Once again I'm not a network guy. We're experiencing a problem with a wireless leak detection system that we've been installing. Ruckus access points, Cisco managed gigabit switches, ZAPO wifi antennas.

Scenario: In a building (well, three buildings next to each other on the same network, connected by fiber) we installed a separate wifi system for our leak detection system to connect to. There is a centrally located access point on each floor that the valve boxes connect to. Same location on each floor (In a hallway in the middle of the building that has service doors into the units, telecom/mechanical/storage rooms, etc). It's basically in the middle of a square.

The problem we're experiencing is that some of our valve boxes are connecting to access points from other floors, obviously further away, as opposed to the one on their own floor. Example, on the ninth floor today, the valve box was connecting to an access point on the 14th floor, then the 12th floor, then the 14th floor, then...(no 13th floor, so it was four floors above, through concrete floors). We haven't noticed any problems with the access points through ZoneDirector.

What might be the issue here? Why would our boxes not be connecting to the closest access point?

Thanks!

J

Err, I guess I could address the subject line...do you think that mac filtering may solve the problem?

Dual band? Single band?
Have you ran a spectral scan to see if there is any interference in the building (with something like Metageek, etc.)? If a channel has a competing access point or excessive noise on the channel, Ruckus would direct the client to a clean channel if the RSSI was above the minimum set level.
Any microwave ovens in the building?

When the system was installed, was a proper walk thru done and levels set appropriately? Did the person know what appropriate levels they should be shooting for? For what data rates?

Don't equate physical distance with RF performance.
Yes, you should see if there are software configuration issues, MAC address tables, etc. If all else checks out, get on-site and perform actual RF spectrum analysis.

If the wifi you installed is completely independent you should be able to use the whitelist sensors to individual APs.

At initial deploy you've confirmed the sensors connect to preferred AP?

If so,
Are the sensors on fixed RF channels? Could the Ruckus ZD be managing the environment in a way that leaves behind the sensors?

Whitelisting might solve the problem, but you won't know why its happening in the first place.


Google search only turns up Zapo USB -> wifi adaptors being sold by third parties and a single listing on Amazon: [Link: a.co]
I'd have serious concerns about this.

Is the wifi configuration managed by the adaptor or by the flood sensor?

double post...

wifi clients will attach to the 'wrong' a/p, will stay attached to the 'wrong' a/p longer than you would expect.

my zd and the a/p firmware haven't been updated in quite a while. I don't see a minimum RSSI setting (like in Ubiquiti's Unifi) for clients such that the a/p will not accept a connection from a client with too weak a signal. You might want to look for that.

In the absence of that a hack might be to define a different ssid for each of your a/p's and make a corresponding wlan group for each ssid. you could then assign a wlan group to each a/p. Finally you would attach each of your devices to the local SSID. Essentially defining a system that would mirror a bunch of non managed a/ps BUT with the ability to manage them through the ZD.

best advice - call your local Ruckus tech. There may be settings within the A/P that are not exposed in the ZD that will help.

I’ve seen difficult situations where performance varied inch by inch sliding a laptop on a counter. Indicated signal strength varied wildly. If the decision to jump to another access point was based strictly on signal strength I can understand why the laptop would seak a different access point, inch by inch.

It is educational, using a tool such as WiFi Analyzer, to move an inch or so in three dimensions while watching the signal strength.