Saturday, April 6, 2019

Setting TPC levels for Cisco 3802 deployments

 

When WLANs are designed, many Wi-Fi Engineers use an AP-on-a-stick to survey the site so see how the signals propagate.  Therefore, the access point needs to be set to a particular power, and that is what is usually going to be deployed as well.  I have seen many Engineers use either 25mW or 50 mW for their surveys.  The end goal is to match the transmit power of the access point to the transmit power of the Wi-Fi client.

 

When deployment time comes, they set the WLAN controller’s radio resource management (RRM) transmit power control (TPC) minimum and maximum setting to 25 mW (14 dBm) and 50 mW (17 dBm) respectively.

 

Since this practice has been common for the last ten years, many WLAN controllers out there are set to those numbers.  This setting worked well for the Cisco 3502, 3602 & 3702s on most channels.

 

Screenshots of power reference charts are from Brian Long’s website at http://blong1wifiblog.blogspot.com/

As you can see, RRM will allow the access points to be at either 17 dBm or 14 dBm on most channels

 

 

 

 

And it works somewhat well for the Cisco 3702 – the AP will only have one power setting to choose from on UNII-1 channels:

 

 

Now lets take a look at the Cisco 3800 series access point.  I placed a 3802i series AP on each channel and used the CLI to scrape the information to create this table.

To see the actual output from the WLC, scroll down to the end of this post.

 

 

As you can see, there are quite a few channels out of the lineup that are stuck on one power setting, since the power level sits between 14 dBm and 17 dBm, which is the min/max in the WLC.  That could be a problem if you want your controller to make a power/channel plan for your deployment.

 

Since my goal is to allow the controller to “turn the power up or down a notch”, I looked at the other power levels and came up with a power plan that would allow two power levels for each channel.  This meant I had to increase my maximum transmit power to 18 dBm, and lower my minimum transmit power to 13 dBm.

 

 

I didn’t leave channel 165 out by accident.  The 3802 did not support that channel at the time of the screen scrape.

 

Channel 36

       Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 8

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 22 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 19 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 16 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 13 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 10 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 7 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 4 dBm

      Tx Power Level 8 .......................... 2 dBm

    

 Channel 40

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 8

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 22 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 19 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 16 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 13 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 10 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 7 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 4 dBm

      Tx Power Level 8 .......................... 2 dBm

       

Channel 44

Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 8

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 22 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 19 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 16 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 13 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 10 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 7 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 4 dBm

      Tx Power Level 8 .......................... 2 dBm           

 

Channel 48

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 8

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 22 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 19 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 16 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 13 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 10 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 7 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 4 dBm

      Tx Power Level 8 .......................... 2 dBm

 

Channel 52

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 6

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 17 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 14 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 11 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 8 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 5 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 2 dBm    

 

Channel 56

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 18 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 15 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 12 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 9 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 6 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 3 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm   

 

Channel 60

Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 18 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 15 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 12 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 9 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 6 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 3 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm    

 

Channel 64

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 20 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 17 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 14 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 11 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 8 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 5 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm  

 

Channel 100

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 6

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 17 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 14 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 11 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 8 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 5 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 2 dBm

  Channel 104

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 18 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 15 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 12 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 9 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 6 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 3 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm  

 

Channel 108

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 18 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 15 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 12 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 9 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 6 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 3 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm

 

Channel 112

Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 19 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 16 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 13 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 10 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 7 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 4 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm    

 

Channel 116

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 18 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 15 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 12 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 9 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 6 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 3 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm  

 

Channel 120

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 18 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 15 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 12 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 9 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 6 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 3 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm

 

Channel 124

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 18 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 15 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 12 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 9 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 6 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 3 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm  

 

Channel 128

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 18 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 15 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 12 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 9 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 6 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 3 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm

 

Channel 132

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 18 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 15 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 12 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 9 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 6 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 3 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm

 

Channel 136

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 20 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 17 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 14 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 11 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 8 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 5 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm

 

Channel 140

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 20 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 17 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 14 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 11 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 8 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 5 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm

    

Channel 144

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 20 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 17 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 14 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 11 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 8 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 5 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm

 

Channel 149

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 7

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 19 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 16 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 13 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 10 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 7 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 4 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 2 dBm

 

Channel 153

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 8

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 23 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 20 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 17 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 14 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 11 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 8 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 5 dBm

      Tx Power Level 8 .......................... 2 dBm

  

Channel 157

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 8

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 23 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 20 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 17 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 14 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 11 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 8 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 5 dBm

      Tx Power Level 8 .......................... 2 dBm

 

Channel 161

    Tx Power

      Num Of Supported Power Levels ............. 8

      Tx Power Level 1 .......................... 23 dBm

      Tx Power Level 2 .......................... 20 dBm

      Tx Power Level 3 .......................... 17 dBm

      Tx Power Level 4 .......................... 14 dBm

      Tx Power Level 5 .......................... 11 dBm

      Tx Power Level 6 .......................... 8 dBm

      Tx Power Level 7 .......................... 5 dBm

      Tx Power Level 8 .......................... 2 dBm

 

  

Channel 165

Not supported

 

 

 

 

 

5 comments:

  1. Thanks for this info - great work! My standard 5GHz TPC settings for a voice or voice/location deployment are 12dBm min and 16dBm max. I don't like seeing APs run at max power ever, and if you dig into the AP's show controller output, you'll also see that the higher powers are only supported at lower speeds or MCS rates. I'm OK with the fact that my APs only have a single supported power level on some channels (9 of the 24 channels), because I feel like the AP layout/design can accommodate the failure of a single AP (so RRM turning up an AP by 3dB really doesn't buy me much). Also, if you dig into the show controller output, check the section "Max per-path TxPower at modulation (at operation condition)". That's a real eye opener, and my takeaway is that the Cisco power levels they show in dBm are grossly oversimplified and lie to us all. Every AP after the 3502 shares this "white lie" of power output, because of the way the FCC forces the vendors to account for output power with multiple TX streams. Anyway, keep up the great work! Would love to see a follow-up on the 2.4GHz power levels, at least for channels 1/6/11. My TPC min/max recommendation for 2.4GHz is 7/14dBm, with most APs running at the bottom of that range unless half of the 2.4GHz radios are disabled. I like to keep the 5GHz radios at least 3dB stronger than 2.4GHz (and ideally more like 4-5dB stronger).

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  2. I don't like seeing APs at max power either. Agree with you on lower speeds at higher power - not sure why anyone would want an indoor AP running at max power, unless there was a specific requirement for it. A proper RF design is critical when limiting ourselves to a min/max, as you well know. Unfortunately I see it all the time where no design was done, and APs were just installed with the Coke can circle on the floor plans.
    I have never understood why the power levels on the controllers are done this way. I think someone decided to dumb it down a few notches - I would have preferred "the truth".
    I don't have a plan to do anything with 2.4 GHz in the near future. I agree that 5 GHz should be stronger than 2.4 GHz in hopes that the clients will choose to join the 5 GHz WLAN if they SSID is configured for both bands.

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