AP could not connect with the WLC.

[diwakar410]

We have cisco WLC 2500 series and 5 APs 1700 series working on controller mode.
I have configured the controller like i always used to do but this time the APs were unable to join the controller.
This is what i did:
controller IP address:192.168.1.250/24
GW:192.168.1.1
Primary DHCP: 192.168.1.250
I have connected the controller port1 with ethernet cable from switch and from the same switch i connected the AP.
We have used the adapter instead of the POE switch.
I even tried assigning address to AP directly through the console as:
capwap ap controller ip address and so on. This didn't help either.

There was this message in AP "%CAPWAP-5-DHCP_RENEW: Could not discover WLC using DHCP IP. Renewing DHCP IP."
By the way, the POE ports in the controller, do they provide enough power for the AP to function?
Please help.
I have attached the putty log as well. 

[Milos Megis · Accepted solution]

Hi,
connection to WLC was successfully created. But then dropped for any reason. I am not sure if this help but try to connect ethernet cable directly to POE port of AP instead of AUX port.
You can use POE port on AP even if you don´t use POE switch.

And regarding POE port on WLC. Cisco doesn´t recommend to connect AP directly to WLC but it is possible.

Also I don´t see that IP address was assigned by DHCP.
Try also use commands:
capwap ap ip address...
capwap ap ip default-gateway...

I suppose that switch and WLC are configured properly.

EDIT:

I had today similar problem.
Just connect console cable to AP, go to enable mode and type commands:
clear capwap private-config
clear lwap private-config

then reload AP with "reload" command.

After these comands AP joined to WLC succesfully

[diwakar410]

Hi there,

I have been connecting the AP to the POE port only. I have tried using the above commands too.

Yesterday, AP was able to join the controller and later i assigned static address to the APs, then the connection was lost.

Now, i am doubting the performance of their router. They have Microtik router, Is there any specific configuration that i need to check there?

[diwakar410]

Actually, the problem was with my date and time configuration in cisco wlc. Everytime the WLC was shut down and again powered on, the date and time would set to default 2000 Jan 1. I am looking to work with the NTP server configuration in the wlc.

[Milos Megis]

Time can be problem.

All AP have MIC (manufacturer installed certificate) which is usually valid for 10 years from manufacturing date.
If WLC has date and time out of certificate validity then WLC consider it as non secure and don´t create DTLS tunnel connection.

I had in past similar problem too, but there was different message in AP log.