Summarize various issues between wireless AP and AC of WiFi system

In wireless network construction, it is said that the AP+AC networking mode is the most advanced at present, but there are still some problems in the use process. Have you encountered any of the following? Here are some information summarized according to the professional wireless AP equipment and solution provider Fengrunda. Although it is not much, you can take a look at it.

1. How should wireless AP and AC products be connected?

Currently, most ACs are based on distributed forwarding, and ACs are usually mounted next to aggregation/core switches.

2. Do I need to purchase a license to manage the number of wireless APs that the AC can manage?

No need to purchase authorization, the number of APs that an AC can manage is determined by the specific AC model. For example, "100" in the model means that a maximum of 100 wireless APs can be managed.

3. What should I do if AC cannot find the wireless AP?

Possible reasons why the AC cannot discover the AP are:

[1] The AC connection method is incorrect or there is a problem with the wired network settings, such as incorrect port isolation settings, incorrect VLAN division, DHCP Snooping enabled on the port, etc. You can check the AC connection and wired network status.

[2] The wireless AP is a new model and the AC with old software cannot support it. You can try to upgrade the AC software to the latest version.

[3] The factory software version of the wireless AP is relatively new and the AC with the old software version cannot support it. You can try to upgrade the AC software version to the latest one.

[4] If the network cable connecting the wireless AP is aging or the crystal plug has poor contact, you can try replacing the network cable or remaking the crystal plug.

[5] The wireless AP may be damaged due to environmental reasons or improper upgrade or use, but the probability of this happening is low.

4. How can I make all wireless APs transmit the same wireless signal name?

AC has unified control over APs. By setting the wireless signal in AC, all discovered APs can transmit the same wireless signal name.

5. How can I bind different SSIDs to different VLANs?

If VLANs have been set up for the wired network, the AC can set different SSIDs to bind different VLANs to meet the requirement that different SSIDs have different network permissions.

Specific method:

[1] Log in to the AC management interface and specify the VID of different SSIDs in Wireless Settings >> Advanced Settings >> VLAN Settings to bind SSID to VLAN.

[2] Create a new VLAN to be bound in Basic Settings>>VLAN Settings, which does not include ports. Then, add a new wireless service in Wireless Management>>Wireless Services, select the set VLAN, and the SSID binding VLAN setting is completed. After binding, the AP can transmit the SSID.

6. Why does the AP display "offline" on the AC page?

When an AP has been discovered by the AC but is not discovered by the AC currently, the AP status in the AC is displayed as "offline". Possible causes and solutions are as follows:

[1] If the wired network topology changes, such as adding network devices or connecting cables incorrectly, you can check the correctness of the network topology.

[2] If network settings are changed, such as port isolation or DHCP Snooping, please ensure that the settings do not affect the AC's ability to discover APs.

[3] If the network cable connecting the AP is aging or the crystal connector has poor contact, you can try replacing the network cable or remaking the crystal connector.

[4] AP damage may occur due to environmental reasons or improper upgrade or use, but the probability of this happening is low.

7. Why does the AP display "Idle" on the AC page?

When an AP has been discovered by the AC but is not discovered by the AC currently, the AP's status in the AC is displayed as "idle". Possible causes and solutions are as follows:

[1] If the wired network topology changes, such as adding network devices or connecting cables incorrectly, you can check the correctness of the network topology.

[2] If network settings are changed, such as port isolation or DHCP Snooping, please ensure that the settings do not affect the AC's ability to discover APs.

[3] If the network cable connecting the AP is aging or the crystal connector has poor contact, you can try replacing the network cable or remaking the crystal connector.

[4] AP damage may occur due to environmental reasons or improper upgrade or use, but the probability of this happening is low.

8. Can I use it normally if I only buy AP but not AC?

Wireless controllers are designed to uniformly manage APs in the network, which can greatly reduce the difficulty and workload of network management. It is generally recommended to purchase AC and AP at the same time. Of course, if the number of APs is small, you don't need an AC controller.

9. What should I do if the Internet access is unstable after using AC and AP?

After using AC and AP products, possible reasons and solutions for unstable Internet access are as follows:

[1] Improper AP installation planning, such as installing ceiling-mounted APs in places where the floor height is not high enough, or not considering the number of users when installing APs, resulting in too many users. You can reasonably select appropriate products and plan a reasonable installation location based on the actual environment.

[2] If the terminal is incompatible or unstable in some environments, try upgrading the AC and AP software to the latest version.

[3] Wireless interference. Fengrunda's wireless AP products are positioned as commercial devices and are generally used more frequently in actual networking environments. In this case, wireless interference between APs must be considered. You can try to set the AP channels to 1, 6, and 11 channels in sequence, and adjust the AP transmission power appropriately according to the actual environment.

[4] Wired network problems, such as failure to enable bandwidth control resulting in individual terminals occupying too much bandwidth, too large a broadcast domain, or attacks on the intranet, can cause wired network problems.

10. How to upgrade AP?

Different APs have different available upgrade methods: for example, fat and thin APs can be upgraded directly, while thin APs can only be upgraded through AC.