CAPWAP AP Crash Logs

[Rob Simkins]

I recently had a number of CAPWAP access points lose IP connectivity, but were still up at L2 and seen by CDP.  Resetting them via PoE port shutdown recovered them, but no AP crash log or useful log info on the WLC.  The AP also had no local logging info after the reset.

Does anyone know a way to get the AP to log locally to NVRAM?  Or why this isn't enabled/possible?

I assume that syslog to a server will be of little benefit...

Thanks in advance.

Rob

[George Stefanick]

Rob

Interesting issue. What model aps and what wlc code are you on ? I recently had an issue where aps would reset themselves back to factory default .. I sent those aps in for inspection. It was only a few ..

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPad App

[Rob Simkins]

Hi George

They are 3600 on v7.2.111.3

The IP was still showing in CDP but not responding on any port.

They got different IP addresses from the core switch DHCP pool when they came back up. I think this is just because they were offline for long enough to lose the binding.

Can only assume that something went wrong in the IP stack on the AP NIC

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[Amjad Abdullah]

Rob:

If console access is possible you may console to an AP during the issue and check any local logging. Check also if it still has an IP address or not during the issue. There will probaby be some info about why the AP L3 connectivity got broken.

Just a though.

Regards,

Amjad

Rating useful replies is more useful than saying "Thank you"

[Rob Simkins]

Hi Amjad,

No console available I'm afraid.  TAC advised the following when asked the question about local AP logging:

Yes you can use syslog from the WLC, “and I would recommend the following”:

WLC > config session timeout 0

WLC >config ap syslog host global x.x.x.x

but also, I would like to have the AP it self, so you run the telnet for the AP on “AP > advance tap”, and to open session for it “make sure you configure session timeout to zero on WLC and to configure the putty to not expire.

So basically, AP logging isn't helpful if the AP loses IP connectivity you need a console cable to find out why.  You may see something from AP syslog before the IP connectivity loss.

Still wondering why the logging to NVRAM can't at least be optionally enabled, if its considered a security risk.

Cheers

Rob