Maximum LAPs per VLAN

[c.andrew]

I am trying to find Cisco's current recommendation for the maximum number of LAPs per VLAN.

I've read (and remembered from a previous training course) the recommended maximum is 60-80 LAPs per VLAN and fewer than this if the APs are on the same VLAN as the management interface.

Please can anyone nudge me in the right direction?

Thanks,

Chris

[Rasika Nayanajith]

Hi Andrew,

As far as I am aware, there is no such value documented. I do not think it is really matter as long as WLC management is different to AP management.

It is important to separate WLC management & AP management into two separate vlan & block AP management traffic across trunk link to WLC. This will help to reduce unnecessary broadcast traffic hit WLC.

In my production AP management vlan is /23 (max of 510 hosts) & some places I have 400AP in single subnet.

HTH

Rasika

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[Leo Laohoo]

I am trying to find Cisco's current recommendation for the maximum number of LAPs per VLAN.

I've read (and remembered from a previous training course) the recommended maximum is 60-80 LAPs per VLAN and fewer than this if the APs are on the same VLAN as the management interface.

This is a loaded question and may have NOTHING to do with anything wireless.  

When you have a controller-based or autonomous AP deployement, you need a management VLAN.  And you treat any management VLANs the same as wired or wireless.  It doesn't mean that you can mix wireless management VLAN with wired management VLAN.  I mean, you can, but for sake of "neatness", I tend to keep them separate.  

[c.andrew]

Thanks for the replies.

I've found my Cisco course notes on this. It's from the current CCNP Wireless Mobility course (642-747), and I quote from Cisco's text (but it relates specifically to sizing the wireless network to accommodate passive mobility clients):

"Limit the number of APs per VLAN, such as 60 to 100 APs. This action helps to minimize re-association problems during network failure"

"Do not put more than 20 APs in the same VLAN with the management interface of the controller. Because of the many broadcast messages that APs generate, some discovery messages are dropped, resulting in slower AP joining processes."

[Scott Fella]

In the past there were recommendations but that was strictly for the older code versions. It's a good idea to keep the WLC management and AP's on separate subnets like Rasika mentioned. I have customers that wants to keep the AP's and WLC management on the same subnet and they have over 100+ access points and no issues. 

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Scotty