Upgrade path from 8.4.100.0 to 8.10.185.0

[tiago-matos]

Hi!
I was trying to find the upgrade path for the versions I mentioned on the title, but I only found articles on the upgrade path from 8.2 or 8.3, which in order to upgrade to 8.10.185.0 we first ned to upgrade to the latest 8.5.
I'm wondering if its the same case here? 8.4 --> 8.5 --> 8.10?

I have a Cisco Mobility Express Solution and the model of the APs is 1815i-E-K9.

Also, we wanted a new 1815i K9 but there is only one K9C for sale and we already have an AP as Primary Controller. I presume that once I power it on and connect it, it will just join the controller? or will we need to convert from a K9C (Mobility Express) to a regular K9 (CAPWAP)?

Thank you all in advance.

[jagan.chowdam]

If we have to jump to intermediate release 8.5 before going to 8.10, it would have been mentioned in the 8.10.x release notes. I don't see anything mentioned in the release notes, so I assume it's a direct upgrade from 8.4 to 8.10

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/access_point/mob_exp/810/release_notes/b_ME_RN_810.html

Cisco announced EOL for 1815 AP and End-of-Sale Date for Hardware was May 1, 2022.

EoL notification - https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/aironet-1815-series-access-points/aironet-1815-series-access-points-eol.html

If you already have a ME Controller in the network and the new AP can discover it, then it'll join the ME controller as a subordinate AP. It'll not go through the ME boot script to become another controller.

If you want to reset the AP into CAPWAP mode you'll need to enter enable mode on the CLI and enter the “ap-type capwap” command.

Jagan Chowdam

/**Pls rate useful responses**/

[tiago-matos]

Nice.
Since we are on topic, you mentioned (well) the EOL for the 1815, we are planning to get a refurbished one.

But if we were to upgrade, I've seen that the Catalyst 9105 is the elegible successor. The thing is, mobility express is also in EOL, and the new catalyst brought EWC with them. So if I wanted to upgrade, I'd need to setup the new catalyst as the Controller right? and by doing so, would I need to reconfigure the whole wireless network on the new AP or is there any migration mechanism that I'm not aware?

https://blogs.cisco.com/networking/cisco-aironet-aps-to-sunset-replaced-by-cisco-catalyst-aps

Edit: According to cisco I can't even join the 1800 series on the 9105's EWC. So I guess I'd have to upgrade the entire infrastructure, which leads me to the same question: is there any migration mechanism or will I have to reconfigure everything manually?

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/embedded-wireless-controller-catalyst-access-points/white-paper-c11-743398.html

[marce1000]

     Hm ; there various resource available such as :
                       https://www.ciscolive.com/c/dam/r/ciscolive/global-event/docs/2023/pdf/BRKEWN-2338.pdf
                       https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/wireless-lan-controller-software/217908-migrate-from-aireos-wlc-to-catalyst-9800.html

  In any case there remains practical work in the end , but migrating to the 9800 controllers and included the EWC based platform is strongly advised ,

 M.
                      

[jagan.chowdam]

if I wanted to upgrade, I'd need to setup the new catalyst as the Controller right?

Correct, 

Converting AireOS Mobility Express Network to Embedded Wireless Controller Network

Procedure

---

Step 1	Remove the Next Preferred Master configuration from the existing AireOS Mobility Express network and save the configuration.
Step 2	Power down all the APs in the AireOS Mobility Express network including the primary AP.
Step 3	Power-on the 11 AX AP with the embedded wireless controller SKU so that it launches the controller.
Step 4	Provision the 11 AX AP with the required configuration (if the box is in Day-0, provision the mandatory configuration to get to Day-1).
Step 5	Copy, Translate, and Apply all the AireOS Mobility Express configurations to the 11 AX embedded wireless controller AP, add image download configuration.
Step 6	Power-on all the APs in the AireOS Mobility Express network. All the APs from the earlier AireOS Mobility Express network will join as regular APs in the embedded wireless controller network.

Ref: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/ewc/17-7/config-guide/ewc_cg_17_7/conversion_and_migration.html#id_108684

Config Converter: https://community.cisco.com/t5/wireless/wlc-config-converter-aireos-ios-xe/td-p/2895495

1815i APs can register with C9105 EWC as subordinate AP.

Jagan Chowdam

[marce1000]

 - Last but not least before taking any 9800 controller solution (including EWC) into production :  have a checkup of the final  configuration with the CLI command show tech wireless and feed the output to : Wireless Config Analyzer

 M.