Any suggestions on how to accomplish upgrade of a 9130axi-b via TFTP

[drzehak91]

I recently received an RMA 9130axi-b running a very old image. The WLC is running 17.9.2 and the AP fails to download the new image due to a smaller flash partition. Best option here for me would be to follow an upgrade path first. I’m having a tough time getting this to happen. My question is: Is it possible to upgrade via TFTP directly connecting my computer and the AP similar to how one would with a switch? 

[Leo Laohoo]

Yes, it can be done without a WLC.  The command is:  archive download-sw /no-reload tftp://<TFTP_IP_ADDRESS>/<FILENAME.TAR>

[drzehak91]

I did try that. I set my laptop and the (at least I thought) AP addresses on a /24 subnet. Got everything ready on tftpd64. Tried to ping the laptop from the AP cli and couldn’t. I did also get an invalid command when I tried the command you posted above. I made sure to check my syntax as well. I had the AP in a poe brick and the pass through running back to my network adapter on my laptop. 

[Leo Laohoo]

Is the AP in local mode?  If the command is not accepted, maybe the AP is loaded with ME or eWLC firmware.

[drzehak91]

AP is in local mode and the software is for a lightweight deployment. I discovered the issue when the AP successfully established a connection with the WLC but kept looping on the image download. When I looked at the debug I searched the issue and found this https://community.cisco.com/t5/wireless/c9130axi-e-stuck-downloading-image/td-p/4772775

I figured ok. I have my plan but now I can seem to assign a static ip to the AP or even run the command. 

[Rich R]

Can you post *complete* logs from your AP from power on also showing what happens when you type those commands please?

Regarding the problem with flash partition space - this is a known issue and I documented the Cisco recommended approach here:
https://community.cisco.com/t5/wireless/c9130axi-e-stuck-downloading-image/m-p/4773527/highlight/true#M251543

If the AP is stuck in uboot then follow the recovery process from here:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/catalyst-9120axi-access-point/217537-repairing-c9120-c9115-access-points-from.html

[drzehak91]

Rich,

your post regarding the flash partition issue was the original road that led me here. What my issue was which I resolved this morning was that the AP did not take a static ip assignment and therefore wouldn’t talk to my tftp server. I worked around this by setting up a dhcp sever on a catalyst switch and then having it serve ip to both the AP and the laptop running as the server. You mentioned using a console cable to run a tftp server in your post. Other posts in that realm suggested this can’t be done since tftp is ip based. Using the switch method I was able to install a later image on the AP which then took the latest image from the controller in our production network. Perhaps in lightweight mode the AP doesn’t take a static ip? Regardless I was able to get it done. It was your previous post that put me on the right track to identify and solve the problem so thanks for your work there. As for why it wouldn’t take the command. I have no idea. I just performed a full factory reset on the AP and then it ran. 

[Rich R]

Glad you got there in the end.  It should allow static IP but if it can't reach a controller that way it will always fall back to using DHCP - this is a built-in/by-design recovery mechanism.  But if it didn't I wanted to see what command you had used and what response you got (might have been wrong command, response might have given a clue as to why it wasn't working).

Regarding TFTP and console - absolutely TFTP will only work over an IP connection!  I was probably referring to using the AP console to access the CLI rather than SSH/telnet.  People sometimes waste hours trying to get into the AP over IP when it would be quicker/simpler to use console.

[drzehak91]

It’s completely possible it was the wrong command. I used the following to try to set the ip to static. While powering the AP with a poe brick: capwap ap ip address <ip> <mask>. Searching through the available commands with “?” This was the only one that looked like it had potential. The AP seemed to take the instruction but when I looked at the running config there was no trace of it. 

[Scott Fella]

Keep in mind, that is this was an RMA, you could have had TAC work with you to get whatever you needed done.  Since you do have support on the ap, don't forget about the support piece that they can assist with.  Sometimes its best to work both sides, TAC and the forums.

[drzehak91]

I did work with TAC and they were able to point me to the right software hop download. However sometimes responses on a level 3 take a day or longer and time was starting to come at a premium so I decided to reach out to the community.