Thanks for this URL.  Reminds me of the Apple iPhone/Cisco Wi-Fi network
issue.

Frank

-----Original Message-----
From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dale W. Carder
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:49 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Macintosh- Ongoing Connectivity Issues

Frank, I think the dhcp issues have been related to
rfc 4436.

Also, see this thread for other issues apple's implementation
of dnav4 has had historically.
http://lists.sans.org/pipermail/unisog/2007-January/027056.html

Dale


On Jan 22, 2009, at 9:27 PM, Frank Bulk wrote:

> Kristina:
>
> Is the SE talking about using DHCP INFORM instead of DHCP RENEW?
>
> Frank
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kristina
> Gasca
> Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 5:58 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Macintosh- Ongoing Connectivity Issues
>
> This is what we heard from our SE concerning our Macintosh
> connectivity
> issues -- although i quote "This is my personal view on the issues I
> have seen, and are not to be taken as an official word on the problem
> from the big C..."
>
> However the latest version of drivers are supposed to fix these
> problems
> -- especially the roaming.
>
> *****************************
> Basically, we have seen 2 issues with Macs.
> One issue has to do with the way the MAC does DHCP, and specifically
> DHCP renewing of leases.  The Mac implements a newer RFC which
> attempts
> to use old DHCP lease information if there is still time available on
> the lease.  It does this without going through the "normal" DHCP lease
> refresh process.  If the controller is configured to "require DHCP"
> then
> the controller will not know what to do with the packets from the Mac
> until it goes through the normal dhcp lease process.  The Mac will
> eventually go though a full DHCP process and "fix" itself, but then
> process can take a period of time.  The workaround for this is to
> remove
> the "DHCP required" checkbox on the WLAN.
>
> The other issue has to do with Mac roaming.  This issue is being
> addressed by Apple with new drivers.  The reality is that the Apples
> were build for hotspot type access where it tried to hang on the AP
> until the signal goes all very low (to 0 SNR in some cases).
> Apparently
> Apple is rewriting their wireless stack to give better roaming
> performance, but I am not sure when Apple will release the driver.
>
> *****************************
>
> Angela K Hollman wrote:
>>
>> I have noticed the Macs failure to get an IP even though they pass
>> the
>> 802.1x authentication. This problem seemed to get a lot better moving
>> from 10.4 to 10.5 and even a little better with the latest 10.5
>> releases. However, when a client first authenticates after having
>> their computer off-campus, it seems the Airport has to be toggled off
>> and back on once or twice before the Mac receives an IP. I have been
>> getting the information out to Mac users to toggle the Airport off
>> and
>> back on but the problem is very annoying.
>>
>> I have not noticed any of the 11a problems mentioned.
>> _________________
>> Angela K. Hollman
>> Information Technology Services
>> Network Manager
>> (308)865-8176
>>
>>
>> From:         Lee H Badman <[email protected]>
>> To:   [email protected]
>> Date:         01/22/2009 10:58 AM
>> Subject:      [WIRELESS-LAN] Macintosh- Ongoing Connectivity Issues
>> Sent by:      The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv
>> <[email protected]>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>> We saw this in earlier versions of OS X, then things got better with
>> some of the earlier 10.5.x code, but now seems to be getting worse
>> again. Wondering if anyone else is seeing Mac behavior along these
>> lines on the latest Apple code versions including 10.5.6:
>>
>>
>>
>>    * Clients will associate to lesser-quality 11a cells even though
>>      better 11g signal is present (FREQUENT)
>>    * Clients will stick to the 11a AP they associate with even when
>>      they have the opportunity to move to better (stronger, less
>>      users, good SNR) 11a signal (FREQUENT)
>>    * Clients appear to be fine in every way- good association, good
>>      SNR and signal strength, pass 802.1x authentication, all
>>      indications are fine. Yet they have difficulty getting IP
>>      address or doing anything else despite their nearby peers having
>>      no issues at all, in cells that are not overtaxed. (LESS
>> FREQUENT)
>>
>>
>>
>> We have about 35% Macintosh penetration among our 5-6 thousand user
>> per day client count. But of late, every wireless client issue not
>> easily resolved seems to be with Mac hardware doing the above
>> described.
>>
>>
>>
>> Is any one else feeling these symptoms?
>>
>>
>>
>> -Lee
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Lee H. Badman
>>
>> Wireless/Network Engineer
>>
>> Information Technology and Services
>>
>> Syracuse University
>>
>> 315 443-3003
>>
>>
>>
>> ********** Participation and subscription information for this
>> EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at
>> http://www.educause.edu/groups/.
>>
>> ********** Participation and subscription information for this
>> EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at
>> http://www.educause.edu/groups/.
>>
>
> --
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Kristina Gasca, Wireless Network Engineer
> North Carolina State University
> Communication Technologies
> 919.515.0107 (office)
> 919.515.1641 (fax)
> [email protected]
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> **********
> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE
> Constituent
> Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/.
>
> **********
> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE
> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at
http://www.educause.edu/groups/
> .

**********
Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent
Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/.

**********
Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group 
discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/.

Reply via email to