topic Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller in Wireless

Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 17:31:19 GMT

Hello,

I am new to the Cisco Self Standing Wireless LAN Controller System. I have always used Mobility Express, and I know it is end of life. The purpose of this AP is for learning and using it in my home lab. I have read this post below:

Migrate ME to C9800 - Cisco Community

I want to know how hard it is to migrate an Aironet 3802 using Mobility Express to a 9800 Series Wireless LAN Controller. Is using the Mobility Express Migration Wizard that simple? I mean if it is that easy then this should be a piece of cake, but nothing ever is easy with technology, and I know there are tweaks that might need to be made. I am going to be installing in its place a 9178i and this AP only works with capwap so I need the Wireless LAN Controller, and I am very inexperienced with it and I have done a bunch of reading, but still a little cloudy on this new technology. Does anyone have a good go to site on how the setup is and ease of use? Thank you.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Mark Elsen — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 17:39:19 GMT

= @dcgtechnologies The 9800 controller(s) series must be considered separate appliances and you can not use access points
for that (in contrast with ME , except the EWC (embedded wireless controller) but that solution is EOL).
So you start with a new controller , for which you can for instance also use the virtual controller
9800-CL as an entry point. Once configured it can serve access points.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Mark Elsen — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 17:41:41 GMT

- @dcgtechnologies This presentation is rather easy for initial setup of a 9800 controller :
https://www.ciscolive.com/c/dam/r/ciscolive/global-event/docs/2024/pdf/BRKEWN-2094.pdf
I prefer not to migrate but configure a 9800 controller from scratch (again)

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 17:50:38 GMT

Hi Mark. Thank you for that response. I am actually using the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller Image Version 17.15.3 for VMWare vSphere, but my main concern is ease of setup and use as I run an internal RADIUS Server too and I am pretty sure it requires a certificate. How hard it is to get the cert or the key it requires. Is the key a password or an actual cert? I am in the process of learning, but I think I got it setup correctly as the Layer 3 IP is on 192.168.1.x and the Wireless Management is on 192.168.10.x.so I think I am well on my way, but I want to change the IP of the WLC after my migration / setup.

Why do you prefer to NOT migrate? I am just curious, and I know clean installs are always good and better.

Thank you.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Mark Elsen — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 18:14:34 GMT

- @dcgtechnologies Yes it requires a certificate for the Wireless Management Interface (the one use by access points)
This comes from : https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/9800/technical-reference/c9800-best-practices.html
There are extra considerations needed for the 9800-CL as the virtual appliance doesn’t come with a Manufacture Installed Certificate. It needs a Self Signed Certificate (SSC) to terminate CAPWAP tunnel from the AP. Follow the steps below to generate an SSC for a 9800-CL:
>...
Create a new SSC for the management interface using the exec command:
wireless config vwlc-ssc key-size 2048 signature-algo sha256 password 0 <password>

About being on your way : when configuring a 9800 controller , validate the configuration using the CLI command
show tech wireless and feed the output from that into Wireless Config Analyzer
You will get a report with several remarks and advices , errors red flagged
for the controller part must always be corrected.

I indeed prefer clean installs too, getting acquainted with the 9800 configuration model and concepts.
This document is small and helpful for initial setups and getting started :
https://www.ciscolive.com/c/dam/r/ciscolive/global-event/docs/2024/pdf/BRKEWN-2094.pdf

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 18:29:22 GMT

Thank you Mark! All your information is very valuable. Could I import a configuration from my Mobility Express Instance into the 9800 Wireless LAN Controller to populate the configuration and not really doing a migration, but more of a learning experience as I can always blow this thing away and re-build it to do a clean install once I understand concepts. Thank you.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Mark Elsen — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 18:44:56 GMT

- @dcgtechnologies No you can't import a configuration from Mobility Express Instance into the 9800 Wireless LAN Controller to populate the configuration because the 9800 would not understand it. It will only work with a converter tool:
https://community.cisco.com/t5/wireless/wlc-config-converter-aireos-ios-xe/td-p/2895495

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 20:40:30 GMT

Now that is awesome! Is the mobility express the old the Airos Operating System I am assuming? Do they need to be converted to *.cfg when imported to the 9800 WLC? How to you import the config via GUI? I just converted mine. Thank you.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Leo Laohoo — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:56:19 GMT

@dcgtechnologies wrote:
Why do you prefer to NOT migrate? I am just curious, and I know clean installs are always good and better.

