Common Causes of Poor Connectivity to Distanced APs
Question
A network administrator redesigned the positioning of the APs to create adjacent areas of wireless coverage.
After project validation, some users still report poor connectivity when their devices maintain an association to a distanced AP.
Which of the following should the network administrator check FIRST?
Answers
Explanations
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A. B. C. D.A.
The first thing the network administrator should check is the roaming settings on the APs and WLAN clients. Roaming refers to the process of a wireless client moving from one access point (AP) to another while maintaining a continuous network connection. When a user reports poor connectivity, it could be due to their device maintaining an association with a distanced AP even when there is a closer one available.
To ensure efficient roaming, the network administrator needs to make sure that the roaming settings on both the APs and the wireless LAN (WLAN) clients are configured properly. The roaming settings on the APs should be set to allow the client to connect to the closest AP with the strongest signal. The administrator should check the signal strength, data rate, and packet loss thresholds configured for the roaming process. The WLAN clients should also be configured to prefer the strongest signal and should be set to quickly disassociate from a weak AP.
After verifying the roaming settings, the network administrator should also check the AP antenna type. The AP antenna type plays a significant role in determining the wireless coverage area. The administrator should ensure that the APs are using the correct type of antenna for the new layout. Depending on the size and shape of the area, the administrator may need to adjust the number and placement of the APs to provide optimal coverage.
Checking to see if MU-MIMO was properly activated on the APs is also a good idea. MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output) allows multiple clients to receive data simultaneously from an AP. However, poor connectivity may not necessarily be caused by a lack of MU-MIMO. This step should be taken after the roaming settings and AP antenna type have been verified.
Deactivating the 2.4GHz band on the APs is not recommended as it will reduce the available frequency spectrum for the WLAN. 2.4GHz has a longer range and can penetrate obstacles more effectively than 5GHz, so it is important to have both frequency bands available for use.
In summary, the network administrator should first check the roaming settings on the APs and WLAN clients to ensure efficient roaming. The AP antenna type and MU-MIMO activation should also be verified if necessary. Deactivating the 2.4GHz band on the APs is not recommended.
