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

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

Device analytics

Updated: April 10, 2026

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Describes the Device Analytics feature that enhances the enterprise Wi-Fi experience for client devices to ensure seamless connectivity.

Device Analytics is a feature that

  • enhances the enterprise Wi-Fi experience for client devices to ensure seamless connectivity

  • provides a set of data analytics tools for analyzing wireless client device behavior, and

  • encrypts exchanged data using AES-256-CBC to ensure device security when device profiling is enabled.

Device support information

The Device Analytics feature supports different device types with specific compatibility requirements:

Starting from Cisco IOS XE Bengaluru 17.6.1, this feature is supported on Intel devices with AC9560, AC8561, AX201, AX200, AX1650, AX210, AX211, and AX1675 chipsets. Device information and other information received from the Intel devices are shared with Cisco Catalyst Center. It will also be used to enhance device profiling on the controller.

Note

From Cisco IOS XE Dublin 17.12.1, MacBook Analytics is supported on the controller when the MacBook device sends 11k action frames along with the model information.

Note

Apple clients such as iPhones and iPads use 802.11k action frames to send device information to the controller. When they fail to send 802.11k action frames, the controller will not perform device classification based on the 802.11 protocol. Hence, this falls back to legacy device classification which is based on HTTP and DHCP protocols.

Restrictions for device analytics

Observe these restrictions when implementing device analytics:

  • This feature is applicable only for Cisco device ecosystem partners.

  • This feature is supported only on the 802.11ax and Wave 2 APs.

  • This feature is supported using central authentication in either local mode or FlexConnect mode.

  • To support Intel devices, AP should have PMF capability and PMF should set to optional or required on the WLAN.

Configure device analytics (GUI)

Configure device analytics to monitor wireless device performance and collect analytical data for network optimization.

Device analytics provides insights into wireless device performance and network behavior. This configuration is performed at the WLAN level to control which wireless networks support analytics features.

Before you begin

Follow these steps to configure device analytics using the GUI:

Procedure

1.

Choose Configuration > Tags & Profiles > WLANs.
2.

On the WLANs page, click the name of the WLAN.
3.

In the Edit WLAN page, click the Advanced tab.
4.

In the Device Analytics section, select the Advertise Support check box.
5.

Select the Advertise PC Analytics Support check box to enable PC analytics on the WLAN.
6.

(Optional) In the Device Analytics section, select the Share Data with Client check box.
7.

Click Update & Apply to Device.

Device analytics is configured for the WLAN and will begin collecting performance data from connected wireless devices.

Configure device analytics (CLI)

Enable device analytics on a WLAN to collect and optionally export device information for network analysis and optimization.
Device analytics allows the network to collect information from connected devices, which can be used for network monitoring and analysis. This feature can be enabled per WLAN and optionally configured to export information to compatible clients.

Procedure

1.

Enter global configuration mode.

Example:

Device# configure terminal
2.

Enter the WLAN configuration sub-mode.

Example:

Device(config)# wlan wlan-name wlan-id SSID-name

Example:

Device(config)# wlan device_analytics 1 device_analytics

  • WLAN-name: Enter the profile name. The range is from 1 to 32 alphanumeric characters.

  • WLAN-ID: Enter the WLAN ID. The range is from 1 to 512.

  • SSID-name: Enter the Service Set Identifier (SSID) for this WLAN. If the SSID is not specified, the WLAN profile name is set as the SSID.

Note

If you have already configured WLAN, enter the wlan wlan-name command.
3.

Set the maximum number of clients, clients per AP, or clients per AP radio that can be configured on a WLAN.

Example:

Device(config)# client association limit {clients-per-wlan | ap clients-per-ap-per-wlan | radio clients-per-ap-radio-per-wlan}

Example:

Device(config)# client association limit 1 1
4.

Enable or disable device analytics. WLANs advertise analytics capability in beacons & probe responses.

Example:

Device(config)# [no] device-analytics

This is enabled by default.
5.

Configure device analytics export option.

