iPads disconnecting from WiFi

[xav210]

Hi Everyone,

Having an issue where iPads are disconnecting and users are having to re-authenticate. iPads are up-to-date on firmware and have auto-join enabled.

4 AP environment

2.4 and 5GHz

40MHz 5GHz channels

802.11r enabled - WPA2-PSK

Band Steering disabled

Client Balancing disabled

Bit-rate set to 12 (going to move up to 24)

APs are MR44's and running MR29.7.1

There's two APs in particular that clients seem to have issues roaming to and fro. From what I understand is they are pretty close together. They are not on the same channels however. Would best advice be to lower Tx on both of these guys and see how it shakes out as well as raising the bit-rate? Windows devices are not having any issues, just iPads.

Thanks

[Brash]

Do you have client balancing or 802.11v enabled?

You could try disabling it as a test

[xav210]

I have client balancing disabled.

[BlakeRichardson]

Are the devices going to sleep or do they have private MAC enabled? 

[xav210]

looks like they are using randomized MACs

[BlakeRichardson]

That is most likely the cause, they cause nothing but problems. If the devices are managed via an MDM you can disable random MAC. 

[PhilipDAth]

I see you are using a PSK and you say users are having to re-authenticate.  Are you saying they have to re-select the WiFi network to connect again, or is there some additional authentication system being used?

[PhilipDAth]

Are your MRs running stable firmware or better?

[UKDanJones]

I would disable 802.11r on a PSK network. There's almost no benefit, and it can cause weird issues like the one you're seeing. 

Also, don't use a dual-band SSID - create separate 2.4 & 5 GHz-only SSIDs, and you'll have a much better time. (unless you live somewhere where you can't ‘hear’ anyone else’s 2.4 GHz networks. 

Ipads are generally much better at roaming than Windows machines so make sure that you reset the network on these devices. Apple devices will grey/blacklist BSSIDs that they've had difficulty using in the past as a way of creating a better experience for the end user.