topic Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset in Access Points - Indoor and Outdoor

Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

marco_eichstet1 — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 11:37:11 GMT

Hello,

i have a strange issue which happend two times now.
A few weeks ago Customer told me that two Outdoor-Mesh-APs (T300 Unleashed) are not accessable any more.
We exchanged the APs and Customer shipped the defective APs to me.
I checked the APs. Strange Thing: APs where set to Factory Defaults. There were not defective. After configuring them they worked again without any issues.

Few days ago same issue at this Site but now with two T301s Unleashed.
T301s were not reachable anymore. Customer exchanged the APs and send me the two faulty ones.
After checking the APs, they were Factory Resetted again.

I ask me how the hack the APs can get Factory Resetted by itself?
This APs are mounted at 15m high. Nobody can reach this AP so easily to reset them.
Maybe an consequenz of an thunderstorm? Overload? Can this be possible? Or maybe a wrong grounding?

I don't really have an idea.
Maybe someone else?

Thanks.
KR
Marco

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

toomas_kadarpik — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 12:02:53 GMT

Are you using fixed or dynamic ip-s ? We saw problems at least with dynamic management IP-s1

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

marco_eichstet1 — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 12:05:18 GMT

I am using fixed IPs.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

hyosang_choi — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 13:02:17 GMT

Could you let me know firmware version for UAP?

If in 200.2 or 200.3 using fixed IP, Plz upgrade 200.4 and use dynamic IP for aps and management interface IP for master mgmt.

Currently when a UAP which had master role is rebooted, the ap is factory reset after reboot.

And config is synced from new master.

If version 200.2 or 200.3, the ap , at that time, I have seen many times that a rebooted ap which had master role don't find new master.

And when the ap is rebooted, if it have no dhcp server, the ap never works.

If version is 200.2 or 200.3, due to above reason, I had seen factory reset many times.

Regards.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

marco_eichstet1 — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 13:07:24 GMT

FW is 200.4.
Because there is no DHCP and Customer don't want a DHCP within the Network, i have to use static IPs.
The APs which lost there config are Mesh-APs. So they cannot be Master-APs. Only Root-APs can be a Master.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

hyosang_choi — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 13:13:42 GMT

ok. I got it.

You must deploy dhcp server on the network side.

We worked test many times for this symptom.

If a ap which had master role is rebooted due to some reason such as power issue or kernel panic and so on, the ap is factory-reset.

Then the aps have dynamic ap from dhcp server after rebooting, the ap join to new master and thier config is synced by new master.

Plz deploy dhcp server.

And this symptom must fix for static environment.

Regards.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

marco_eichstet1 — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 13:46:33 GMT

Thanks you for your help.
But i dont get it why a DHCP Server should solve my issue? Also because the problematic AP were never and will never be Master-APs.
Unfortuantelly it is needed that e. g. AP01 has IP xxx.xxx.xxx.1 and AP02 has xxx.xxx.xxx.2.

Maybe from Ruckus can say something regarding this issue.
Sporadically resetting Mesh-AP which are mounted 15 Meter high are not really funny. Customer is also upset and i have to look for an 100% Solution to prevent this behaviour.

Such Kind of Device should never loose his config by itself.
Thanks.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

hyosang_choi — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 13:55:26 GMT

I think so Marco.

Must don't lose his config any condition.

Because I had met similary issue on 4 customer site, Our team worked many test, and found that currently UAP have to need dhcp server.

I think that ruckus must fix about this issue.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

marco_eichstet1 — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 14:06:53 GMT

Yes, definitly yes.
Loosing Config may not be a Problem in a simple Network with DHCP and without Mesh-APs.
But in my Case it is horrible. If a Mesh AP loosing his Config he is not able to access the DHCP because he as no Mesh Information anymore.

So if this is a known issue/bug, there must be a Solution for this from Ruckus.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

michael_brado — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 16:47:13 GMT

DHCP provides the default-router to your APs. Mesh APs reboot if they lose def-gw access. The APs do NOT lose configuration unless you factory default them, but you cannot use Static IP to create an Unleashed network with Mesh, you must connect your intended Mesh APs to the LAN in order to get configured before you deploy them in Mesh mode.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

marco_eichstet1 — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 08:03:24 GMT

Michael, Thanks for your reply.
Yes. For creating a Unleashed Network DHCP is needed. This is true.
But there is also the Option to give an AP a static IP. After setting up everything i think it should not a Problem to work with static IPs.

But think about this in my case:
The Mesh AP has a Switch connected to his LAN Interface. This is needed to provide Network connectivity to some LAN Devices.
Of course it can be possible, that the Mesh-AP has some connectivity issues (Interference, DFS Channel, etc.).

Maybe there is an issue that the AP loosing his Mesh Link (DFS Channel, Interference). After that he can't reach the Default Gateway. AP tries to reach GW over LAN (where only a Switch and some LAN Devices are connected) and can't also reach the GW.
Like you say the AP should/will restart after that because for him it seems there is no GW reachable anymore.

What happends then?
Clears the AP his Config because he want's to re-download it from Master, like Jeronimo says?
If yes, this behaviour is not really good for a Mesh AP. Without Mesh-Link-Information that AP will never be able to reach the Master to get his config.

