Move APs from controller to controller

[pingmenow]

How do you move APs from controller to controller without having to restart the APs to avoid downtime?

I've tried to manually add the primary controller in the AP config, but the AP doesn't move.

I am using a 4404 controller with 1130 APs.

[George Stefanick]

Click on Wireless--> (your access points) ---> High availability. Make sure you put the controller you want the aps to move to FIRST. Then also mark it as critical.

Then UNDER controller tab. Make sure AP fall back is enabled.

This will move your AP to the WLC you want.

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[Ven Taylor]

George has you covered. 

However, no matter how you configure it, you're still going to have some downtime.  If your AP density is good, you can swing your AP's in waves.  Pick 5 -10 AP's that are spread across your campus and move them together.  WCS makes this easy.  If you don't have WCS, you'll have to do them one at a time (which sucks - but works).

The AP will send disassociation frames to it's clients, who will then roam to the closest AP.  Once it's moved to the other controller, it will start broadcasting it's ssid's.  Clients will roam back once they see a stronger signal.

Caveat:

If your controllers are at different software rev's the APs will have to re-download their software every time they fail over.  This can take a few minutes of AP downtime.

Ven

[Leo Laohoo]

I've tried to manually add the primary controller in the AP config, but the AP doesn't move. 
I am using a 4404 controller with 1130 APs.

What firmware is your WLC?  If this is 4.X then there's no other way but to use CLI as the GUI function is broken.

[pingmenow]

Firmware is 4.x.  There hasn't been an upgrade.  I used to be able to manually input the primary controller name and within seconds, the AP would move to the assigned controller.  This function used to work so I'm stumped as to why it stopped working.

I have WCS and used it to assign the primary controller to selected APs, but the APs didn't move.  I verified the primary controller was set by WCS.

What are the commands to move APs in CLI?  Will this force the APs to move?  I'm trying to prevent downtime at all costs as this is for a 24/7 site.

[Leo Laohoo]

The 4.X firmware has a bug in the GUI.  The only way to correctly and completely input the controller details are via CLI.

The command is "config ap primary ".