MR16 Access Points drops all clients and they never reconnect until after rebooting AP

[PickNick]

Since this is known issue ever since a firmware update from last summer, I would just like to know if this affects any other Meraki radios. And why specifically the MR16? I am running the 26.2 firmware that tech support said should fix the issue. We thought it was just the 2.4 radio but the 5Ghz radio is affected as well. I have MR18 Access points in another section of the building that I could possibly switch around but I do not want to swap out 25 APs if they are just going to do the same thing.

 Support says that the developers are looking into this but that has been several months ago. I was told I cannot roll back to one of the older versions of firmware. 

[timeshimanshu]

Was it working fine before your perform the upgrade? Can you confirm the reason for client disconnection by going in network wide>event log and choose for access points.

[PickNick]

Worked flawlessly for 3 years. Then after firmware update started having issues. This is what I am waiting for;

"If the Beta firmware didn't help then we need to wait for our developers to resolve the issue. Our developers are currently working on creating a new firmware that might resolve the issue and once there is an update from them I will let you know.

Thank you, 


Cisco Meraki Technical Support"

[NolanHerring]

I had to deal with about 100 MR16's at a legacy site until we were able to upgrade them to MR33.

They ran fine while they were running on 24.x train, but once 25.x came out they kept having issues, and I got support to push them back to the oldest 24.X code until I could get them swapped with new hardware.

older models don't seem to play nice on 25.x for unknown reasons.

[PickNick]

Upgrading because of a firmware update issue is not an option. I have asked to roll back to a previous firmware and support has said it is not possible. 

[randhall]

I'd ask for the case to be escalated. I'm pretty sure they can roll back. It's a pain in the neck for them which is probably why you're getting push back.

If you keep getting the runaround have your legal department send Cisco a demand letter. You are entitled to a working AP. They can either rollback, patch (now), or provide you a working model.

[PickNick]

I will push a little harder. I have emailed my Meraki rep, Sales, and no response back. 

[Richard2]

We have a similar problem with the MR16s - initial support case was opened on November 2018 and still has not been resolved. We are trying 25.14 and 26.4 and see how it goes. I believe the problem still exist on 25.14 but less frequently, waiting some more time to see how it goes with 26.4 Let us know how it goes with your sales rep as we have a lot of of the MR16 deployed. Thanks.

[pjc]

Same here, issue with MR16 and a specific vendor's network card.  Spent months working with support, and they indentified the problem being introduced in firmware 25.x.  Doesn't affect any other model of AP or other nic vendor for us

It'll be interesting when the next critical security flaw is patched with the latest firmware and these older devices will not be able to be upgraded due to a functionality bug.  Will Meraki replace our MR16's with MR20/33's ?

[NolanHerring]

---

@pjc wrote:

Same here, issue with MR16 and a specific vendor's network card.  Spent months working with support, and they indentified the problem being introduced in firmware 25.x.  Doesn't affect any other model of AP or other nic vendor for us

---

Could have told you that lol

Latest 24.X code had MR16s working fine. 25.X introduced some issue. The easy fix for Meraki is to allow clients that still have MR16 (possibly MR18 too) to be able to still run that latest 24.X code.  Same principle applies for cisco WLCs, there is a 'latest code' for specific hardware version, not sure why Meraki doesn't follow the same process.

[pjc]

@NolanHerring  Yes Nolan, we do indeed still run v24.12 on our MR16's.  There seems to be some confusion on that, support can and do allow customers to roll back to older versions, but it would seem that others are not getting that option.

My point is that once a security flaw is indentified will they patch older versions ?  I suspect not, it'll just be on the latest version.  And if they do patch older versions, it will mean support will have go under the hood to 'upgrade' those ap's to theat old-new version as it won't be on the dashboard

or they could just replace the hardward FOC if it's no longer 'supported'...I'm still wondering what will happen when these older ap's go end of support, this https://meraki.cisco.com/support/#policies suggests the hardware will be replaced...

[Richard2]

The latest and greatest firmware still has the problem with the MR16 unfortunately - having support review it again but the symptoms are the same.  Rolling back the firmware I guess is an option but not ideal.

I'm trying to escalate this issue - its been persisting too long and seems to be no clear path forward. 

[PickNick]

I was finally able to work with support to roll back to 23.11 after talking to my sales rep. The firmware is locked but it looks like I am still having issues. They seem to be running smoother but I had two adjacent  APs drop clients and never have them reconnect. Not out of the woods yet.  

[PhilipDAth]

I have only used the MR33 and above.  I've never seen the issue.