NOT migrate is out of the question because the AP chosen requires the new 17.15.X firmware to operate.

Migrating from AireOS to IOS-XE is not easy and using a migration "tool" is not foolproof either. I prefer re-configuring the new 980-CL from scratch that way you will get acquainted with the different knobs and buttons available.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 22:16:29 GMT

I am running 17.15.3 and well this is a learning experience for me so I am trying to use the config convertor instead of the migration tool, plus I want to leave my legacy AP up and running so I can perform the testing that I need to do to make sure this will actually work and I know what I am doing. Thank you for the information.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 04:48:02 GMT

I am trying to configure the SVI vlan 100 for the Wireless Management. It is in admin status of "UP", but it is operational status is "Down". How do I get it in the Operational status of "UP". I did use the switchport command and assigned VLAN100 as the native vlan, but it turned vlan1 to "UP" on the operational status. Is there supposed to be a vlan assigned to the management interface?

Under the VRF tab I setup the Mgmt-intf and used IP 4 Protocol, but not familiar with the Route Distinguisher, Route-Target Import. or the Route-Target Export. What are these fields? Do they require anything to be filled out?

Thank you all.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Mark Elsen — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 12:04:36 GMT

- @dcgtechnologies >.... I am trying to configure the SVI vlan 100 for the Wireless Management. It is in admin status of "UP", but it is operational status is "Down". How do I get it in the Operational status of "UP". I did use the switchport command and assigned VLAN100 as the native vlan, but it turned vlan1 to "UP" on the operational status. Is there supposed to be a vlan assigned to the management interface?
Make sure to also use the 'no shutdown' directive on both the SVI and it's corresponding
physical interface(s). The management interface is often confusing on a 9800-CL.
1) Meaning the interface for managing access points then yes it needs a vlan.
2) It's also advisable to use an SVI for the interface that is used to manage the controller

>....Under the VRF tab I setup the Mgmt-intf and used IP 4 Protocol, but not familiar with the Route Distinguisher, Route-Target Import. or the Route-Target Export. What are these fields? Do they require anything to be filled out?
These parameters are not important on the 9800 controller and don't need changing.
They are part of the overall IOS-XE operating system and targeted for routers (e,g,)

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Rich R — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:39:14 GMT

Just a few points:

- Yes ME runs on a cut-down version of AireOS. You can use the converted config as a basic guideline for what a 9800 config would look like but best to build your own from scratch.

- Familiarise yourself with the 9800 config structure:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/9800/config-guide/newconfigmodel/b_catalyst-9800-configuration-model.html
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/catalyst-9800-series-wireless-controllers/213911-understand-catalyst-9800-wireless-contro.html
And Best Practices (link below)

- There are plenty of blogs, guides and videos on how to configure 9800 - just need to search.

- 9178 (WiFi 7 Global Use AP) introduces a number of new concepts for Cisco APs, and WiFi 7 itself - 802.11be - has some new challenges. Have a good read through:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/access_point/technical-reference/global-use-ap-dg.html
and
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/9800/technical-reference/wpa3-dg.html

- As @Mark Elsen said always use Config Analyzer to check your WLC config with "show tech wireless" output.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 16:53:54 GMT

Thank you for your help Mark. You have been wonderful through this whole process. I did try to put the "no shutdown" command on the Vlan and the physical interface itself and I am not able to see it in the config, but when I apply "shutdown" to both I see that in the config. Is there something I am doing wrong here? I have not been able to get the "no shutdown" command to take, but I do save it correctly.

