Catalyst 9300-48UN prevent APs to contact 9800 WLC

[sorvarit]

Have a new Catalyst 9300-48UN with all bells and whistles and it seems to act as a WLC regardless if the package is installed or not. Have tried a CAP2702 and it can connect to our standalone 9800 WLC, but neither 2800 or 9100 series APs will reach it. Looks like if it use Cisco U-Boot it may be affected.

A 9120 will boot up and in the end hang on this going on forever:

[*02/22/2022 10:33:58.9210] NOTE: Using Port Grouping for IMP ports : [ 0 --> 4 ] [ 1, 2 --> 5 ] [ 3, 7 --> 8 ]
[*02/22/2022 10:33:58.9210] wired0 (Ext switch port: 7) (Logical Port: 15) (phyId: 1f) Link DOWN.
[*02/22/2022 10:33:58.9210] ===> Activate Deep Green Mode
[*02/22/2022 10:33:58.9210] bcmswlpbk0 (Ext switch port: (Logical Port: Virtual link DOWN
[*02/22/2022 10:34:01.0270] NOTE: Using Port Grouping for IMP ports : [ 0 --> 4 ] [ 1, 2, 3 --> 5 ] [ 7 --> 8 ]
[*02/22/2022 10:34:01.0280] wired0 (Ext switch port: 7) (Logical Port: 15) (phyId: 1f) Link Up at 2500 mbps full duplex
[*02/22/2022 10:34:01.0280] <=== Deactivate Deep Green Mode
[*02/22/2022 10:34:01.0280] bcmswlpbk0 (Ext switch port: (Logical Port: Virtual link

Any clues whats going on? Tried looking for simple images for the 9300 without all packages we dont need now. 

[marce1000]

            - Can they reach the 9800 when the 9300 is offline (meaning powered-down too) ?

 M.

[sorvarit]

Yes they reach the 9800 from other switches even if the 9300 is online, but just now i downgraded image on 9300 to cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03 and back to 17.03.05 and all seems to work now. It came from factory with 17.03.04 and have been messing around for two days with this problem. Another thing is that i now connected the 9300 directly to our core switch (6513E) instead through a c3560 on my office, so it could also be causing this. Will test more.

[marce1000]

 - Device may have come with EWC shipped , if to be used as a 'client' try : capwap ap mode local

 M.

[sorvarit]

Have tested more and it seems to be an issue if the c9300 is connected to another switch such as an older c3560C. In production it will be connected directly to the core, but this behaviour seems to be a bug? 

[Scott Fella]

I don't know, but if you think it's a bug, open a TAC case.  I have an AP connected to a 3560 and back to a 9300 with no issues in my lab.

[sorvarit]

This was  9120 (and 2802) > 9300 > 3650C > 6513 > 9800 giving problems. 

If connected 9120 > 3650C > 9300 >  > 6513 > 9800 no issues and AP joins the WLC.

Will try to do more testing and examine any settings in switch configs that could cause this. Older APs such as 2702 is not affected.

[marce1000]

  - I don't understand ,do you let an AP pass 2 controllers to get connected to the final controller ?

 M.

[sorvarit]

No an AP is not passing two controllers to get to the 9800 WLC on the VLAN its connected to. Technically a C9300-UN48 could be used as a WLC, but its not enabled/activated. Our 6513E also has an WISM-2, but thats also serve APs on a separate VLAN. As i have mentioned this issued is only when an 9120/2802 AP is connected to the C9300 switch thats connected to a C3560C switch. This was in a LAB setting in my office so in production the C9300 will be directly connected to the core (6513E). 9800 WLC is connected to the core in the datacenter.

[Scott Fella]

I don’t know really. I don’t see how the switch would be the issue. I have enabled the EWC on the 9300 for testing and then disabled that. I have AP’s connected and working fine. You probably just need to do more testing to see what is happening. Make sure lldp is disabled on the switch port. If you don’t see anything from the console output or from cdp details it will be difficult trying to figure out what the issue is. You can always try a different code on the switch since it’s a lab environment. 

[marce1000]

 - Remember to not have 2 controller on the same broadcasting subnet albeit being EWC or not.

 M.

[sorvarit]

They are on different subnets. EWC package on 9300 is not activated, so i dont think that will affect this. Tried to see if the package could be removed, but not so. 

[Arshad Safrulla]

How the connecting ports between 2 switches are configured?

Are you using any native VLAN?

Did you create the L2 VLAN's in the new 9300 switches?

[sorvarit]

Use trunk ports between the swiches. Same VTP domain and all VLANs  are similar. As mentioned a CAP2702 will boot and join the 9800 WLC without any problems.