Re: Convert 1832I to Autonomous Mode

Dmrauckland · ‎12-29-2020

Hi there -

I'm a beginner to Cisco products, but have bought an 1830 series AP and am trying to convert it to autonomous mode. When I plug it in using the POE injector (with 'To Switch' going to my router, and to AP going to the Access Point), it boots up and flashes red, green, amber which I think means it's trying to connect/join. After a few minutes, it appears in my router's connected devices table as AP4C71-0C8E-1840, having picked up IP address 192.168.1.201 from my local DHCP scope.

I can ping it from my Mac and phone; but can't connect using the web interface or Telnet. I've seen quite a few videos where you set a static IP on your computer for the same subnet, then can set up a tftp server, but I don't know what the default IP of the AP is - I have factory reset it.

Any help would be very much appreciated on what the next step is!

Thanks,

David

Rasika Nayanajith · ‎12-29-2020

Hi David,

This AP model does not support the traditional autonomous mode. You can deploy it as "Mobility Express" mode where it can operate without a WLC. In fact in that way, that AP act as a WLC in addition to client servicing as AP. Pls refer below Mobility Express deployment guide for further details

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/technotes/8-2/b_Mobility_Express_Deployment_guide/b_Mobility_Express_Deployment_guide_chapter_0100.html

HTH

Rasika

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Dmrauckland · ‎12-29-2020

Thanks so much for the reply, Rasika

I've just read this through again, but after startup, the LEDs on the AP are flashing Green, Red & Amber, which seems to suggest that 'Discovery/join progress is in progress', whereas the article suggests it should be flashing green, red then off. It never then completes and goes green, nor does the CiscoAirProvision SSID appear on the network. I'm wondering if it is because I need to put the Mobility Express image onto the AP - but even though it looks as if it has picked up an IP address, no matter what I do, I can't seem to connect to it - via telnet or via the web interface.

Would really appreciate any other pointers

Cheers

David

Rasika Nayanajith · ‎12-29-2020

yes, your AP require Mobility Express image to begin with.

cisco AI R-AP1852E-UXK9 ARMv7 Processor rev 0 (v7I) with 997184/726252K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID RFDP2BCR021
AP Running Image : 8.2.101.0
Primary Boot Image : 8.2.100.0
Backup Boot Image : 8.1.106.33
AP Image type : MOBILITY EXPRESS IMAGE
AP Configuration : NOT MOBILITY EXPRESS CAPABLE

"show version" output will confirm image you got.

HTH

Rasika

Dmrauckland · ‎12-29-2020

Thanks. But I can’t figure out how to connect to it to run any of these commands - that’s what I need some advice on

jdso · ‎12-31-2020

For console command, you can use a console cable, something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Console-Essential-Accesory-Ubiquity-Switches/dp/B01AFNBC3K

The cable seems like a usb to serial with rj45 to connect to cisco console port. Plug the usb and find out serial port number via device manager (assume you are using windows)

Also need a program such as terminal, putty, etc and connect via corresponding serial port number.

Since this is not a network/ethernet connection, no need to kmow the IP addr, but need to have username and password. Default user cisco, password Cisco.

Also it is easier to do factory reset with console cable connected & terminal program connected your 1832i, since it will display the reset timer (button pressed more than 20 seconds).

Press reset button before powering it up and keep on pressing for more than 20secs but under 60 secs, a timer will display on the terminal program.

Good luck.

Dmrauckland · ‎12-31-2020

Thanks very much for all your help. I ended up going out to buy a Console cable (USB > RJ45) and seem to have successfully connected to the AP - when I do 'sh version', I get the following:

Cisco AP Software, (ap1g4), [cheetah-build5:/san/BUILD/workspace/c_smr4_esc/label/corsica]
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2015 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Mon Sep 23 11:33:01 PDT 2019

ROM: Bootstrap program is U-Boot boot loader
BOOTLDR: U-Boot boot loader Version 31

AP4C71.0C8E.1840 uptime is 0 days, 0 hours, 3 minutes
Last reload time   : Fri Feb 28 21:00:36 UTC 2020
Last reload reason : Capwap Discovery Failed
 
cisco AIR-AP1832I-Z-K9 ARMv7 Processor rev 0 (v7l) with 967420/767808K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID KWC23410CTK
AP Running Image     : 8.3.150.6
Primary Boot Image   : 8.3.150.6
Backup Boot Image    : 8.5.140.0
1 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
2 802.11 Radios
Radio FW version : 3af09e4b644175875005aceff797a41c
NSS FW version : NSS.AK.1.0.c10-00017-E_custC-1.67978.1

Base ethernet MAC Address            : 4C:71:0C:8E:18:40
Part Number                          : 0-0000-00
PCA Assembly Number                  : 074-104694-03
PCA Revision Number                  : 01
PCB Serial Number                    : KWC23410CTK
Top Assembly Part Number             : 074-104694-03
Top Assembly Serial Number           : KWC23410CTK
Top Revision Number                  : A0
Product/Model Number                 : AIR-AP1832I-Z-K9    


