Multiple SSIDs on 6GHz

[The_Roo]

I have a network built of CW9164 APs (MR 31.1.6). I would like to run a Corporate and a Guest SSID on both 5 and 6GHz. I thought I'd configured it to do so, but when I survey with Ekahau/Sidekick2, I can see only the Guest SSID on 6GHz. 5GHz is carrying them and other SSIDs. What am I doing wrong

[alemabrahao]

Ensure WPA3 is enabled for the Corporate SSID

6 GHz requires WPA3 (or OWE for open SSIDs). WPA2 is not supported on 6 GHz.

[The_Roo]

I should have said in the first place, both Guest and Corporate are running WPA3. and for what its worth, I have 4 SSIDs:

Guest runs on 2.4/5/6 and is WPA3, .11r disabled, .11w required/reject

Corporate runs on  5/6 and is WPA3, .11r disabled, .11w required/reject

IoT runs on 2.4 and 5, WPA2, .11r adaptive, .11w enabled allow

Legacy Corporate runs on 5, and is wpa2 .11r adaptive, .11w enabled/allow

[alemabrahao]

Meraki limits the number of SSIDs that can be broadcast on 6 GHz (usually 4). If you have more than 4 SSIDs enabled on the network, some will be automatically excluded from 6 GHz.

[The_Roo]

I edited my earlier response to document the SSIDs, and yes, I have held it down to 4 SSIDs, only two of which are on 6GHz

[alemabrahao]

To confirm which SSIDs are actually broadcasting on 6 GHz:

Go to Wireless > Monitor > Access Points

Click on an AP (CW9164)

Click the “RF” tab

Scroll to the 6 GHz band section

Look under “SSID(s)”, it will list exactly which SSIDs are broadcasting on that band

If Corporate isn’t listed there, it’s not being broadcast on 6 GHz, even if configured correctly elsewhere.

Temporarily disable the Guest SSID

Reboot an AP

Re-survey with Sidekick2

See if Corporate now appears on 6 GHz

[The_Roo]

I went to Wireless > Monitor > Access Points and selected an access point, but there is no "RF Tab", but what I did see was "BSSID Details" and that showed all four SSIDs on their correct bands

[alemabrahao]

So, I believe that it's not a Meraki issue.

[The_Roo]

Well, thats what I was beginning to think, that the Ekahau/Sidekick was lying to me, so I had the operator take it to a different site where we knew 6GHz was operating correctly and do a survey there. The Ekahau showed the 6GHz broadcast of both Guest and Corporate there, no problem. The we went back to the affected site: Just Guest, no Corporate on 6GHz, so the issue has to be originating in the Meraki: there's nowhere else to look....

[alemabrahao]

Compare RF Profiles,even if the same SSIDs are configured network-wide, Meraki RF profiles and AP tags are site-specific.

If everything is ok, I suggest you open a support case.

[The_Roo]

You are on the money with the support case, I started that early on, this one looked weird. I also posted here because I knew there were guys like you with broader experience than me who may have just said "Oh yeah, seen that, just to this , this and this". When the going gets weird, I share as widely as I can 😀

[KarstenI]

On which channels are you running? I am not sure if it is still the case, but some time ago, the Sidekick2 only found SSIDs on PSCs.

[The_Roo]

We have 200-odd APs, so there should be enough APs running on the PSCs to show up. Also, we are running 80MHz channels, so we will be seeing 4 channesl as one, similar pitch to PSC

[cmr]

The BSSID details are simply the potential BSSIDs, I have 6GHz external APs (CW9163E) and they show the BSSID for 6GHz only SSIDs even though they correctly do not broadcast it as it is illegal to do so in the UK.  When I had an exception for testing before launch they did work, but the BSSID details are misleading, at least for the 6GHz band.

[The_Roo]

Worth knowing, thanks. However, I downloaded the CSV file "BSSID Details" and that showed all SSIDs on their correct bands and documented whether they were broadcast or not. The 2.4 and 5GHz BSSIDs were listed as broadcast and the listing was right, but the right 6GHz BSSIDs were listed as broadcast, even though they weren't, so I take this whole piece of info with a pinch of salt. Meanwhile, if you go into Wireless > Assurance , then look at Infrastructure connectivity, it looks universally bad, but I'm not sure what to do about this

[cmr]

@The_Roo exactly.  The 2.4 and 5 are fine, but 6 is optimistic!

[The_Roo]

I think I have, with all the help that's gone before, got the solution(this thread is worth reading, not for my contribution, but for the contribution of some big-hitters out there).

The issue is this: because there are so many 6GHz channels, they can't all be scanned. One of the ways of handling this is "Preferred Scanning Channels" (PSC), which limits the number of channels that a client has to scan (and so scanning time) to find a useable channel. However, another technique is "Reduced Neighbour Report" (RNR), that embeds the beacon of one SSID in another SSIDs beacon. It seems Ekahau only lists one beacon, but if you open the beacon packets up and look inside, there is the "missing" beacon, included elsewhere....and even if its a beacon for a 6GHz channel, you may find it in a 5GHz beacon....I *think* I've got it right, but shoot me down if not!

[KarstenI]

This „Problem“ will luckily not limit your clients. They all work with RNR and are not dependent on PSCs while scanning. 
This is especially important for Europe as the typical channel width is 40 or even 20 and half or even 3/4 if the channels are not on PSCs.