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jbl 500 authentics connection problems

Hi pack ;-),

I ran into a problem with connecting a jbl 500 authentics speaker to Ruckus Unleashed (latest available version) on an R320: I can connect it to a WLAN set up without a password, but as soon as I set up WPA2, WPA3 or WPA2/3 combined it won't connect any more (the setup app simply stays with the message "connecting...". All attempts to reset the speaker, delete the WLAN, etc. failed.

Any ideas on this? My falback now is to have an open WLAN which just allows one client, but obviously this is far from an ideal solution. I also failed with setting up MAC access control, it won't connect either.

Cheers, Joachim.

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Accepted answers

sanjay_kumar

Hi,

Could you try the below steps which was having similar issue with Sonos speaker>
We have the fix applied in later version, 200.15 is the last version supported for R320.

But try this workaround from CLI and check.

https://community.ruckuswireless.com/t5/RUCKUS-Support-for-Lennar-Homes/Cannot-connect-Sonos-wireless-sub-to-Ruckus/m-p/102608/emcs_t/S2h8ZW1haWx8dG9waWNfc3Vic2NyaXB0aW9ufE03NVpESThLWU5EMUtTfDEwMjYwOHxTVUJTQ1JJUFRJT05TfGhL/page/40

imran.sanadi@commscope.com

Hi @jp

Greetings!

Thank you for your response and the update.

Execute Configuration Commands

Once the upgrade is complete, please proceed with the following steps:

Run the following commands:
(Please replace “your Wi-Fi name” with your actual Wi-Fi/SSID name, enclosed in double quotes if it contains spaces)

ruckus> en

ruckus# config

ruckus(config)# wlan "your Wi-Fi name"

ruckus(config-wlan)# no qos directed-multicast

ruckus(config-wlan)# qos directed-threshold 0

ruckus(config-wlan)# end

ruckus(config)# end

This configuration may help resolve the issue.

Here’s an example of PuTTY command line output from my lab for reference: (Bold fonts are commands to execute)

Please login: admin
Password:
Welcome to Ruckus Unleashed Network Command Line Interface
ruckus> en
ruckus# config
You have all rights in this mode.
ruckus(config)# wlan "Your Wi-Fi Name"
The WLAN service 'Your Wi-Fi Name' has been created. To save the WLAN service, type 'end' or 'exit'.
ruckus(config-wlan)# no qos directed-multicast
The command was executed successfully. To save the changes, type 'end' or 'exit'.
ruckus(config-wlan)# qos directed-threshold 0
The command was executed successfully. To save the changes, type 'end' or 'exit'.
ruckus(config-wlan)# end
The WLAN service 'Your Wi-Fi Name' has been updated and saved.
Your changes have been saved.
ruckus(config)# end
Your changes have been saved.
ruckus# ap-mode
You have all rights in this mode.

Once done with the commands, please reconnect and check.

Please let me know how it goes.

Thank you once again for your patience and cooperation.

Best regards,
Imran Sanadi
RUCKUS | Community Support Forums

All comments

imran.sanadi@commscope.com

Hi @jp

Greetings!!!

Thank you for reaching out to the RUCKUS Community Forums.

R320 may be on a older hardware, make sure:

Running latest Web Unleashed system supported firmware
Not using new security defaults introduced in newer builds

That may help, let us know.

Thank you again.

Best regards,
Imran Sanadi
RUCKUS | Community Support

Well, I run the latest version available via the update check.

> Not using new security defaults introduced in newer builds

What exactly do you mean here? I did not change anything outside the GUI.

imran.sanadi@commscope.com

Hi @jp

Greetings!!!

Thank you for the response.

Recent Unleashed firmware versions introduce stricter WLAN security defaults such as PMF, WPA3 transition mode, and advanced roaming features. Some IoT devices do not fully support these enhancements and may fail to complete authentication. Creating a WPA2-only WLAN with PMF disabled is recommended for testing.

However, please consider mentioned steps:

1. First Suspect - WPA3 / Mixed Mode

Many IoT devices say WPA3 supported but don’t actually handle transition mode well.

Try creating a test WLAN with:

WPA2-PSK only

Encryption = AES only

Disable WPA3

No mixed WPA2/WPA3

If it connects - you found the issue.

