Stand alone AP (ZF7372) and band-balancing

[erik_farey]

I have a ZF7372 running 9.8.1.0.101 and trying to find out how to enable band-balancing via its CLI. I am not running the AP with a ZD as it is a stand alone device. I see the CLI for band-balancing but am not sure how to enable or configure it. I have both the 2.4 & 5Ghz radios running the same SSID's and security settings. Below are you readouts when I look at the band-balancing settings.

Can someone tell me how the commands work and/or the correct settings to move dual band clients over to the 5Ghz radio.

rkscli: get band-balancing
Band Balancing:
Under Mesh AP : Off

rkscli: get band-balancing wlan0
Band Balancing:
wlan0: Disable
Rssi Threshold limit: wlan0, 20
Band Bal limit: wifi0, 0
MinStaThreshold limit: AP, 10
Under Mesh AP : Off

rkscli: get band-balancing wlan8
Band Balancing:
wlan8: Disable
Rssi Threshold limit: wlan8, 20
Band Bal limit: wifi1, 0
MinStaThreshold limit: AP, 10
Under Mesh AP : Off

rkscli: set band-balancing
parameter error
Usage: set band-balancing {options}
-- {|all}
-- mesh-ap {enable|disable}

[michael_brado]

Ruckus doesn't actively promote customer use of AP CLI commands. This might be one reason. An unofficial internal 9.8 AP CLI guide says the commands to balance dual-band clients between AP radios is "band-steering", but as you and I find when we are on an AP, there is no get/set "band-steering", only "band-balancing" options.

On ZD managed APs, band-balancing is enabled by default. On standalone APs,
I cannot determine how to enable it on non-mesh APs. A 'set band-balancing all
15' command takes, and applies the RSSI value, but still shows the feature as
being "Disable". Your single standalone AP may rely on the client driver to make
the band/radio decision. Some Apple devices will prefer 5G in fact.

[erik_farey]

That is a little dis-heartening as this is a feature that is very helpful. Obviously this is something that is configurable as the CLI commands are there. Ruckus even changed the CLI recently from "band-steering" to "band-balancing" proving that someone is looking at this feature.

Is this just a product of something not working as designed or something that isn't intended to be in the CLI?

[michael_brado]

On one hand, our capabilities in standalone mode APs today, with multiple internal
VLANs and DHCP, bridge or routing local or NAT, giving even more flexibility for
use at home than any popular wireless router, makes great leaps, allowing Ruckus
advanced antenna APs to replace the Media and MetroFlex product line APs.

But when we look at trying to extend ZoneDirector centered design features down
to a standalone mode AP, there might be differences in standalone *alone* code.
This may be why we don't promote AP CLI usage. 9.8 ZD WLANs have both client
load balancing and band steering enabled by default.

I've found the standalone AP command to both enable band-balancing, set with a
default RSSI value of 20 for initial evaluation, is applied with the 'mesh-ap' option
included (and only), except standalone APs can't do mesh...

I think some AP CLI commands might be for tuning ZD managed APs and/but
don't go away if running in standalone mode. I am investigating this band steering
or balancing configuration on standalone APs issue, and will report back.

[dmitry_ivanko]

What about the investigation? Will band steering/balancing work on a stand alone AP? When will this feature work?