Restoring LAP (AIR LAP1142n) back to default without a controller

[fcs100001]

So this question may seem extremely simple however I'm having no success following the methods I have found so far.

I received the LAP1142n used with a configuration already setup on it. My end game is converting this device to an AP because I don't have a controller. I can not gain access to it therefore I need to reset it. All the suggestions I see say to hold down the mode button while powering on until the LED turns red.

When I follow these instructions I am put into a mode that I'm unfamiliar with, AP:

As soon as the device is powered off, it reverts back to the configuration that was previous on the device. I have found know know solutions to reset it and I'm struggling trying to figure out what the mode the colon signifies even means.

Any suggestions?

[Leo Laohoo]

All the suggestions I see say to hold down the mode button while powering on until the LED turns red.

When I follow these instructions I am put into a mode that I'm unfamiliar with, AP:

Read and understand the process:  Using a TFTP Server to Return to a Previous Release.  A lot of us have recommended this process because this is the simplest.  

[fcs100001]

Link is broken but I assume it's the same as what was posted above?

I tried going through that process with no luck. As you can see in the screenshot attached it would continue failing. At first I thought this was because I had assigned it the wrong subnet. I was using 10.0.0.2 /24 for the static IP. So I changed it to /27 which should have been correct given the range I could enter. I also set 10.0.0.1 as the default gateway (again in the static settings on my desktop). Still no luck.

I have also attached a screenshot showcasing the directory of my TFTP server with the file listed. It also showed that it was in fact using the 10.0.0.2 IP. I never once saw any kind of activity appear on the TFTP software.

Any ideas?

Edit: So had a "ah-ha" moment that I thought would fix the issue. Realized it was a class A address so the subnet mask would have to be /8. Tried it and still same results. Back to the drawing board...

[Leo Laohoo]

Link is broken but I assume it's the same as what was posted above?

Looks like someone in Cisco has finally killed a very popular document.  Typical.  

Pic shows "connected timed out".  This means the AP can't contact the TFTP server.  The AP is always on 10.0.0.1/8.  Is the AP directly connected to the TFTP server?  

[fcs100001]

Yes it is. I've attached the screen with the settings on the desktop it's connected to.

I also posted in the cisco subreddit and have got a plethora of suggestions in which I'm ab out to run through now (would post the link but unsure if that's against the rules here). One person said they thought APs could be converted to LAPs but not the other way around. Not sure if there is any truth to that.

I will post here with the troubleshooting I go through and if it's successful or not.

Thanks.

Edit: No luck so far and I feel like I'm running out of options. I've tried disabling avast along with checking the windows firewall to make sure it wasn't blocking tftp. I went through this method and obtained more or less the same results. I set it all up accordingly and when I went to test the connection by pinging the tftp server, it would not get through.

I was originally setting up the tftp server through my win7 desktop (which has been successfully used over the LAN to transfer a new IOS to my 3560 switch) . I switched over to win8.1 on my laptop and got the exact same results. I have switched out patch cables as well.

[Leo Laohoo]

One person said they thought APs could be converted to LAPs but not the other way around. Not sure if there is any truth to that.

You can convert the AP to any mode as long as you have the right IOS.

There was a time when I personally experienced I wasn't able to do a "Mode" button transfer with my laptop.  When I released the Mode button, nothing is transfered.  Rebooted the laptop, nothing happens.  I managed to fix things when I used a different machine.  

[fcs100001]

Yea, sadly that didn't work for me. I mentioned that I not only tried from another machine but another OS too, at least another version anyways.

The method I linked in that last edit from the last post doesn't even involve the mode button. Still same results on both machines.

[Leo Laohoo]

Yea, sadly that didn't work for me. I mentioned that I not only tried from another machine but another OS too, at least another version anyways.


The method I linked in that last edit from the last post doesn't even involve the mode button. Still same results on both machines.

Hmmmm ... 

