PMP450AP on version 15.2.1 without Encryption enabled, SM430 can't register on it

Upgrading PMP450AP to version 15.2.1, and disabled the encryption because SM430 can't work with AES. But SM430 can't register to the AP.

Is there any issue with SM430? Or the 15.1.5 is the latest version on the AP that SM430 can connect?

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I ran into the exact same issue. It seemed like half of our 430 SM's would upgrade to 15.2.1 and reconnect to the AP and half wouldn't, so I stopped our migration from 15.1.5 to 15.2.1, but we were also using 450i AP's, not 450's. 

Version 16.0.0.1 on SM430 doesnt register.

In the AP under Configuration > Radio there is an option to allow PMP430 SM Registration.

Is there any chance that this feature got set to Disabled during the firmware upgrade?

Hi,

yestarday tried again with a SM430, beginnig with firmarware 13.4.1. It registered to AP450 with version 15.2.1. Then, upgraded the SM to 14.1.2, and registered again. Finally, upgraded to version 16.0.0.1 to verifiy if it fails like version 15.2.1, and it didn't register to the AP.

Of course, PMP430 SM registration is set to "Allow".

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Roberto,

  I spoke to the engineers. I can confirm that PMP430 should work for 15.2 and 16.0. The only two things that come to mind on why this would not work for you is...

1) A firmware upgrade causing the "Allow 430 SM" feature to switch inadvertantly. ...which you confirmed is not the case.

2) The AP is configured for AES which the 430 SM will never support. Your subject makes me think that this was the first thing that you checked.

I think you might have to open a support ticket.

Tried to enable Encryption and Deny SM430 Register, and then disable and Allow, to check if it's a bug. But same result.

Now tried the AP without Radius authentication, the AP without security to register the SM, and it registers to the AP.

Maybe some bug related to Radius authentication and SM430? AP on 15.2.1 and radius enabled, it registers SM430 with firmware 15.1.5 or below, SM 450 all versions, but SM430 15.2 or above can't register. No errors on the AP, only says SM Session Retry.

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Roberto,

  That is very interesting that it seems to be related to RADIUS. I think this is going to take too long to resolve over the community forum.

Have you opened a support ticket already?

Thanks,

   Seth

Done some test in Lab.

I'm trying to figure out why customers with SM430 firmware 15.1.5 connected to AP450 firmware 15.2.1 (encryption=none & sm430register=Allow) after upgrade to 15.2.1/16.0.0.1 doesn't reconnect.

Now found the problem in Lab, that makes the SM430 test to not register. If it's set on radius parameter PRICHANCOUNT(the new DATACHANCOUNT) above 2 (3 o 4) the SM fails to register. With value 2 o none, it registers.

I think it's a bug, and SM430 will be better if ignores values above 2 or takes all as its "2". Because if you got on radius a groupreply for some customers with no diference between SM450 and SM430, the SM430 will fail to register if that parameters is set for the groupreply.

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Roberto,

  Thank you for finding this. I will submit a bug report.

Thanks,

   Seth

Hi Roberto,

I appreciate your effort to find this issue on your end, as your discovery that DATACHANCOUNT > 2 causing 430 to not register led me to a quick solution.

PMP430 does not support more than 2 Data Channels, so the GUI and SNMP prevent activation of more than 2 from the SM-side configuration. Unfortunately, you found a loophole where a Radius-pushed config got around those checks leading to registration issues.

The good news is I've put in a fix for this problem in 16.0.1 which should be available in the next beta (with release tentatively scheduled within the next month). The other good news is the fix can be applied either to each SM individually or to the AP only (or both) and it will fix this issue, so you have some flexibility in how you want to deploy it.  Finally, you could do a workaround in the timing being by applying separate configurations for your 430 SM ESNs rather than a single configuration across all types, but I understand that may be more time consuming to set up.

Finally, as Seth pointed out, PMP430 does not support AES encryption, DES encryption is no longer available after 16.0, so if you were still using DES (which is not recommended anyway, as it is no longer a secure standard) you would have to disable encryption on your 430 radios before applying 16.0.1 to them, or to the AP.

Keep an eye out for the next 16.0.1 Beta if you have joined the Beta program, or for the release coming soon.

