A plant WLAN is up and visible to laptops on 5 GHz. Handheld barcode scanners that only support 2.4 GHz never see that SSID. The WLAN radio policy is 5 GHz only. Why are the scanners blind?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
The scanners only have a 2.4 GHz radio, and you told the WLAN not to speak on that band. Laptops on 5 GHz prove the SSID exists. It is just not on the band those handhelds can hear.
Full Explanation
A WLAN radio policy controls which bands advertise and serve that SSID. A 5 GHz-only policy means the 2.4 GHz radios do not beacon it. Scanners that have no 5 GHz radio can stand under a working access point and never see the name, while 5 GHz laptops associate normally. The WLAN is not enabled on the band the scanners can use. A guest anchor is a tunneling design for guest traffic. It is not a prerequisite for a 2.4 GHz beacon, and these scanners are failing to see the SSID, not failing a DMZ tunnel. Reading the policy backwards, as if 5 GHz-only hides 5 GHz and serves 2.4 GHz, contradicts the laptops that already see it on 5 GHz. The scanners are not ignoring the SSID because laptops can see it. They are physically unable to hear a beacon that is not sent on 2.4 GHz. Exam caveat: enabling 2.4 GHz for the scanners also enables a noisier band. If the scanners can be replaced with 5 GHz units, that may be the better plant design, but it is not why today's units are blind. Operational check: on the WLAN, confirm the radio policy, then watch a scanner while you enable 2.4 GHz and see the SSID appear.