WLC 5508 & Aironet 3502 questions CleanAir, AP modes, WCS

[JASON SIMMONS]

We currently have several 1230, 1240, & 1250 series LWAPPs in our environment being controlled by a 5508WLC.  We are going to upgrade all of the access points in our environment to the 3502 access points. We are having a site survey performed to determine the best placement of the access points and where additional access points are needed. Is there anything else required to successfully run and mainatain CleanAir? Currently all of are access point are in local mode.  Will there need to be a few dedicated monitor access points?  Is there a certian ratio of monitor APs to local APs that should be followed? We've had to deploy a couple of our 3502 access points because the existing ones failed and I noticed that the WCS would not predict the RF heatmap of the 3502 access point.  Is that something that will be addresses in a later version of the WCS software?

TIA

[Nicolas Darchis]

Hi,

the heatmap of the 3502 should definitely appear. What is your WCS version ?

The 3502 don't need to be in monitor mode to detect interferences as the cleanair chipset is a different chip from the wifi radio so they can work together. Monitor mode would be useful to have extra APs for location tracking without ending up with an over-dense coverage. It also helps on rogue detection, etc ...

So that's up to you and there is no ratio to follow.

Nicolas

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[JASON SIMMONS]

WCS running 6.0.170.0

Contollers running 7.0.98.0

[Rob Huffman]

Hi Jason,

Just to add a note to the good tips from the Wireless Jedi master (+5 Nicholas)

The Cisco "best practice" for the WCS is to be at an equal or greater version

release than the WLC. In your case;

WCS Version = 7.0.164.0

Supported Controller Versions

7.0.98.0
6.0.196.0
6.0.188.0
6.0.182.0
6.0.108.0
5.2.193.0
5.2.178.0
5.2.157.0
4.2.209.0
4.2.207.0
4.2.205.0
4.2.176.0
4.2.173.0
4.2.130.0
4.2.112.0
4.2.99.0
4.2.61.0

You will see support for the 3500 series was added in this WCS version as well;

Cisco Unified Wireless Network Solution Components

The following components are part of the Cisco UWN Solution and are compatible in this release:

•Operating system (Wireless LAN Controller and Cisco Aironet Lightweight Access Point)

•Cisco Wireless Control System (Cisco WCS)

•Cisco Mobility Services Engine

•Cisco WCS Navigator

•Cisco 2700 Series Location Appliance

•Cisco 2000 Series Wireless LAN Controllers

•Cisco 2100 Series Wireless LAN Controllers

•Cisco 4400 Series Wireless LAN Controllers

•Cisco 5500 Series Wireless LAN Controllers

•Catalyst 3750G Wireless LAN Controller Switches

•Cisco Wireless Services Modules (WiSMs) for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches

•Cisco WLAN Controller Network Modules for Cisco Integrated Services Routers

•Cisco Aironet 1000, 1040, 1100, 1130, 1140, 1200, 1230, 1240, 1250, 1260, 1310, 1500, 1524, 3500i, and 3500e Series Lightweight Access Points

•Cisco Aironet 801, 1100, 1130, 1200, 1240, 1250, 1141, and 1142 Autonomous Access Points

•Autonomous Access Points for 1801, 1802, 1803, 1811, 1812, 851, 857, 871, 876, 877, and 878 Cisco Integrated Services Routers

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/wcs/release/notes/WCS_RN7_0.html#wp44347

Cheers!

Rob

[Leo Laohoo]

Is there a certian ratio of monitor APs to local APs that should be followed?

Read somewhere that the maximum number of 3500 APs you can put into Monitor mode is 35.