Example:

Device(config)# [no] device-analytics [export]

Example:

Device(config)# device-analytics export

When export option is set, the information from Cisco devices are shared with compatible clients (such as, Samsung devices). Here, information from Cisco devices refer to the Cisco controller details, AP version, and model number.

This configuration is disabled by default.
6.

Enable PC analytics on the WLAN.

Example:

Device(config)# device-analytics pc-analytics

Enables PC analytics on the WLAN. WLANs advertise analytics capability in beacons & probe responses.
7.

Enable the WLAN.

Example:

Device(config)# no shutdown
8.

Return to privileged EXEC mode.

Example:

Device(config)# end
Device analytics is now configured on the WLAN, enabling the collection of device information and optionally exporting data to compatible clients.

Verify device analytics

Verify device analytics to review client properties, statistics, and PC Analytics reports including neighbor AP information, candidate BSSIDs, and various diagnostic reports.

Use this procedure to access and review comprehensive analytics data for wireless clients, including connection quality metrics and troubleshooting information.

Procedure

1.

On the Monitoring > Wireless > Clients page, click on a client in the table to view its properties and statistics.
2.

In the General tab, click Client Properties to view the PC Analytics reports. This section displays the neighbor AP information, candidate BSSIDs, and reports for low RSSI, beacon miss, failed APs, and unknown APs.

The PC Analytics reports display comprehensive information about the selected client, including neighbor AP data, candidate BSSIDs, and diagnostic reports for connectivity issues such as low RSSI, beacon misses, failed APs, and unknown APs.

Verify device analytics configuration

This reference provides commands to verify device analytics configuration status, view client device information, check last disconnect reasons, and examine per-client pc-analytics reports.

Device analytics status verification

To view the status of device analytics export, use this command:

Device# show wlan 1 test-wlan

WLAN Profile Name     : test-wlan
================================================
Identifier                      : 1
Description                     :  
Network Name (SSID)             : test-open-ssid
Status                          : Enabled         
Broadcast SSID                  : Enabled         
Advertise-Apname                : Disabled        
Universal AP Admin              : Disabled

Device Analytics
    Advertise Support           : Enabled
    Share Data with Client      : Disabled

Client device information

To view client device information, use this command:

Device# show device classifier mac-address 0040.96ae.xxx detail

  Client Mac: 0040.96ae.xxxx
  Device Type: Samsung Galaxy S10e(Phone)
  Confidence Level: 40
  Device Name: android-dhcp-9
  Software Version(Carrier Code): SD7(TMB)
  Device OS: Android 9
  Device Vendor: android-dhcp-9
  Country: US

Last disconnect reason

To view the last disconnect reason, use this command:

Device# show device classifier mac-address 0040.96ae.xxxx detail

Client MAC Address : 0040.96ae.xxxx
Client IPv4 Address : 12.1.0.52
Client IPv6 Addresses : fe80::631b:5b4f:f9b6:53cc
Client Username: N/A
AP MAC Address : 7069.5a51.53c0
AP Name: AP4C77.6D9E.61B2
AP slot : 1
Client State : Associated

Assisted Roaming Neighbor List
Nearby AP Statistics:
EoGRE : No/Simple client
Last Disconnect Reason : User initiated disconnection - Device was powered off or Wi-Fi turned off

Per-client pc-analytics reports

To view the per client pc-analytics reports, use this command:

Device# show wireless client mac-address 3413.e8b6.xxxx stats pc-analytics

-------------------------
Neighbor APs Info:
-------------------------
Reported time:: 06/21/2021 18:50:34
-------------------------
Roaming Reasons:
-------------------------
Selected AP RSSI:: -67
Candidate BSSIDs:
-----------------
Neighbor AP RSSI(dB)
a4b2.3903.d10e -70
-------------------------
PC Analytics report stats
-------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Report Type Processed Reports Dropped Reports
----------------------------------------------------------------------

STA Info 1 0
Neigh AP 1 0
Low RSSI 0 0
Beacon Miss 0 0
Failed AP 0 0
Unknown APs 0 0