How to Troubleshoot Common WLAN Issues on Huawei APs and WACs

February 17, 2026by Certified Systems

A Practical Guide Powered by Certified Systems Limited, Abuja

A stable and high-performing Wireless LAN (WLAN) is the backbone of every modern business — from offices and hotels to schools, hospitals, and government agencies. Huawei Access Points (APs) and Wireless Access Controllers (WACs) are built for reliability, scalability, and enterprise-grade performance.

However, like any network system, WLAN issues may occur due to misconfigurations, interference, firmware gaps, or environmental factors. The good news? Most problems can be diagnosed and resolved quickly using a structured approach.

In this guide, Certified Systems Limited, Abuja’s trusted enterprise networking provider, breaks down the most common WLAN issues, their causes, and the most effective troubleshooting steps.

⚠️ Common WLAN Problems on Huawei APs & WACs — and How to Fix Them

1️⃣ AP Unable to Connect to the WAC

This is one of the most frequent issues.

Possible Causes:

  • Incorrect AC discovery settings

  • AP not in the same VLAN/subnet

  • CAPWAP packets blocked

  • DHCP Option 43 not configured

  • Firewall or routing restrictions

How to Troubleshoot:

Check if CAPWAP is reachable

display capwap tunnel
display ap all

Verify AC Discovery Mode
Huawei APs support:

  • DHCP Option 43

  • DNS discovery

  • Static AC configuration

Confirm correct VLAN assignment
Ensure the AP management VLAN has access to the AC.

Check firewall rules
Allow CAPWAP UDP ports 5246 & 5247.

2️⃣ Clients Cannot Connect to Wi-Fi

Possible Causes:

  • Authentication failures

  • WPA2/WPA3 mismatch

  • Incorrect password

  • ACL/DHCP issues

  • SSID configuration errors

Fix Steps:

Verify SSID Broadcast

display wlan ssid-profile all

Check Authentication Logs

display station all
display security-log

Ensure DHCP availability
Check the DHCP server or relay configuration.

Confirm matching security settings
Encryption mismatch is a very common problem.

3️⃣ Slow Wi-Fi Speeds or Poor Performance

Common Causes:

  • Channel interference

  • Low signal strength

  • Too many users on one AP

  • Power level misconfiguration

  • Faulty cabling (PoE drops speed)

Troubleshooting Steps:

Scan Radio Interference

display radio all
display wifi interference

Enable Automatically Optimized Channels
Use Huawei’s Air Interface Optimization feature.

Adjust AP transmit power
Reduce power to avoid cell overlap (co-channel interference).

Check AP Load Balancing
WACs support user load balancing across radios and APs.

4️⃣ Intermittent Connection Drops

Causes:

  • Signal fluctuation

  • Roaming not configured

  • Overlapping channels

  • Weak 5GHz coverage

Troubleshooting:

Enable Fast Roaming (802.11k/v/r)
Improves client handover.

Increase 5GHz Coverage
Encourage clients to move away from congested 2.4GHz.

Check AP Uplink Quality
Bad cabling or low PoE power can cause AP resets.

5️⃣ AP Keeps Rebooting or Going Offline

Causes:

  • Insufficient PoE power

  • Faulty switch port

  • Bad firmware

  • Overheating

Fix Steps:

Check PoE power delivered
Huawei APs often require PoE+ (802.3at).

Upgrade AP & WAC to stable firmware
Outdated versions cause memory leaks & crashes.

Check environment
APs in hot areas may throttle or reboot.

🧰 Tools & Commands to Speed Up Troubleshooting

Huawei provides powerful built-in tools for diagnosing WLAN issues:

📌 Check AP Status

display ap all
display ap run-info

📌 Check Client Information

display station all
display station statistics

📌 View WLAN Configurations

display wlan service-set all
display wlan ssid-profile all

📌 Check Radio Health

display radio all
display wifi-alarm

💡 Pro Tips to Maintain a Healthy Huawei WLAN

  • Always enable dual-band steering

  • Use 5GHz as default where possible

  • Update firmware regularly

  • Separate IoT devices on isolated VLANs

  • Use central authentication (RADIUS/LDAP)

  • Conduct quarterly wireless surveys

  • Implement network segmentation for scalability

A well-configured WLAN delivers faster speeds, fewer complaints, and improved productivity for every user.


🌐 Why Certified Systems Limited Is Your Best WLAN Partner

At Certified Systems Limited, Abuja, we specialize in delivering world-class enterprise networking solutions using the power of Huawei CloudCampus, Huawei WLAN, and next-generation IT infrastructure.

We provide:
✅ Huawei WLAN deployment (APs, WAC, AC, PoE switches)
✅ Troubleshooting & optimization services
✅ Wireless surveys & heatmap design
✅ Network security and segmentation
✅ Firmware upgrades and lifecycle management
✅ Corporate support and maintenance contracts

As a certified Huawei-trained engineering team, we ensure your wireless network runs at peak performance, enabling better connectivity and seamless digital transformation for your business.

🚀 Need Professional WLAN Support?

Let our certified network engineers optimize your Huawei wireless network for maximum speed, reliability, and coverage.

📍 Visit Us:
Suite 26/27, K30 Mall, Goge Adegoroye Close, Wuye District, FCT, Abuja

📞 Call/WhatsApp:
+234 911 456 8023 | +234 809 717 7152

📧 Email:
info@certifiedsystemsgroup.com

🌐 Website:
www.certifiedsystemsgroup.com

Headquarters
Suites 26/27, Second Floor, K-30 Mall

Plot 724, Goke Adegoroye Close

Wuye District

FCT Abuja

Nigeria
Social links
Taking seamless key performance indicators offline to maximise the long tail.
Headquarters
Suites 26/27, Second Floor, K-30 Mall

Plot 724, Goke Adegoroye Close

Wuye District

FCT Abuja

Nigeria
Social links

Copyright by Certified Systems Limited. All rights reserved.

Copyright by Certified Systems Limited. All rights reserved.