Any good online resources for optimizing Cisco WLC's?

I have the 1206 with 4 1125 AP's... its running. i just wish i knew if it was running as well as it should be. Thin client users have complained the signal drops... some say their apps lock up and they have to reboot etc. The CCNA:W book doesnt go into any great detail of the WLC web interface.... Anyone know of any resources that do?

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SteveO86

Sounds like more of a problem with basic RF signals and not the WLC.

I would use a spectrum analyzer to check for interference and to make sure adequate coverage is being provided..

As far as WLC and LWAP guides. I would check the configuration guide for the IOS version you WLC version. They also have a few Cisco Press Wireless books like this one Deploying and Troubleshooting Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers

tdean

Hi Steve, good book. that should help. the signal is 90% at one of the thin clients. I hope i set everything up right, i have 2 AP's in that area. one set for channel1, the other 6. thats for "G". these thin clients are "N" capable, so im assuming thats what they are connecting by. there is no way to see that in the set up though. any potential red flags you can think of? They want to go with a lot of wireless think clients in the very near future. i just want to make sure this is working as it should.

SteveO86

If your going to be investing heavy in Wireless, definitely get a spectrum analyzer if you do not have one already. (and possible a protocol analyzer like AirPCap or Omnipeek although you can use Wireshark on Ubunto with airdecap as cheaper alternative)

MetaGeek has a few cheap Spectrum Analyzers. I hate to judge a clients Wi-Fi signal in percentage. RSSI, SNR are the better ways to judge the connection.

Even if a Wi-Fi client has a great signal if their a microwave, 2.4 GHz cordless phone (or other 2.4 GHz devices nearby) nearby the WLAN is going to be unavailable.

I would check on the CRC errors and the amount of re-transmissions of the WLAN clients. This can be done on the WLC Monitor -> Clients

tdean

Ok Steve, I'll check that stuff this week. Hopefully tomorrow. Is inSIDDer (or whatever its called) good for this?

SteveO86

InSSIDer will just provide you the RSSI and Noise floor of the RF from your LWAP and neighboring AP's. A Spectrum Analyzer will will help you classify the sources of interference and provide a deeper at the RF.

Check the Take A tour half way through the page
Wi-Spy | MetaGeek
Channalyzer 4 can go a long way.

tdean

well, i got these books here.... I hope these fill in some of the gaps. i like this wireless stuff, and would probably like to go further with this if possible, but after doing so well on the "theory" test, it was pretty deflating to not really understand the web interface of the WLC among other things...

Amazon.com: Deploying and Troubleshooting Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers (9781587058141): Mark L. Gress, Lee Johnson: Books

Amazon.com: Designing and Deploying 802.11n Wireless Networks (9781587058899): Jim Geier: Books

SteveO86

The CWNP Books are also a great resource for learning the RF technology behind WLANs.

https://www.cwnp.com/cwnpstore/library

But I do find it best to read one book at a time... So I would start with those two books.

malcybood

Cisco have a tool available called the WLC Analyzer.

You can import the output of the show run command into it and the analyzer will check the configuration.

Please note it is the show run command which looks like a show tech-support output that is required from the command line of the WLC NOT the configuration being TFTP'd from the commands menu in the GUI, so you'll need to SSH to the device via putty or teraterm etc then run the command and save into a file.

This article gives you all the information you need including download link. You'll need a CCO logon.

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-1373