AP4C71.0C8E.1840>

I'm fairly confident I have the tftp server running on the Mac, and from the AP CLI can ping the host where the tftp server is running:

AP4C71.0C8E.1840>ping 192.168.1.108
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 192.168.1.108, timeout is 2 seconds
!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 2.156/40.781/99.656 ms
AP4C71.0C8E.1840>

I'm probably really stupid, but can't for the life of me figure out the command the AP wants to go and get the image. I've tried a bunch, and for the most part, I just get % Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

I *think* it should be:

ap-type mobility-express tftp://192.168.1.108/AIR-AP1830-K9-8-10-130-0.tar

but when I do this, it scrolls and presents me with the following:

AP4C71.0C8E.1840>ap-type mobility-express tftp://192.168.1.108/AIR-AP1830-K9-8-10-130-0.tar






















                                                                                                                             -





















                                                                                                                             -





















                                                                                                                             -



^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.
AP4C71.0C8E.1840>

... so a lot more movement on the screen, but no result :(. I've tried extracting the .tar file; renaming it to ap1g4 - I am at my wit's end. What am I doing wrongly?

Thanks in advance

Scott Fella · ‎12-31-2020

You see any activity on your tftp server? Maybe try to download the image again or a different Mobility Express image. Here is a good guide also.

https://www.semfionetworks.com/blog/convert-a-cisco-capwap-ap-to-a-mobility-express-ap

-Scott
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Dmrauckland · ‎12-31-2020

Thanks again :). So from some more reading & trial and error, I figured out I had to type 'en' and enter the Cisco password to get into config more; after this I was able to get a fair bit further, and at least run the command to download the new image.

The next problem is the download takes so long (I've let it run through a few times so far, and it looks to take about an hour to get to about 28%) that it then decides to reboot:

AP4C71.0C8E.1840#ap-type mobility-express tftp://192.168.1.108/AIR-AP1830-K9-8-10-130-0.tar
Starting the ME image download...
It may take a few minutes to finish download.
If it is longer, please abort command, check network connection and try again
                                                                           0.0%[*02/29/2020 03:15:25.4562] PNP: PNPServer not reachable, Start CAPWAP Discovery
[*02/29/2020 03:15:25.4562] 
[*02/29/2020 03:15:25.4562] Lost connection to the controller, going to restart CAPWAP...
[*02/29/2020 03:15:25.4562] 
[*02/29/2020 03:15:25.4562] Restarting CAPWAP State Machine.
[*02/29/2020 03:15:25.4661] Discarding msg CAPWAP_WTP_EVENT_REQUEST(type 9) in CAPWAP state: Discovery(2).
[*02/29/2020 03:15:25.4661] 
[*02/29/2020 03:15:25.4661] CAPWAP State: DTLS Teardown
                                                                           0.1%[*02/29/2020 03:15:30.0747] 
[*02/29/2020 03:15:30.0747] CAPWAP State: Discovery
[*02/29/2020 03:15:30.0747] Discovery Request sent to 255.255.255.255, discovery type UNKNOWN(0)
                                                                           0.2%[*02/29/2020 03:15:39.5817] 
[*02/29/2020 03:15:39.5817] CAPWAP State: Discovery
[*02/29/2020 03:15:39.5917] Discovery Request sent to 255.255.255.255, discovery type UNKNOWN(0)
                                                                           0.2%[*02/29/2020 03:15:49.0888] 
[*02/29/2020 03:15:49.0888] CAPWAP State: Discovery
[*02/29/2020 03:15:49.0888] Discovery Request sent to 255.255.255.255, discovery type UNKNOWN(0)
                                                                           0.4%[*02/29/2020 03:15:58.5958] 
[*02/29/2020 03:15:58.5958] CAPWAP State: Discovery
[*02/29/2020 03:15:58.5958] Discovery Request sent to 255.255.255.255, discovery type UNKNOWN(0)
                                                                           0.4%[*02/29/2020 03:16:08.0928] 
[*02/29/2020 03:16:08.0928] CAPWAP State: Discovery
[*02/29/2020 03:16:08.1028] Discovery Request sent to 255.255.255.255, discovery type UNKNOWN(0)
                                                                           0.7%

I'm wondering if it tries so many times then gives up? I've googled to try and figure out how to disable the rebooting / CAPWAP discovery - but can't figure it out.

It eventually says this (though it then continues on to about 28% before rebooting)

###     4.7%[*02/29/2020 03:22:03.0319] Failed to discover MWAR for 35 times, reboot AP...

The only thing I'm wondering if it's related at all, is the instructions say to do this, but the AP won't accept it. Not sure what I'm doing wrong!

AP4C71.0C8E.1840#debug capwap console cli
                               ^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

Any help much appreciated

Thanks, David