Channel config in C9800 WLC

[Leftz]

There are two new Catalyst 9800, each of the two WLC has only two ports that are connected to a stack switch by two cables. So we are going to create channel for each WLC. We have two plans to setup the WLCs. The first is to do initial configuration for each of WLC and then configure the channel. Second is to do channel first and then do initial configuration. If so, the issue is after doing the channel config, the initial interface would not show up. Any one has experience on this? Thank you

[pieterh]

My first guess is the channel configuration does not match on both ends of the channel
as a result only one of the links is up the other is blocked
try swapping the connections to see if now the other link does not show up
you should see this reported in the console logs of both wlc and connecting switch

it may help to switch to LACP for the portchannel
if you configure LACP (on both sides) the channel will form "automatically"

to investigate further please tell more about the environment
- model
- software version
- connecting switch
- configuration on the devices , especially the connecting ports

[Arshad Safrulla]

Go to CLI, shut down both 2.4 and 5 GHz radio's. set the ap country, then no shut the radios.

If you follow the above initial setup wizard can be skipped and you can set the controller as required.

[Leftz]

Thank you Arshadsaf for your reply. I am going to try it based on your suggestion. 

BTW, I have not seen any cisco document where each of two WLCs is connected to uplink switch using two cables. so two wlc would have four cables connected to uplink switches. and two cables in one wlc get into one channel group. How do you think about this way? 

[Arshad Safrulla]

You will have 2 Port channels, For eg: PO1 connecting to the WLC1, PO2 connecting to WLC2. Also please make sure that the RP port is wired between controllers as well. (assuming that you are running the latest cisco recommended IOS-XE code, 17.X.X)

[pieterh]

look at this document

Configure Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controllers in High Availability (HA) Client Stateful Switch Over (SSO) in IOS-XE 16.12 - Cisco

corresponding document can be found for newer versions