Erratic Issues after implementing new wireless AP's

[Bionic]

Hi All,

So we just replaced HP AP's with 13 x Wireless-N HomePlug AV 200 Ethernet Adapters.All are setup individually ,meaning that an independent ethernet cable runs to them and they are configured independently.They all have 1 SSID but not broadcasting.We have 4 floors in the building and i have set them on different channels as per the following

Ground and 1st Floor- Channel 1 - 5 AP's
2nd Floor - channel 6 - 4 Ap's
3rd Floor - Channel 11 - 4 Ap's

These AP's are very basic and dont have a DHCP server ,so this is being dished out by my DC.All are setup with Wireless B,G and N technology.

Problems.

The connection is very sticky sometimes.By this i mean that i can browse internet fine but when it comes to different services like RDP ,it freezes for a bit and then fine after.When saving a doc to a shared drive we get the window showing its saving.

I have tested with Ethernet and none of the above occur.My wireless signal is not an issue.I have also checked the load on every AP and they fine as per Billion support(BTW - they cant help!)

Have i setup my wireless correctly.Channels?Config?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tim the Techxpert]

Hi There,
I suggest to try and trace the problem that you disconnect 2 of the channels e.g. 2nd and 3rd floor and see if the problem still exists. That would eliminate the channels on the wireless as being the problem.

You can then start with just 1 PC connected and see what the response is. If it is still bad then maybe these APs are not the right ones for the load you are putting them under.

I agree it is a bit of a strange problem.

Good luck

Tim

 

[Roman4604]

Have i setup my wireless correctly.Channels?Config?

Use all 3 channel groups on each floor, with vertical alternating. Enable broadcasting, the security benefit is minimal (if using WPA2) and the constant beaconing will allow clients to make faster, more optimal AP switching decisions.

 

[Bionic]

Thanks Tim

@Roman4604 - Hey buddy !Will give this a bash..Are the channels allocation correct for "N" - 1,6 and 11?

 

[PsyWulf]

Allocation's fine

Do a ping -t to the server in command prompt during testing and see if you suddenly have drops or high latencies when the issues occur

 

[Roman4604]

@Roman4604 - Hey buddy !Will give this a bash..Are the channels allocation correct for "N" - 1,6 and 11?

Yep, use one of the following tools to check AP channel usage & any overlap. The trick is to make sure in any area there is clearly one best AP with minimal interference from another using the same freq group.

For Windows ... http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/

For Android ... https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer

 

[Bionic]

Thanks.Will give this a try and provide feedback.

 

[Bionic]

Update :After installing Insidder,i found many other SSID's in my area.It was suprising that there was so many networks on the 2,4ghz network from my location.Even though there are no other SSID's using my AP channels,they still overlap and was having around 40 overlapping networks !!

Did some research and found that the 40MHZ band gives you a broader coverage and hence the overlap on other networks.I understand that if i change to 20MHZ it will reduce my rate to 150MPS from 300 however it seems that it has improved based on the interference.It currently shows that it only has 4 networks now overlapping , not by channel allocation but only on the overlapping.

Question :I know that the 5GHZ range is not utilised and supported by many but what if i broadcast a device on 5GHZ.I have scanned my environment and found 1 network on this band ,so its almost free.Are there any issues from changing to this range?

Thanks

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Question :I know that the 5GHZ range is not utilised and supported by many but what if i broadcast a device on 5GHZ.I have scanned my environment and found 1 network on this band ,so its almost free.Are there any issues from changing to this range?

Thanks

Try changing one AP to 5GHz and see what happens. If it works without issues & the other devices can connect to it without any issues, then use it.

 

[Bionic]

Ok so im back to square 1!!!

I couldn't change the Billions to 5GHZ since it doesn't support it and also Iphone 4 and certain other devices cant connect.So i have set my router to Mixed mode(N) and 20MHZ. They still on the same SSID without broadcast.I have 4 floors and have now changed the channels from not 1 channel for the entire floor but rather different channels on a floor (1,6,11) and evenly configuring them so they don't clash with the other floors.Im running inssider which clearly shows that the different AP's are co - channeling rather than overlapping which is better as per my research.RDP is still very slow and file copy to my server is ridiculous .Im starting to wonder whether these devices were actually a good buy.

Any other ideas?

 

[Bionic]

Anyone?

 

[Bosvark@]

Get a wireless expert in

 

[Bionic]

I was thinking the same thing.This is really getting out of hand now.My manager is not impressed with these Billions.

 

[InvisibleJim]

So we just replaced HP AP's with 13 x Wireless-N HomePlug AV 200 Ethernet Adapters.All are setup individually ,meaning that an independent ethernet cable runs to them and they are configured independently.

Just thinking out of the box, is there any possibility that you have a network loop created via the ethernet cable runs and the data over powerline?

 

[nomdeplume]

I was thinking the same thing.This is really getting out of hand now.My manager is not impressed with these Billions.

In your OP you said you ran an Ethernet to every Ethernet over power device. If so then you have not used the product correctly and can not hold it responsible. If you already have Ethernet then use something like Unifi as all your problems will disappear.

 

[nivek]

why would you replace HP AP's with billion

 

[Bionic]

In your OP you said you ran an Ethernet to every Ethernet over power device. If so then you have not used the product correctly and can not hold it responsible. If you already have Ethernet then use something like Unifi as all your problems will disappear.

How am i not using the product correctly?It is meant to be an AP or a wireless repeater.

 

[Bionic]

why would you replace HP AP's with billion

We had an environment with HP controller and AP's but signal was poor and very costly.I have 2 x Billion AP's (same model) on an environment with 30 pc's with only wireless connections and they don't suffer from this at all.

 

[Bionic]

Just thinking out of the box, is there any possibility that you have a network loop created via the ethernet cable runs and the data over powerline?

Nope.

 

[DanH]

I would ditch the billions...there were never meant to be 13 of them coexisting in the same environment.

You need something that is designed to be scalable.

Start looking here:

http://www.ubnt.com/unifi
http://www.dbg.co.za/index.php?cPath=1_69_98

Maybe a tough switch on each floor injecting power onto Ethernet to the 4 or 5 APs for the floor.

And run the Unifi software on your server to manage the network.