09-04-2025 01:10 PM
I am trying to reset a Cisco Air Cap 1552 E access point back to it's factory defaults. I have tried every mode button press and release from what I read online, but nothing is working. I do not have an option to reset it via a controller. Can someone suggest what is the right way to do this. Thanks in advance.
09-04-2025 01:17 PM
config ap clear-config <AP-Name>
Check this
MHM
09-04-2025 01:27 PM
I cannot log onto the access point.
09-04-2025 01:29 PM
This command from wlc
MHM
09-04-2025 01:32 PM
This Access point has never been connected to our WLC!
09-05-2025 12:43 AM
@Cap-24 Try to hold the mode button for more then 30 seconds ,
M.
09-05-2025 06:28 AM
I have tried all sorts of length of seconds to get this to reset, but nothing seems to be working. Should I see a message come up in putty session that says it is being reset. Other options here? Is it possible to connect it to the WLC without being able to log into it? At that stage I can probably change the log in? Thoughts.
09-05-2025 07:58 AM
- @Cap-24 Do you see anything at all on the putty connection , for instance after a power cycle of the AP ?
M.
09-10-2025 03:05 PM
Yes you should see something like this:
Button is pressed. Configuration reset activated..
Keep the button pressed for > 20 seconds for full reset
Wait for the button to be released ....
Button pressed for 0 seconds 1 seconds 2 seconds 3 seconds 4 seconds 5 seconds 6 seconds 7 seconds 8 seconds 9 seconds 10 seconds 11 seconds 12 seconds 13 seconds 14 seconds 15 seconds 16 seconds 17 seconds 18 seconds 19 seconds 20 seconds 21 seconds 22 seconds 23 seconds 24 seconds 25 seconds 26 seconds 27 seconds 28 seconds 29 seconds 30 seconds 31 seconds
Yes - you could plug it into the same subnet as the WLC for local broadcast discovery or use DHCP Option 43 to direct it to discover the WLC. As long as it can join then you will be able to configure it *but* you made no mention of what software version you're running so if not up to date, and correctly configured, you could be affected by some of the field notices below.
09-05-2025 09:09 AM
Putty does show a full boot up of the Access point. Goes through two bootloaders, flash phase and Capwap discovery. I don't see the reset button option working for any second amount. Any other ideas?
09-05-2025 09:54 AM
- @Cap-24 No direct other ideas , can you show this boot process ?
M.
09-06-2025 05:04 AM
On the 1552E the reset only works if you do it exactly during the power-on self-test. Unplug the DC/power cable, hold the MODE button down, plug the power back in, keep holding for about 45 seconds until the LED turns red, then release. The AP should wipe its config and reboot to factory defaults.
If you just press the button after boot, nothing happens – it has to be done at power-up.
–––
Best regards,
Stefan Mihajlov
Mark this post as Helpful if it helped you, and Accept as Solution if it resolved your question.
09-08-2025 09:32 AM
@Stefan Mihajlov When I pressed the mode button down for 45 sec, just as I was releasing all lights were red. Unfortunately this did not reset the device.
@Mark Elsen - Boot up process below.
IOS Bootloader - Starting system.
Xmodem file system is available.
flashfs[0]: 62 files, 4 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 31868928
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 15250432
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 16618496
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 19 seconds.
Reading cookie from flash parameter block...done.
Base Ethernet MAC address: 2c:3f:38:be:22:c0
Loading "flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6"...############
File "flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6" uncompressed and installed, entry point: 0x3000
executing...
IOS Secondary Bootloader - Starting system.
Xmodem file system is available.
flashfs[0]: 62 files, 4 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 31868928
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 15250432
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 16618496
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 6 seconds.
Reading cookie from flash parameter block...done.
Base Ethernet MAC address: 2c:3f:38:be:22:c0
Boot CMD: 'boot flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/c1520-k9w8-xx.153-3.JC6;flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/c1520-k9w8-xx.153-3.JC6'
Loading "flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/c1520-k9w8-xx.153-3.JC6"...########################
File "flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/c1520-k9w8-xx.153-3.JC6" uncompressed and installed, entry point: 0x3000
executing...
cisco Systems, Inc.