Disable your TFTP server and do the "Mode" button again.  When you release the button, the AP should go into ROMmon (prompt is "ap>"). 

When this happens see if you can do the following: 

1.  ping the IP address of 10.0.0.1; 

2.  ping the TFTP IP address

[fcs100001]

The prompt I continue to get at that point is actually "ap:" I don't have access to the ping command from this prompt.

Edit: IT WORKS.

So someone on that subreddit post saw that the file the directory the "error" screenshot was looking for ".defaut" without an "L". I thought this was strange so I went to double check it. Set everything up like always and used my desktop and I didn't even get to see what the filename was as it started spitting out more output. This output was the succesful TFTP transfer occurring.

I have no idea how it suddenly started working. I had probably done this process 30+ times in the last 48 hours and even had someone jump on a webex meeting with me to try and help out with no avail at the time. No filenames were changed and the configuration was the exact same as the screenshots above.

I'm just glad it finally worked I guess.

[Leo Laohoo]

Have a read at THIS.

[fcs100001]

I actually saw and tried that too. The problem was that the commands it started listing to use from that prompt weren't even available for me. This was all I had available at that prompt... (Not that it really matters now as I did fix it but still this one was a real head scratcher)

ap: ?
? -- Present list of available commands
arp -- Show arp table or arp-resolve an address
boot -- Load and boot an executable image
cat -- Concatenate (type) file(s)
clear_ether -- clear ethernet port statistics
copy -- Copy a file
delete -- Delete file(s)
dir -- List files in directories
dump_regs -- dump reset registers
etest -- test emac driver code
ether_init -- initialize ethernet port
flash_init -- Initialize flash filesystem(s)
format -- Format a filesystem
fsck -- Check filesystem consistency
help -- Present list of available commands
init_pci -- initialize pci bridge
led_test -- cycle LED patterns
load_helper -- Load and initialize a helper image
memory -- Present memory heap utilization information
mkdir -- Create dir(s)
more -- Concatenate (display) file(s)
phy_dump -- dump phy registers
phy_read -- read phy register
phy_write -- write phy register
rename -- Rename a file
reset -- Reset the system
rmdir -- Delete empty dir(s)
set -- Set or display environment variables
set_baud -- set baud rates
set_sleep -- Pause (sleep) for a specified number of seconds
show_ether -- show ethernet port statistics
show_pci -- show pci setting
switch status -- report push button switch status
tar -- extract or listing a tar file
tftp_init -- Initialize tftp file system
type -- Concatenate (type) file(s)
unset -- Unset one or more environment variables
version -- Display boot loader version
warm_pci -- warm pci rst

[Leo Laohoo]

The problem was that the commands it started listing to use from that prompt weren't even available for me. 

Yes it is.  The first command the process will tell you is the use of "set".  It's right there in the menu.  

[Abhishek Abhishek]

Using a TFTP Server to Return to a Previous Release

Follow these steps to revert from LWAPP mode to autonomous mode by loading a Cisco IOS release using a TFTP server:

---

Step 1 The PC on which your TFTP server software runs must be configured with a static IP address in the range of 10.0.0.2 to 10.0.0.30.

Step 2 Make sure that the PC contains the access point image file (such as c1200-k9w7-tar.122-15.JA.tar for a 1200 series access point) in the TFTP server folder and that the TFTP server is activated.

Step 3 Rename the access point image file in the TFTP server folder to c1200-k9w7-tar.default for a 1200 series access point.

Step 4 Connect the PC to the access point using a Category 5 (CAT5) Ethernet cable.

Step 5 Disconnect power from the access point.

Step 6 Press and hold the MODE button while you reconnect power to the access point.

Step 7 Hold the MODE button until the status LED turns red (approximately 20 to 30 seconds), and release the MODE button.

Step 8 Wait until the access point reboots as indicated by all LEDs turning green followed by the Status LED blinking green.

Step 9 After the access point reboots, reconfigure the access point using the GUI or the CLI.