Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller Software Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 26.1.x

Configure CleanAir

Updated: April 10, 2026

Want to summarize with AI?

Explains step-by-step procedures to enable and configure CleanAir on 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands using both GUI and CLI, set up air quality alarms, configure interference reporting, EDRRM, Persistent Device Avoidance, and manage CleanAir on controllers and access points.

Enable CleanAir for the 2.4-GHz band (GUI)

Enable CleanAir on 2.4-GHz band radios for real-time interference detection.

Use this procedure to activate Cisco CleanAir technology on APs operating in the 2.4-GHz spectrum using the GUI.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Configuration > Radio Configurations > CleanAir.
	2.	On the CleanAir window, click the 2.4 GHz Band > General tab.
	3.	Check the Enable CleanAir checkbox.
	4.	Click Apply.

CleanAir is enabled on all selected 2.4-GHz radios, and spectrum analysis begins for those devices.

Enable CleanAir for the 2.4-GHz band (CLI)

Enable CleanAir technology on APs operating in the 2.4-GHz band radios for real-time interference detection using commands.

Procedure

Enable the CleanAir feature on the 802.11b network.

Example:

Device(config)#ap dot11 24ghz cleanair
Device(config)#no ap dot11 24ghz cleanair

Run the no form of this command to disable CleanAir on the 802.11b network.

CleanAir is enabled on all selected 2.4-GHz radios, and spectrum analysis begins for those devices.

Configure a CleanAir alarm for 2.4-GHz air-quality and devices (CLI)

Set up alarms that notify you when air quality drops or when certain device types are detected on the 2.4-GHz band using commands.

Procedure

	1.	Enter the global configuration mode. Example: `Device# configure terminal`
	2.	Configure the alarm for the threshold value for air-quality for all the 2.4-GHz devices. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair alarm air-quality threshold threshold_value` Add the no form of this command to disable the alarm.
	3.	Configure the alarm for the 2.4-GHz devices using this command. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair alarm device {bt-discovery \| bt-link \| canopy \| cont-tx \| dect-like \| fh \| inv \| jammer \| mw-oven \| nonstd \| report \| superag \| tdd-tx \| video \| wimax-fixed \| wimax-mobile \| xbox \| zigbee}` Add the no form command to disable the alarm. bt-discovery: Bluetooth Discovery and bt-link: Bluetooth Link. canopy: Canopy devices and cont-tx: Continuous Transmitter. dect-like: Digital Enhanced Cordless Communication (DECT)-like phone and fh: 802.11 frequency hopping devices. inv: Devices using spectrally inverted WiFi signals and jammer: Jammer. mw-oven: Microwave oven and nonstd: Devices using non standard Wi-Fi channels. report: Interference device reporting and superag: 802.11 SuperAG devices. tdd-tx: TDD Transmitter and video: Video cameras. wimax-fixed: WiMax Fixed and wimax-mobile: WiMax Mobile. xbox: Xbox and zigbee: 802.15.4 devices.
	4.	Return to the privileged EXEC mode. Example: `Device(config)# end` Alternatively, you can also press Ctrl-Z to exit global configuration mode.

Configure interference reporting for a 2.4-GHz device (GUI)

Configure which types of interference are detected by a 2.4-GHz device using the CleanAir GUI. This task guides you through selecting and applying specific interference types to monitor.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Configuration > Radio Configurations > CleanAir.
	2.	Click the 2.4 GHz Band tab.
	3.	Choose the interference types and add them to the Interference Types to detect section. These interference types are available: BLE Beacon: Bluetooth low energy beacon and Bluetooth Discovery. Bluetooth Link and Canopy. Continuous Transmitter and DECT-like Phone: Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology phone. 802.11 FH: 802.11 frequency hopping device and WiFi Inverted: Device using spectrally inverted Wi-Fi signals. Jammer and Microwave Oven. WiFi Invalid Channel: Device using nonstandard Wi-Fi channels and TDD Transmitter. Video Camera and SuperAG: 802.11 SuperAG device. WiMax Mobile and WiMax Fixed. 802.15.4, Microsoft Device and SI_FHSS.
	4.	Click Apply.

