Copying image into boot flash on Catalyst 9800 WLC

[VictorLin8223]

Hi,

This is my first time configuring a Cisco 9800-L controller.

I think I've accidentally deleted the boot image because I tried to perform factory reset after messing with the controller.

Now I'm able to boot from a tftp location. However, after getting booting into the system, I'm no longer able to connect to my tftp server, even after configuring the ServicePort (GigabitEthernet 0) with a static IP.

Any tip on how I can copy the image back into bootflash:?

I configured the GigabitEthernet 0 port with static IP:

WLC#configure terminal     
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
WLC(config)#interface GigabitEthernet 0
WLC(config-if)#ip address 192.168.13.21 255.255.255.0
WLC(config-if)#no shutdown
WLC(config-if)#end
WLC#

Then when I tried to copy from tftp to WLC, I'm getting this:

WLC#copy tftp://192.168.13.20/C9800-L-universalk9_wlc.17.03.02a.SPA.bin bootflash:
Destination filename [C9800-L-universalk9_wlc.17.03.02a.SPA.bin]? 
Accessing tftp://192.168.13.20/C9800-L-universalk9_wlc.17.03.02a.SPA.bin...
%Error opening tftp://192.168.13.20/C9800-L-universalk9_wlc.17.03.02a.SPA.bin (Timed out)
WLC#
WLC#show ip interface brief
Interface              IP-Address      OK? Method Status                Protocol
Tw0/0/0                unassigned      YES unset  down                  down    
Tw0/0/1                unassigned      YES unset  down                  down    
Tw0/0/2                unassigned      YES unset  down                  down    
Tw0/0/3                unassigned      YES unset  down                  down    
Te0/1/0                unassigned      YES unset  down                  down    
Te0/1/1                unassigned      YES unset  down                  down    
GigabitEthernet0       192.168.13.21     YES manual up                    up      
Vlan1                  unassigned      YES unset  up                    down   

System information:

WLC#show version
Cisco IOS XE Software, Version 17.03.02a
Cisco IOS Software [Amsterdam], C9800 Software (C9800_IOSXE-K9), Version 17.3.2a, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc5)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2020 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Sat 07-Nov-20 22:43 by mcpre


Cisco IOS-XE software, Copyright (c) 2005-2020 by cisco Systems, Inc.
All rights reserved.  Certain components of Cisco IOS-XE software are
licensed under the GNU General Public License ("GPL") Version 2.0.  The
software code licensed under GPL Version 2.0 is free software that comes
with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.  You can redistribute and/or modify such
GPL code under the terms of GPL Version 2.0.  For more details, see the
documentation or "License Notice" file accompanying the IOS-XE software,
or the applicable URL provided on the flyer accompanying the IOS-XE
software.


ROM: 16.12(3r)

WLC uptime is 1 hour, 6 minutes
Uptime for this control processor is 1 hour, 8 minutes
System returned to ROM by Reload Command
System image file is "tftp://192.168.13.20/C9800-L-universalk9_wlc.17.03.02a.SPA.bin"
Last reload reason: Reload Command

[marce1000]

 - Can you ping the tftp server ? Also have a look at it's logs when the tftp is tried from the controller. If nothing is seen then it seems that the tftp server can't be reached.

 M.

[VictorLin8223]

Thank you. But being able to boot from tftp indicates my tftp server is reachable in ROMMON. But somehow again unreachable in the main OS.

[Grendizer]

Use this doc:

Recover a Catalyst 9800 controller or the password from ROMMON mode

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/catalyst-9800-series-wireless-controllers/214012-recovering-a-catalyst-9800-controller-fr.html

section (Load image through USB)

[VictorLin8223]

Thank you. That's the other solution I tried to execute. While the OS recognizes my USB drive, it doesn't recognize any content inside the drive even though I've made sure the image is copied.

I've tried FAT32 and exFAT. Both have the same result.

