Smart RF Configuration and Deployment Considerations

Before defining a Smart RF policy, refer to the following deployment guidelines to ensure the configuration is optimally effective:

• The Smart RF calibration process impacts associated users and should not be run during business or production hours. The calibration process should be performed during scheduled maintenance intervals or non-business hours.
• For Smart RF to provide effective recovery, RF planning must be performed to ensure overlapping coverage exists at the deployment site. Smart RF can only provide recovery when access points are deployed appropriately. Smart RF is not a solution, it's a temporary measure. Administrators need to determine the root cause of RF deterioration and fix it. Smart RF history/events can assist.

Keep in mind, if a Smart RF managed radio is operating in WLAN mode on a channel requiring DFS, it will switch channels if radar is detected.

• If Smart RF is enabled, the radio picks a channel defined in the Smart RF policy.
• If Smart RF is disabled, but a Smart RF policy is mapped, the radio picks a channel specified in the Smart RF policy.
• If no Smart RF policy is mapped, the radio selects a random channel.

If the radio is a dedicated sensor, it stops termination on that channel if a neighboring access points detects radar. The access point attempts to come back to its original channel (statically configured or selected by Smart RF) after the channel evacuation period has expired.

Change this behavior using a no dfs-rehome command from the controller or service platform CLI. This keeps the radio on the newly selected channel and prevents the radio from coming back to the original channel, even after the channel evacuation period.