AP 9120AXe-A will not upgarde to EWC

[TSW]

 file is transferred but nothing happens, Tried it with C9800-AP-universalk9.17.09.06 and C9800-AP-universalk9.17.12.04, but same result

AP505C.88D3.88BC#ap-type ewc-ap tftp://10.5.99.90/ap1g7 tftp://10.5.99.90/C9800-AP-iosxe-wlc.bin
Download script called with args:[-l tftp://10.5.99.90/C9800-AP-iosxe-wlc.bin -m 2]
Starting download eWLC image tftp://10.5.99.90/C9800-AP-iosxe-wlc.bin ...
It may take a few minutes. If longer, please abort command, check network and try again.
######################################################################## 100.0%
Checking ...OK
Checking image size...OK
Checking image family...OK
Verifying ...OK
Versioning ...ws_management_version: 17.12.04.0.4826
Successfully downloaded and setup eWLC image.
Image download completed.
Download script called with args:[-l tftp://10.5.99.90/ap1g7 -m 0]
Starting download AP image tftp://10.5.99.90/ap1g7 ...
It may take a few minutes. If longer, please abort command, check network and try again.
######################################################################## 100.0%
Upgrading ...
status 'upgrade.sh: Script called with args:[NO_UPGRADE]'
do NO_UPGRADE, part1 is active part
status 'upgrade.sh: Script called with args:[-c PREDOWNLOAD]'
do PREDOWNLOAD, part1 is active part
status 'upgrade.sh: Creating before-upgrade.log'
status 'upgrade.sh: Start doing upgrade arg1=PREDOWNLOAD arg2=,from_cli arg3= ...'
status 'upgrade.sh: Using image /tmp/cli_part.tar on axel-bcm ...'
status 'upgrade.sh: Error: image /tmp/cli_part.tar not found.'
status 'upgrade.sh: Cleanup for do_upgrade...'
status 'upgrade.sh: /tmp/upgrade_in_progress cleaned'
status 'upgrade.sh: Cleanup tmp files ...'
Failed to update flash
Image download completed.
Download script called with args:[-c]
Cleanup eWLC files ...
AP505C.88D3.88BC#[02/14/2025 17:30:08.2560] sched: RT throttling activated

AP505C.88D3.88BC#show version
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Cisco AP Software, (ap1g7), C9120, RELEASE SOFTWARE
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2025 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Wed Mar 6 10:46:41 GMT 2024

ROM: Bootstrap program is U-Boot boot loader
BOOTLDR: U-Boot boot loader Version 0x62

AP505C.88D3.88BC uptime is 0 days, 0 hours, 27 minutes
Last reload time : Fri Feb 14 17:04:51 UTC 2025
Last reload reason : Capwap Discovery Failed

cisco C9120AXE-A ARMv8 Processor rev 0 (v8l) with 1875204/1065676K bytes of memo
ry.
Processor board ID FJC28431E4R
AP Running Image : 17.12.3.31
Primary Boot Image : 17.12.3.31
Backup Boot Image : 0.0.0.0
Primary Boot Image Hash:
Backup Boot Image Hash:
1 Multigigabit Ethernet interfaces
2 802.11 Radios
Radio Driver version : Broadcom BCA: 17.20 RC10.0
Radio FW version : 1570.15685.r49671 0
NSS FW version : NA

Base ethernet MAC Address : 50:5C:88:D3:88:BC
Part Number : 0-000000-00
PCA Assembly Number : 800-110909-01
PCA Revision Number : A0
PCB Serial Number : FOC28301SS5
Top Assembly Part Number : 068-07700-01
Top Assembly Serial Number : FJC28431E4R
Top Revision Number : A0
Product/Model Number : C9120AXE-A

[Flavio Miranda]

@TSW 

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/embedded-wireless-controller-catalyst-access-points/white-paper-c11-743398.html

AP1#show version
.
...
AP Image type    : EWC-AP IMAGE
AP Configuration : EWC-AP CAPABLE

Table 1.        Access points that support the EWC

Access points supported as primary	Supported model numbers	Scale
Cisco Catalyst 9115AXI Access Point	C9115AXI-EWC-X	50 access points, 1000 clients
Cisco Catalyst 9115AXE Access Point	C9115AXE-EWC-X	50 access points, 1000 clients
Cisco Catalyst 9117AXI Access Point	C9117AXI-EWC-X	50 access points, 1000 clients
Cisco Catalyst 9120AXI Access Point	C9120AXI-EWC-X	100 access points, 2000 clients
Cisco Catalyst 9120AXE Access Point	C9120AXE-EWC-X	100 access points, 2000 clients
Cisco Catalyst 9120AXP Access Point	C9120AXP-EWC-X	100 access points, 2000 clients
Cisco Catalyst 9130AXI Access Point	C9130AXI-EWC-X	100 access points, 2000 clients
Cisco Catalyst 9130AXE Access Point	C9130AXE-EWC-X	100 access points, 2000 clients

[TSW]

Thank you for your reply,
As per our Cisco rep, the Embedded Wireless Controller SKU has been discontinued from Cisco, but we can still upgrade C9120AXE A to EWC ourselves.

The article you shared is from 2022

[Flavio Miranda]

the Embedded WLC that was discontinued was the one installed in switches. EWC  is not. But not all AP supports EWC and I believe yours does not. 

[TSW]

sorry for late reply, I will touch base with our rep today to confirm

[TSW]

@Flavio Miranda https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/embedded-wireless-controller-catalyst-access-points/wireless-ewc-access-point-eol.html

[Rich R]

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/ewc/17-15/rel-notes/ewc-rn-17-15-x.html#Cisco_Concept.dita_4e686689-db5f-464b-8157-92abcfd40028
"Cisco Catalyst 9120 Series" does support EWC up to 17.15.x IOS-XE (that's the last major version which will support EWC).

EWC on AP is End Of Sale - but you can still convert APs yourself and as per the release notes and EOS notice above, it will still be supported in the latest Extended Support release (17.15.x) in line with the 17.15 EOS timeline.

[Rich R]

The EWC conversions and updates are error prone.  I've seen this happen a few times.  My go-to recovery method is to re-flash the AP completely using https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/catalyst-9120axi-access-point/217537-repairing-c9120-c9115-access-points-from.html

1. Follow the guide to re-flash the AP to 8.10.130.0 CAPWAP software from u-boot.  That completely removes all traces of EWC from the AP flash (note that EWC cannot otherwise be removed from the flash (see https://bst.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvx22243) and cleans up any corruption of the flash.
2. Upgrade to 8.10.196.0 CAPWAP software.
3. Upgrade to 17.6.8 CAPWAP software
4. Convert to EWC 17.12.4 as per what you tried before.

[TSW]

thank you, will try this today and update

[michael hoogeveen]

I have run into this issue as well and I have found a fix which has worked for me in a way easier fasion.

Convert to workgroup bridge

Convert back to capwap as we cannot conver to ewc-ap from workgroup bridge

Convert to ewc-ap

1) ap-type workgroup-bridge

2) ap-type capwap

3) ap-type ewc-ap tftp://wlc tftp://ap