1552E MAC Filtering Question

[Dennis Kline]

I have a number of  1552e APs connected to a 5508 WLC.  We are using local MAC filtering to enable  the 1552's to connect to the WLC.

I have a several more 5508's in different locations, and can be used for back-up in the event the primary WLC fails.

I have the primary WLC, a secondary WLC and a tertiary WLC loaded into each the 1552's HA tab.

My question concerns the secondary and tertiary WLCs... do I have to load all the MAC addresses in each of those as well in order for the 1552's to connect  ?

If yes, is there an easy way to copy the local mac filtering from the primary WLC and load it into the other WLCs ?

If not, that's a lot of typing 

[Stephen Rodriguez · Accepted solution]

Yup, they need to exist anywhere that the AP could join.  As for the ease of adding them...NCS will allow you to push it as a template if you have it.

If not, you can do a show run-config commands from teh CLI, and then paste that piece of the config into the CLI of the other WLC.

HTH,
Steve

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[Dennis Kline]

Excellent.  Thanks, Steve

[George Stefanick]

Just to add to Steve's great post .. I recently was labing a mesh design. I found that you can add the ap mac either to the mac filter list OR the ap policy list. Could come in handy ..

__________________________________________________________________________________________
"Satisfaction does not come from knowing the solution, it comes from knowing why." - Rosalind Franklin
__________________________________________________________________________________________
‎"I'm in a serious relationship with my Wi-Fi. You could say we have a connection."

[Dennis Kline]

A follow up question....

Is there a correlation between MAC Filters and license count ?   Here's an example scenario

• I have 3 primary WLCs, each with 50 active 1552 APs
  
• I have one back-up "secondary" WLC with a 100 AP license count. 
  
• If I attempt to list all 150 MACs in the back-up, when it reaches 100 will it still allow me to list the remaining MACs, or is it going to reject the remaining because the back-up license count is only 100 APs ?
  

[George Stefanick]

Dennis,

No your license is your license and doesnt impact MAC address. BUT, what you should know you have a limit as to how many mac addresses a controller can use. See my blog post on the subject

http://www.my80211.com/cisco-wlc-cli-commands/2009/12/27/configure-local-mac-authentication-on-cisco-wlcs.html

__________________________________________________________________________________________
"Satisfaction does not come from knowing the solution, it comes from knowing why." - Rosalind Franklin
__________________________________________________________________________________________
‎"I'm in a serious relationship with my Wi-Fi. You could say we have a connection."