Customer Environment

Symptoms

• Devices frequently disconnect or switch between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands unpredictably.

• Wi-Fi networks appear congested, resulting in slow speeds or unstable connectivity.

• Certain devices (IoT, smart home devices, older devices) fail to connect to the existing SSID.

• Users experience interference or poor performance on one specific band (e.g., 2.4 GHz heavily congested).

• Guest users require separate Wi-Fi access without accessing main network devices.

• Network traffic from different device types mixes and causes performance degradation.

• Video streaming, gaming, or high-bandwidth activities perform poorly on a common SSID.

• Network expansion introduces uneven load distribution across APs and devices.

• Security concerns arise due to all devices using a single SSID without isolation.

Root Cause

Troubleshooting Steps

• Check if the existing SSID is broadcasting and not hidden.

• Verify that the device is connecting to the correct frequency band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).

• Confirm that the Unleashed Master AP is reachable via its IP or web UI.

• Ensure the APs are online and synchronized with the Master AP.

• Review SSID security settings (WPA2/WPA3) for compatibility with connecting devices.

• Check for high interference on the current SSID using the Unleashed dashboard.

• Verify if client isolation or MAC filtering is blocking device connectivity.

• Confirm VLAN settings if devices are unable to obtain an IP address.

• Reboot the APs to refresh Wi-Fi services if SSIDs fail to broadcast.

• Create a test SSID and check if devices can connect successfully.

Resolution

1. Log in to the RUCKUS Unleashed Dashboard:

• Open a web browser and enter the IP address of your RUCKUS Unleashed Master Access Point (AP) or access https://unleashed.ruckuswireless.com/ link. If the link is not working and the Master AP IP address is unknown please refer to the article on How to find the IP Address of the RUCKUS Devices (Switch and APs) using IP Scanner free applications
• Log in with your login admin credentials.

Figure 1: RUCKUS Unleashed Web Dashboard

2. Navigate to the Wi-Fi Networks Section:

• Once logged in, go to the “Wi-Fi Networks” tab located on the left-hand side of the dashboard.

Figure 2: WIFI Networks Menu

3. Add a New Wi-Fi Network:

• Click on the “Create” button to start the process of adding a new Wi-Fi Network/SSID.

Figure 3: New Wi-Fi Create button

4. Configure Basic Settings:

• Network Name (SSID): Enter the desired name for your new Wi-Fi network.
• Description: Optionally, add a description for the network.

5. Security Settings:

• Encryption Method: Choose the type of encryption (e.g., WPA2, WPA3). Recommended is WPA2.
• Passphrase: Enter a strong password for your Wi-Fi network.

Figure 4: Basic Configurations

6. Advanced Settings (Optional):

• SSID Broadcast: Enable or disable SSID broadcast.
• Client Isolation: Enable this if you want to prevent clients from communicating with each other.
• VLAN ID: If you are using VLANs, enter the appropriate VLAN ID.

Figure 5: Optional settings

7. Access Control (Optional):

• MAC Filtering: Optionally, enable MAC filtering to allow or deny specific devices.

 Figure 6: MAC Filtering (Optional)

8. Quality of Service (QoS):

• Configure QoS settings if you need to prioritize certain types of traffic.

9. Radio Control:

Choose the appropriate radio type for the WLAN to operate on, based on the desired frequency band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz). This allows you to optimize performance by selecting the radio that best suits the needs of your network and devices.

• 2.4 GHz Radio: Ideal for broader coverage but may experience more interference due to congestion from other devices.
• 5 GHz Radio: Provides faster speeds and less interference, but with a shorter range compared to 2.4 GHz.

Select the radio type that aligns with your network requirements to ensure optimal performance and reduce interference.

Figure 7: WLAN Radio select option (2.4 & 5 GHz)

10. Save and Apply:

• After configuring all the settings, click on the “Save” button to create the new SSID.
• The new SSID will now be listed under the Wi-Fi Networks section.

11. Verify the New SSID:

• Ensure that the new SSID is broadcasting by checking the list of Wi-Fi available networks on your device.

12. Video Demonstration:

• Additionally, please refer to the following VIDEO LINK for an explanation of creating a Wireless LAN (WLAN)/Service Set Identifier (SSID) with the RUCKUS Unleashed Web System.