WEP - Optional Encryption don't work for non-Cisco client devices

[lydiagal]

Hi. I was trying to set up 3 AP's. 1 as root(Cisco 1200 Series) and the other 2 as repeaters (Cisco 350 Series) specifying the MAC address of the root as the preferred AP point.

The RootAP is plug to a barricade(that is the DHCP).

Everything works fine (Signal, IP, etc) until we set the WEP keys.

When we set the WEP to Optional Encryption, the Wireless Client(e.g. notebook) can detect the RootAP, RepeaterAP's signal, but no IP was assigned.

It was only solved when we set the WEP Encryption method to FULL Encryption then it works.

Based on Cisco's Documentation, for optional it says, "If you select Optional, Cisco Aironet client devices associating to the AP must be configured to allow association to mixed cells."

We are not using Cisco client devices, we are using other wireless client devices so there is no setting (as far as we know) about mixed cells.

Does that mean that non-cisco client will not be able to make use of the 'optional' setting then?

Anybody have any idea?

 

[mingpayling2]

Your problem has to do with non Cisco devices talking to Cisco repeaters.


A.K.Pollard

http://www.tribecaexpress.com

 

[lydiagal]

Yes. Its to do with non Cisco device talking to Cisco repeaters. Is there a workaround?

Or just have to ignore the optional encryption setting?

 

[LloydSev]

Well my guess is that you just ignore it.

Cisco is really good at making their stuff work with everyone else's stuff, but then added a buttload more settings that work with their stuff to make things better..

 

[mingpayling2]

I have had really bad experience getting non Cisco client devices to talk to Cisco repeaters. They would work for a while and then disassociate and reassociate frequently. Cisco admit that this is a problem. Funny though, the early models of Aironet for example 340 series did not have this problem.

 

[LloydSev]

So you've experienced problems with non-cisco equipment having problems with associations with equipment such as Cisco Aironet 350 series?

 

[InnoTech]

not to "downtalk" anyone here, but mingpayling2 knows his cisco wireless being that he runs a large WAN with it (if i remember correctly).

on the other hand i don't know cisco's WAN products that well. i do however know that i've seen docs that have stated "ready to use with any other Cisco Aironet products..."

to reitterate for wireless newbies. MOST wireless equiptment/products out there have alot of problems innergating with others, most of the time impossible. they are mostly propritary products. wireless itself is new, making them work together is newer!

lydiagal, there is no workaround for now. correct me if i'm wrong, anyone. i would like to know if there is. "Jack of all trades. Master of none."

 

[LloydSev]

Well I am the Jr. Sys Admin for a WISP. And our Wireless backbone is run off of Cisco APs, with other non-cisco bridges and APs connecting to them.. and sometimes we have problems with clients de-associating from our Cisco APs..

So this is a known problem? Any idea where I can find a document of this so I can show my superior? Thanx

 

[mingpayling2]

To set up repeaters, you must enable Aironet extensions on both the parent (root) access point and the repeater access points. Aironet extensions, which are enabled by default, improve the access point's ability to understand the capabilities of Cisco Aironet client devices associated with the access point. Disabling Aironet extensions sometimes improves the interoperability between the access point and non-Cisco client devices. Non-Cisco client devices might have difficulty communicating with repeater access points and the root access point to which repeaters are associated.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products...figuration_guide_chapter09186a0080102348.html