topic Using AP 1602 as Mesh in Wireless

Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 16:53:55 GMT

I have current wireless infrastructure with cisco 3600 and 2700 APs and would like to set one 1602 AP to be mesh or repeater so it can be mobile. currently it's getting an error message of non WPAv2 PSK.

Do I need to set one AP to be a Root AP and set 1602 to be a Mesh AP?

Need advice / help please.

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

Jurgens L — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 21:23:25 GMT

If your AP's are managed by a WLC you will need to have at least one AP set up a RAP, this will be connected to your wired network and then the 1602 AP as a MAP.

You will need to change the mode of the AP's from local to bridge mode, also ensure you add their mac addresses to the MAC filter list as the will not join the WLC once you made the change.

Below is configuration examples of setting up a mesh deployment.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/aironet-1522-lightweight-outdoor-mesh-access-point/113678-wlan-mesh-config-ex.html

<<< Please help the community by marking useful posts helpful, or accept as a solution if it resolved your issue >>>

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

Haydn Andrews — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 21:45:25 GMT

If the 1602 is going to be supporting wired clients behind it look at this:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless-mobility/service-set-identifier-ssid/211293-Configure-Work-Group-Bridge-WGB-Multip.html

I would also look at the WGB if the device is going to move around to save you having to configure all the APs it would need to connect to as RAPs

If its just going to be an AP with clients connecting to it, where you cant get a physical cable to it so you want it to back hall the data look at this:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/aironet-1522-lightweight-outdoor-mesh-access-point/113678-wlan-mesh-config-ex.html

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 22:26:52 GMT

If your AP's are managed by a WLC you will need to have at least one AP set up a RAP, this will be connected to your wired network and then the 1602 AP as a MAP.

--I do have existing APs connected WLC and that certain number of APs will be set as Root AP. (depends)

1602 AP will be powered by POE and will be stand alone and won't be connected to WLC. So it will be set as Mesh AP and get signal from the ceiling mounted AP and pass along the signal.

You will need to change the mode of the AP's from local to bridge mode, also ensure you add their mac addresses to the MAC filter list as the will not join the WLC once you made the change.

--Which AP needs to be set as bridge? 1602, right? dd 1602's MAC address on WLC?

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 22:39:07 GMT

I don't think I need WGB. 1602 AP will be only supporting only one client or three the most.

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

Jurgens L — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 23:13:17 GMT

In order for an AP to support RAP of MAP, you will need to set it to bridge mode, so at a minimum, you will need at least two AP's in bridge mode (one for RAP and one for MAP).

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

Haydn Andrews — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 23:18:23 GMT

Is the 1602 going to be static or mobile?

Is it going to need any wired clients connecting to it?

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 01:10:51 GMT

So you are saying Root AP and Mesh AP both needs to be set as bridge mode, not local.

Basically all the AP that will be associated with the topology, correct?

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

Jurgens L — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 02:14:06 GMT

Correct,

You won’t be able to get the Root AP or Mesh AP feature is the AP is not in bridge mode.

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 02:19:58 GMT

That''s what i thought.

I will constantly update the thread if i running into an issue.

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 03:20:18 GMT

With AP being Bridge mode, it can still do same function as local mode correct?

also, where can i add mac address so it WLC has it? does it needs to be added in CLI or GUI?

@Jurgens L

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

Haydn Andrews — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 03:39:02 GMT

To add the mac address can be done via GUI or CLI:

Security > AAA > MAC Filtering

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/aironet-1522-lightweight-outdoor-mesh-access-point/113678-wlan-mesh-config-ex.html#add

config macfilter add ap_mac wlan_id

A Bridge mode AP will allow clients to associate to them like a local mode AP, it will then send the traffic to the RAP which will then follow the WLAN configuration (local or central switched)

By default it will use the 5GHz radio for mesh backhall and 2.4GHz for clients, this can be changed to allow clients to connect to the backhall radio, but be careful as wireless is a shared medium and this could cause backhall issues.

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 14:14:58 GMT

@Haydn Andrews @Jurgens L

What i found out is that, AP will get power with power module. AP will grab a signal from the existing wireless infrastructure and it will connect directly to a device and it will provide a connectivity for the device only.

Does still follows the same steps? change mode of AP, assign RAP and MAP and then add MAC address to WLC?

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 14:22:48 GMT

AP will directly plugged into a device, so AP will act like a hub. is it possible?

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 19:42:20 GMT

@Haydn Andrews @Jurgens L

Got a quick question.

So i set AP1602 as workgroup bridge. does that mean other AP can be set as local mode? or needs to be change to bridge and assigned as Root AP?

I'm getting this error message,

what does [None WPAv2 PSK] error message mean?

%DOT11-4-UPLINK_DOWN: Interface Dot11Raido0, parent lost: received disassociate (1) failure

%DOT11-4-UPLINK_ESTABLISHED: Interface Dot11Raido0, Associated to AP NAME_MAC and then [None WPAv2 PSK]

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

Haydn Andrews — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:26:16 GMT

A WGB is a device which associate to an AP (either Lightweight or Autonomous) & provides transparent bridging to its wired clients.

So yes it can associate to a local mode AP

A WGB is an autonomous config:

For configuration of the WGB follow this guide:

https://mrncciew.com/2013/06/16/unified-ap-wgb-with-multiple-vlan/

If you want to stay completely within the Unified Wireless Space, then you will need bridge mode on both APs, the RAP which is connected to the network segment that can talk to the WLC and the MAP which will connect to the MAP.

This message

%DOT11-4-UPLINK_ESTABLISHED: Interface Dot11Raido0, Associated to AP NAME_MAC and then [None WPAv2 PSK]

Is saying that the AP associated to AP XXX using WPAv2 PSK.

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:52:37 GMT

@Haydn Andrews

Do you mind reviewing the config? i've attached it.

I also attached image of what it looks like. AP on the right connected to WLC and on the left is what i'm trying to configure.

It's not associating.

Basically, left AP is configured as bridge mode and other AP is on local mode.

for the error message, even though i have correct ssid and credential, shows that message. anyway to fix?

how about this message?

8 00:48:15.843: %DOT11-4-CANT_ASSOC: Interface Dot11Radio0, cannot associate: Associating
*Sep 8 00:48:26.859: %DOT11-4-CANT_ASSOC: Interface Dot11Radio0, cannot associate: Associate response timeout
*Sep 8 00:49:02.863: %DOT11-4-CANT_ASSOC: Interface Dot11Radio0, cannot associate: EAP authenticating
*Sep 8 00:49:52.863: %DOT11-4-CANT_ASSOC: Interface Dot11Radio0, cannot associate: Associate response timeout
*Sep 8 00:50:28.891: %DOT11-4-CANT_ASSOC: Interface Dot11Radio0, cannot associate: EAP authenticating

do you think that both APs needs to be at bridge mode?

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

Haydn Andrews — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:55:32 GMT

If the AP on the left is a LWAP not autonomous then make the AP on the right be a bridge mode AP. Configure the right one as the RAP and the left one as a MAP.

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:57:56 GMT

AP on the left is an autonomous which is standalone AP and set as bridge (refer config), and AP on the right is connected to WLC and set as local mode

@Haydn Andrews

Re: Using AP 1602 as Mesh

leej48 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 22:01:56 GMT

@Haydn Andrews

Just to be make sure, Root AP is Root Bridge right?