Configuring a 3602i for office extend

[jmoss1]

Hi, we have a new requirement to use the 3602i in office extend mode at one of our customers sites.  Previously they have been using the 600 series AP and they are working fine.  Technically we know this should work, but we are facing some push-back from our implementation team as they have never done this before.  They advised that the AP's would need plugging in locally into the DMZ in the DC so they can initially 'join' the controller and have the appropriate config put on them.

This doesn't sound right to me, everything i've read on this suggests that the AP's can be connected to the main WLC as per any other AP and then configured to be flexconnect AP's which (after reboot) gives the option to select the office extend box and specify the external address of the 5508's in the DMZ.  We would then disconnect them from the LAN and test via an external connection (broadband or similar)

Does this make sense, or have I got this wrong, regular trips to the DC's would be a nightmare scenrio, these are lights out places and access is an issue.  Surely there's another way

thanks

[Rasika Nayanajith]

Yes, you are right, No need to locally connect DMZ to stage office extend.

As long as you able to register your 3602 to your WLC you should be able to convert this to FlexConnect & then OEAP.

HTH

Rasika

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[jmoss1]

Thanks for the reply, just so I'm clear we have two WLCs in the solution, a primary 8510 WLC within the main network and a 5508 WLC in a dmz servicing the remote office extend ap's 

we would connect the 3602 ap to the 8510 WLC on the main network first and convert to flex connect and enable oeap, then disconnect it from the LAN and connect it via an external connection with Internet access

so it would not register to the dmz 5508 during the staging process, would this approach be ok?

[Rasika Nayanajith · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can do that.

Once you convert to OEAP using 8510, add DMZ WLC as primary controller in AP High Availability config. In that way this should go and register to DMZ WLC. Then you need to put this AP to right AP group, so it will advertise required WLANs.

Once that's tested you can send it to remote locations where they simply plug this AP to internet available port and things should work.

** usually DMZ controller may have AP policy where you have to add AP Ethernet MAC address, in order to get it register, check what AP policy configured on your DMZ WLC, if you having troulbe registering AP onto DMZ WLC

HTH

Rasika

[jmoss1]

Thanks, I knew something wasn't right in their statement but struggled to find information to back me up. I will discuss this with them tomorrow

thanks again :)