some MR44 reboot often when connected to Cisco catalyst switches running POE af power 15.4 W

[commsrbrad1]

We have just installed a number of MR44 APs, this is the first site not using Meraki switches yet,. but has Catalyst swiches suppying max of 15.4 W, so the APs run in low power mode.

the OS level is 28.7.1 which should be ok for running in low power mode.

we also have MT10 sensors which connect to the MR44s using BLE.

On reading documentation for MR44 running in low pwoer mode it says that the BLE radio is disabled.

But this cannot be correct as the MT10s are connecting.

My question is could the BLE devices cause instability on some  MR44s causing them to reboot?

[alemabrahao]

Do you know the maximum power the catalyst switch can provide?

Run show power inline to check how much power is being consumed.

[PhilipDAth]

I had a read over the documentation.

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Monitoring_and_Reporting/Low_Power_Mode 

I can't see anything about BLE being disabled.  It mostly says:

"While in low power mode, the MR will disable its Air Marshal radio as well as one out of three transmit streams on the 2.4 GHz band (leaving two transmit streams still operating)."

How do you know the MR44 is rebooting?

Does thew switch have enough PoE budget to power all of the PoE devices plugged in?

[commsrbrad1]

Hi Philip,

I am glad you responded to this as I know from the Cisco support forum, you know more than just Meraki!

this is where I saw about BLE

MR44 Datasheet - Cisco Meraki

The switches at this site are 2960C and 2960-PST  old switches I know , soon to be replaced with Meraki

see below on this switch only the AP on port 13 goes off and online

rbn-sw04#sh power inline
Available:370.0(w) Used:147.0(w) Remaining:223.0(w)

Interface Admin Oper Power Device Class Max
(Watts)
--------- ------ ---------- ------- ------------------- ----- ----
Fa0/1 auto on 15.4 Meraki MR44 Cloud M 4 15.4
Fa0/2 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/3 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/4 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/5 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/6 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/7 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/8 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/9 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/10 auto on 7.0 Ieee PD 2 15.4
Fa0/11 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/12 auto on 7.0 Ieee PD 2 15.4
Fa0/13 auto on 15.4 Meraki MR44 Cloud M 4 15.4
Fa0/14 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/15 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/16 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/17 auto on 7.0 Ieee PD 2 15.4
Fa0/18 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/19 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/20 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/21 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/22 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/23 auto on 7.0 Ieee PD 2 15.4
Fa0/24 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/25 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/26 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4
Fa0/27 auto on 15.4 Meraki MR44 Cloud M 4 15.4
Fa0/28 auto on 15.4 Meraki MR44 Cloud M 4 15.4
Fa0/29 auto on 15.4 Meraki MR44 Cloud M 4 15.4
Fa0/30 auto on 7.0 Ieee PD 2 15.4
Fa0/31 auto off 0.0 n/a n/a 15.4

Oct 17 08:19:54 AEDST: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/13, changed state to up
Oct 17 08:19:56 AEDST: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/13, changed state to down
Oct 17 08:19:57 AEDST: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface FastEthernet0/13, changed state to down
Oct 17 08:19:59 AEDST: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface FastEthernet0/13, changed state to up
Oct 17 08:20:01 AEDST: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/13, changed state to up
Oct 17 08:22:06 AEDST: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/13, changed state to down
Oct 17 08:22:11 AEDST: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/13, changed state to up

You can see this AP continually goes up and down.

We have a case opened upgraded os from 28.7.1 to 29.4.1 made no difference so reverted.

any ideas

[PhilipDAth]

That does look bad!

Has support had you try to factory reset one of these yet?

If you take one of the MR44s, move it to the switch, and plug it directly into the switch using a patch lead; does it make any difference?

[commsrbrad1]

NO Have not done a factory reset yet, how is this done.? 

of the 43 APs we have at this site about 6 go off/online at varying times.

the cabling has been checked, and the failing APs moved to different switches.

I'll see what Meraki support come up with today, Unfortunately the site is remote for me so have to use local customer staff and techs..

thanks for your responses.

[PhilipDAth]

The factory reset is a long shot.  This is the process you can try on one MR44.

https://documentation.meraki.com/General_Administration/Support/Resetting_Cisco_Meraki_Devices_to_Fa... 

[commsrbrad1]

OK thanks for that, I'll see what Support say

[commsrbrad1]

Hi Philip,

another strange thing I see when I do a "sh cdp nei" is just before an AP fails  I see this

e455a806cf9a Fas 0/6 179 R S Meraki MR Port 1
e455a806cf9a Fas 0/6 167 R S Meraki MR Port 0
instead of just port 0

e455a806cf9a Fas 0/6 162 R S Meraki MR Port 0
e455a806d110 Fas 0/30 162 R S Meraki MR Port 0
e455a806ced1 Fas 0/5 170 R S Meraki MR Port 0
e455a806e242 Fas 0/45 144 R S Meraki MR Port 0
rbn-sw03#

[alemabrahao]

Have you checked/changed the cabling?

[commsrbrad1]

See my prevoius replies to Philip

[alemabrahao]

Warning: Please ensure that MR44 is connected to an 802.3at-capable (PoE+) switch/power injector during the initial installation OR ensure that the network the MR44 is added to is set to MR 27.6 or newer firmware.

This is because the default MR44 firmware image has support for the low-power mode, however, MR 27.5/27.5.1 or lower firmware does not have low power mode support. Using 802.3af switch/power injector with MR44 set to 27.5/27.5.1 or lower firmware might result in unexpected behaviors including but not limited to reboots or degraded performance. 

Due to the reasons stated above, please do not downgrade the network with MR44 APs to 27.5/27.5.1 or lower firmware if they are being powered on by 802.3af (PoE) switch/power injector.

[alemabrahao]

Yes, I know that are you running version 28.7.1, but It can be a bug.

[commsrbrad1]

already tried Beta 29.4.1 made n difference

[cmr]

@commsrbrad1 did you check with support that the APs actually upgraded?  And was it 29.4 you tried, or an early 29.4.1 that I thought was only released today? 

[commsrbrad1]

All I know is we loaded the latest  advised by  support

I don't think this problem will be fixed till we install the Meraki switches to replace the old Catalyst switches