topic Re: Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender in Wireless

Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender

fbeye — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 20:20:33 GMT

Hello!

So with help I got my "root" AP set up and working perfectly fine with 2 SSID's; House0fM vlan 10 and House0fMVPN vlan 11 and whichever SSID I connect to, goes to that vlan through the Catalyst Switch the AP is connected to, and works fine.

The issue I am having is the configuration of the 2nd AP as an Extender, using power cable not PoE.

I am following the official Cisco documentation as well as this guide https://rscciew.wordpress.com/2014/10/25/autonomous-ap-as-repeater-with-wpa2 but I keep running into weird errors etc.

#1 Repater(config-ssid)#infrastructure-ssid
Dot11Radio0: SSID House0fM must be configured as native-vlan before enabling infrastructure-ssid"

It needs to be vlan 10 because on the Main/root AP that particular ssid is vlan 10.

I will also mention on a default no config AP 2 I am only filling in the configurations mentioned on the guide, pertaining to my setup.

#2 Repater(config-if)#no shut
Repater(config-if)#
*Mar 1 18:36:01.439: %DOT11-5-EXPECTED_RADIO_RESET: Restarting Radio interface Dot11Radio0 due to the reason code 10
*Mar 1 18:36:01.443: %LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface Dot11Radio0, changed state to reset
*Mar 1 18:36:02.443: %DOT11-4-NO_VALID_INFRA_SSID: No infrastructure SSID configured. Dot11Radio0 not started.

What am I missing?

AP1/Main;

Current configuration : 3261 bytes
!
version 15.3
no service pad
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
service password-encryption
!
hostname ap
!
!
logging rate-limit console 9
enable secret 5 $1$BWl.$jAuWu16MkEp..pDRkoCng.
!
no aaa new-model
no ip source-route
no ip cef
!
!
!
!
dot11 pause-time 100
dot11 syslog
!
dot11 ssid House0fM
vlan 10
band-select
authentication open
authentication key-management wpa version 2
mbssid guest-mode
wpa-psk ascii 7 121E1716110E0A1126272D2F3B212C1A0911
!
dot11 ssid House0fMVPN
vlan 11
band-select
authentication open
authentication key-management wpa version 2
mbssid guest-mode
wpa-psk ascii 7 0708334D4D0C1F101B1E020B0C3E252D2634
!
!
!
no ipv6 cef
!
!
username Cisco password 7 00271A150754
!
!
bridge irb
!
!
!
interface Dot11Radio0
description 2.4 Radio
no ip address
!
encryption vlan 10 mode ciphers aes-ccm
!
encryption vlan 11 mode ciphers aes-ccm
!
ssid House0fM
!
ssid House0fMVPN
!
antenna gain 0
mbssid
speed basic-6.0 basic-9.0 basic-12.0 basic-18.0 basic-24.0 basic-36.0 basic-48.0 basic-54.0 m0. m1. m2. m3. m4. m5. m6. m7. m8. m9. m10. m11. m12. m13. m14. m15. m16. m17. m18. m19. m20. m21. m22. m23.
station-role root
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
bridge-group 1 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
no bridge-group 1 unicast-flooding
!
interface Dot11Radio0.10
encapsulation dot1Q 10
bridge-group 10
bridge-group 10 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 10 spanning-disabled
bridge-group 10 port-protected
bridge-group 10 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 10 source-learning
no bridge-group 10 unicast-flooding
!
interface Dot11Radio0.11
encapsulation dot1Q 11
bridge-group 11
bridge-group 11 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 11 spanning-disabled
bridge-group 11 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 11 source-learning
no bridge-group 11 unicast-flooding
!
interface Dot11Radio1
no ip address
antenna gain 0
peakdetect
dfs band 3 block
channel dfs
station-role root
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
bridge-group 1 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
no bridge-group 1 unicast-flooding
!
interface GigabitEthernet0
no ip address
duplex auto
speed auto
!
interface GigabitEthernet0.1
encapsulation dot1Q 1 native
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
!
interface GigabitEthernet0.10
encapsulation dot1Q 10
bridge-group 10
bridge-group 10 spanning-disabled
no bridge-group 10 source-learning
!
interface GigabitEthernet0.11
encapsulation dot1Q 11
bridge-group 11
bridge-group 11 spanning-disabled
no bridge-group 11 source-learning
!
interface GigabitEthernet0.12
encapsulation dot1Q 12
!
interface BVI1
mac-address 0462.7375.81c4
ip address 192.168.1.3 255.255.255.0
ipv6 address dhcp
ipv6 address autoconfig
ipv6 enable
!
ip default-gateway 192.168.1.1
ip forward-protocol nd
no ip http server
no ip http secure-server
ip http help-path http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/smbiz/prodconfig/help/eag
!
!
bridge 1 route ip
!
!
!
line con 0
line vty 0 4
login local
transport input all
!
end

