topic Re: Move ap from one controller to another in Wireless

Move ap from one controller to another

Jorgenw007 — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 17:40:00 GMT

Hello.

We are in the process of moving a bunch of access points from an old supplier to us as a new supplier.

The old supplier does have a WLC which "holds" all of the access points.

I set up a new 9800 WLC, and tried to move one of the access points to the L2 subnet where I have configured the wireless management network. I also created DHCP option 43 on the DHCP server thats distributes ip addresses for the access points. (I moved on of the access points from the "old" management network to the newly created one.

I could not get the access point to join my controller even though it got the DHCP option 43. It said something about a certificate error.

So my thoughts was to reset the AP, which I did with the MODE button.

The ap joined my controller. All good so far.

So now I need to get all of the other access points over to my new controller. The problem is that some of the access points are mounted 50 meters above ground and VERY hard to get physical access to.

My thoughts was that the old supplier enabled SSH on the access points, which they did, and after that I could reset them via SSH.

But no luck. The access points doesnt have the write/erase or any of those commands.

So my question is basically: Do I need to access the access points physically and press the MODE button to reset them, or is there some way to do it from the access points ssh? If so, how?

Remember I dont have access to the old suppliers WLC.

The access points is a mix between 1702 and 2802, and running boot version 15.3.0.0 and software version 17.3.4.40

Many thanks in advance.

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Flavio Miranda — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:03:37 GMT

Try the command "clear ap config <ap-name> keep-ip-config "

If not work you can try "capwap ap erase all"

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Jorgenw007 — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:24:33 GMT

[cid:image001.png@01D8492A.36FAA680]
Thank you for the response, but as my screenshot shows none of those commands work.
Any idea why?
This is also on my test ap which I currently have in my controller.
Is there a command I need to enable to be able to do the clear command?

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

balaji.bandi — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:26:52 GMT

I could not get the access point to join my controller even though it got the DHCP option 43. It said something about a certificate error.

Option 43 works if the device zero day provision on boarding. you need to reset the AP.

Make sure compatable matrix with WLC 9800 controller version with the AP.

So my question is basically: Do I need to access the access points physically and press the MODE button to reset them, or is there some way to do it from the access points ssh? If so, how?

Remember I dont have access to the old suppliers WLC.

If you dont have WLC access and can you able to SSH to AP ?

if not then Physical reset required, then move to new VLAN, if you have console cable check what is happening while booting to get information., so you can follow same steps for the rest of the AP.

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Jorgenw007 — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:29:42 GMT

Yes I am able to SSH to all the access points.

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Flavio Miranda — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:33:17 GMT

This AP you tried is which? This command exist in any capwap AP I know but it may change the syntax from one to another.

after 'capwap ap....' if you run ? which option do you have?

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Jorgenw007 — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:37:51 GMT

Please see attached picture.

The ap is 1702 connected to the controller which I have control over.

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

balaji.bandi — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:39:43 GMT

what mode is this : i guess CAPWAP.

clear capwap private
reset

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Flavio Miranda — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:50:02 GMT

Yeah, looks like is not possoble. We can see a "Reset" option there but probably wont help you. One another possibility is do it using Cisco Prime, in case you have it.

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Jorgenw007 — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 18:56:30 GMT

I am not experienced with either Cisco AP or WLC, but learning by the day.

What is the command to show mode?

The clear capwap private command is not recognized.

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Jorgenw007 — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 19:37:23 GMT

Hello again Flavio.

Thank you for your help so far.

I figured out on my controller I could run the clear ap config <ap-name> keep-ip-config. That command rebooted the ap and cleared the config.

Is the access point configured in a special way since I can only run that command from the controller?

Is there a way to ssh into the AP and set the "mode" of the AP to allow me to run those commands?

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Leo Laohoo — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 00:35:24 GMT

Look at the screenshot. The command is there: capwap ap primary-base <WLC Name> <WLC IP ADDRESS>

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

balaji.bandi — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 14:43:38 GMT

since you meantioned you learning, let me put some document :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/aironet-1200-series/99763-reset-lwappconfig-lap.html

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Rich R — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 14:33:41 GMT

@balaji.bandi beat me to it but the specific section you need is: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/aironet-1200-series/99763-reset-lwappconfig-lap.html#anc10

1702 is IOS

2802 is ClickOS (also referred to as COS)

Different commands on each type of AP OS.

As long as you're in enable mode they should work.

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Jorgenw007 — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 14:51:06 GMT

Hello and thank you for the tip.

i did this on One of the ap and moved it to the New subnet.

i am getting a ssl error on the ap.

currently on phone so I dont have the specific error but the AP does not want to join because of the ssl error.

it looks like a wipe from the previous controller or a physical wipe is the only option.

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Jorgenw007 — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 14:53:41 GMT

I am not sure why none of these commands work. But I am in enable mode.

I got the commands to work from my controller, but not with ssh into the ap.

And I dont have access to the previous suppliers controller, so it seems like the only method is to physical reset the ap.

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Rich R — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 15:26:00 GMT

Are you sure they're running CAPWAP images not IOS (1602) or ME (2802)?

What does "show ver" show for each?

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

Rich R — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 15:29:12 GMT

Another thing to be aware of https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/field-notices/639/fn63942.html

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

stucke01 — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:15:19 GMT

I struggled to find an answer to this as well. I want to move the access points without having to reset them, minimizing down time. I read in forums to shut down port-channels to the primary controller to make the access points go over the secondary controller. Yank the cabling. Even saw a post that said put an ACL up stream switch to block traffic to the controller you want to move away from.

I had the issue that I kept entering the HA commands in the CLI, but it would never actually reflect it in the GUI.

Example:

ap name wap-7-netlab-9120-01-oh controller primary wlc-7-netlab-9800-whq-02-oh 172.16.200.8
ap name wap-7-netlab-9120-01-oh controller secondary wlc-7-netlab-9800-whq-01-oh 172.16.200.6

This seem to fail for me because I already had entries set in my HA settings. If you try to make changes in the GUI you will get a message like this

Therefore, the best way I found to get the access points move the way I wanted was using "no" commands.

Example:

ap name wap-7-netlab-9120-01-oh no controller primary wlc-7-netlab-9800-whq-01-oh 172.16.200.6

ap name wap-7-netlab-9120-01-oh no controller secondary wlc-7-netlab-9800-whq-02-oh 172.16.200.8

Then enter the commands I wanted. After this the access points migrated without having to be reset.

Example:

ap name wap-7-netlab-9120-01-oh controller primary wlc-7-netlab-9800-whq-02-oh 172.16.200.8
ap name wap-7-netlab-9120-01-oh controller secondary wlc-7-netlab-9800-whq-01-oh 172.16.200.6

Re: Move ap from one controller to another

balaji.bandi — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:04:27 GMT

172.16.200.6

The error you getting, you providing both same address, in real world WLC will have 2 different IP addresses

If you like to use only 1 then use only 1 and submit that should work and reboot the AP to join new controller

AP need to reboot to join new WLC, that will cause users connected will disconnect, if no roaming available.