WLC Primary, secondary - when do the AP change WLC?

[c.danielsen]

Hi Guys

A Simple question

When a AP is associated to a WLC, lets call it "WL0C1" and i want to move it to another primary WLC "WLC2".

on the [High Availability] phane:
Before:

Primary Controller: WLC1 - 10.10.10.11

No Secondary WLC

after:
Primary Controller: WLC2 - 10.10.10.12

Secondary Controller: WLC1 - 10.10.10.11

Mobility groups and so on, is ok

--

My question is:
When do the AP switch over to the "new Primary" WLC?

have a Happy New Year

Best Regards

Claus Danielsen

[Scott Fella]

Within I would say 5 minutes. You also need to make sure that AP Fallback is enabled and the other WLC time is set and there is available AP licenses.  

-Scott

[c.danielsen]

Hi Scott

That was exactly what i was expecting, but they only switch over to the other WLC when i reset them.

maybe i should have told, that i have upgraded software on the failover WLC, and predownloaded the OS to the AP's on the "old WLC".

the reason for the move of the AP's is, that i want to reload the WLC (to get it up on the new software), in order to have as little downtime as possible.

i think i have to manually reload the AP's in order to get them to join a WLC with a newer Software.

\Claus

[Scott Fella]

I do this all the time when upgrading. If the AP's don't move, then there is something else wrong. Check the mobility group, make sure the WLC host name on the high availability your changing is correct (case sensitive), the ip of the WLC is correct, the license on the WLC is active, time is set properly, no ap authorization enabled, unless you configured that, no ACLs blocking the join. 

-Scott

[c.danielsen]

Hi Scott

i think you are right, but i just cant figure out what is wrong in the setup atm.
as soon the AP's is on the WLC2 with the new Software, and i want it back to the old WLC1, (after reload, and new software) it switch to WLC1 right away, as it should do.

i have to look in to the Config a little more, Time, WLC name/IP, Mobility group, is all the same on both WLC.
 

[Scott Fella]

However you have it configured on the AP's high availability, that should be where the AP's should join unless the WLC is not available. If the AP's are able to join both WLCs, that means the time, license are fine and no ACLs are blocking. If AP's don't switch to the desired WLC then it's usually the mobility group, host name and or IP address set wrong or even ap fallback not enabled on both WLC's. 

-Scott

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

You can also console into the ap and see what is happening. Or run some debug commands on the WLC to also see, but you should be able to see what is happening from the console of the ap.

-Scott

[c.danielsen]

true :)
The AP's is placed in USA and i am placed in Europe, so that is not an option.
i Will do it "the hard way" and reload all the AP's then they will join WLC2, and figure out what is the issue later, have to be done before the weekend :)

i have 21 WLC all together, so there is a little task, to be done :)

[c.danielsen]

Problem solved :)

One of the SSID's was disabled on WLC2, strange but true ;)