AP2/Repeater

Current configuration : 1845 bytes
!
! Last configuration change at 18:36:38 UTC Mon Mar 1 1993
version 15.3
no service pad
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
service password-encryption
!
hostname Repater
!
!
logging rate-limit console 9
enable secret 5 $1$FXvn$Xavvwo8Un2zpHw/QECMNO1
!
no aaa new-model
no ip source-route
no ip cef
!
!
!
!
dot11 pause-time 100
dot11 syslog
!
dot11 ssid House0fM
vlan 10
authentication open
authentication key-management wpa version 2
guest-mode
wpa-psk ascii 7 110E0B0414170D190826222320273B2B1D00
!
!
!
no ipv6 cef
!
!
username Cisco password 7 112A1016141D
!
!
bridge irb
!
!
!
interface Dot11Radio0
no ip address
!
encryption vlan 10 mode ciphers aes-ccm
!
ssid House0fM
!
antenna gain 0
station-role repeater
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
bridge-group 1 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
no bridge-group 1 unicast-flooding
!
interface Dot11Radio1
no ip address
shutdown
antenna gain 0
peakdetect
dfs band 3 block
channel dfs
station-role root
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 subscriber-loop-control
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
bridge-group 1 block-unknown-source
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
no bridge-group 1 unicast-flooding
!
interface GigabitEthernet0
no ip address
duplex auto
speed auto
bridge-group 1
bridge-group 1 spanning-disabled
no bridge-group 1 source-learning
!
interface BVI1
mac-address f40f.1b14.7ce4
ip address dhcp client-id GigabitEthernet0
ipv6 address dhcp
ipv6 address autoconfig
ipv6 enable
!
ip forward-protocol nd
no ip http server
no ip http secure-server
ip http help-path http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/smbiz/prodconfig/help/eag
!
!
bridge 1 route ip
!
!
!
line con 0
line vty 0 4
login local
transport input all
!
end

Re: Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender

Rasika Nayanajith — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 20:16:53 GMT

Repeater mode is not the best way, try configure that 2nd AP as workgroup bridge mode as shown in below post. In that way you can plug wired devices behind that AP too..

https://mrncciew.com/2014/01/04/wireless-wired-clients-behind-wgb/

HTH

Rasika

*** Pls rate all useful responses ***

Re: Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender

fbeye — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 15:43:05 GMT

Hello and thank you for your response.

So with my configuration I am currently using 2 2.4G SSID's, House0fM and House0fMVPN. From what I gather, I would make a 3rd (under my scenario) SSID 5G "BridgeRoot" then on the 2nd AP I create a 5G "Bridge-Root" that connects to AP1 as the "bridge" and then a 2nd SSID (5G or 2.4G) of, lets say, "Bridge-User" and that will communicate back to the AP1 network and grab the IP Network from vlan 10, which is what the 2nd AP will only have as I will not was vlan 11, HouseofMVPN, to communicate with the AP2.

Initially I just wanted one SSID, House0fM, to be throughout the home and utilize the extender format to not have to switch SSID's depending on who is close to AP1 or AP2 but I suppose it does not matter as it will never change or need to be.

Please let me know if I am going the right direction or if I have missed the mark.

One more thing, do I need the 5G to be the communication between the AP1 and AP2 or can I make a 3rd 2.4G 'interface dot11radio0.13' (as I have the other 2 as my running-config shows)?

Matthew

Re: Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender

fbeye — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 00:05:07 GMT

Though I see the purpose of having this Bridge configuration and I understand Bridge, I feel for my setup this is not what I am trying to accomplish. My current AP(1) is my Wifi for all of my devices at one particular part of the house. The other side of the house I #1 get slow to no wifi signal from AP(1) and #2 I have no Ethernet running to the other side of the home for PoE for AP(2) so my intention was to configure a repeater to maintain the single SSID throughout the house but the devices on the other side, AP(2), can now have good connectivity, even at the cost of lower speed. Fiber down to 500 Meg is no worries.

As I was going through the guide you've given, I was trying to create an ssid and associate it with the vlan 10 coming from the switch, but it says vlan 10 is already in use on the other existing ssid. I do not want to create a whole new vlan and do my ip routing to my various networks through the Catalyst switch so I then thought well I will just convert existing vlan 10 ssid to the bridge config but realized my AP(1) will not broadcast wifi to users to connect to as it would bridge over to AP(2) so I really am just going in circles.

Unless I am unaware that I can still accomplish what I want (though I do not see #1 how 2 vlans can have same vlan or #2 how I can implement my existing ssid vlan 10 and still use either AP 1 or AP 2 as my Internet access depending on how close/far I am to them), I am still hoping to, at least for knowledge sake, figure out why my original post of creating a repeater with the acceptable loss of bandwidth was not working based on the 2 "show config" I posted.

Re: Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender

fbeye — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 22:02:00 GMT

Seems I have to utilize the 5G root to Client AP and then broadcast 2.4G for users as well as have to utilize primary vlan.

I got it all working with your guide, having to modify my existing setup to incorporate 5G (between AP's) but it works nice and I thank you.

I could try before I ask with my 3rd AP but I want to verify first before erasing its current multi ssid/vlan configuration but could I place the 3rd AP in another part of the house and configure it the same was as AP2 and also have the same [user/client] ssid that way depending on which has better signal it will connect to the respective AP?

Re: Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender

Rasika Nayanajith — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 22:20:30 GMT

Great to hear it.

Yes , you should be able to configure another AP as WGB and connect to your root AP. Yes client will able to connect either of those two WGB depend on the signal strength client can get from those WGBs

HTH

Rasika

Re: Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender

fbeye — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 22:28:10 GMT

Awesome, thank you. One final thing does it matter about channels? Without configuring specific channel settings does it auto channel or should I make one channel 5 and one channel 11? No one else is around so pretty sure those channels are free.

Re: Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender

Rasika Nayanajith — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 22:35:04 GMT

In 2.4GHz, use only channel 1 , 6 or 11. Do not use anything else.

I prefer you statically set, in that way it is predictable

HTH

Rasika

Re: Need some assistance with setting up Cisco AP as Extender

fbeye — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 23:45:55 GMT

Awesome, got it. With the 3 AP's (2 for clients) I now have 4 bars whole house and speed test is more than I need so the "loss" is fine. Thank you again.