Cisco AP 1850 Suddenly Down

[Sophea1989]

Hi and good day,

Our customer recently purchased two new unit Cisco AP 1850 (AIR-AP1852I-K-9C) with software version 8.4.100.0. They already have one existing AP which is Cisco AP 1850 (AIR-AP1852E-C-K9) with software version 8.2.100.0 and running normally. When i try to connect one of the new AP after configured through CiscoAirProvision to network, the existing AP is suddenly down. The customer said the existing AP is running standalone. May i know why the existing AP is down after the new one one is connected to live network? 

[Ric Beeching]

Hi,

I don't believe you can run two ME APs in the same subnet as there must always be a master ME. Is it appearing on the new ME AP as a CAPWAP/LW AP?

Ric

[Sophea1989]

Hi Ric,

Thanks for reply. Actually i only configured one of these two new ME APs. The other one is still not yet being configured. But the existing AP (AIR-AP-1852E-C-K9) already running. Once i connect the new ap to the live network, the existing suddenly down. And then i find out on the existing AP shows:

Last reset............capwap brain reset (Detected a ME controller)

My intention is i dont want to bother the existing AP. I just want to configure these new ME APs, and select one of the ME AP as a controller.

***Sorry for my English***

[Ric Beeching]

No probs,

Put the new AP on a different VLAN temporarily and on your console type in "ap-type capwap" to move it to LW/CAPWAP mode.

It can then join your existing ME AP once back on the usual VLAN.

Ric

[Sophea1989]

Ric,

By type-in "ap-type capwap" will convert the ME APs to Capwap APs? I am afraid the customer do not agree with that since the new APs come out with the ME image and stated at the Purchased Order.

May i know whether is it possible if i configured these new APs, without bothering the existing one since the existing one is actually handled by another vendor (they inform that AP is standalone AP)? First configure one of the new APs and let it be a Master AP, and power up the other one so it can be the subordinate AP.

[Ric Beeching]

Hi,

You can put them back into ME mode with "ap-type mobility-express" but if you want the second AP to join the first one, you need to run it in CAPWAP mode.

Alternatively, you can set both up as ME with one as the primary and other as secondary. To ensure your first one stays up config it as preferred - ' config ap next-preferred-master <mac address of primary>"

Ric

[Sophea1989]

Thank you Ric for your suggestion. I will try this later and get back to you once its done. Thanks again!

[Sophea1989]

Hi Ric,

One more thing, why there is no guest network in my ME AP's setting? There is only employee network.

[Ric Beeching]

You should be able to do guest no problems. See this link:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/technotes/8-3/b_Cisco_Mobility_Express_Deployment_Guide/b_Cisco_Mobility_Express_Deployment_Guide_chapter_0100.html#id_35666

[Sophea1989]

Thanks ric for the reply.

But is it possible that different firmware might be the caused why the existing AP (use firmware 8.2.100.0) suddenly down (reboot) when the new ap (use firmware 8.4.100.0) inline to network?

[patoberli]

Both images are already quite old and I suggest to upgrade all to the same software. Either 8.3.140.4 (you need a TAC to get this image) or the latest 8.5.120.0.
If you now make your new 8.4.100.0 AP to the ME Master and the older 8.2.100.0 to the CAPWAP, then it will automatically reboot and upgrade the software to 8.4.100.0.

[Sophea1989]

Hi patorbeli,

Sorry for the kate reply. Already upgrade the firmware to 8.5. However, these two AP still cant join together. They have the same firmware, the same model. The first thing i did is to config the controller through cisco provision.. then after that i connect the other ap to network, the connection for both AP is suddenly intermittent and it seems that the AP cannot join the master AP. For the past few days i've been searching the solution yet still cant find the exact solution.

Perhaps u help me on this matter.

[patoberli]

Weird. I haven't much experience with Mobility Express, but can show us here the full output of the boot process including around 5 minutes of it trying to join?
You get this while you are connected to the serial port of the joining AP.

[Sophea1989]

Hi patorbeli,

Sorry for the late reply. I will try once again to make sure the subordinate ap join the master ap. However, when i try to upgrade the master ap with old firmware (8.2.100.0) to new firmware 8.5.120.0, it seems that the result is unsuccesfully because i check the firmware version after the ap completed download the image and reboot, the version does not changed (8.2.100.0). I check the logs, no error. Why is that happened?

[patoberli]

Now that is really weird. Do you maybe also have 8.2.166.0 around? I would give that version a try.