See config below:

interface GigabitEthernet1
description Management Network Interface
no switchport
ip address 192.168.1.x 255.255.255.0
negotiation auto
!
interface GigabitEthernet2
description Wireless Management Network Interface
no switchport
no ip address
negotiation auto
!
interface Vlan1
ip dhcp client client-id ascii cisco-001e.493f.ccff-Vl1
no ip address
no ip proxy-arp
!
interface Vlan100
description Mgmt_Network
ip dhcp relay source-interface Vlan100
ip address 192.168.10.x 255.255.255.0
no ip proxy-arp

Thank you.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Mark Elsen — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:13:20 GMT

- @dcgtechnologies You should always be able to use the 'shutdown' or 'no shutdown' when configuring an interface
(SVI or Gi(x)) ,indeed
. The lines you post look good. If an interface stays in shutdown (operational status) even when
telling it directly 'no shutdown' during configuration ; then examine the logs on the controller.
(immediately thereafter)

Or perhaps better issue the command : terminal monitor first (to get console messages directly)
Then try the intended interface configurations again and see what happens

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:21:01 GMT

When I try to reload I get the "% Bad Ip address or host name% Unknown command or computer name, or unable to find computer address error message so I know something is wrong. How can I enable putty as it asks for a password so I can record the config to run it through the Wireless Config Analyzer? Thank you.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Mark Elsen — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:48:06 GMT

- @dcgtechnologies That's a bit confusing 'reload' should just reboot the controller and does not give
extra messages. You could post a screenshot of what you are observing.
You don't need to configure a password in putty , because the controller will prompt
for a username and password when connecting to it, BUT a known privileged administrator
with a password
must be configured in the controller's running configuration as in for instance :

username admin privilege 15 password <MY_PWD>

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 18:35:15 GMT

Hi Mark,

Is the web login and pass the same for the putty session?

I tried to look at the logs on the controller for the changes for "no shutdown" and see nothing. It will not display at all. I am still working through it. I try "reload" and type "c" and it goes to the next line and I type "onfirm" and it goes to the prompt and then get that same message, but I am still not able to reload controller even when I type "confirm". See the screenshot below:

Do these logs tell you anything? See below:

ct 9 17:23:09.066: %WEBSERVER-5-LOGIN_PASSED: Chassis 1 Login Successful from host 192.168.1.x by user 'admin' using crypto cipher 'TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384'

Oct 9 17:23:09.065: %SEC_LOGIN-5-WEBLOGIN_SUCCESS: Login Success [user: admin] [Source: 192.168.1.x] at 11:23:09 GMT Thu Oct 9 2025

Oct 9 17:02:03.697: %SYS-6-PRIVCFG_ENCRYPT_SUCCESS: Successfully encrypted private config file

Oct 9 17:01:59.454: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

Oct 9 17:01:17.250: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Vlan1, changed state to up

Oct 9 17:01:17.246: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet2, changed state to up

Oct 9 17:01:16.320: %SYS-6-PRIVCFG_ENCRYPT_SUCCESS: Successfully encrypted private config file

Oct 9 17:01:16.250: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface Vlan1, changed state to up

Oct 9 17:01:16.245: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet2, changed state to up

Oct 9 17:01:11.134: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

Oct 9 17:01:09.303: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet2, changed state to down

Oct 9 16:34:30.986: %SYS-6-PRIVCFG_ENCRYPT_SUCCESS: Successfully encrypted private config file

Oct 9 16:34:27.444: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface Vlan100, changed state to up

Oct 9 16:34:27.141: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

Oct 9 16:27:03.675: %SYS-6-PRIVCFG_ENCRYPT_SUCCESS: Successfully encrypted private config file

Oct 9 16:26:58.908: %LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface Vlan100, changed state to administratively down

Oct 9 16:26:58.590: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

Oct 9 16:26:20.698: %SYS-6-PRIVCFG_ENCRYPT_SUCCESS: Successfully encrypted private config file

Oct 9 16:26:16.830: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

Oct 9 16:24:01.678: %SYS-6-PRIVCFG_ENCRYPT_SUCCESS: Successfully encrypted private config file

Oct 9 16:23:56.409: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

What do you think? Thank you.

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

Mark Elsen — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 18:52:16 GMT

- @dcgtechnologies Let's keep it contained with one issue at a time ; just type return after [confirm].
Don't use the character c as extra input. Will the controller then reboot ?

Re: Mobility Express To 9800 Wireless LAN Controller

dcgtechnologies — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 19:09:32 GMT

Awesome! Just clicking Enter reboots the controller. Why do that have you type out "confirm". That is interesting. Now if we can get putty to work for me. I have tried admin and the password I made for it. How can I reset it? I still get access denied. Once I get into the putty session I can get the config much easier and run in through the wireless config tool. I am still scratching my head on the "no shutdown" issue. I use "config t" for all my configuration changes. Thank you.