2800 APs and 3800 Controller - Unable to connect the wifi via iPhone

[AlfianZaini]

Hi Guys,

I have a situation where my users cannot connect their WIFI/SSID using their iPhone. However, for android users they have no issue with the wifi; I believe their iPhone has updated with the latest IOS version.

The current firmware version of my Controller 3800 and AP 2800 are 8.5.131.0.

Appreciate your ideas and thoughts.

[marce1000]

 - I presume  you are talking about Mobility Express on the 3800 platform ; checkout
   https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/wireless-lan-controller-software/200046-tac-recommended-aireos.html#toc-hId-1155806302
   This should be done as those platforms are getting old, so the IOS update could be correlated to the current version being too old on the 3800 , for instance.

   If then not resolved use client debugging according to https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/wireless-lan-controller-software/213258-collect-debugs-from-wireless-lan-control.html
  The resulting client debugs can be analyzed with Wireless Debug Analyzer

  M.

[AlfianZaini]

Thanks, @marce1000, for your input. I believe one way to solve the issue is to upgrade the firmware to the latest version. I have downloaded 8.10.196.0 just now; can I just jump the upgrade from 8.5.131.0. to 8.10.196.0 or do I need to upgrade to a certain version first eg. 8.7.x.x, then I can continue to upgrade to 8.10.196.0?

Then may I know how or where can I refer the steps to perform the firmware upgrade?

Thank you

[marce1000]

           - You can  upgrade directly from  8.5.131.0. to 8.10.196.0  ; here is a (sample) guide :
              https://www.wiresandwi.fi/blog/cisco-mobility-express-software-upgrade

 M.
    

[Rich R]

If you encounter upgrade failure (not to not enough flash space) which is a common problem with ME upgrades then:
- Backup your ME config
- Convert AP to CAPWAP mode
- Install 8.10.196.0 CAPWAP image https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286304536/type/286288051/release/15.3.3-JK11
- Convert to ME 8.10.196.0 https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286304536/type/286289839/release/8.10.196.0
-Restore ME config
Remember you'll need to install the image manually on 2800 or setup TFTP server for the 2800 to download from as per ME guide.

[AlfianZaini]

Hi @Rich R thank you for sharing this. May I know what ME stands for? could you please help how do I perform the backup config?

[Rich R]

ME = Mobility Express

https://networksandrants.com/2019/06/05/backup-and-restore-config-of-mobility-express/

[AlfianZaini]

Hi @marce1000 , thank you for sharing this, really appreciate it. May I know how do I backup the configuration for the Controller (3800 series) and the APs (2800 series)?

[marce1000]

  @AlfianZaini wrote >... thank you for sharing this, really appreciate it. May I know how do I backup the configuration for the Controller (3800 series) and the APs (2800 series)?
               You can only make a complete backup of the Mobility Express controller , which is somewhere available in the GUI , don't remember the exact location , 

 M.

[AlfianZaini]

Hi @marce1000 , thank you fo your help. I guess I know how to backup the controller via GUI. But my question is if I do this backup, does it mean the controller will help to backup all the correspondent APs?

[Scott Fella]

The ap's are lightweight, which means that they don't have any configurations.  Some info about the ap is stored on the ap itself, but the brains is on the controller which you want to make sure you have a backup of. The controller has all the settings for the wlans, syslog, radius, etc that will get pushed to ap's that are joined.

[AlfianZaini]

Thank you @Scott Fella  and @marce1000 for your kind help and enlightenment, really appreciate it. Then my next question is while we are doing the upgrade, do we need to send someone, or a technician to standby at the location/premise? Because I will do the upgrade remotely; not at the location itself.

[marce1000]

 - It would be advisable to have some one standby at the location, to be able to intervene if something goes wrong , 

 M.

[AlfianZaini]

Hi @marce1000 , thank you for your kind help on my questions. I guess this is my last question. When I upgrade my controller from 8.5.131.0. to 8.10.196.0  via Mobility express GUI, will it automatically upgrade my APs as well? Currently I have 15 APs that connected to the single controller. All of them are having the same firmware ver os 8.5.131.0 with the controller is 3800 series and the APs are 2800 series

[marce1000]

  @AlfianZaini wrote : >... will it automatically upgrade my APs as well? 
                                                 Yes , 

M.