AIR-CAP3502I-E-K9 access point questions

[vjekobalas]

I purchased four AIR-CAP3502I-E-K9 access points for home/lab use.
The access points have the following firmware installed respectively:
12.4(23c)JA3, 12.4(23c)JA3, 12.4(25e)JA1, 12.4(23c)JA

I would like to update them all to the newest firmware and possibly use them with a vWLC
if I can get a hold of it economically. I have a few questions to avoid unnecessary mistakes.

I checked the Cisco Wireless Solutions Software Compatibility Matrix:

and see in table 5  Cisco WLC Software Releases, AP IOS Releases, and Supported Access Points
that the 3500i (I presume this covers the whole 3500i range including 3502i) is listed with
Cisco WLC Release : 8.5.161.0 and
Access Point IOS Release : 15.3(3)JF12

Is 15.3(3)JF12 the latest version for my access points and can I update directly from
what is installed on the access points now ?

In the relese notes for 15.3(3)JF12 - there is mention of autonomous mode for AP3500
- does this mean that I could use the four access points in autonomous mode in case
I can’t obtain the vWLC / would this work ?

For the vWLC – do I just need to ask for a one-off download for the 8.5.161.0 evaluation version ?

[Cristian Matei · Accepted solution]

Hi,

    1. If you want to keep it as autonomous, yes the latest supported version is 15.3(3)JF12.

    2. If you want to migrate to LAP/WLC:

              - you need to convert the AP's from autonomous to LAP, see here

              - running vWLC with 8.5.161 is good, stable version

              - you need to statically point the LAP's towards the WLC, or LAP's can discover it via DHP option 43, see here

              - you need to license vWLC in order for the LAP's to join the WLC; it comes with default 5 licenses, which is enough for your 4 LAP's, if you need more LAP's, you need to order licenses, see here

Regards,

Cristian Matei.

[vjekobalas]

Two things are still not clear for me:
(a)Does version 15.3(3)JF12 combine both autonomous and LAP functionality in the one package ?
(b)Would four of these access points work well in autonomous mode / what is the disadvantage/ possible problems ?

[Scott Fella]

Autonomous and Lwapp/Capwap is different. When you are using a controller, just focus on the code you will be running on the controller and make sure that the AP’s are supported on that code.

[Cristian Matei]

Hi,

   15.3(3)JF12 is if you want to run autonomous, not LAP/WLC. For LAP/WLC you have the guyed above, for AP conversion. There are many benefits with using Unified WLAN (LAP/WLC), but for a small deployment of 4 access-points, you're good to run with autonomous. Unified WLAN brings major benefits on the management side (single point of management and control for software version, for configuration, for logs) and on the radio side (better radio channel assignment and thus better performance, better micro-segmentation of radio cells between AP's thus less noise in the radio environment and thus better performance, better radio level security, etc).

Regards,

Cristian Matei.

[vjekobalas]

I think I missed something obvious which explains my question about which software has autonomous functionality
and which has LAP/WLC - please correct me if I'm wrong:
There are separate versions of the software for autonomous and LAP/WLC modes of operation
- software for autonomous mode contains "k9w7" in the file name eg. ap3g1-k9w7-tar.153-3.JF12.tar
- software for LAP/WLC mode contains "k9w8" in the file name eg. ap3g1-k9w8-tar.153-3.JF12.tar


Can either of these software be obtained (at least the autonomous version)
on a right to use basis / without payment once someone has already purchased an access point
as the access point hardware is basically useless without it ?

[Cristian Matei]

Hi,

     That is correct, there is an autonomous image and an LAP image, as i stated above. Usually you just migrate the AP to LAP and afterwards the LAP downloads the image from the controller/WLC, per the software the WLC is running.

    The only way to get your hands on those images, is either if you have a support contract, or someone gives you the images, or maybe you get lucky and find it somewhere on the Internet.

Regards,

Cristian Matei.

[tomhatlen]

Hi how do i download the autonomous image ? and do i need a pro contract to download it ? bought the device second hand and planed to use it in private home without WLC

[Leo Laohoo]

The 3500 is already past End-of-Life date.  All files, including firmware, have been removed from public. 

If you have the filename, use Google and see where it takes you.

[RxTx]

Hi,

for home use / lab & learn I will use vWLC over Autonomous image with more than two AP.

If you already have a x86 low power computer ( iNUC ) install Linux and use VirtualBox image and you are fine with RTU.