, this is still WIP. With COVID and everybody at home during the lockdown, fiddling with the WIFI was the last thing i wanted to do Now that kids are going back to school, hopefully there will be a window any time soon. In the past 3 months, i have refrained from making any changes so safeguard internet access and performance in our house.

 

[coxhaus]

Actually I have the same problem with my wife. I have a new Cisco SG350X-24 layer 3 10 gig switch I want to install but my wife uses her internet every day with zoom or FaceTime and maybe both. She has at least 3 virtual meetings a day.

 

[ddaenen1]

So i am reviving this thread as i do have some issues with wifi in the house since i put up the outdoor AP up several months ago. This AP is on the 140MHz channel which doesn't interfere with any other AP but still it seems that there is a specific spot in the kitchen at the counter where wifi is an issue. I have full signal but especially Facetime calls or other video call apps stutter in this specific location. If you move away from this specific spot, all is fine.

I haven't done anything on the channels though. When i look at the wifi landscape in and around our house, all signals seem to be on either 1, 6 or 11 in the 2.4GHz band. Mine are all on 6. Does it still make sense to change mine also to 1,6 and 11?

In the mean time, i have done a survey on the most critical points in and outside the house. Here my findings:

Above is outside (WAP571E), i do not see any issue other than i find it surprising that the 5GHz radio has a stronger signal than the 2.4GHz. this seems very strange to me. I have left it for now. I might consider rebooting the AP to see if it is fixed but not really a priority.

Above is the furthest south point of the house in the living room. Here the correct AP (WAP571-living room) is picked up and signals of both 2.4GHz and 5GHz are clearly the strongest so all seems fine.

This is where it gets a bit weird. This is the special spot in the kitchen i mention above. 2.4GHz is picked up equally strong from all 3 AP's (WAP571-living room / WAP571-upstairs / WAP571-house center) in the house. The laptop doesn't seem to switch to one of the stronger 2.4GHz signals and sticks to the 5GHz from the living room AP. This signal though, seems to be going to 0% intermittently.

No surprises in the most northern point of the house in the master bedroom. Also no issues here. The closest AP (WAP571-house center) is picked up and connection is good.

Last but not least, no issues with the AP upstairs. The correct AP (WAP571-upstairs) is picked up when going to the first floor and remains connected on 5GHz in both rooms.

So all in all, i have fairly good reception in the entire house and outdoors but the roaming to the counter in the kitchen is quite odd. There maybe AP settings that would make the roaming more smooth but i'd rather get some insights before turning the buttons.

 

[coxhaus]

You want separate channels for each AP. If you have to repeat a channel then you need to pick the channel farthest away so they do not overlap.

If you run out of channels then you need to pick APs that support more active connections for higher density.

 

[jasonreg]

@ddaenen1 , @coxhaus - So apologies for reviving this thread but trying to solve some WIFI interference in my wife's office before I replace the WAPs. I also have three WAP571 in single point cluster. One on each floor of a two above ground floors and basement setup. The main floor (middle floor) is centralized, the top floor in on the west end of the house (near the bedrooms) and the basement WAP in near the east end of the house near basement office. When I look at the Single point set-up, all three WAPs are using channels 6 and 36. I can see where to lock the channels in the channel assignment table, but the other floors seem to want to reassign the same channels to the tother WAPs.

What am I missing?

 

[ddaenen1]

I have 4 WAP571 in a single point setup cluster and indeed, they have all assigned the same channels (also 6 and 36) but i can't say i am suffering from interference. Everything is working really well. From your post, it is not clear to me if you have an actual issue or your are merely concerned because all AP's have selected the same channels as "interference in your wife's office" is kind of vague. If not, i am unsure why you would want to decommission your WAP571s. Mine are running fine and whilst i have considered it, i really see no reason to swap them out for newer tech at the moment.