Cisco Sensor 1800S deployment

[Flavio Miranda]

Hello everyone,

 I just got a monitor AIR-AP1800S-Z-K9 and it has no ethernet port, only USB.  Wrondering if it is possible to deploy it using some kind of deployment SSID, just like Mobility Express does or if I´ll need to buy and Ethernet/USB adapter. 

 Anyone here with Sensor working?  

[Flavio Miranda]

Answering my own question:

  Cisco works in the other way around when compared with Mobility Express. You need to provide an SSID in order to create a wireless backhaul. Actually, the WLC automatica create a SSID called "CiscoSensorProvisioning" when you enable sensor on the " Cloud Services" tab.

It is pretty strait forward to join Sensor but as it requires DNAC integration, the process does not stop here. I´ll continue with the Sensor deploymente.

Hope this help someone.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Flavio Miranda wrote:

Anyone here with Sensor working?  

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The Sensor is heavily reliant on DNAC.  
What DNAC and the Sensor can do is a "work in progress".   Read between the lines.  

[Emanuele.Mannino]

Hey Flavio,

any luck with the sensor's deployment?

I had a couple of sensors but they wouldn't join DNAC (wired or wireless); I tried to hard reset them but no luck. Now I am waiting for the Cisco console cable (it has a specific connector, not a standard one) and I will try to reset it via console.

Thanks

[Leo Laohoo]

Thanks to DNAC, the 1800s is a dead product.

It is better to get an Ekahau SideKick or a Fluke AirCheck because they will provide more real-time readings and diagnosis.  

[Leo Laohoo]

The problem with the 1800s is how limited information and equally limited function the 1800s can do. 

It will do the most basic of stuff:  Ping a few servers, log-in to an account (aka on-boarding) find out the lag times.  Simple stuff.  In the WiFi diagnosis area it is next to useless.  For instance, it will say there is a WiFi interference or high Channel Utilization (CU), the 1800s can-not-and-will-not identify the source of the high CU or co-channel interference while a cheap 2700/3700 can.

In the end, we used Ekahau SideKick alongside a Fluke AirCheck, kick everyone out of said building.  Not only did we find the infernal machine that was causing the co-channel interference (see picture below) but we also found how to trigger it.  

One important thing about the 1800s:  Any information coming from the 1800s is DELAYED by as much as 15 to 30 minutes.  The Ekahau SideKick/SideKick2 &/or Fluke AirCheck is REAL TIME.  

We provided our feedback of the performance of DNAC and the 1800s but the product owners of DNAC and 1800s did not show much interest in the short comings of both platform.  Ever since, we removed all the 1800s from the network and shoved them back into their boxes.  And the 1800s have never seen daylight since 2018.  

[Emanuele.Mannino]

thanks for your interesting (and entertaining) feedback

[Scott Fella]

These sensors have options which you need to know and know how you want to deploy them. I have a few, but it only works with DNAc. I have both with the Ethernet module but using the usb to power up and connect using the ssid that is generated.  You can always change the ssid, but that is defined on DNAc after you provision it from DNAc.