So i always have to unmount the AP, enable DHCP, connect AP to cabled Network to reach Master and get Mesh-Info, disable DHCP, mount AP back at Pole?

Maybe my case is a little bit special but this are setups which are used in "wild-life".

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

hyosang_choi — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 15:01:19 GMT

Hi Marco and Micheal.

At our test, we found that only ap changed role(master ap -> membe ap) worked factory-reset and download config from new master.

Regards.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

michael_brado — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 16:10:10 GMT

Answer to what happens then, loses config? Is NO. Only if factory defaulted with your Unleashed AP need network re-connect/re-config.
Else it just keeps trying, and yes, over Mesh UPLINK first, or Eth switch if connected (look to become eMAP), else = > reboot, keep trying.

Yes, I'm afraid if you wish to use Static IPs on your Mesh APs, and they have long period of no UPLINK to def-gw, you may under those
curcumstances, need to LAN connect the stranded Mesh AP.

The alternative to having to unmount the AP, is if Unleashed APs advertises an Island-SSID? (But in another thread, I think we determined
we cannot use the ruckus- string like ZD/SZ/Standalone APs) But see KBA-1524.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

marco_eichstet1 — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 09:03:05 GMT

Ok. Thanks.

I am really sorry but i am still not getting why it should play any role if my Mesh-AP has a static or dynamic IP? If Mesh-AP looses his Mesh Link, a DHCP Server can not solve my Problem. Without Mesh-Link no reachable DHCP Server because this Server is located in my cabled LAN.

I understand, that the Mesh-AP is isolated if Mesh-Link not available. But if interferences are gone, Mesh-Link should come back online again.

But i still asking me how it can be possible, that Customer reports a failed Mesh-AP. Customer got a new AP from me. He only unmounted the defective AP and returned it in my Office. If i connect the failed AP to a PoE Adapter the AP LEDs blink normal and i can see an "ConfigureMe-..." SSID?
So from my perspective it looks like AP lost his Config.
Or do you have any other Explaination for this behaviour?

This happend now with four T300 Unleashed APs (at the same Site) and please understand me that this makes me a little bit nervous.
Customer asked me how this can be possible with such kind of enterprise APs and he is understandable a bit upset.
I hadn't an answer for Customer's question. So i am looking for a Solution before Customer returns all 9 APs to me and searching for another solution...

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

hyosang_choi — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 09:38:53 GMT

If It happen same similaty issue when UAP works with mesh, it's seriously problem.

This is because the dhcp server function is useless if the mesh link losts.

I would also test about UAP with mesh link for customer later.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

marco_eichstet1 — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 10:57:00 GMT

Until now i did not test anything by myself. I wanted to verify here if there is a known Issue.
I think i will have some time for testing tomorrow or over the Weekend.
If you have any Feedback it whould be nice if you can share this with me.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

hyosang_choi — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 13:08:00 GMT

Sure.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

michael_brado — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 16:33:59 GMT

No AP should ever lose configuration unless it's been factory defaulted by manual reset button or controller issued remote AP command.
I have never in my 8 years seen it happen otherwise. Please contact Tech Support before you disconnect any other APs, and provide logs
and network diagram for a detailed analysis. https://support.ruckuswireless.com/contact-us

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

marco_eichstet1 — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 07:57:46 GMT

So i have test it by myself.
I have two APs (R510 and T300), both Unleashed.
R510 is Root-AP
T300 is Mesh-AP

I simulated Interferences so T300 lost his Mesh-Link to R510.
After some time (i think 30 Minutes) the SSID "island-XXXXXX" comes up.
Resolving the Interferences Mesh-AP comes back only and everything is good.

So i simulated Interfernces again but for a longer period of time (about 48h).
After that, my T300 ist not able to connect any more to my R510.
AP still showing "island-XXXXXX" SSID and is shown as "Disconnected" within my Unleashed GUI.

I don't know after which period of time the Problem comes up. In my case the T300 was disconnected from Mesh-Link about 48h. Maybe this behaviour comes up in much less time.

Next Steps:
I still did not connected the "lost" Mesh-AP to an DHCP enabled Network.
I am pretty sure that the AP get's connected again if i will connect it to my cabled Unleashed Network again.
I don't know what happens if i will connect it to an OTHER DHCP Network where no Unleashed AP exists.

I think i will open a case to clarify how to bring back my Mesh-AP online again without touching (in Customers Case unmounting) it.
There is a SSID "island-XXXXXX" but i did not get manged it to access the AP over that Network.

Thanks.

Re: Unleashed AP - Suddenlty Factory Reset

wopke_weening — Sat, 02 Sep 2017 06:39:27 GMT

Hi there,

I'm from the Netherlands and we experience the same problems. We have about 20 UL networks each consisting of 4 T300 AP's of which one is connected to a router and the other three AP's are wirelessly meshed. Note that we do use DHCP.
In at least 5 of these 20 networks we experience "spontaneous factory resets" every few weeks or days of some of the meshed AP's.
DHCP is not the solution for this problem.