What tool are you using for power?
This is important since you could be seeing data from probe requests ACKs coming from the AP (as in a site planner tool like airopeek, Airmagnet, etc) or raw RF data as seen in a Spectrum Analyzer (oscilloscope, Wi-Spy, or the ones built into all our arrays). Without any power reporting standards in the existing 802.11 spec, vendors have leeway in how they respond to probe requests that report power in ACKs resulting in many unusual reading for some known and some unknown reasons. None of this "breaks" the standard. Personally, I suspect it's your AP's playing tricks with their ACKs reported power levels. Could be they want STAs to connect to the better secured SSID - since STAs might have previously connected to the PSK net, they will want to again if they see a higher power level. The AP tries to trick them into picking the more secure SSID. It's not likely you'll get anyone to admit this though - they wouldn't share this with anyone outside of engineering. Is there a specific problem you're having as a result of this observation? Regards, Jon 303-808-2666 ________________________________ From: Matt Ashfield [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 5:39 AM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] I've been seeing this problem as well. Has anyone found a solution to it? We are using Nortel/Trapeze gear. Our WPA/TKIP/802.1x ssid is more powerful than our WPA-PSK ssid even though theyre coming from the same radio with the same power setting?! Any advice is appreciated. Matt [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Lee H Badman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:23 PM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] I completely agree on your summation of Windows, and it's flaky "bars". But as Peter (Queensland University) mentions, it becomes more puzzling when tools like AirMagnet seem to back up the phenomenon. Lee H. Badman Wireless/Network Engineer Information Technology and Services Syracuse University 315 443-3003 ________________________________ From: Emerson Parker [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 10:47 AM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] As far as Windows is concerned, it does an average of the signal levels it sees. The problem is that Windows doesn't scan often enough or long enough to actually see the beacon and sometimes records a zero measurement. Multiple readings of zero results in a lower average and the false impression of widely fluctuating signal levels. . If not windows, it could be as simple as the AP alternating antennas for the beacon and the position of the clients can't see the second antenna as well as the first. -Emerson ________________________________ From: Peter Arbouin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 11:59 PM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Hi, We have also seen this when looking into problem areas using Airmagnet Laptop analyzer the signal strength from the same ap on different ssids fluctuates, usually with the open ssid having stronger signal strength. Not sure why, but we would also be interested to hear if there is a reason. Regards, Peter. Peter Arbouin Network Engineer Network Operations Centre, ITS Queensland University of Technology Brisbane, QLD, Australia PH: (07) 313 81030 ________________________________ From: Lee H Badman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, 2 October 2007 6:16 AM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: [WIRELESS-LAN] Just now starting to poke at this- we have an open-auth network and an 802.1x network. In areas where we are more hot-spotty and a client can only see a single AP, we're getting a fair number of reports that the 802.1x network is weaker in signal out of the same LWAPP Cisco AP than the open WLAN SSID is. My first thought is that it's likely in the way that RSSI/"bars" are displayed on individual clients, but we're also hearing that the 802.1x network in these spots was too weak to use, but when jumping over to the open network, the connection was usable. Has anyone else had to deal with this perception? Mostly this seems to be a Mac issue, but not exclusively. Again- haven't done much real testing, but are hearing it enough where I wonder if others have seen similar. Lee H. Badman Wireless/Network Engineer Information Technology and Services Syracuse University 315 443-3003 ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/.