170 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, California 95134-1706
Cisco IOS Software, C1550 Software (C1520-K9W8-M), Version 15.3(3)JC6, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2017 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Tue 14-Mar-17 19:09 by prod_rel_team
Initializing flashfs...
flashfs[2]: 62 files, 4 directories
flashfs[2]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[2]: Total bytes: 31610880
flashfs[2]: Bytes used: 15250432
flashfs[2]: Bytes available: 16360448
flashfs[2]: flashfs fsck took 7 seconds.
flashfs[2]: Initialization complete.
flashfs[4]: 0 files, 1 directories
flashfs[4]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[4]: Total bytes: 5806080
flashfs[4]: Bytes used: 1024
flashfs[4]: Bytes available: 5805056
flashfs[4]: flashfs fsck took 1 seconds.
flashfs[4]: Initialization complete....done Initializing flashfs.
Radio0 present 8364B 8000 A8020000 0 A8030000 30
Rate table has 336 entries (20 legacy/64 11n/252 11ac)
POWER TABLE FILENAME = flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/J2.bin
Radio1 present 8364B 8000 B8020000 0 B8030000 13
POWER TABLE FILENAME = flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/J5.bin
Radio2 not present 0 0 0 0 0 11
cisco AIR-CAP1552E-A-K9 (PowerPC 8349) processor (revision A0) with 52214K/13312K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID FTX1546P022
PowerPC 8349 CPU at 533Mhz, revision number 0x0031
Last reset from unknown reload cause - ptr to non-ascii bytes 0x17
LWAPP image version 8.2.151.0
4 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
2 802.11 Radios
32K bytes of flash-simulated non-volatile configuration memory.
Base ethernet MAC Address: 2C:3F:38:BE:22:C0
Part Number : 73-13538-01
PCB Serial Number : FOC154223BH
Top Assembly Part Number : 800-34851-02
Top Assembly Serial Number : FTX1546P022
Top Revision Number : A0
Product/Model Number : AIR-CAP1552E-A-K9
% Please define a domain-name first.
ipv6 enable
^
Press RETURN to get started!
*Mar 1 00:00:09.547: %SOAP_FIPS-2-SELF_TEST_IOS_SUCCESS: IOS crypto FIPS self test passed (15)
*Mar 1 00:00:10.303: %SOAP_FIPS-2-SELF_TEST_HW_SUCCESS: HW crypto FIPS self test passed (1-6)
*Mar 1 00:00:10.303: Registering HW DTLS
*Mar 1 00:00:10.463: m8349_ether_enable: MACCFG1 sync timeout
*Mar 1 00:00:13.155: %SOAP_FIPS-2-SELF_TEST_RAD_SUCCESS: RADIO crypto FIPS self test passed on interface Dot11Radio 0 (4)
*Mar 1 00:00:13.163: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface Ethernet4, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:13.167: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:13.167: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet1, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:13.167: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet2, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:13.167: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet3, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:13.311: loading Power Tables from flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/J2.bin. Class = A
*Mar 1 00:00:13.311: record size of 2ss: 404 read_ptr: 1B94E38
*Mar 1 00:00:16.051: %SOAP_FIPS-2-SELF_TEST_RAD_SUCCESS: RADIO crypto FIPS self test passed on interface Dot11Radio 1 (4)
*Mar 1 00:00:16.131: loading Power Tables from flash:/c1520-k9w8-mx.153-3.JC6/J5.bin. Class = A
*Mar 1 00:00:16.131: record size of 2ss: 404 read_ptr: 1B94E38
*Mar 1 00:00:17.563: %SYS-4-VRF_TABLE_INIT_WARNING: cannot determine platform max VRFs
*Mar 1 00:00:18.471: %SYS-5-RESTART: System restarted --
Cisco IOS Software, C1550 Software (C1520-K9W8-M), Version 15.3(3)JC6, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2017 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Tue 14-Mar-17 19:09 by prod_rel_team
*Mar 1 00:00:18.471: %SNMP-5-COLDSTART: SNMP agent on host ATT-1-AP-1 is undergoing a cold start
*Mar 1 00:00:18.799: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface Dot11Radio0, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:19.003: %SSH-5-ENABLED: SSH 2.0 has been enabled
*Mar 1 00:00:19.003: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface Dot11Radio1, changed state to uplwapp_crypto_init: MIC Present and Parsed Successfully
*Mar 1 00:00:19.743: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface BVI1, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:20.315: %DOT11-3-ADD_PRIM_IDB_TOLIST: can not add idb GigabitEthernet0 to the private list
*Mar 1 00:00:20.383: %CDP_PD-4-POWER_OK: Full power - INJECTOR_DETECTED inline power source
*Mar 1 00:00:21.315: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Ethernet4, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:30.747: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface BVI1, changed state to down
*Mar 1 00:00:31.747: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface BVI1, changed state to down
*Mar 1 00:00:37.295: Currently running a Release Image
validate_sha2_block: Failed to get certificate chain
*Mar 1 00:00:37.307: Using SHA-1 signed certificate for image signing validation.
