Example: Configuring WLAN load balancing

Introduction

The following information provides a WLAN load balancing configuration example.

Network configuration

As shown in Figure 1, the DHCP server assigns IP addresses to the APs and clients. AP 1 and AP 2 are managed by the AC and the clients can discover the APs.

Configure the AC to perform session-based load balancing on radio 2 of AP 1 and AP 2 when the following conditions are met:

·     The number of sessions on one radio reaches 2.

·     The session gap between the radios reaches 1.

Figure 1 Network diagram

 

Restrictions and guidelines

When you configure WLAN load balancing, follow these restrictions and guidelines:

·     Bind the same service template to the relevant APs.

·     Configure the interface that the AC uses to connect to the network as a trunk port so the port can forward traffic from multiple VLANs.

·     Use the actual serial ID of an AP to uniquely identify that AP.

Procedures

Configuring the AC

1.     Configure interfaces on the AC:

# Create VLAN 100 and VLAN-interface 100, and assign an IP address to the VLAN interface. The AC will use this IP address to establish CAPWAP tunnels with APs.

<AC> system-view

[AC] vlan 100

[AC-vlan100] quit

[AC] interface vlan-interface 100

[AC-Vlan-interface100] ip address 192.1.0.1 16

[AC-Vlan-interface100] quit

# Create VLAN 200 and VLAN-interface 200, and assign an IP address to the VLAN interface. The AC will use VLAN 200 for client access.

[AC] vlan 200

[AC-vlan200] quit

[AC] interface vlan-interface 200

[AC-Vlan-interface200] ip address 192.2.0.1 16

[AC-Vlan-interface200] quit

# Configure the interface that is connected to the switch as a trunk port, and assign the port to VLAN 100 and VLAN 200.

[AC] interface gigabitethernet 1/0/1

[AC-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] port link-type trunk

[AC-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] port trunk permit vlan 100 200

[AC-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] quit

2.     Configure the wireless service:

# Create wireless service template 1 and enter its view.

[AC] wlan service-template 1

# Set the SSID to service.

[AC-wlan-st-1] ssid service

# Assign clients coming online through service template 1 to VLAN 200.

[AC-wlan-st-1] vlan 200

# Set the AKM mode as PSK and specify plaintext string 12345678 as the preshared key.

[AC-wlan-st-1] akm mode psk

[AC-wlan-st-1] preshared-key pass-phrase simple 12345678

# Specify the cipher suite as CCMP and the security IE as RSN.

[AC-wlan-st1] cipher-suite ccmp

[AC-wlan-st-1] security-ie rsn

# Configure the AC to forward client data traffic. You can skip this step if the AC is the client traffic forwarder by default.

[AC-wlan-st-1] client forwarding-location ac

# Enable service template 1.

[AC-wlan-st-1] service-template enable

[AC-wlan-st-1] quit

3.     Configure the AP:

 

NOTE: In large-scale networks, configure AP groups instead of single APs as a best practice.

 

# Create AP officeap1, and specify its model and serial ID.

[AC] wlan ap officeap1 model WA6320

[AC-wlan-ap-officeap1] serial-id 219801A28N819CE0002X

# Create AP officeap2, and specify its model and serial ID.

[AC] wlan ap officeap2 model WA6320

[AC-wlan-ap-officeap2] serial-id 219801A28N819CE0002T

# Create AP group group1, add the APs to the AP group, and specify the AP model.

[AC] wlan ap-group group1

[AC-wlan-ap-group-group1] ap officeap1 officeap2

[AC-wlan-ap-group-group1] ap-model WA6320

# Bind service template 1 to radio 2 of the AP and enable radio 2.

[AC-wlan-ap-group-group1-ap-model-WA6320] radio 2

[AC-wlan-ap-group-group1-ap-model-WA6320-radio-2] service-template 1

[AC-wlan-ap-group-group1-ap-model-WA6320-radio-2] radio enable

[AC-wlan-ap-group-group1-ap-model-WA6320-radio-2] quit

[AC-wlan-ap-group-group1-ap-model-WA6320] quit

[AC-wlan-ap-group-group1] quit

4.     Configure load balancing:

# Set the load balancing mode to session mode, and set the session threshold and session gap threshold to 2 and 1, respectively.

