Can I have AP groups with different SSIDs using a single controller?

[psaldou]

I'm trying to design a wireless network that will provide different SSIDs to various parts of a campus.  Since this is open to the public I can't use a raius server do dynamic vlan assignment.  Anybody know if I can I do this with a single controller or will I need a controller (or redundant pair) for each area?  Thanks!

[Nicolas Darchis · Accepted solution]

Starting 5.2 and later WLC release, you can have a lot (I'm having a doubt if it's 255 or 512) of SSIDs configured on the WLC. Since you can only have up to 16 on an AP, you can then assign certain SSIDs to certain APs.

The key is to configure AP group.

An AP group defines a list of access points, what SSIDs those APs are servicing and what interface they use for each SSID (either the default interface mentioned in the SSID config or an override).

So you can have one SSID on your whole campus but different AP groups will link it with different interfaces. I think that this is what you are trying to achieve.

Nicolas

[Stephen Rodriguez · Accepted solution]

Nico is correct.  With 5.2 and greater you can have 512 SSID, and I believe up to 192 AP groups

[psaldou]

Thanks for the response. It really helped!

Patrick Saldou

Enterprise Consultant

ePlus Technology, inc.

1376 Borregas Ave

Sunnyvale, CA 94089

408-220-1817

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

Release Notes for Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers and Lightweight Access Points for Release 5.2.157.0

512 WLANs—The controller can now control up to 512 WLANs for lightweight access points. Each WLAN has a separate WLAN ID (1 through 512), a separate profile name, and a WLAN SSID and can be assigned unique security policies. The controller publishes up to 16 WLANs to each connected access point, but you can create up to 512 WLANs on the controller and then selectively publish these WLANs (using access point groups) to different access points to better manage your wireless network.

[psaldou]

Thanks for the response. It really helped!

Patrick Saldou

Enterprise Consultant

ePlus Technology, inc.

1376 Borregas Ave

Sunnyvale, CA 94089

408-220-1817

[Leo Laohoo]

Can you mark this thread as "Answered"?   Thank you very much.