AP joins WLC for 2 minutes, then drops, and rejoins

[cisconn00b]

Hello I am having an issue with a wireless controller Catalyst model 9800 L-F and access point model C9115AXI-B.  The APs are able to join the WLC but after 2 minutes or so, they will drop, start blinking green, red, and off and then rejoin the WLC.  It does this every 2 minutes or so.  When it is joined, I am able to connect to the AP with another device, the light will turn solid blue, device will pull an IP address and get wifi but it will still drop and rejoin every few minutes.  

WLC and APs are running version 17.3.4c  

Also, is it possible to use Aruba access points with this model of WLC?  

[balaji.bandi]

Looks for me is the AP is in correct region, and any cert issue, what is the Logs show on the Controller ?

also verify the config as mentioned in cisco document :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9800-series-wireless-controllers/guide-c07-743627.html

[cisconn00b]

below is what I see in syslog in the troubleshooting tool on GUI.  I am still new to networking and configuring so will try to verify if I have the right config.  

Jun 16 00:38:51.724: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: Session-IP: xxxxxx[5279] Mac: xxxxxxx CAPWAP DTLS session closed for AP, cause: DTLS server session shutdown

Jun 16 00:38:32.803: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: Session-IP: xxxxxxxx[5266] Mac: xxxxxx CAPWAP DTLS session closed for AP, cause: DTLS server session shutdown

Jun 16 00:38:17.332: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: AP Name: xxxxxxxx, MAC: xxxxxxxxx Joined

Jun 16 00:37:51.165: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: Session-IP: xxxxxxxxx[5265] Mac: xxxxxxxxx CAPWAP DTLS session closed for AP, cause: DTLS server session shutdown

Jun 16 00:36:59.122: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: AP Name: xxxxxxxxxxxx, MAC: xxxxxxxxx Joined

Jun 16 00:36:40.144: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: AP Name: xxxxxxxxxxxx, MAC: xxxxxxxxxx Joined

Jun 16 00:36:32.969: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: Session-IP: xxxxxxxxxx[5279] Mac: xxxxxxxxxx CAPWAP DTLS session closed for AP, cause: DTLS server session shutdown

Jun 16 00:36:14.247: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: Session-IP: xxxxxxxxxx Mac: xxxxxxxxx CAPWAP DTLS session closed for AP, cause: DTLS server session shutdown

Jun 16 00:35:58.569: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: AP Name: xxxxxxxxxxx, MAC: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Joined

Jun 16 00:35:32.434: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: Session-IP: xxxxxxxxxx[5265] Mac: xxxxxxxxxxx CAPWAP DTLS session closed for AP, cause: DTLS server session shutdown

Jun 16 00:34:40.374: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: AP Name: xxxxxxxxxxxxx, MAC: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Joined

Jun 16 00:34:21.592: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: AP Name: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, MAC: xxxxxxxxxxxx Joined

Jun 16 00:34:14.220: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: Session-IP: xxxxxxxxxxx[5279] Mac: xxxxxxxxx CAPWAP DTLS session closed for AP, cause: DTLS server session shutdown

Jun 16 00:33:55.703: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: Session-IP: xxxxxxxxxxx[5266] Mac: xxxxxxxxxxx CAPWAP DTLS session closed for AP, cause: DTLS server session shutdown

Jun 16 00:33:39.848: %CAPWAPAC_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: AP Name: xxxxxxxxx, MAC: xxxxxxxx Joined

n

Log Buffer (4096 bytes):

Logging Source-Interface: VRF Name:

Trap logging: level informational, 21528 message lines logged

No active filter modules.

Persistent logging: disabled

Count and timestamp logging messages: disabled

Exception Logging: size (4096 bytes)

filtering disabled

Buffer logging: level debugging, 21533 messages logged, xml disabled,

filtering disabled

Monitor logging: level debugging, 0 messages logged, xml disabled,

filtering disabled

Console logging: level debugging, 21390 messages logged, xml disabled,

No Inactive Message Discriminator.

No Active Message Discriminator.

Syslog logging: enabled (0 messages dropped, 3 messages rate-limited, 0 flushes, 0 overruns, xml disabled, filtering disabled)

[Flavio Miranda]

Hi

   "Also, is it possible to use Aruba access points with this model of WLC? "

No.  Mix vendor is impossible.

"Hello I am having an issue with a wireless controller Catalyst model 9800 L-F and access point model C9115AXI-B. The APs are able to join the WLC but after 2 minutes or so, they will drop, start blinking green, red, and off and then rejoin the WLC. It does this every 2 minutes or so. When it is joined, I am able to connect to the AP with another device, the light will turn solid blue, device will pull an IP address and get wifi but it will still drop and rejoin every few minutes. "

I see two possibility here:

= bug

=link problem

[jonathga94 · Accepted solution]

The WLC 9800 uses WNCD instances for AP association, if a WNCD instance is overloaded it could start dropping the APs, it seems that Cisco has worked on that kind of issue and fixed it on the 17.3.5a release:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/catalyst-9800-series-wireless-controllers/214749-tac-recommended-ios-xe-builds-for-wirele.html#anc14

You should go to that code to discard any issue triggered by WLC's performance.

regarding your second question, you could only use Cisco APs with your Cisco WLC, so you cant connect Aruba APs to the WLC 9800. To see the list of supported APs, check the Cisco Wireless Solutions Software Compatibility Matrix:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/compatibility/matrix/compatibility-matrix.html

Kind regards.

[marce1000]

  -  Review the 9800 L-F  configuration with the CLI command : show  tech wireless , have the output analyzed by  https://cway.cisco.com/tools/WirelessAnalyzer/  , please note do not use classical show tech-support (short version) , use the command denoted in green for Wireless Analyzer

 M.

[cisconn00b]

Thank you all for the speedy replies!  I ended up updating the firmware to 17.3.5 and that got the APs to stay connected.  @marce1000 the wirelessanalyzer tool was useful. I didn't know about it before.  Thanks again everyone!