Conducting Site Survey with Catalyst 9000 series APs

[InquiringTech]

Hi,

We want to conduct a basic site survey for a new location and have C9105 AXI-B access points. What exactly is needed? Obviously a Cisco switch with PoE, but does it need further configuration?

Does there need to be a wireless controller of some sort if all you're doing is a site survey? Can the EWC work for this? Can an AP acting as the EWC do this alone or do you need a "client" AP under it to actually conduct it?

I tried entering the 'ap-type survey' command from this guide on the access point configured as an EWC but it doesn't seem to be accepted on the AP... is that only for 9136? Or does it need to be on the non-EWC ones linked to it?

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/9800/17-9/config-guide/b_wl_17_9_cg/m_access_points_survey_mode.html

Also as a somewhat unrelated question, is there an equivalent command for 'logging synchronous' for the cli console in the IOS XE for these APs, cause it doesn't seem to take that one and it's annoying entering commands while other text output comes up.

[balaji.bandi]

Looks below guide : ( as document also mentioned, i suggest to use PoE adapator rather Switch with PoE)

https://howiwifi.com/2020/03/19/from-shelf-to-survey-cisco-9100ax-ewc-conversion/

[InquiringTech]

Thanks for the guide. That definitely has a lot of useful info, but I'm almost kind of overwhelmed and confused by it, especially the commands in step 6 and the last section regarding modifying the power levels and disabling lower data rates. I didn't realize doing a site survey was that complicated and figured there might be some simple GUI feature. Not only is it my first time doing this, I have to explain how to do it to someone who isn't even really in the field (a company we are paying to assist with our office migration wants to do the survey, but they usually work with other simpler brands of AP and not Cisco).

Is the survey itself conducted with some other third-party software or something? I've honestly never done one before. I've only had exposure to the basic routing and switching aspect of Cisco as per the CCNA, which didn't involve anything with WiFi. Now I'm getting a bit nervous since I need to learn all this in a few weeks.

So there is an AP (I guess sort of a logical one) within the same device as the EWC that is subordinate to it?

Why is he using Cisco123 for everything; does that mean it's just a temporary config for the survey that won't be the permanent one in use? Or is that just like an example? Why is the wlan command in there twice in a row?

[balaji.bandi]

If you lookig simple way look at the product ekahau

[InquiringTech]

Is there a particular reason the data rates below 12 Mb/s were disabled? Would that be done in a production setting too?

Thanks

[Rich R · Accepted solution]

Can an AP acting as the EWC do this alone or do you need a "client" AP under it to actually conduct it?
Yes - the EWC AP runs the WLC and AP functions.  When configured for site survey it also runs local DHCP function.

Is the survey itself conducted with some other third-party software or something?
Yes - see @balaji.bandi's answer above.

So there is an AP (I guess sort of a logical one) within the same device as the EWC that is subordinate to it?
As per my first answer above - the WLC and AP component run like virtual machines on the same hardware.

Why is he using Cisco123 for everything; does that mean it's just a temporary config for the survey that won't be the permanent one in use? Or is that just like an example?
Cisco123 is just an example - you can set whatever passwords you want.  This setup is purely for site survey.

Why is the wlan command in there twice in a row?
I think that's just pasted in twice by mistake lol

It might be worth getting a professional who's experienced with Cisco site surveys to do this for you to make sure it's done right.  Much better to get it right first time than have to try fixing it when it doesn't work as expected.

[InquiringTech]

Thanks.

I noticed once I converted it to the EWC, and then tried to go into the AP part of it, it had its own internal IP address with a different subnet at 192.168.129.1. Trying to change this kept giving me an error saying invalid ip/netmask/gateway config, even though I set it on the same network as the rest and entered the command correctly. Is this address meant to be modified? The guide provided seems to indicate so. It would need to be set to another IP address aside from the EWC one, right? Unless DHCP is set for that?

Another thing I noticed: the official Cisco guide for setting up the EWC says to have the port that it is connected to on the switch be configured as a trunk port. However, it works for me as an access port, and when I switch it to trunk, I can no longer remotely connect via an IP address/ssh. What could be causing this? Can this have something to do with the management or native VLAN? As soon as I switch the port back to access, I can reach it again.

[Rich R]

Yes AP and EWC WLC both need an AP address in the same subnet - usually provided by DHCP but you can also set them statically.

The AP management IP must be on the native VLAN so if you set the switch port to trunk then also remember to configure the correct native vlan on the switch port.

[InquiringTech]

Hm, yeah the native VLAN was just set as the default 1. But my computer is on Vlan 64, as are the rest of the hosts on the data subnet. Just for testing I set the native VLAN to 64 and I was able to access the AP now. But normally, the native VLAN is not going to be the one that most of your devices in the network are on, right? That's not good design?

Does this mean I should create a separate management VLAN that is neither 1 nor 64 just to be used to administer the network devices? And set that one as the "native" for these trunk ports?

[Rich R]

Yes - management (native) VLAN (not 1) purely for managing the devices and WLAN(s) should be on separate VLANs generally.

[Rich R]

Is there a particular reason the data rates below 12 Mb/s were disabled?
- This has been discussed and explained many times before so rather than me re-explain take a look at these links and you can search for many more if you want to:
https://www.metageek.com/training/resources/access-points-support-legacy/
https://blogs.cisco.com/networking/bring-out-yer-dead-5-steps-to-eliminate-802-11b-from-your-networks
https://divdyn.com/disable-lower-legacy-data-rates/

Would that be done in a production setting too?
- Yes, absolutely.  Small caveat - there is a very small number of specialist devices out there which might rely on lower data rates but all modern consumer devices should be fine on higher data rates.  If you have one of those antique devices - replace it.