2. Disable Advanced Security Features (Very Common Cause)

On the WLAN config:

Go to:
WLAN >> Edit >> Advanced Options

Temporarily disable:

PMF / Management Frame Protection (set to Optional or Disabled)

Fast BSS Transition (802.11r)

OKC / Opportunistic Key Caching

802.11k

802.11v

3. Check Band Steering / 5GHz Issues

Some JBL speakers struggle with 5GHz during onboarding.

Try:

Create 2.4GHz only WLAN

Disable band steering

Channel width = 20MHz

Lastly, recommended "IoT Friendly" Test WLAN Profile

Just for testing:

WPA2-PSK (AES)

2.4GHz only

PMF Disabled

No 11r/k/v

No Band Steering

No Client Isolation

No MAC filtering

Simple PSK

If this works >> re-enable features one by one to find the breaking point.

Hope that helps.

Thank you again.

Best regards,
Imran Sanadi
RUCKUS | Community Support Forums

imran.sanadi@commscope.com

Hi @jp

Greetings!!!

I trust this message finds you well.

I kindly request an update on the status of the issue.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Imran Sanadi
RUCKUS |Community Support Forums

Sorry, I am late ;-( ... just didn't manage yet, but it's moving up on my priority list.

... here we go: The R320 runs Unleashed 200.15.6.212.27. I set up a WLAN on it as below. You then connect with an iPhone to the WLAN (works with no problem), it finds the (resetted) JBL box but unfortulately the JBL box won't connect, the iPhone app says "cannot connect". I could not find anything useful in the R320 logs. I can connect the JBL box when I use an open WLAN without encryption.

Am I correct that the other WLAN parameters need to be editied via the CLI?

imran.sanadi@commscope.com

Hi @jp

Greetings!

Thank you for confirming the settings.

Could you please verify the following additional security parameters:

Is Management Frame Protection (PMF) set to Disabled?

WLAN>>Edit>>Security>>Management Frame Protection

Is the WLAN strictly WPA2-PSK (AES only) with no WPA3 or transition mode enabled?

On recent Unleashed 200.15 firmware builds, PMF or WPA3 transition mode can cause authentication failures with certain IoT devices even if WPA2 is selected.

If PMF Is Already Disabled:

Then the next likely steps you can check:

The JBL firmware itself has weak WPA2 implementation
Or firmware 200.15 tightened security behavior

At that point please test:

Create a brand-new WLAN (not cloned)
Simple SSID name (no spaces)
Simple PSK
No advanced features touched

If that fails too then we can consider:

Testing on older Unleashed firmware
Checking JBL firmware update

Let me know if that works.

Thank you again for your patience.

Best regards,
Imran Sanadi
RUCKUS | Community Support Forums

Dear Imran, first of all thanks a lot for your prompt help - very much appreciated!!!

All seems as suggested. I guess by PMF you mean the CLI switch 80211w-pmf, but OKC / Opportunistic Key Caching appears neither in the GUI nor in the CLI documentation. Where can I find this switch?

Best, Joachim.

sanjay_kumar

Hi,

Could you try the below steps which was having similar issue with Sonos speaker>
We have the fix applied in later version, 200.15 is the last version supported for R320.

tnx, I will try it! It might take a few days: The AP is remote and I don't have easy get access to a local shell.

imran.sanadi@commscope.com

Hi @jp

Greetings!

Thank you for your response and the update.

Execute Configuration Commands

Once the upgrade is complete, please proceed with the following steps:

Run the following commands:
(Please replace “your Wi-Fi name” with your actual Wi-Fi/SSID name, enclosed in double quotes if it contains spaces)

ruckus> en

ruckus# config

ruckus(config)# wlan "your Wi-Fi name"

ruckus(config-wlan)# no qos directed-multicast

ruckus(config-wlan)# qos directed-threshold 0

ruckus(config-wlan)# end

ruckus(config)# end

This configuration may help resolve the issue.

Here’s an example of PuTTY command line output from my lab for reference: (Bold fonts are commands to execute)

Once done with the commands, please reconnect and check.

Please let me know how it goes.

Thank you once again for your patience and cooperation.

Best regards,
Imran Sanadi
RUCKUS | Community Support Forums

Btw, my AP is running in gateway mode, I guess directedDHCP is not relevant. But we'll see.

I tried it - no luck. Then I tried to connect the speaker to another 802.11bgn network: No luck either, it just refuses to join encrypted WLANs - it's definitely not a Ruckus problem. I will return this thing and buy something else... thanks a bunch to all of you, best support I ever experienced!!!