Configure interference reporting for a 2.4-GHz device (CLI)

Configure a 2.4-GHz device to report interference using commands. This process enables devices to detect and provide information about various sources of wireless interference.

Procedure

	1.	Configure the 2.4-GHz interference devices to report to the device using the command. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair device {ble-beacon \| bt-discovery \| bt-link \| canopy \| cont-tx \| dect-like \| fh \| inv \| jammer \| mw-oven \| nonstd \| report \| superag \| tdd-tx \| video \| wimax-fixed \| wimax-mobile \| xbox \| zigbee \| alarm}` Run the no form of this command to disable the configuration. These are the list of the keyword descriptions: ble-beacon: Bluetooth low energy beacon. bt-discovery: Bluetooth discovery and bt-link: Bluetooth link. canopy: Canopy device and cont-tx: Continuous transmitter. dect-like: Digital Enhanced Cordless Communication-like phone and fh: 802.11-frequency hopping device. inv: Device using spectrally inverted Wi-Fi signals and jammer: Jammer. mw-oven: Microwave oven, nonstd: Device using nonstandard Wi-Fi channels and report: Interference device reporting. superag: 802.11 SuperAG device, tdd-tx: TDD transmitter and video: Video camera. wimax-fixed: WiMax Fixed and wimax-mobile: WiMax Mobile. microsoft xbox: Microsoft Xbox device and zigbee: 802.15.4 device.
	2.	Return to the privileged EXEC mode. Example: `Device(config)# end` Alternatively, you can also press Ctrl-Z to exit global configuration mode.

Enable CleanAir for the 5-GHz band (GUI)

Enable CleanAir to improve 5-GHz wireless interference detection and spectrum analysis using the GUI.

Perform this task when you need enhanced monitoring and automated mitigation of interference on 5-GHz wireless networks.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Configuration > Radio Configurations > CleanAir.
	2.	On the CleanAir page, choose the 5 GHz Band > General tab.
	3.	Check the Enable CleanAir checkbox.
	4.	Click Apply.

CleanAir is enabled for the 5-GHz band, enhancing the detection and mitigation of wireless interference.

Enable CleanAir for the 5-GHz band (CLI)

Enable the CleanAir feature to monitor and mitigate wireless interference on 5-GHz wireless networks using commands.

Procedure

Enable the CleanAir feature on a 802.11a network.

Example:

Device(config)# ap dot11 5ghz cleanair

Run the no form of this command to disable CleanAir on the 802.11a network.

CleanAir is enabled for the 5-GHz band, enhancing the detection and mitigation of wireless interference.

Configure interference reporting for a 5-GHz device (GUI)

Enable detection and reporting of selected interference types for better network performance.

Use this procedure when you need to monitor wireless interference on 5-GHz band devices using CleanAir technology.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Configuration > Radio Configurations > CleanAir.
	2.	Click the 5 GHz Band tab.
	3.	Choose the interference types and add them to the Interference Types to detect section. These interference types are available: Canopy Continuous Transmitter DECT-like Phone—Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology phone 802.11 FH—802.11 frequency hopping device WiFi Inverted—Device using spectrally inverted Wi-Fi signals Jammer WiFi Invalid Channel—Device using nonstandard Wi-Fi channels SuperAG—802.11 SuperAG device TDD Transmitter WiMax Mobile WiMax Fixed Video Camera
	4.	Click Apply.

Your 5-GHz device now detects and reports the selected interference types.

Configure interference reporting for a 5-GHz device (CLI)

Procedure

	1.	Enter the global configuration mode. Example: `Device# configure terminal`
	2.	Configure a 5-GHz interference device to report to the ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device{canopy \| cont-tx \| dect-like \| inv \| jammer \| nonstd \| report \| superag \| tdd-tx \| video \| wimax-fixed \| wimax-mobile} command. Example: Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device canopy Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device cont-tx Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device dect-like Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device inv Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device jammer Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device nonstd Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device report Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device superag Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device tdd-tx Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device video Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device wimax-fixed Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device wimax-mobile Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device si_fhss Device(config)#ap dot11 5ghz cleanair device alarm Device. Run the no form of this command to disable interference device reporting. This is a list of the keyword descriptions: canopy—Canopy device cont-tx—Continuous transmitter dect-like—Digital Enhanced Cordless Communication-like phone fh—802.11-frequency hopping device inv—Device using spectrally-inverted Wi-Fi signals jammer—Jammer nonstd—Device using nonstandard Wi-Fi channels superag—802.11 SuperAG device tdd-tx—TDD transmitter video—Video camera wimax-fixed—WiMax fixed wimax-mobile—WiMax mobile
	3.	Return to the privileged EXEC mode. Example: `Device(config)# end` Alternatively, you can also press Ctrl-Z to exit global configuration mode.

