Fast Roaming - Fix for Apple devices

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Fast Roaming - Fix for Apple devices

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Fast Roaming - Fix for Apple devices
Fast Roaming - Fix for Apple devices
2021-09-10 16:12:13 - last edited 2021-09-14 12:31:33
Model: Deco M5  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version: 1.5.3 Build 20210203 Rel. 68223

Hi Everyone

 

In case anyone else has problems with Fast Roaming with Apple devices I have found that disabling the Private MAC address cycling fixes the issues.

 

Symptom: I was constantly finding MSTeams was having to reconnect when moving around my house on calls.

 

Deco M5 - 1.5.3 Build 20210203 Rel. 68223 (in AP Mode)

 

Apple Iphone 8 running IOS 14.7.1

 

Apologies if this is already a known issue/limitation, but thought I would post it just in case as I didnt see this when I searched?

 

Rgds

Als

 

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#1
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Re:Fast Roaming - Fix for Apple devices
2021-09-14 11:15:05

@AlsJ 

Thank you very much for sharingyesyesyes.

And if anyone fixed the roaming issue on Apple devices by disabling the private MAC address, please feel free to comment below and let us know.

Thanks a lot.

 

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#2
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Re:Fast Roaming - Fix for Apple devices
2021-09-14 12:15:46

@AlsJ 

 

Yeah this has been an issue for a lot of vendors for a while now, we disable the private MAC via policy on our Meru network for the same reason.

 

Basically, when it connects to AP1 it passes address  123456  then it tries to connect to AP2 with a different address   567890    therefore it doesn't roam the device

 

In our network we have seen hundreds of random MAC addresses when this was an issue, the controller tried to roam them and it failed as it changed the MAC during the roam.   Its also a setting in Android 10 onwards if i remember right.   The android devices appear to hold the same random mac long enough to allow roaming, unlike the apple devices.

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#3
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Re:Fast Roaming - Fix for Apple devices
2021-09-14 12:34:42

@TP-Link - no problem at all (I have just edited to say my Decos are in AP mode)

 

@Philbert - that makes sense and is what I thought was happening although without a network analyser I couldnt prove it, interesting that Android holds the MAC for longer, that probably why I saw this in my home as an Apple only issue. Cheers for the info. :)

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