[AC] wlan load-balance mode session 2 gap 1

# Create load balancing group 1 and enter its view.

[AC] wlan load-balance group 1

# Add radio 2 of AP 1 and AP 2 to load balancing group 1.

[AC-wlan-lb-group-1] ap name officeap1 radio 2

[AC-wlan-lb-group-1] ap name officeap2 radio 2

# Set the maximum number of denials to 5 for association requests.

[AC] wlan load-balance access-denial 5

# Enable WLAN load balancing.

[AC] wlan load-balance enable

Configuring the switch

# Create VLAN 100 and VLAN 200. The switch will use VLAN 100 to forward the traffic on CAPWAP tunnels between the AC and APs, and will use VLAN 200 to forward client traffic.

<Switch> system-view

[Switch] vlan 100

[Switch-vlan100] quit

[Switch] vlan 200

[Switch-vlan200] quit

# Configure the interface that is connected to the AC as a trunk port, and assign the port to VLAN 100 and VLAN 200.

[Switch] interface gigabitethernet 1/0/1

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] port link-type trunk

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] port trunk permit vlan 100 200

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] quit

# Configure the interface that is connected to AP 1 as an access port, and assign the port to VLAN 100.

[Switch] interface gigabitethernet 1/0/2

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/2] port link-type access

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/2] port access vlan 100

# Enable PoE on GigabitEthernet 1/0/2.

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/2] poe enable

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/2] quit

# Configure the interface that is connected to AP 2 as an access port, and assign the port to VLAN 100.

[Switch] interface gigabitethernet 1/0/3

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/3] port link-type access

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/3] port access vlan 100

# Enable PoE on GigabitEthernet 1/0/3.

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/3] poe enable

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/3] quit

# Configure the interface that is connected to the DHCP server as a trunk port, and assign the port to VLAN 100 and VLAN 200.

[Switch] interface gigabitethernet 1/0/4

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/4] port link-type trunk

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/4] port trunk permit vlan 100 200

[Switch-GigabitEthernet1/0/4] quit

Verifying the configuration

# Verify that a third client associates with AP 2 when the number of sessions on either AP reaches 2 and the session gap between the APs reaches 1.

[AC] display wlan client

Total number of clients: 3

 

MAC address     Username   AP name         R  IP address        VLAN

0015-005c-8b2c  N/A        officeap1       2    192.2.0.3       200

109a-dd9f-aaa2  N/A        officeap2       2    192.2.0.5       200

2c1f-2332-7f78  N/A        officeap1       2    192.2.0.4       200

Configuration files

·     AC:

#

 wlan load-balance mode session 2 gap 1

 wlan load-balance enable

 wlan load-balance access-denial 5

#

vlan 100

#

vlan 200

#

wlan service-template 1

 ssid service

 vlan 200

akm mode psk

preshared-key pass-phrase simple 12345678

cipher-suite ccmp

security-ie rsn

client forwarding-location ac

service-template enable

#

interface Vlan-interface100

 ip address 192.1.0.1 255.255.0.0

#

interface Vlan-interface200

 ip address 192.2.0.1 255.255.0.0

#

interface GigabitEthernet1/0/1

 port link-type trunk

 port trunk permit vlan 100 200

#

wlan ap officeap1 model WA6320

 serial-id 219801A28N819CE0002X

#

wlan ap officeap2 model WA6320

 serial-id 219801A28N819CE0002T

#

wlan ap-group group1

ap officeap1 officeap2

ap-model WA6320

radio 2

service-template 1

radio enable

#

·     Switch:

#

vlan 100

#

vlan 200

#

interface GigabitEthernet1/0/1

 port link-mode bridge

 port link-type trunk

 port trunk permit vlan 100 200

#

interface GigabitEthernet1/0/2

 port access vlan 100

 poe enable

#

interface GigabitEthernet1/0/3

 port access vlan 100

 poe enable

#

interface GigabitEthernet1/0/4

 port link-type trunk

 port trunk permit vlan 100 200

#

Related documentation

·     Radio Resources Management Command Reference in H3C Access Controllers Command References

·     Radio Resources Management Configuration Guide in H3C Access Controllers Configuration Guides