Configure event driven RRM for a CleanAir event (GUI)

Configure event driven Radio Resource Management (RRM) to respond to CleanAir-detected interference.

Use this feature to optimize channel assignment automatically when a CleanAir-enabled access point detects significant interference.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Configuration > Radio Configurations > RRM. The Radio Resource Management window is displayed.
	2.	Click the DCA tab.
	3.	In the Event Driven RRM section, check the EDRRM check box to run RRM when CleanAir-enabled AP detects a significant level of interference.
	4.	Configure the Sensitivity Threshold level at which RRM has to be invoked from the following options: Low: Represents a decreased sensitivity to changes in the environment and its value is set at 35. Medium: Represents medium sensitivity to changes in the environment at its value is set at 50. High: Represents increased sensitivity to changes in the environment at its value is set at 60. Custom: If you choose this option, you must specify a custom value in the Custom Threshold box.
	5.	To configure rogue duty cycle, check the Rogue Contribution check box and then specify the Rogue Duty-Cycle in terms of percentage. The default value of rogue duty cycle is 80 percent. Note Rogue Contribution is a new component in ED-RRM functionality. It enables ED-RRM to respond to Rogue Channel Utilization, which operates independently from CleanAir metrics. Rogue Duty Cycle is derived from standard off-channel RRM metrics and triggers a channel change when neighboring rogue interference is detected. Since this process relies on RRM metrics rather than CleanAir, the timing depends on normal 180-second off-channel intervals, with a maximum delay of three minutes. Rogue Contribution is configured separately from CleanAir ED-RRM and is disabled by default. This feature allows each AP to respond to Wi-Fi interference originating outside the local network, with measurements taken at every individual AP. Rogue Contribution is a new component in ED-RRM functionality. It enables ED-RRM to respond to detected Rogue Channel Utilization, which functions separately from CleanAir metrics.
	6.	Save the configuration.

The controller now automatically triggers RRM based on CleanAir or optionally, rogue channel utilization events.

Configure EDRRM for a CleanAir event (CLI)

Enable automated, event-driven dynamic RRM adjustments in response to CleanAir events.

EDRRM allows the AP to adjust its channel management dynamically in response to detected interference or CleanAir events. This ensures better wireless performance and mitigation of interference.

Before you begin

Verify the AP supports CleanAir and EDRRM features.

Procedure

	1.	Enter global configuration mode. Example: `Device# conf t` Run the no form of this command to disable EDRRM.
	2.	Enable EDRRM CleanAir event. Example: `Device (config)#ap dot11 24ghz rrm channel cleanair-event Device(config)#no ap dot11 24ghz rrm channel cleanair-event` Run the no form of this command to disable EDRRM.
	3.	Configure the EDRRM sensitivity of the CleanAir event. Example: `Device(config)#ap dot11 24ghz rrm channel cleanair-event sensitivity high` This a list of the keyword descriptions: Custom—Specifies custom sensitivity to non-Wi–Fi interference as indicated by the AQ value. High—Specifies the most sensitivity to non-Wi–Fi interference as indicated by the AQ value. Low—Specifies the least sensitivity to non-Wi–Fi interference as indicated by the AQ value. Medium—Specifies medium sensitivity to non-Wi–Fi interference as indicated by the AQ value.

EDRRM CleanAir event detection and response is enabled with your selected sensitivity, improving dynamic channel management during interference events.

CleanAir Pro scanning

A CleanAir Pro feature is a wireless monitoring capability that

monitors and reports different categories of non-Wi-Fi interference across supported 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, and 6-GHz band frequency bands
generates detailed Interference Device Reports (IDRs) including interferer type, severity, and impacted channels, and
calculates air quality (AQ) metrics for each dynamic channel assignment (DCA) channel to support intelligent channel management by the controller.

