topic Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode in Access Points - Indoor and Outdoor

Why my APs are in mesh mode

dimitri_d_litro — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 13:12:39 GMT

Hello,

Can you help me to understand why I have 2 APs which are MeshAP and eMeshAP (10 others are working fine) ? They are both wire connected and the configuration looks good. We use ZoneDirector.

Any idea where to have a look at ?

Thanks for your help.
Dimitri

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

albert_pierson — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 13:29:02 GMT

Hi Dimitri

Ruckus Access Points send an ARP request out the Ethernet port to the default gateway to determine if the AP is connected by wire or should switch to MESH mode. Check to make sure the AP has a valid Default Gateway configured (get ipaddr wan) and that the default gateway/router is responding to ARP requests from the AP.

For more detail on MESH please check the following Knowledge Base articles:

Mesh AP disconnecting and become isolated mesh 

https://support.ruckuswireless.com/articles/000002405

I hope this helps,

Thanks for selecting Ruckus Networks!

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

dimitri_d_litro — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 13:49:40 GMT

Hi Albert,

Thanks for your help. The gateway is correct, now i need to check about arp requests.

Both links are not working.

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

albert_pierson — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 14:23:17 GMT

Hi Dimitri,

The command I provided is an AP CLI command. You need to connect to the AP using SSH (port 22) to run AP CLI commands.

If you cannot access the AP - then this may be your problem - you may have network connectivity issues to those AP's so they are only able to connect via MESH.

If the MESH connection is actually working you should still be able to SSH to the AP and run some commands to verify the AP operation.

Some other troubleshooting commands from the AP:

get eth
get ipaddr wan
get netstats eth0 (assumes AP is using eth0/LAN1 as wired connection)
get mesh
get director

I suggest you check the physical connections to the AP, check if there is link integrity LED's on the Ethernet ports and switch ports, check the switch if it detects the AP.

I hope some of these suggestions lead you to a solution.

Thanks

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

david_black_594 — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 17:14:43 GMT

This sounds like the Mesh and eMesh APs are connected to the same switch and the switch has lost its uplink. One of the 2 isolated APs meshed to a root AP (one of the 10 on the wired network) and it will show up as a Mesh AP. The other isolated AP will get its ethernet connection from the Mesh AP (via the switch) and will show up as eMesh. I suggest checking the uplink on the switch that these 2 APs are connected to.

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

dimitri_d_litro — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 09:58:50 GMT

The switch has an uplink, i can ping it and connect to it.

What does it mean in Mesh-related Information -> Uplink type : wired ?

Both AP in Floor 0 should be (not sure, there is a lack of documentation) on the same switch which as an uplink. AP on floor 1 is normally connected on the LAN.

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

albert_pierson — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 14:53:55 GMT

It looks like the connection from switch on floor 0 to floor 1 or the MDF is not working. The two AP's on Floor0 are not detecting the Default Gateway via ARP requests used to test for MESH networking.

We support connecting multiple AP's together via wired network (switch) that then connect to the main network via MESH, but only one of the AP's can actually connect via MESH and the others operate as "E-Mesh" or Ethernet Mesh. The decision as to which AP connects via MESH and which AP's become "E-Mesh" is automatic based on which of the AP's not detecting the Default Gateway on their Ethernet ports but connected together has the best connection to the Root AP (AP connected to wired network that is detecting the Default Gateway Router on it's Ethernet port). AP's on this disconnected switch share information on their wired networks. This is required to prevent a loop if both of these AP's on the disconnected switch connected to an AP on the connected switch.

This mechanism allows connecting buildings or floors together that cannot be wired using Ruckus MESH where multiple AP's will be in the remote (wireless connected) location. It also shows how MESH can act as a redundant connection when something breaks the wired connection between floors or buildings.

What this looks like is a classic problem when the connection between MDF switch and IDF Switch is not working. One AP on the disconnected switch will create a MESH connection and become a MAP (MESH AP, uplink wireless), the other AP's on this disconnected switch will operate as E-MESH and show up with Uplink type wired. The MAP AP connects to a RAP (Root AP) that is detecting the Default Gateway on it's wired port (Floor1).

Please check connectivity between the Floor0 switch and the Floor 1, MDF or Default Gateway. Note the MAP AP is creating connectivity so a simple ping will still work. You will need to disable the AP's on Floor0 switch and then test the connectivity between the switches.

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

dimitri_d_litro — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 15:10:26 GMT

Thanks for this full explanation. So now I am pretty sure that the 2 APs are on the same switch and I need to understand why it's not working.

If I am correct, even if I can ping both APs on floor 0, it doesn't mean that the ping pass thru the switch ? I ping them thru the mesh ? Right

Thanks again.

Dimitri

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

albert_pierson — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 15:19:06 GMT

If I understand correctly - the two switches on floor 1 and floor 0 should be interconnected via cable?

If so then, yes.

Since the two switches are connected via the Mesh AP to Root AP you have connectivity (nice redundancy feature). I believe the problem is the wired connection between the switches which needs to be investigated by checking the switch port status that should interconnect them (link integrity on ports, cabling, port status). The problem between the switches is being hidden by the backup connection between the Meshed AP's, so simple ping testing is not helping.

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

albert_pierson — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 15:20:44 GMT

Some additional information on E-Mesh or eMAP AP status:

What is Link AP or eMAP? 

What conditions lead to an AP being seen as Link AP or eMAP?
https://support.ruckuswireless.com/articles/000001739

When will a Root AP transition into Mesh AP state?

This article talks about when a RAP will transition into a MAP and vice versa.
https://support.ruckuswireless.com/articles/000003602

Re: Why my APs are in mesh mode

dimitri_d_litro — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 07:15:42 GMT

My problem is resolved, the root cause was an uplink problem on 1 switch which was hidden because of the mesh.

Thanks for your time.

Dimitri