what's the difference between local mode and flex-connect mode on AP

[kingsley0504]

Hi ALL

I have a question,what's the difference between local mode and flex-connect mode on AP;

Could I deploy flex-connect mode and local switch locally?

Thanks!

[Sandeep Choudhary]

Hi,

In local mode, an AP creates two CAPWAP tunnels to the WLC.  One is for management, the other is data traffic.  This behavior is known as "centrally switched" because the data traffic is switched(bridged) from the ap to the controller where it is then routed by some routing device.
 
Flex Connect also known as HREAP by the old timers, allows data traffic to be switched locally and not go back to the controller.  It basically causes the AP to behave like an autonomous AP, but be managed by the WLC.  In this mode, the AP can still function even if it looses connection with the controller.  Also, anytime you want to switch traffic locally, that would be the time to use Flex Connect.  I used it once when my users were needing the wireless and wired networks to be on the same subnet for broadcasting reasons.

Regards

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[Reuben Farrelly]

I'm curious to know the answer to a variation of this question.

What is the difference in terms of functionality between (1) running an AP in local mode and (2) running FlexConnect mode and with all VLANs and WLANs/SSIDs centrally switched?

Is there anything different technically in terms of how this works or is it basically the same thing just configured slightly differently?

[nuc9901]

A major difference: In "Local" or "Centrally Switched" mode, all traffic goes back to the WLC (controller) NO MATTER WHERE IT IS. This is an issue when the WLC is somewhere out on the WAN and a wireless client on one VLAN is trying to use a local resource on a different VLAN - all that traffic making a round trip between the local network and the remote WLC. And it is really a problem for slow links. There are other differences that affect operation when a WLC goes off line, but the handling of VLAN switching is the one that caused me the most pain. 

[RIYAJOSHI]

Hi .

can any confirm me with accurate ans.

diff btw local AP and flex connect AP ?

1>local AP creates two CAPWAP tunnel  per AP to WLC ?

2>flex connect AP mode brdiges the traffic from the AP to the WLC when local switching is configured ?

Regards

Riya

[Scott Fella]

Local mode tunnels traffic to the wlc and traffic has to egress from the controller. FlexConnect with local switching places traffic on the switchport the ap is connected to. There are a lot of documentation on local mode vs FlexConnect local switching.

[mohanak]

Please refer the link :

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/thread/51502
 

[Noor Shukri]

Hey,

This is how I made it simple to myself, AP in local mode is nothing more than antenna (smart antenna - not to be harsh here)

Flexconnect mode is the combination between autonomous IOS APs and the local mode, Cisco made this mode basically for WAN connections where the link is usually less stable than LAN. So they offered two options:

- Make it exactly like local mode AP (all the traffic must reach the WLC in the link) == Central switching

- Make it use the WLC for management and the AP will be smart enough to manager the "data" traffic in the site == local switching

What is the difference in terms of functionality between (1) running an AP in local mode and (2) running FlexConnect mode and with all VLANs and WLANs/SSIDs centrally switched?

Nothing .. some controller like the virtual controller require the AP to be in flex mode.  Functionality wise, it will be the same if the WLC is unreachable all the traffic stops.

Cheers,

Nour

[mattmar]

You just need to remember the terms are basically backwards. Local mode should be locally switched!

[ron]

you loose Layer 3 seamless roaming in flex mode.