topic Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch in Wireless

Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

dot1x — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 14:44:24 GMT

1. Could someone please assist what's the best practice to update the software version / patch on WLC?

Currently I'm running 8.3.102.0 and would like to update patch 8.3.130.0

2. Would APs restart once the WLC is updated? The APs are in FlexConnect Mode.

3. What's the best practice for standalone WLC?

4. What if we have WLCs in standby mode?

Any suggestions/recommendations please?

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Vengatesa Prasath — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 13:27:49 GMT

It is directly upgrade to 8.3.130.0.

If you are upgrading the WLC for the first time.. below link will help:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless-mobility/wireless-lan-wlan/68835-wlc-upgrade.html

yes, AP's will reload when you reboot the wlc for an upgrade.

Always take backup of your config before you upgrade the WLC.

You can follow below upgrade Procedure for HA:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/technotes/8-1/HA_SSO_DG/High_Availability_DG.html#pgfId-46645

Hope this information helps..

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Leo Laohoo — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 19:55:00 GMT

If this is the first time you've ever done an firmware upgrade of a WLC, I strongly recommend you read the Release Notes very, very carefully (8.3.130.0 Release Notes found HERE).

Not only will the Release Notes explain, in detail, how to upgrade the firmware of a controller but if you've got AP802, 1530, 1550 and 1570, you'll need to load a second supplementary firmware.

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

dot1x — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 05:54:53 GMT

Thanks Leo and Vepannir for sharing the docs.

A quick question regarding Pre-Image Download for Access Points.

If we have more than 200 APs, what would be the best practice?

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

startx001 — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 10:11:33 GMT

Hi all ,

Will Cisco announce patch for :

https://www.krackattacks.com/

https://www.windowscentral.com/krack

When it will be fixed in which version ?

KR
V

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Vengatesa Prasath — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 05:47:57 GMT

If you have flex-connect group with specific ap model, then pre download will reduce downtime and save bandwidth..

please check the below link: (section: FlexConnect Smart AP Image Upgrade)

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/8-1/Enterprise-Mobility-8-1-Design-Guide/Enterprise_Mobility_8-1_Deployment_Guide/ch7_HREA.pdf

Smart AP Image Upgrade Summary

• Master and Slave APs are selected for each AP model per FlexConnect Group.

• Master downloads image from WLC.

• Slave downloads image from Master AP.

• Reduces downtime and saves WAN bandwidth.

hope this helps..

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Vengatesa Prasath — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 05:58:52 GMT

8.3.130.0 has fix all ios AP models. For Cos AP's (like 2800, 3800, 1800...) no fix yet.

you can subscribe to below link to get any further updates...

https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20171016-wpa#workarounds

-----Please rate useful posts-----

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

dot1x — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 09:16:13 GMT

@vepannir wrote:

If you have flex-connect group with specific ap model, then pre download will reduce downtime and save bandwidth..

please check the below link: (section: FlexConnect Smart AP Image Upgrade)

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/8-1/Enterprise-Mobility-8-1-Design-Guide/Enterprise_Mobility_8-1_Deployment_Guide/ch7_HREA.pdf

Smart AP Image Upgrade Summary

• Master and Slave APs are selected for each AP model per FlexConnect Group.

• Master downloads image from WLC.

• Slave downloads image from Master AP.

• Reduces downtime and saves WAN bandwidth.

hope this helps..

Hi Vepannir,

Thanks for your input. We do have FlexConnect Groups but I'll have to look again if we have same model in one FC Group (I doubt though). We might have mixture of 2700/2800/3800 APs.

• Master and Slave APs are selected for each AP model per FlexConnect Group.

Does it mean that one AP for each model in a FC Group would be selected as a master and other as slaves.

Eg: If I have 10 x 2700, 10 x 2800 and 10 x 3800 APs in FC Group say ABC.

So there would be 3 APs selected as master and rest 27 as slaves? Correct me if I'm wrong?

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Vengatesa Prasath — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 12:54:26 GMT

yes you are correct.

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

dot1x — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 12:58:14 GMT

Thanks.

Also, could you suggest what's the best practice if we have to uodate WLC, ISE and Prime?

Which device should we upgrade first?

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Vengatesa Prasath — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 16:30:48 GMT

you can upgrade any of them first.

But make sure all device compatible with each other.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/compatibility/matrix/compatibility-matrix.html

--- Vengat

******** Please rate useful post ***********

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

dot1x — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 23:29:04 GMT

yeah I had a look at the compatibility matrix.

Another question: Do I need to update FUS as well?

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Vengatesa Prasath — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 04:39:40 GMT

Upgrading the Cisco WLC Software Release

Guidelines and Limitations

We recommend that you install Release 1.9.0.0 of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Field Upgrade Software (FUS), which is a special AES package that contains several system-related component upgrades. These include the bootloader, field recovery image, and FPGA/MCU firmware. Installing the FUS image requires special attention because it installs some critical firmware. The FUS image is independent of the runtime image. For more information, see http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/release/notes/fus_rn_OL-31390-01.html.

Note

If you are using a Cisco 2500 Series controller, you must install Release 1.9.0.0 or higher of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller FUS. This is not required if you are using other controller hardware models.

Note

The FUS image installation process reboots the Cisco WLC several times and reboots the runtime image. The entire process takes approximately 30 minutes. We recommend that you install the FUS image in a planned outage window.

Same information is also available on the release notes: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/release/notes/crn83mr3.html

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Leo Laohoo — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 23:22:15 GMT

Don't be in a hurry to upgrade the controller. Wait until Cisco releases the final fix software to address the KRACK vulnerability.

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

dot1x — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 07:20:13 GMT

Thanks Leo.

We have mixture of Wave 1 and Wave 2 devices. We will wait for the final release.

Is there a link I could check when would the final release be available?

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Leo Laohoo — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 08:08:01 GMT

KRACK fix software is now available for download. They are 8.0.152.0, 8.2.164.0, 8.3.132.0 and 8.5.105.0.

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

rgnelson — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 17:59:12 GMT

For installing installing new base code and also installing the supplementary AP bundle, are two WLC restarts required, or can the base image be installed + the sup bundle then restart?

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Leo Laohoo — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 21:09:34 GMT

No, after you upload the firmware of the controller, DO NOT REBOOT, but upload the supplementary AP bundle and do a reboot after that.

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

dot1x — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 22:46:43 GMT

Before updating the software, what needs to be backed up?
Is it only the running config which needs to be backed up, should something goes wrong?

Re: Update/upgrade WLC Software Patch

Leo Laohoo — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 07:20:00 GMT

Correct. Take a backup of the config.