I always get the following:

WLC#dir usb0:
Directory of usb0:/

No files in directory

206472192 bytes total (206471680 bytes free)

[Grendizer]

Yes, I feel your pain, I suffered the same but with 9800-40, you need to run this command from the rommon to see the image, check the doc I posted earlier on how to access the rommon.

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

First off, you should configure your vlan interface IP address first, then apply that vlan to the Tw0/0/x port you have connected to your switch. Here is an example of setting up the interfaces on the 9800.

interface TwoGigabitEthernet0/0/0
switchport trunk native vlan 22
switchport mode trunk
negotiation auto
no snmp trap link-status

interface Vlan22
ip address 10.10.22.20 255.255.255.0

ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 10.10.22.1

Interface IP-Address OK? Method Status Protocol
Tw0/0/0 unassigned YES unset up up
Tw0/0/1 unassigned YES unset down down
Tw0/0/2 unassigned YES unset down down
Tw0/0/3 unassigned YES unset down down
Te0/1/0 unassigned YES unset down down
Te0/1/1 unassigned YES unset down down
GigabitEthernet0 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down down
Mobility1 unassigned YES unset up up
Mobility2 unassigned YES unset up up
Vlan1 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down down
Vlan22 10.10.22.20 YES NVRAM up up

[VictorLin8223]

Thank you! Configuring the VLAN actually works!

In fact, I configured vlan1 because for some reason, vlan22 cannot be mapped to TwoGigabitEthernet0/0/0 for some reason.

[Scott Fella]

I was just providing some context. You can use any vlan you want. Make sure that your switch port is a trunk and the native vlan is the vlan you have the controller management on. The 9800-L does support the allowed vlans so vlan 22 should work.

[Scott Fella]

Make sure you define the vlan and also specify the wireless management interface

config t
!
vlan 22
name VLAN22
!
wireless management interface VLAN22

[UKW-NK-Cisco]

The shown tftp timeout problem on a 9800-WLC is maybe related to Cisco Bug CSCvn70403

Symptom: TFTP transfer fails with error : %Error opening tftp:// (Timed out) However TFTP server is reachable via icmp as it does not take Gi0. So this will be misleading when troubleshooting

Conditions: NA Transferring files using TFTP

Workaround:

1. Use FTP

2. If Gig0 is down or has no ip connectivity to TFTP server, remove command - ip tftp source-interface GigabitEthernet0

3. Map the tftp source to right interface manually

Had the same problem with tftp pointing to unassigned interface g0:

WLC-9800#show run | incl tftp
ip tftp source-interface GigabitEthernet0
ip tftp blocksize 8192

Address or name of remote host []? 10.235.19.1

Source filename []? C9800-80-universalk9_wlc.17.03.05a.SPA.bin

Destination filename [C9800-80-universalk9_wlc.17.03.05a.SPA.bin]?

Accessing tftp://10.235.19.1/C9800-80-universalk9_wlc.17.03.05a.SPA.bin...

%Error opening tftp://10.235.19.1/C9800-80-universalk9_wlc.17.03.05a.SPA.bin (Timed out)

Changed tftp source to Management VLAN

ip tftp source-interface Vlan4080

And tftp runs:

WLC-9800#copy tftp flash:
Address or name of remote host [10.235.19.1]?
Source filename [C9800-80-universalk9_wlc.17.03.05a.SPA.bin]?
Destination filename [C9800-80-universalk9_wlc.17.03.05a.SPA.bin]?
Accessing tftp://10.235.19.1/C9800-80-universalk9_wlc.17.03.05a.SPA.bin...
Loading C9800-80-universalk9_wlc.17.03.05a.SPA.bin from 10.235.19.1 (via Vlan4080): !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 1290237991 bytes]

1290237991 bytes copied in 227.981 secs (5659410 bytes/sec)

Another dirty bug of Cisco, that prevents the easiest trivial file transfers.

Looks like Cisco is no longer testing there devices on their own.

Kind regards

Wini