-Al


@Roberto Gomez wrote:

Upgrading PMP450AP to version 15.2.1, and disabled the encryption because SM430 can't work with AES. But SM430 can't register to the AP.

Is there any issue with SM430? Or the 15.1.5 is the latest version on the AP that SM430 can connect?


Roberto,

FYI, 16.0.1 BETA-1 has been posted and includes a fix for the issue you found. You can upgrade either the AP or only the 430 SMs, or both, and they should now register properly, regardless of the DATACHANCNT setting in your Radius config.

If you aren't in the BETA program, look out for 16.0.1 Official in the coming weeks.

-Al

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Hello,

Is fixed only the issue on with SM430 registration related to DATACHANCOUN > 2?

I addressed another issue related to SM430 registration problems to a AP450 version 15.2 or greater.

Roberto.


@Roberto Gomez wrote:

Hello,

Is fixed only the issue on with SM430 registration related to DATACHANCOUN > 2?

I addressed another issue related to SM430 registration problems to a AP450 version 15.2 or greater.

Roberto.


Hi Roberto,

After reading through this thread (and re-reading it again just now) I'm pretty certain the only issue you're running into is related to the DATACHANCNT > 2. That setting is only supported in 15.2 and later. If the 430 SM radios are not running 15.2 or later, they will register fine with any AP version (as long as encryption is turned off for 15.2 or later). If the 430 SMs are running 15.2 or later and the AP is as well, the DATACHANCNT > 2 bug will prevent them from registering.

Based on your last few posts, it sounds like you only ran into problems when the 430 radios were upgraded to 15.2 or higher, which is expected. As far as I know, there is no other issue with 430 registrations with 15.2 or later as long as encryption is disabled on the AP, and the DATACHANCNT value in Radius config is 2 or lower. With the fix posted in 16.0.1 BETA-1, the DATACHANCNT bug should also be fixed.

If you try that firmware and are still having issues, please let me know and we'll try to get more info to address that, but I believe the BETA should resolve your issues. As I mentioned before, if you upgrade the AP only, the issue should be resolved, but you can also upgrade the 430s only, or upgrade all radios as well. It's up to you.

-Al

Hi!

True on that forum thread, I only talk about the radius issue. But initially our problem with SM430 registration to AP450 was not that issue, that issue I found on lab doing some research and tests.

But I've got a Support Case nº 173824 where Cambium confirmed the other issue and confirmed it will be resolved on 16.0.1. This is why I write here to confirm it too.

Regards,

Roberto.


@Roberto Gomez wrote:

Hi!

True on that forum thread, I only talk about the radius issue. But initially our problem with SM430 registration to AP450 was not that issue, that issue I found on lab doing some research and tests.

But I've got a Support Case nº 173824 where Cambium confirmed the other issue and confirmed it will be resolved on 16.0.1. This is why I write here to confirm it too.

Regards,

Roberto.


Hi Roberto,

I looked over that support case number, and I don't get a clear understanding of the second issue you're refering to. The only thing I could see was you mentioned after upgrading an AP from 15.1.5 to 15.2 (with encryption set to NONE) the 430 radios were unable to register and weren't able to see the AP in AP eval.

The fix for DATACHANCNT > 2 would explain the inability to register/stay registered. Also, if a 430 SM is not registered for a long enough period of time, it will begin to dither the RF clock to try to find an AP to register to. This may explain the inability to see the AP in AP eval after some time in an unregistered state.

I believe the fix in 16.0.1 should solve both issues you observed, but if you continue to have issues after upgrading please let me know, and/or reopen your ticket so we can look into it.

I would like to ask a favor of you to upgrade to the 16.0.1 BETA and provide feedback, as the 16.0 release (and point releases) are the last to support 430 radios going forward. In 16.1, 430 radios will no longer be supported. Therefore, it would be best to know if there are any other 430 issues before we release 16.0.1 so your feedback would be extremely helpful. If you're not in the BETA program or don't want to join, but are willing to try the BETA code to fix your issue, please reach out and we can find an alternate way to get you the upgrade.

Thanks,

-Al

Roberto-

     Is the issue of PMP 430's not registering across an entire sector?  If so, check on the AP:  Configuration  --> Radio --> Advanced --> Control Messages :   and PMP 430 Interop Mode :  Are they both set to MIMO-A?  If not try setting them to MIMO-A.

Dave

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