Is it possible to use existing SSIDs over Flexconnect

[Terence Lockette]

Hello all,

I have a remote location separated by L3 routers and have APs operating in flexconnect mode.  My CIO would like to use the same SSIDs we have at the main campus at the remote office to make the user experience more seamless so that users moving between locations don't have to worry about connecting to different SSIDs.  Is it possible to achieve this with access points operating as flexconnect?  If so, can you point me in the direction for documentation and/or configuration examples & guides so that I can review it?  Thank you.

Terence

[Scott Fella]

This is possible and is always recommended. You look at this the same as if you have controllers in every site, you would have the same SSID and the same user experience. In FlexConnect, you just add the SSID's and the vlan mapping like you do now for your current site. You can either create a new FlexConnect Group or add the AP's to the existing as long as you want to keep the sites the same. YOu need to review your configurations in detail and determine if any changes are required. https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/7-4/configuration/guides/consolidated/b_cg74_CONSOLIDATED/b_cg74_CONSOLIDATED_chapter_010001111.html

[Terence Lockette]

So since my remote site has different VLANs than my corporate site, how does the VLAN mapping work?  If I'm using the same SSIDs at the remote branch, obviously we can't span the VLANs across the L3 link so does the mapping link the corporate office VLANs to the remote branch VLANs?  Can you shed some light on this for me?

[rayyaanfayker0006]

Hi

Once you convert your remote site APs to flexconnect it will turn into a device that is capable to route locally meaning you can tag a vlan to an SSID,  

Here is link on how to configure flexconnect on a WLC, just remember that your ports leading to the your new flexconnect APs need to be a trunk.

https://community.cisco.com/t5/wireless-mobility-documents/wireless-lan-flexconnect-configuration-example/ta-p/3112924

[Terence Lockette]

I don't know why I was not getting notifications for replies to this discussion but I ended up forgetting about it until the issue popped up again.  Anyway, the APs at our branch office are already operating in flexconnect mode but I'm not using Flexconnect groups.  Do you think setting up the same SSIDs is worth the hassle versus installing a spare 2504 WLC at this office and just managing the WLANs separately?  I'm not sure how much more complicated it'll get since the SSIDs we want to broadcast will be authenticating to Cisco ISE using guest hotspot portal, 802.1X, and iPSK.

[Scott Fella]

Well that makes a difference. Not really sure why you wouldn't try to keep the same vlan id's at other sites, but anyways, you just need to map the ssid to vlans in the flexconnect group and assign the ap's to that flexconnect group. Just follow the guide as that give you the best direction on what to do. https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/8-7/config-guide/b_cg87/flexconnect_groups.html#task_06C2951A1353467FB7B705C114EA9E97