Table 1. Feature history for CleanAir Pro scanning
Release	Feature	Feature Information
Cisco IOS XE Dublin 17.10.1	CleanAir Support for 6-GHz	The CleanAir is enabled in 6-GHz band radio of AP only if CleanAir is enabled globally in 6-GHz band in the controller and 6-GHz radio of individual AP. Cisco IOS XE Cupertino 17.9.1 supports 6-GHz only for spectral analysis on Cisco Catalyst Center. IDR and AQ are not supported for the 6-GHz band in Cisco IOS XE Cupertino 17.9.1.
Cisco IOS XE Cupertino 17.9.1	CleanAir Pro Scanning	The CleanAir Pro Scanning feature monitors and reports the different categories of non-Wi-Fi interference in the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands.

Controller behavior for interferer and channel monitoring

The controller manages interferer information and channel selection using these methods:

Interferer database management: The controller maintains a database of active interferers reported by each access point (AP) on the network.
Interferer merging: If the same interferer is detected by multiple APs, the controller merges these records so the interferer is tracked as a single entity across the network.
Air quality tracking: The controller monitors air quality metrics for each channel. These metrics are used during dynamic channel assignment (DCA) to select optimal channels for each AP.

Note

The CleanAir Pro Scanning feature is applicable only for APs with CleanAir Pro-supported radios.

Channel-list configuration command keywords for CleanAir Pro scanning

CleanAir Pro Scanning scans channels in the slots or bands currently enabled on an AP. Here are certain commands used to enable scannig.

ap dot11 rrm monitor channel-list dca : Scans only channels enabled under DCA.
ap dot11 rrm monitor channel-list country : Scans all regulatory channels permitted in the site's country setting.
ap dot11 rrm monitor channel-list country all : Scans every channel available to the radio, without regard to regulatory constraints.

Contents and event types in IDR

APs detect non-Wi-Fi interferers and report this data to the controller through Interference Device Report (IDR) such as

duty cycle,
Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) in dBm, and
a calculated Severity metric.

The controller receives IDR messages and uses event types to track the status of each interferer:

UP: The interferer is first detected.
UPDT: The interferer’s status is updated.
DOWN: The interferer is no longer observed.

The controller maintains a list of interferers along with the channels affected for each AP. Within an AP, interferers are merged if they share the same channel, RSSI, and device signature. Across multiple APs, a controller merges interferers reported as the same type.

These processes enable accurate tracking and consolidation of interferer data throughout the network.

Air quality index reports

The Air Quality Index (AQ) metric quantifies interference levels detected by each access point (AP) in a Cisco wireless network.

AQ calculation: AQ starts at 100 (optimal) for each AP and is decremented by the cumulative severity values of all detected interference sources.

Air Quality Metric Calculation

For example, if three Bluetooth devices are reported by an AP, each with a severity of two, this results in an overall cell AQ of 94 (2x3 BT = 6, 100 – 6 = AQ of 94).

Enable CleanAir Pro scan features (CLI)

Enable spectrum monitoring and interference detection across all supported wireless radios.

Use this procedure when you want to configure CleanAir Pro scanning and alarms on Cisco wireless devices using CLI.

