Cannot join 3802i APs to a 9120AXI controller running in EWC mode

[AlexW22]

To my knowledge the catalyst 91xx access points should be able to play nicely alongside their older Aironet 3802 series counterparts, but I am starting to question if this is actually the case with the 9120 EWC mode.

I have been trying to add two Aironet 3802(i and e) APs to a WLAN already broadcasted by a Catalyst 9120 AP running an Embedded Wireless Controller image. The Dashboard shows 1 active AP (the 9120AXI) and 2 dashboard_not_joined. When going to Monitoring -> Wireless -> AP Statistics -> Join Statistics. Both 3802i and 3802e APs show up in the dashboard and are not joined.

Is the AP currently connected to controller:   NOT JOINED

Type of error that occurred last:                    Image-Download

Reason for last AP connection failure:           Unknown

Last Reboot Reason (Reported by AP):         No reboot reason

When I connected a console cable to the 9120 AP I see numerous messages like this:

CAPWAP_SMGR_TRACE_MESSAGE-5-AP_JOIN_DISJOIN: Chassis 1 R0/0: wncd: AP Event: AP Name: XXXXXX.XXXX.XXXX Mac: XXXX.XXXX.XXXX.XXXX Session-IP: XXX.XXX.X.X XXX.XXX.X.X Disjoined Image Download Failed

It looks like the Aironet APs expect a software image from the 9120 controller but I am not sure what kind of image they are requesting and how I can set this up on the 9120 AP.

One of the 3802 APs has a recent LWAPP image running on it and the other one is running a recent Mobility Express image. I did try forcing the APs to CAPWAP mode with: ap-type capwap

With similar results.

I have been struggling with this for over a week now. Any helps would be highly appreciated!

Alex

[balaji.bandi]

suggest couple of option here :

check the EWS compatibility list ( the code running in EWC)

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

check AP image requirement :

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

First option :

1. reset the AP to factory reset and see if that fix the issue ?

2. manually load the required image on 3802 and test it.

Note: the AP should be running CAPWAP not ME. when you mentioned the latest code you upgrade on 3802, is the one mentioned in the document version compatibility?

[JPavonM · Accepted solution]

@AlexW22 check the error in your output:

Type of error that occurred last:                    Image-Download

This means that the AP3802 are trying to download the image and they can't. Remember AP images are not stored in the eWLC but on a external server (TFTP for example) that needs to be pointed to in the config of the eWLC.

wireless profile image-download default
 description "default image download profile"
 image-download-mode tftp
 tftp-image-path /
 tftp-image-server <a.b.c.d>

On the server side, you need to uncompress the ZIP file containing all AP images for that version that you can download on Cisco Software site.

[marce1000]

               >... I am not sure what kind of image they are requesting and how I can set this up on the 9120 AP
    Note that the the EWC can not hold AP images and a tftp service/server needs to be configured on the EWC where the AP can find and download images : https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/ewc/17-1/config-guide/ewc_cg_17_11/image_download.html#id_128466

 M.