Client Limit

Client limits

A client limit is a wireless network feature that

  • enforces a maximum number of client devices that can connect to an AP, and

  • allows you to configure the client cap per AP radio or per WLAN.

Feature history

This table provides release and related information about the feature explained in this section.

This feature is also available in all the releases subsequent to the one in which they are introduced in, unless noted otherwise.

Table 1. Feature history for client limits

Feature Name

Release Information

Feature Description

Client Limit and Delete

Cisco IOS XE Dublin 17.8.x

From this release, client limiting is supported per AP, per radio, and per AP-radio per WLAN. Client limiting is supported on the Cisco Catalyst 9136 Series APs in FlexConnect mode. The following commands are introduced:

  • association-limit

  • high-density clients count

Client limits

Cisco IOS XE Gibraltar 16.10.x

This feature enforces a maximum number of client devices per AP, supporting per-AP, per-radio, and per-WLAN configurations.

Limitations

  • All APs except the Cisco Catalyst 9136 Series support only 200 clients per radio. If you configure more than 200 clients for these APs, the AP radios can still support only 200 clients based on the AP capability value.

  • Client limiting is supported on the Cisco Catalyst 9136 Series APs in FlexConnect mode.

Configure client limit per WLAN (GUI)

Restrict the number of client devices that can connect to a specific WLAN.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Configuration > Tags & Profiles > WLANs.

Step 2

Click a WLAN from the list of WLANs.

Step 3

Click the Advanced tab.

Step 4

Under the Max Client Connections settings, enter the client limit for Per WLAN, Per AP Per WLAN, and Per AP Radio Per WLAN.

Step 5

Click Update & Apply to Device.

Configure client limit per WLAN (CLI)

Set the maximum number of clients permitted to associate with a specific WLAN, AP, or AP radio using CLI commands.

Procedure

Step 1

Enter the privileged EXEC and the global configuration mode.

Example:

Device# enable
Device# configure terminal

Step 2

Specify the WLAN name.

Example:

Device(config)# wlan <wlan-profile-name>

WLAN needs to be shut down in order to change the client limit parameters.

Step 3

Configure the maximum number of clients that is associated to the given WLAN.

Example:

Device(config-wlan)# client association limit <maximum-client-per-WLAN>

Note

 

Depending on the primary AP in the Cisco Embedded Wireless Controller network, the maximum number of clients supported varies.

Step 4

Configure the maximum number of clients that is associated to an AP in the WLAN.

Example:

Device(config-wlan)# client association limit ap <max-clients-per-AP-per-WLAN>

The valid range is between zero and 1200 clients. The default value is zero.

Note

 

A Cisco Catalyst 9136 Series AP can support a maximum of 1200 clients.

Step 5

Configure the maximum limit of clients that is associated to an AP radio in the WLAN.

Example:

Device(config-wlan)# client association limit radio <maximum-clients-per-AP-radio-per-WLAN>

The valid range is between zero to 500 clients. The default value is 200.

Note

 

A Cisco Catalyst 9136 Series AP radio can support a maximum of 400 clients.

Step 6

Return to the privileged EXEC mode. Alternatively, you can also press Ctrl-Z to exit global configuration mode.

Example:

Device(config)# end

Step 7

Verify the current configuration of the WLAN and the corresponding client association limits.

Example:

Device# show wlan id wlan-id 2

Configure client limit per AP (GUI)

Set a limit on the number of clients that can associate with each AP.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Configuration > Tags & Profiles > AP Join.

Step 2

Click Add.

Step 3

In the General tab, enter the name and description of the corresponding AP join profile.

Step 4

Click the Client tab.

Step 5

In the Maximum Client Limit field, enter the maximum client associations per AP. The valid values are between zero and 1200. The default value is zero.

Step 6

Click Apply to Device.

Configure client limit per AP (CLI)

Set a limit on the maximum number of client devices allowed to associate with a single AP.

Procedure

Step 1

Enter the global configuration mode.

Example:

Device# configure terminal

Step 2

Configure an AP profile and enter the AP profile configuration mode.

Example:

Device(config)# ap profile ap-profile-name

Step 3

Configure the maximum client connections per AP.

Example:

Device(config-ap-profile)# association-limit <max-client-connections>

The default value is zero.

Note

 

A Cisco Catalyst 9136 Series AP can support a maximum of 1200 clients.

Step 4

Return to the privileged EXEC mode. Alternatively, you can also press Ctrl-Z to exit global configuration mode.

Example:

Device(config)# end

Configure client limit per radio (GUI)

Set a maximum number of client connections per AP radio for an RF profile.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Configuration > Tags & Profiles > RF/Radio.

Step 2

In the RF tab, click the required RF profile name from the displayed list of RF profiles.

The Edit RF Profile page is displayed.

Step 3

Click the Advanced tab.

Step 4

Under the High Density Parameters section, in the Max Clients field, enter the maximum number of client connections per AP radio. The valid range is between zero and 500. The default value is 200 client connections.

Step 5

Click Update (and) Apply to Device.

Configure client limit per radio (CLI)

Limit the number of client devices that can associate with each AP radio.

Procedure

Step 1

Enter the global configuration mode.

Example:

Device# configure terminal

Step 2

Configure the RF profile and enter the RF profile configuration mode.

Example:

Device(config)# ap dot11 {24ghz | 5ghz | 6ghz} rf-profile rf-profile-name

Step 3

Configure the maximum number of client connections per AP radio.

Example:

Device(config-rf-profile)# high-density clients count <maximum-client-connections>

The valid range is between zero and 400. The default value is 200 client connections.

Note

 

A Cisco Catalyst 9136 Series AP radio can support a maximum of 400 clients.

Step 4

Return to the privileged EXEC mode. Alternatively, you can also press Ctrl-Z to exit global configuration mode. end

Example:

Device(config)# end

Verify client limit

To verify client limit in local mode, run the following command:

Device# show wireless stats client delete reasons | sec Max
                Maximum client limit reached on AP                  : 0
                Maximum client limit reached on AP per wlan         : 0
                Maximum client limit reached on AP radio per wlan   : 0
                Maximum client limit reached on AP radio            : 0

To verify client limit in the FlexConnect central authentication mode, run the following command:

Device# show wireless stats client delete reasons | sec max
                AP limiting maximum client per AP                : 0
                AP limiting maximum client per AP radio per wlan : 0
                AP limiting maximum client per AP radio          : 0