Procedure

	1.	Enter the global configuration mode. Example: `Device# configure terminal`
	2.	Configure the CleanAir features for the 2.4-GHz , 5-GHz, or 6-GHz radios using the ap dot11 {24ghz \| 5ghz \| 6ghz} cleanair command. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair`
	3.	Configure CleanAir alarm for air quality in the 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, or 6-GHz radiosusing the ap dot11 {24ghz \| 5ghz \| 6ghz} cleanair alarm air-quality command. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair alarm air-quality`
	4.	Configure the air quality threshold value of CleanAir alarm in the 2.4-GHz , 5-GHz, or 6-GHz radios using the ap dot11 {24ghz \| 5ghz \| 6ghz} cleanair alarm air-quality threshold threshold-value command. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair alarm air-quality threshold 25` The valid range is between 1 and 100.
	5.	Configure the continuous transmitter as the interference device CleanAir alarm in the 2.4-GHz , 5-GHz, or 6-GHz radios using the ap dot11 {24ghz \| 5ghz \| 6ghz} cleanair alarm device cont-tx command. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair alarm device cont-tx`
	6.	Configure the air quality alarm on exceeding unclassified category severity using the ap dot11 {24ghz \| 5ghz \| 6ghz} cleanair alarm unclassified command. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair alarm unclassified`
	7.	Configure the air quality alarm on exceeding unclassified category severity threshold using the ap dot11 {24ghz \| 5ghz \| 6ghz} cleanair alarm unclassified threshold threshold-value command. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair alarm unclassified threshold 15` The valid range is between 1 and 100.
	8.	Configure continuous transmitter as the CleanAir interference device type using the ap dot11 {24ghz \| 5ghz \| 6ghz} cleanair device cont-tx command. Example: `Device(config)# ap dot11 24ghz cleanair device cont-tx`

CleanAir Pro scan features are active, with alarms configured according to your settings.

Monitor CleanAir Pro statistics (GUI)

Review CleanAir Pro statistics for air quality, interference, and radio channels across your wireless network.

This task helps you assess wireless spectrum health, identify interference sources, and check air quality metrics for monitored access points.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Monitoring > Wireless > CleanAir Statistics. The CleanAir Statistics window is displayed.
	2.	Click the 2.4 GHz Band, 5 GHz Band, or 6 GHz Band tab. The CleanAir Interference Devices window is selected by default. You can monitor and detect the cluster IDs, the interferer type, severity, the affected channels, and so on, for the listed APs.
	3.	Click the listed devices under the CleanAir Interference Devices tab to view the CleanAir Interference Charts that displays the AQ Graph and the Interference Power.
	4.	Click the Air Quality tab to monitor the channel, the average and minimum AQ, number of interferers, the time at which the interference was detected, and the spectrum AP type.
	5.	Click the Worst Air Quality Report tab to view the AQ report, with details of the AP that reported the worst AQ, the radio channel number with the worst-reported air quality, the minimum and the average AQ index, the interference device count, and the spectrum AP type.

You have reviewed CleanAir Pro statistics to monitor air quality, interference, and device-specific spectrum data across selected wireless bands.

Verify CleanAir Pro scanning details

To view the CleanAir Air Quality (AQ) data, run this command:

Device# show ap dot11 {24ghz | 5ghz | 6ghz} cleanair air-quality summary

To view the CleanAir Air Quality (AQ) worst data, run this command:

Device# show ap dot11 {24ghz | 5ghz | 6ghz} cleanair air-quality worst

To view the CleanAir device cluster information, run this command:

Device# show ap dot11 {24ghz | 5ghz | 6ghz} cleanair device cluster cluster-id

To view the CleanAir interferers of a device type, run this command:

Device# show ap dot11 {24ghz | 5ghz | 6ghz} cleanair device type

To view the CleanAir configuration for a specific AP, run this command:

Device# show ap name ap-name dot11 {24ghz | 5ghz | 6ghz} cleanair air-quality
Device# show ap name ap-name dot11 {24ghz | 5ghz | 6ghz} cleanair device

To view the continuous transmitter as the CleanAir interference device type, run this command:

Device# show ap dot11 6ghz cleanair device type cont-tx

Configuration examples for CleanAir

This example shows how to enable CleanAir on the 2.4-GHz band and an AP operating in the channel:

Device#configure terminal
Device(config)#ap dot11 24ghz cleanair
Device(config)#exit
Device#ap name TAP1 dot11 24ghz cleanair
Device#end

This example shows how to enable an EDRRM CleanAir event in the 2.4-GHz band and configure high sensitivity to non-Wi–Fi interference:

Device#configure terminal
Device(config)#ap dot11 24ghz rrm channel cleanair-event
Device(config)#ap dot11 24ghz rrm channel cleanair-event sensitivity high
Device(config)#end

This example shows how to enable an AP in the monitor mode:

Device#ap name <ap-name> mode monitor

Need help?

Open a support case

(Requires a Cisco Service Contract)

The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using Inclusive Language.