WLC9800-80 and AP9130 - again

[trondaker]

Hi,

New weird issue with the 9800-80 and AP9130. I have about 10 APs up on one edge-switch. 3 of these have joined the WLC and are working as expected. However, the last 7 are nowhere to be seen, even though they have the same DHCP-server (with the same option 43). Cant really see much of what's going on in the 9800-logs either. All 10 APs are reachable from controller with ping, but a debug ip packet on the WLC shows no attempts to join. Their image download has not started either, but why would 7 out of 10 APs not download the image? The troubleshooting part from https://www.ciscolive.com/c/dam/r/ciscolive/apjc/docs/2019/pdf/BRKEWN-3081.pdf yielded little results. Any ideas?

Software on 9800-80 17.2.1.

Smart licensing enabled:

AP Perpetual Networkstack Advantage (DNA_NWStack):
Description: AP Perpetual Network Stack entitled with DNA-A
Count: 3
Version: 1.0
Status: AUTHORIZED
Export status: NOT RESTRICTED

Was thinking this might be a license issue, but we have thousands of available licenses.

From CDP its clear that the image part is wrong, but they never start their download:

Cisco AP Software, ap1g6a-k9w8 Version: 17.2.1.11 <- working
Cisco AP Software, ap1g6a-k9w8 Version: 8.10.105.0 <- not working

[marce1000]

 - Attach a console to the problematic ap's (or one of them) and follow the complete boot process preferably also through a manner where the boot-log can be kept and reviewed - watch for errors and or concerning the join process.

 M.

[Rasika Nayanajith]

I would check if one of those AP put on the same vlan as WLC management, would it register using local vlan broadcast method?

Rasika

[Scott Fella]

So here is my experience with the 9130’s but only happens when connected to a Meraki switch. Sometimes these apps don’t join, but actually did an initial join. You can check this on the controller. I had to reset the ap by holding down the reset button for 20 seconds until the led flashes red. Then when they boot back up, the AP’s join. I don’t know if this is the same issue but give it a try with one or two aps that didn’t join. Also if this works, what you need to do is test. Shut the port down for a few seconds and power the ports back up and make sure the aps join again. When I have a power glitch, there are times where I have to use the reset button to get them back up. I have no issues with other model AP’s like the 4800, 1815w or 9120.

[JPavonM]

From console output I see the AP (c9130) connected to a Meraki switch is constantly sending CAPWAP discovery:

Discovery Request sent to 255.255.255.255, discovery type UNKNOWN(0).

The weird thing is that the AP is not processing any other method to populate the list of the known controllers but local broadcast (not DHCP option 43 currently configured, no DNS currently configured, not anything)

From Meraki's pcap file I see the CAPWAP discovery packet is malformed. Maybe this is due to the lack of destination in the packet.

Control And Provisioning of Wireless Access Points - Control
[Malformed Packet: CAPWAP-CONTROL]
[Expert Info (Error/Malformed): Malformed Packet (Exception occurred)]
[Malformed Packet (Exception occurred)]
[Severity level: Error]
[Group: Malformed]

this is first time I connect c9130 so maybe is some bug included on manufactured release code (8.10.105.0). Checked both release notes for this and later codes, and Cisco Bug Search Tool, but nothing there in regards of this as a known bug.

I'm going to open a TAC case becuase of this.

HTH
-Jesus
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[marce1000]

 - I wonder -> do they work when connected to a native cisco switch ?

   M.

[Scott Fella]

I have noticed an issue with my 9130’s connected to a Meraki switch, no issues when connected to a 3850 or 3650. When I have a power outage at home, I pray that they come back up or else I have to factory reset the AP’s and then they join back up. This is only for 9130’s as my 9120’s, 4800 and 1815w has no issues connected to my Meraki switch.

[trondaker]

• Ill check on the console port tomorrow :) Thanks for the replies, will reset one to see if that helps!