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AM Survey/Planner: AP Grouping

 
 
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Many wireless environments may have a single access point broadcasting multiple SSIDs.  An example would be to have an access point broadcast a public “open” SSID as well as multiple “secured” SSIDs.   As a result, AirMagnet Survey could calculate higher co-channel and adjacent channel interference.  Grouping the MAC addresses of these SSIDs will allow AirMagnet Survey to view them as one single access point thus improving interference calculations.  
 
These additional SSIDs are given different MAC address within the range of 16 of the original MAC address.  Note that the range is still within 16 but not sequential as shown in the example below:

BSSID

 Name, Signal Strength 

1 Physical AP, 4 Logical APs

       00:14:F1:AF:1B:90       

 (Kam, -33)

00:14:F1:AF:1B:90

 (Kam-wpa, -32)

00:14:F1:AF:1B:90

 (Kam-wpa2, -34)

00:14:F1:AF:1B:90

 (Cisco-3500, -33)


With AP Grouping disabled, these four SSIDs are considered by AirMagnet Survey to be four independent access points broadcasting on the same channel.  In reality, they are broadcasting from the same access point.  Enabling the AP Grouping functionality within AirMagnet Survey will group these SSIDs into one access point. 

The AP Grouping tab contains preconfigured auto-group rules, automatically incorporating a range of vendor IDs for devices from various manufacturers. These numbers are assigned to vendors by the IEEE, and as newer cards are released, new IDs are granted. Thus, users may occasionally need to update the IDs grouped for a specific vendor by using the Current User Configured OUI(s) feature.

In the latest version of Survey, there are rules configured for All - 5Ghz, All - 2.4Ghz, Ubiquity - 5Ghz, Ubiquity - 2.4Ghz, Ruckus-5Ghz and Ruckus-2.4Ghz. This should cover most of the APs we know of, but you may need to disable the 'All' rules and set up a rule specifically for your AP.

Enable AP Grouping

  • Configure > AP Grouping Tab
  • Check the "Enable AP Grouping" box
  • Scroll down "Group Rule Name" list and select the Vendor just created
  • Click OK
  • Click OK again to reprocess the data 

Check your list of APs now in the left, middle pane, and the APs will be grouped together.
 

Update the OUI list within AirMagnet Survey

AirMagnet Survey can use the most current list of vendor IDs available from IEEE, the Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI). This is a 24-bit number that uniquely identifies a vendor, manufacturer, or other organization globally or worldwide. So, as new APs comes on the market, the OUI is updated. We update Survey whenever a new version is released, but you may want to update this file, too. The IEEE web site generates a fresh, up-to-date list each time you visit the site.  Just don’t leave the page until it finished downloading or you’ll end up with an incomplete file. This is one of the files that we preserve on an update so if you have modified it, we won’t overwrite it.

  • Close AirMagnet Survey
  • With an active internet connection, go to the following link:
  • http://standards.ieee.org/develop/regauth/oui/oui.txt
  • Wait for this file to fully load prior to the next step
  • Within the browser, File > Save Page As >
  • In the Save As window, select the default path of C:\AirMagnet\Surveyor\OUI
  • Save the file
  • Select 'Yes' to overwrite the existing file.

How to add and enable a new AP Group:
If the default AP grouping rules do not work, create a new one.
 

Find the MAC address of the AP:

  • In the Display mode, load a survey
  • From the AP list in the left, middle pane
  • Right-click on the AP, then Properties
  • Make note of the first six (6) digits of the MAC address (e.g. 0024A8)
     

Setup a new AP Grouping rule: 

  • File > Configure > AP Grouping
  • Under 'Current User Configured OUI(s)', select 'New'
    • Vendor ID: Enter the first 6 digits of the AP MAC address (e.g: 0024A8)
    • Vendor Name: Enter any name (ex: ProCurve)
    • Click OK
  • Under 'AP Group Rules', select 'New'
    • Vendor ID: Scroll down in the drop down box to the new vendor ID you just created (ex: ProCurve)
    • Band:  Select the specific band, 2.4GHz or 5GHz
    • MAC address last hex-digit starting from: this is the last digit of the AP MAC address, normally 0
    • Number of contiguous MAC address: this is the number of consecutive numbers of the last digit, normally 16
    • Click OK
  • Note: you may need to create a second Vendor ID for the opposite band


Additional information can be found in the Survey User Guide installed on your PC: 
        Start > Programs > AirMagnet Survey > User Guide