Can one Cisco 5508 WLC Manage two separate networks?

[Mostafa.Ragab]

Hello All,

I have two separate networks and I have one Cisco 5508 WLC with 8 ports. Can I use the WLC to manage the access points in both networks?

Notes:

1. I will connect 4 ports to each network.
2. There is no any connectivity between the two networks.

[Francesco Molino]

Hi 

You can't create 2 port-channels on wlc 5508. As soon as you activate the LAG capabilities, the wlc will bundle all 8 ports to the same port-channel.

In your specific design, you can assign 1 port per network 

The limitation is 1 ap-manager interface per physical port. That means if you do have a port-channel then you're allowed to have only 1 ap-manager interface

Then make sure, that option  43 or dns resolution resolves the right ip depending on where ap are located. 

Maybe I can help more, but i would need to have more details on what you want to achieve and why you want to split ap registration/ capwap tunnels on 2 different subnets. 

This tunnel is there just for ap management traffic and not related to user traffic. 

Thanks 

PS: Please don't forget to rate and mark as correct answer if this answered your question

[Mostafa.Ragab]

Hi Francesco, 

Thanks for your reply, As i mentioned in my upper post, I have two separate networks one for Data traffic and the other one for internet traffic and there is some business restrictions to connect the two networks together. 

I only have two Cisco 5508 WLCs and I will cluster them. I hope to divide the WLC 8 ports and Connect each 4 ports to a network to manage it's access points.

As per your reply, I can understand that I can disable the LAG feature and connect each WLC to the network with one port per WLC. If i did that, Can you help me in how to assign the AP management IP to each port.

Thanks in Advance, 

[Francesco Molino]

Hi 

As you have 2 wlcs, you can also have 1 per site without setting a cluster and having the 2nd one as redundant wlc for the primary and vice versa for both sides. There inconvenient will be to have 2 different config. 

If both of your networks are completely isolated, that means each ports will be a trunk to assign a dedicated vlan for users in with side and another different subnet for users in the other side. It's that what you're planning to do? 

When you create your interface through the gui, you have actually a simple box to check to make it as ap-manager. 

Then on ap dhcp pool, you'll need to setup the option 43 with the right ap-manager ip depending on ap location.

Thanks

I can help you more if you want. Just for your information, i may have some delays in my responses as I'm at Cisco Live and flight back home. You can expect an answer earlier on Saturday. 

Thanks