trying to configure vWLC 8.5.151 on esxi

[secElh]

hi.. I'm trying to configure vWLC  8.5.151 on our esxi but i can't access it's network 

yet no matter what i do i can't seem to get a ping to the default gateway (i have other machines that do get a ping) 

(the ap's will be on the same subnet) 

[marce1000]

  -  Why consider to get this ancient aireos based vwlc going ? Go for the 9800-CL instead :
                                   https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286322605/type/282046477/release/Dublin-17.12.5

   M.
                      

[secElh]

because i have no choice, i need to support MSE which is also EoL, and i have k9 ap's. . 

[marce1000]

  - @secElh   >....because i have no choice, i need to support MSE which is also EoL
                    Not a good project in the context of sustained IT services support and implementation; the solution then
                    becomes to implement the modern cisco equivalent for the same service

                                   > and i have k9 ap's. 
                  That does not denote an AP model; all the older APs have that extension and it refers to included
                  encryption standards only.  So, note that the older APs such as 2700 (e.g.) are supported till 17.12.x
                  on the 9800 platforms.

  M.

[secElh]

well some of our customers don't have modern cisco equivalent, and i've already had a case where i needed to issue a patch for our product because we found a bug in MSE which is what we really need to work with  we use those as development devices , because the main intent is to verify our integration with Cisco MSE, which works is CIsco Prime 3.8 and below and those definitely don't support catalyst 9800 17.12, so on one hand we have cisco ap's like 9120,9130, 9166 with catalyst 17.12.5 , on the other hand have i think k9 3602 ap's  which i need them to work with MSE, so i have to cobble the right controller version to match, 8.5.151 is the latest vWLC i could find that supports all those. 

[marce1000]

  - @secElh             >...8.5.151 is the latest vWLC i could find that supports all those. 
                       All of those arguments are duly noted   but besides what I said :
                      8.5.151 is also ancient and could cause many important bug experiences for your
                      wireless customers, if done , it should at least be with 8.10.196.0
                      

  M.
                     

[secElh]

but according to the compatibility matrix the latest mse could support is 8.5.12 

[secElh]

btw vWLC 8.10.121 it has the same problems, so that can't be related to 8.5.151

additionally those ap's certificate are expired, and depdedand on the contrlller's (expired ap's) so each time they would join, i needed reset the controllle's time back to allow them to join. so getting a new controller may actually be worse. 

[Rich R]

@secElh  I don't know if MSE is sensitive to the exact revision of AireOS (I doubt it) but generally if you are going to use 8.5 then you should at least go for the very latest maintenance release, which also has the fixes for the certificate errors you're referring to (also refer to the Field Notices below).

The final release which you should be using is 8.5.182.12 - download link in my signature below (it's not on the general software download pages).  No guarantee that will resolve your issue but it has literally hundreds of bug fixes since 8.5.151.0.

Are you running it on a supported version of ESX?
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/release/notes/crn85mr8.html#supported-wlcs_85

Cisco Virtual Wireless Controller (vWLC) on the following platforms:

• VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) Version 5.x and 6.x

ps: Did you follow the setup guide for VMware including the promiscuous mode settings?
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/technology/mesh/8-2/b_Virtual_Wireless_LAN_Controller_Deployment_Guide_8-2.html#id_10327

[secElh]

i cannot download those as i don't have authorization to access the link ( i need to ask someone else who does) 

the page doesn't seem to include updates for vWLC, one other thing,  i also unearthed a 2504 controller with 7.4 version, i thought about upgrading it to 8.2 because it seemed simplest to do, as any higher upgrades seems to require additional upgrades.  

[Rich R]

The vWLC Small and Large Scale images are there, as well as the image for 2504 @secElh :

[marce1000]

  - @secElh      For APs on 9800 compatibility information look at : https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/compatibility/matrix/compatibility-matrix.html

   M.

[secElh]

problme was i didn't set the vlan to 0 (even though in the past it seemed to have worked with vlan set )