Configuring Number of AP to Join Specific Controller in a Mobility Group

[Learnercisco]

Hi Tech Guys,

I have one mobility groups  of 3 Standalone WLC with 100 AP licneces in Each controller.

i have 90 Access Point and wanat to connect 30 APs to each controller Primary/Secodary/Tertiary. so if the primary down, all will be connected to Secondry WLC and i case secondary down all will be connected to Tertiary WLC

My question is how can i configure my APs to  connect to specific WLC becaue i dont want to Setup 3 subnets with Seprate dhcp with option 43 for Access ponint to onnect  perimary/secondary/Tertiary WLC. 

 thanks in advance

[Scott Fella]

You configure the access points high availability. This way the ap knows which is the primary, secondary and tertiary. This is also the same for the 9800’s. There are settings where you define what controllers are the priority.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/mrncciew.com/2013/04/07/ap-failover/amp/

[Learnercisco]

thanks Scott  fela for your reply

I suppose this is the second configuration Step from WLC side.First AP needs to boot and identify the prefered Primary Controll and download the mobility configuration from WLC. what i want to know as my question is 

30 AP (Buildin 1)==connected=to=WLC 1

30 AP(Buliding 2)==connected=to===WLC 2

30 AP((Building 3)==connected=to===WLC 3

how can i configure an Access point in building 1 to connect WLC 1 and same for rest of access point ins building 2 and 3

my understanding is that i need to configure 3 different Subnets and assign DHCP option 43 to each Access Point  pool (30 AP in each bulding) and when the AP boot it will connect to its prefered WLC. i want to keep one subnets for all ACCESS poin. i want to configure Access point manaully to prefered WLC.

Thanks in advance 

[Scott Fella]

There are many options. Easiest is just to setup option 43 or DNS option, let the ap join one of the controllers and then assign the primary, secondary and tertiary. Then remove the option 43 and or DNS. You want to ap to join a controller first, doesn’t matter which one, then you can configure it.

[Learnercisco]

thanks Scott fell for your answer and it is helpful

my small doubt is that actully my 3 WLC are independent controllers in same mobility group  and  Ap will use their prefere controller. So when their prefer controller is down they will reestablished their connection with secondary controller and so on.

As per yous solution, 

if i configure like that then all 90 AP will connect to WLC 1  ip listed in the option 43 like below. 

Option 43 WLC 1 IP: 10.1.1.1 (Primary) 

Option 43 WLC 2 IP:  10.1.1.2

Option 43 WLC 3 IP:  10.1.1.3

============================

but i  want to achive this confiugration

High availbility under WLC1, APs belong to Building 1

 WLC 1 IP: 10.1.1.1 (Primary) 

WLC 2 IP:  10.1.1.2 

WLC 3 IP:  10.1.1.3

===========================

High availbility under WLC2,APs belong to building 2

WLC 1 IP: 10.1.1.2 (Primary) 

WLC 2 IP:  10.1.1.1

WLC 3 IP:  10.1.1.3

======================

High availbility under WLC3 ,APs belong to buiding 3

 WLC 1 IP: 10.1.1.3 (Primary) 

WLC 2 IP:  10.1.1.2

WLC 3 IP:  10.1.1.1

thanks in advance

[Scott Fella]

If you have three building and each building has a controller, place the aps in the same subnet as the wlc management. The aps will do a layer 2 broadcast and find the controller. Now look at the guide for defining the access point high availability. You will need to define that in each access point.

[patoberli]

This is in the AP properties, after it has connected to one WLC.
On the WLC where the AP is connected to, login to the web interface (there is also a way to do it in the CLI), go to Advanced (top right), Wireless, select the AP in question, High Availability, now type in the hostname (without domain) of the primary controller this AP should use. Once you apply, it will switch to the new WLC (after some minutes) and use that one as a primary. Important, capital writing must match if I remember correctly, it should be exactly as under Controller - General - Name.