Static Load Balancing Group

Context

The load balancing function applies to scenarios where there is a high degree of overlap between APs' coverage ranges. If APs engaged in load balancing are far from each other, a STA may connect to a distant AP, which affects wireless experience of users.

When the load difference between APs reaches the load difference threshold, some STAs may access the network slowly because the APs will reject access requests of STAs according to the load balancing algorithm. If a STA continues sending association requests to an AP, the AP allows the STA to associate when the number of consecutive association attempts of the STA exceeds the maximum number of rejection times.

In static load balancing mode, APs providing the same services are manually added to a load balancing group. When a STA needs to access a WLAN, it sends an Association Request packet to an AC through an AP. The AC determines whether to permit access from the STA according to a load balancing algorithm. The implementation of static load balancing must meet the following conditions.

If dual-band APs are used, traffic is load balanced among APs working on the same frequency band.
Each load balancing group supports a maximum of 16 AP radios.
Under the agile distributed network architecture composed of the central AP and RUs, you only need to add radios of the RUs to a static load balancing group.

Procedure

Create a static load balancing group.

Choose Configuration > Wireless Services > AP Group > Static Load Balancing Group. The Static Load Balancing Group page is displayed.

Click Create. Set the parameters in Table 1.

**Table 1** Parameters for creating a static load balancing group
Parameter	Description
Static load balancing group name	Name of the static load balancing group.
Maximum number of rejections	Maximum number of associations for the load balancing group When the load in a load balancing group is unbalanced, the AC rejects a STA's request for associating with an AP with heavy load, but does not keep rejecting. When the number of consecutive association requests of the STA exceeds the maximum value, the AP allows the STA to associate with the AP.
Mode	Static load balancing mode.
Start threshold for load balancing (STA count)	Start threshold for load balancing based on the number of STAs. This parameter can be configured only when Mode is set to Service backup.
Load difference threshold for load balancing	Load difference threshold for load balancing based on the number of STAs.
Start threshold for load balancing (%)	Start threshold for load balancing based on the channel utilization.
Load difference threshold for load balancing (%)	Load difference threshold for load balancing based on the channel utilization.
Lower RSSI threshold (dBm)	Lower RSSI threshold for member devices in a dynamic load balancing group.
Advanced
RSSI gap threshold (dBm)	RSSI gap threshold for member devices in a dynamic load balancing group.
STA suppression time (s)	Duration with which non-target APs suppress association of STAs during migration of the STAs.
Maximum number of STA steering attempts in BTM mode	Maximum number of attempts to migrate STAs in BTM mode.
Number of STA probe frame suppression times	Maximum number of times non-target APs suppress probing of STAs during migration of the STAs.
Maximum number of STA steering attempts in Deauth mode	Maximum number of attempts to migrate STAs in deauthentication mode.
Number of STA authentication frame suppression times	Maximum number of times non-target APs suppress authentication of STAs during migration of the STAs.
Add AP to Static Load Balancing Group
Optional Radio	Radio of AP that can be added to the load balancing group.
Selected Radio	Radio of AP to be added to the load balancing group.

Click OK.

Modify a static load balancing group.
1. Choose Configuration > Wireless Services > AP Group > Static Load Balancing Group. The Static Load Balancing Group page is displayed.
2. Click the static load balancing group name, find the desired static load balancing group on the displayed page, and modify parameters.
3. Click OK.
Delete a static load balancing group.
1. Choose Configuration > Wireless Services > AP Group > Static Load Balancing Group. The Static Load Balancing Group page is displayed.
2. Select the static load balancing group and click Delete.
3. Click OK.
NOTE:
Click Refresh to refresh the displayed static load balancing group information.