ip routing
^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.
ip cef
^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.
no ip routing
^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.
ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 bvi1
^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.
*Mar 1 00:00:40.575: AP image integrity check PASSED
*Mar 1 00:00:40.587: Non-recovery image. PNP Not required.
*Mar 1 00:00:40.675: validate_sha2_block:No SHA2 Block present on this AP.
*Mar 1 00:00:40.691: %LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface Dot11Radio0, changed state to reset
*Mar 1 00:00:41.779: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface Dot11Radio0, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:41.787: %LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface Dot11Radio1, changed state to reset
*Mar 1 00:00:42.687: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface BVI1, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:42.779: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Dot11Radio0, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:42.875: %LINK-6-UPDOWN: Interface Dot11Radio1, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:43.687: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface BVI1, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:43.875: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Dot11Radio1, changed state to up
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307: Resource monitoring: Process memory
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307: %PLTMONITOR-6-MUSAGE: Memory Processor Pool Total: 25341244 Used: 23275408 Free: 2065836
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307: %PLTMONITOR-6-MUSAGE: Memory I/O Pool Total: 13631488 Used: 10594664 Free: 3036824
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307: PID TTY Allocated Freed Holding Getbufs Retbufs Process
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307: %PLTMONITOR-6-PROC: 0 0 6378320 6512 6376004 10301120 0 *Dead*
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307: %PLTMONITOR-6-PROC: 1 0 601560 0 608720 0 0 Chunk Manager
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307: %PLTMONITOR-6-PROC: 66 0 517528 240 530448 0 0 LWAPP CLIENT
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307:
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307: Resource monitoring: Processor memory
*Mar 1 00:00:45.307: Alloc PC Size Blocks Bytes What
*Mar 1 00:00:45.527: %PLTMONITOR-6-PC: 0x21A6F0 0000001200 0000003636 0004363200 *Free Packet Header* Processor
*Mar 1 00:00:45.643: %PLTMONITOR-6-PC: 0x333C84 0000006000 0000000092 0000552000 Process Stack Processor
*Mar 1 00:00:45.695: %PLTMONITOR-6-PC: 0x474AFC 0000020000 0000000030 0000600000 Flashfs Sector Processor
*Mar 1 00:00:45.707: %PLTMONITOR-6-PC: 0x48A85C 0006291456 0000000001 0006291456 soap_flash init Processor
*Mar 1 00:00:46.135: Resource monitoring: I/O memory
*Mar 1 00:00:46.135: Alloc PC Size Blocks Bytes What
*Mar 1 00:00:46.151:
*Mar 1 00:00:50.771: Logging LWAPP message to 255.255.255.255.
*Mar 1 00:00:50.775: %SYS
09-09-2025 09:43 AM - edited 09-09-2025 09:44 AM
Does it reboot-loop after the boot process (such as after capwap discovery process and failing to find a controller if it has never joined a controller) ? Or does the boot up process end to a prompt? This boot process looks familiar, and I had similar reset issues on 1572s and 1562s, but I haven't had luck trying to find my related notes on it...curious, do you have a controller environment, or wanting to set up as a standalone/autonomous, and therefore needing to factory reset, etc?
09-09-2025 11:37 AM
@coolbreeze I don't think it reboots after it tries to capwap discovery. It does not end at prompt, unless I press return and get to log in option. Can I just join this Lightweight Access Point to our Controller. I have put the MAC address, host name, IP in our WLC. Let me know.
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