Cisco AP on Zyxel XS1930-12HP (Switch)

lloydie_p

I'm having a weird issue with packet loss with a Cisco C9120AXI-E AP connected to my Zyxel XS1930-12HP.

Basically, my Zyxel's AP port is set up in what I believe is deemed (VLAN) hybrid mode, where the port connected to the AP has its "VLAN Port Setup" PVID(VLAN) set to the AP Management VLAN e.g. 127, the Acceptable Frame Type set to All and VLAN Trunking checked (actually nothing seems to improve/change if unchecked or checked). Under the "VLAN Setup", this default VLAN (127) is untagged i.e. set to fixed and "Tx Tagging" is unchecked. Other VLANs (tagged) required by the AP are set under the "VLAN Setup" as fixed and "Tx Tagging" is checked. I thought this is how this typical Cisco configuration should be done on the Zyxel? While I can get the AP to join/communicate with its Wireless Controller, and Clients can connect to the AP's SSIDs (DHCP leases are given correctly for the right VLANs/SSIDs/Subnets) communication is sluggish as clearly packets are being lost (pings etc…) and the AP intermittently loses communication to the controller. I have other VLANs setup as the Zyxel bridges (uplinks) for example my Intenet VLAN to another switch (tagged VLANs only) and in turn a Firewall and these uplinks/tagged VLAN trunks function as expected, also ports configured as access ports to relevant VLAN on the Zyxel work too. Lastly, I switched the AP to a Mikrotik Switch (sadly no mGig or PoE) for troubleshooting with the VLANing as described and the AP and connected clients behave as expected, with no sluggish behaviour or packet loss. Is my AP port config wrong on the Zyxel or is this some weird (compatibility) behaviour, any suggestions, please?

lloydie_p

Hi Peter UK I think I've resolved my issue it turns out that the green Ethernet mode had been enabled and this seems to be the root cause of all the issues. I think Zyxel might have zapped my original reply because I mentioned comparisons between other vendors' power usage, I was noting that one of the bugbears of this Zyxel switch was its 35 Watt (idle no PoE) which was way above that of my four-port 10Gig Mikrotik switch at 8 watts (port for port) anyway at the risk of my comments going in the bin I will leave that as my reply and answer.

PeterUK

Try setting the port to 2.5Gb instead of auto

lloydie_p

Hi PeterUK

Thanks for the suggestion but that didn't work/improve matters, can you confirm by any chance that my setup steps (previous message) for the Native/Untagged VLANs sounds correct i.e. VLAN 127 (Untagged AP Management - PVID set to 127 and "Fixed" and No "Tx Tagging", ) and VLANs 3,123 and124 ("Fixed" and "Tx Tagging") is correct? I have never used a Non-Cisco AP for enterprise setups, but I assume my setup described would be standard for just about any enterprise-grade AP, including Zyxels own APs with multiple SSIDs on different subnets/VLANs?? .

Port 6 (2nd Image) is my AP port in question, Port 10 is my trunk back to my other switches, Firewall,vWLC, Servers etc...

Again the behaviour is just plain weird, as I blamed the Cisco 9800-CL vWLC for similar intermittent (far less frequent or obvious) issues with a Cisco 3802i AP (this is all home lab stuff for work) while connected to the Zyxel XS1930-12HP, I got as far as thinking the 3802i was faulty until I converted it to Mobility Express (autonomous) mode, then the 3802i while still connected (same VLANing) to Zyxel was rock solid. Have I stumbled onto a bug with Cisco APs in lightweight/managed mode or is this a Zyxel issue since the Mikrotik and previous HPE and Cisco switches (all 1Gig) have never shown these Issues?🤔 … now I'm also trying to remember if while the switch was in Nebula mode (a story for another day) that the 9120AXI worked, replaced 3 switches moving to mGig/10Gig frankly can't remember how I tested…🤪

lloydie_p

Hi Peter UK I think I've resolved my issue it turns out that the green Ethernet mode had been enabled and this seems to be the root cause of all the issues. I think Zyxel might have zapped my original reply because I mentioned comparisons between other vendors' power usage, I was noting that one of the bugbears of this Zyxel switch was its 35 Watt (idle no PoE) which was way above that of my four-port 10Gig Mikrotik switch at 8 watts (port for port) anyway at the risk of my comments going in the bin I will leave that as my reply and answer.

PeterUK

Maybe you are not using shielded cables?

Good to know green Ethernet was the problem.

lloydie_p

"Maybe you are not using shielded cables?" … possibly, but I actually don't have any shielded patch leads, That said, when I moved into my flat the electrics etc… needed to be re-done, and in true techie fashion I used the opportunity to run/install Cat7a cabling terminated to Cat6 shielded RJ45 Modules/Wall boxes (Cat7 options were few and way too expensive) in my rooms. Thus the Cat6 patch lead I'm using to the AP is only 2 meters in length and since my Cat7 runs are =<25 meters, I doubt signal degradation would be an issue, as even Cat5e is supposedly good for 10Gig up to 45 meters. As said in that reply that disappeared, I think one or both vendors has a buggy Green Ethernet (802.3az) implementation.

Zyxel_Melen

Hi @lloydie_p,

It's good to hear your problem has been solved. It was a good hint from @PeterUK.

In addition, I recommend only enabling green Ethernet when connecting with end devices. If you enable green Ethernet when connecting other network devices, the same problem might occur again.