For the records, here's the (encrypted) WLAN it refused to connect:

The WLAN service 'Bruellwuerfel' has been loaded. 80211w-pmfservice, type 'end' or 'exit'. BSS Minrateshow
WLAN Service:
ID:
3:
NAME = Bruellwuerfel
Tx. Rate of Management Frame(2.4GHz) = 2.0Mbps
Tx. Rate of Management Frame(5GHz) = 6.0Mbps
Beacon Interval = 100ms
SSID = Bruellwuerfel
Description = Bruellwuerfel
Type = Standard Usage
Authentication = open
Encryption = wpa2
Algorithm = aes
Passphrase = ****************
FT Roaming = Disabled
802.11k Neighbor report = Disabled
Web Authentication = Disabled
Authentication Server = Disabled
Called-Station-Id type = wlan-bssid
Tunnel Mode = Disabled
Background Scanning = Enabled
Max. Clients = 100
Isolation per AP = Disabled
Isolation across AP = Disabled
Zero-IT Activation = Disabled
Priority = High
Load Balancing = Disabled
Band Balancing = Disabled
Wifi6 = Disabled
Service = Enabled
Dynamic PSK = Disabled
Rate Limiting Uplink = Disabled
PerSSID Rate Limiting Uplink = 0
Rate Limiting Downlink = Disabled
PerSSID Rate Limiting Downlink = 0
Auto-Proxy configuration:
Status = Disabled
Inactivity Timeout:
Status = Enabled
Timeout = 5 Minutes
VLAN-ID = 1
Dynamic VLAN = Disabled
Closed System = Disabled
Https Redirection = Disabled
OFDM-Only State = Disabled
Multicast Filter State = Disabled
Directed Multicast= Disabled
802.11d State = Disabled
Force DHCP State = Disabled
Force DHCP Timeout = 10
DHCP Option82:
Status = Disabled
Option82 sub-Option1 = Disabled
Option82 sub-Option2 = Disabled
Option82 sub-Option150 = Disabled
Option82 sub-Option151 = Disabled
Ignore unauthorized client statistic = Disabled
STA Info Extraction State = Enabled
BSS Minrate = Disabled
DTIM period = 1
Directed MC/BC Threshold = 0
Call Admission Control State = Disabled
PMK Cache Timeout= 720 minutes
PMK Cache for Reconnect= Enabled
NAS-ID Type= wlan-bssid
Roaming Acct-Interim-Update= Disabled
PAP Message Authenticator = Enabled
Send EAP-Failure = Disabled
L2/MAC = No ACLS
L3/L4/IP Address = No ACLS
L3/L4/IPv6 Address = No ACLS
Precedence = Default
Proxy ARP = Disabled
Device Policy = No ACLS
Vlan Pool = No Pools
Role based Access Control Policy = Disabled
SmartRoam = Disabled Roam-factor = 1
Allow List = No ACLS
URL Filtering = Disabled
Application Recognition & Control = Disabled
Apply ARC Policy = NO POLICY
WIFICalling Enabled= Disabled
WIFICalling Profile= 0
Client Flow Data Logging = Disabled
Wlan Bind = 2g
Client Connection Data = Disabled
Transient Client Management = Disabled
80211w-pmf = Disabled

imran.sanadi@commscope.com

Hi @jp

Thank you for your response.

Yes, that may be the issue related to the JBL connectivity/encryption.

We truly appreciate your time and patience throughout this case.
Thank you once again for reaching out to the RUCKUS Lennar Home Community.

Should you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Wishing you a wonderful day ahead!

Best regards,
Imran Sanadi
RUCKUS | Lennar Home Community Support

Thanks for help! Btw, I forgot to mention: With the recent settings the app that is supposed to connect the box to WLAN is stuck with the message "connecting"; before it came back with "connection failed". So, something is indeed different.

imran.sanadi@commscope.com

Hi @jp

Thank you for the response and the update. That behavioral change is actually helpful information.

At this stage, the behavior points toward a compatibility limitation in the device’s WPA2 implementation rather than an issue with the Unleashed configuration.

I would recommend checking for any available firmware updates for the JBL speaker or confirming with the vendor whether WPA2-PSK (AES) with standard 802.11 settings is fully supported.

From the RUCKUS side, no additional CLI modifications are required, and the WLAN configuration currently follows standard compatibility settings for IoT devices.

Thank you again for your patience and understanding.

Best regards,
Imran Sanadi
RUCKUS | Community Support Forums