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682
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Limiting an SSID to specific APs

lynne.meeks
Level 1
Level 1

We are converting to an LWAPP wireless network from autonomous.

One building with 16 APs has an SSID that we only want to exist in that building.

How do I restrict an SSID so that it only exists on specific APs?

So far I've not been able to find a way to accomplish this.

Thanks-

Lynne

8 Replies 8

Rob Huffman
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Hi Lynne,

Hope things are going well with you!

This is probably the feature that can help with this requirement;

Have a look at this info;

Enabling WLAN Override

By default, access points transmit all defined WLANs on the controller. However, you can use the WLAN Override option to select which WLANs are transmitted and which ones are not on a per access point basis. For example, you can use WLAN override to control where in the network the guest WLAN is transmitted or you can use it to disable a specific WLAN in a certain area of the network.

From this doc;

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6366/products_configuration_guide_chapter09186a008076cbfd.html#wp1114777

Once you create a new WLAN, the WLAN > Edit page for the new WLAN appears. In this page you can define various parameters specific to this WLAN including General Policies, RADIUS Servers, Security Policies, and 802.1x Parameters.

**Check Admin Status under General Policies to enable the WLAN. If you want the AP to broadcast the SSID in its beacon frames, check Broadcast SSID.

Note: You can configure up to sixteen WLANs on the controller. The Cisco WLAN Solution can control up to sixteen WLANs for Lightweight APs. Each WLAN has a separate WLAN ID (1 through 16), a separate WLAN SSID (WLAN name), and can be assigned unique security policies. Lightweight APs broadcast all active Cisco WLAN Solution WLAN SSIDs and enforce the policies that you define for each WLAN.

From this good doc;

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk722/tk809/technologies_configuration_example09186a0080665d18.shtml#c3

Hope this helps!

Rob

This one has frustrated me as well- seems 100% counter-intuitive to blast all SSIDs by default, then require the manual removal of them with WLAN ovveride- which also requires an AP reboot when first invoked! I have pleaded with anyone at Cisco who will listen to consider modifying this poorly thought-out mechanism- it is very disruptive and with no configuration scheduling available via WCS, it can be hard to even add a new SSID to a small group of controllers as you may have to reboot APs- not prudent on a busy network. Hopefully the WBU developers will look at how this task was done in the pre-LWAPP days and how competitors like Meru and Aruba do it- I know of no other hardware set that is so completely backward and disruptive in this regard.

Lee

Thanks all-

Yup- this does seem counter-intuitive.

(there are a few things with the whole WCS/controller set up that I find rather odd..)

I somewhat alleviated the pain by only adding the new SSID to one group of controllers; thereby only having to remove it from HALF of the APs instead of all of them...

Thanks everyone - this forum has been so helpful.

Lynne

Hi Lynne/Lee,

Yes, this is somewhat like the "old" Cable provider "negative billing" ploy, where they added all sorts of new specialty channels and gave them to you automatically (along with the much higher bill$). Then it was up to you to contact the company to have these removed :( (very a#! backwards!)

The most popular way to mitigate this problem of having to access each AP individually is to use WCS Templates for common requirement AP's. This way the WLAN Override function can be applied at the Template level and then pushed out to the group.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/wcs/4.0/configuration/guide/wcstemp.html#wp1072198

Take care,

Rob

We did end up using the Template function, and I am happy to report that it worked like a champ!

Now we are good to go with using the Templates for other functions.

Thanks again-

Lynne

Lee/Lynne

I am not sure if you are here as well, but I am in San Jose at a meeting with the BU Managers this week (VT meeting for Partners).

I will bring this up here because we have the same issue in our outdoor mesh installations in Muni WiFi.

Ralph

They seemed to take a lot more pride in the WLSE - including periodic user surveys - than they do with the WCS. Their typical response to any issues are "that's expected behavior." I guess that's what happens when you buy rather than build.

very helpful indeed. 5 points! :)

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