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}

[erik_farey]

I have loaded 100.0.0.0.127 on my test AP. When I run help in the CLI neither band-steering or withholding-limit show. I am able to run the commands though via the CLI. When I do run them via CLI they give me the below:

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

rkscli: get band-balancing wlan0
Band Balancing:
wlan0: Disable
RSSI Threshold: wlan0, 20
Band Balancing Percent: wifi0, 25
MinSta Threshold: AP, 10
Under Mesh AP : Off

rkscli: get band-balancing wlan8
Band Balancing:
wlan8: Disable
RSSI Threshold: wlan8, 20
Band Balancing Percent: wifi1, 0
MinSta Threshold: AP, 10
Under Mesh AP : Off

rkscli: get withholding-limit wifi0
wifi0: Withholding limit (auth response): 1

rkscli: get withholding-limit wifi1
wifi1: Withholding limit (auth response): 1

[erik_farey]

I was wondering if there was any update on this. I can see where .128 is now out. Last Michael Brado was looking into this.

[michael_brado]

Hello Erik,

Yes, you need to issue "set band-balancing wlanX enable"

CLI command on standalone AP:

rkscli: get version
Ruckus 7055 Multimedia Hotzone Wireless AP
Version: 100.0.0.0.25
OK
rkscli: set band-balancing
parameter error
Usage: set band-balancing {options}
                  -- {|all} {enable|disable}
                  -- {|all} rssi
                  -- percent
                  -- minsta
                  -- mesh-ap {enable|disable}

rkscli: set band-balancing wlan9 enable
OK
rkscli:


rkscli: get band-balancing wlan9
Band Balancing:
         wlan9:  Enable
         RSSI Threshold: wlan9, 20
         Band Balancing Percent: wifi1, 0
         MinSta Threshold: AP, 10
         Under Mesh AP : Off
OK
rkscli:

[erik_farey]

I might have to start this dialog over again.  I have been pulling apart the CLI for a while now and am only having issues with two items, Band-Balancing and Band-Steering.  From what I get out of this thread Band-Balancing is configured with the "set band-balancing" command while Band-Steering is done with "set withholding-limit" Am I correct?

As I had stated, I am more interested in Band-Steering. Can someone please explain the "set withholding-limit" command to me as I am not sure about it.  I would think that setting a high # (over 7-10) on the WiFi0 while a low # (1) on WiFI1 would cause devices to the 5GHz radio.  Is this how the logic for this command works?

[michael_brado]

How does Ruckus Band-Steering work?

Band-steering Design introduces a data structure shared by both radios of an AP.
In the structure, APs maintain a table of clients.
Update the table with each detected probe request.
Remember whether the client has dual-band capability.
Measure average RSSI per band, within the last minute.
Limit table size, delete inactive entries.
Check the table before responding to 1) Probe Requests, 2) Authentication requests

Band steering is enabled by default and the default threshold value is 20 db. If the client Ruckus detected by "probes" (looking for AP's) in both 5GHz and 2.4GHz has good power in both, the AP with "band steering" on, will respond only with "probe response" in the 5GHz for the client where connected to that radio.

RSSI threshold values:

Typical: 20
Steer all: 1
Disable: 0

Values are persistent at each AP per WLAN
rkscli:
get  band-steering-rssi-thresh wlan
set  band-steering-rssi-thresh wlan 

Refusing Authentication:

If client requests authentication on 2.4g, and
AP has previously detected client on 5g, and
Client does not appear to be in distress 
 - sufficient RSSI[1] on 5g within the past minute, or else
 - sufficient RSSI[2] on 2.4g within the past minute, and
AP is not a Mesh AP, then
refuse authentication on 2.4g

[1] Threshold for 5g is the CLI value for this WLAN
[2] Threshold for 2.4g is the CLI value plus adjustment per client when AP has concurrent measurements.

Withholding Probe Responses:

If client is probing on 2.4g, and
AP previously detected the client on 5g, and
One of the following
 - AP has not detected probes from client in past minute, or
 - Client does not appear to be in distress (see Auth Refusal), and
AP is not a Mesh AP, then
withhold probe response on 2.4g.

Note: Clients try to authenticate even when the AP does not respond to its probes, so withholding probe responses alone is not sufficient to steer clients.