H3C Access Controllers
Cloud-Managed AP Centralized Management
Configuration Examples

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

Introduction· 1

Prerequisites· 1

Example: Configuring cloud-managed APs to come online and upgrade firmware through the AC·· 1

Network configuration· 1

Analysis· 2

Restrictions and guidelines· 2

About AC discovery· 2

Procedures· 3

Configuring Switch 1· 3

Configuring Switch 2· 3

Configuring Switch 3· 3

Configuring the AC· 4

Verifying the configuration· 5

Configuration files· 6

Example: Switching cloud-managed APs to fit mode (optional) 7

Restrictions and guidelines· 7

Network configuration· 7

Procedures· 7

Verifying the configuration· 7

Configuration files· 8

Related documentation· 9

 

Introduction

The following information provides an example for managing cloud-managed APs centrally. Specifically, you can use the cloud platform to control and manage APs remotely. However, when the cloud-managed APs cannot connect to the cloud platform, you can use the AC to perform centralized management (such as image downloading) on the APs to reduce O&M difficulty and management cost.

Prerequisites

The following information applies to Comware-based access controllers and WiFi-6 access points.

The configuration examples were created and verified in a lab environment, and all the devices were started with the factory default configuration. When you are working on a live network, make sure you understand the potential impact of every command on your network.

The following information is provided based on the assumption that you have basic knowledge of cloud-managed AP centralized management and auto APs.

Example: Configuring cloud-managed APs to come online and upgrade firmware through the AC

Network configuration

As shown in Figure 1, the AC is connected to Switch 3 through out-of-path deployment and Switch 3 acts as the DHCP server to assign IP addresses to APs. Switch 1 and Switch 2 supply power to APs through PoE.

Configure the feature to enable cloud-managed APs to come online and upgrade firmware through the AC. This can reduce the O&M difficulty and management cost.

Figure 1 Network diagram

 

Analysis

·     For Switch 1 and Switch 2 to supply power to APs, enable the PoE feature on the switches.

·     For Switch 3 to act as a DHCP server, enable the DHCP server feature on Switch 3.

·     Enable auto AP on the AC and configure auto AP persistence.

·     Download the cloud-managed AP image from the official website and save the image on the AC.

Restrictions and guidelines

·     The feature is available only for Comware-based ACs of R5447P04 and later versions. Procedures and information in the examples might be slightly different depending on the software or hardware version of the access controllers and access points.

·     Cloud-managed APs require licenses to come online on the AC. APs of different models use different number of license seats. To view the license seats required by APs, execute the display wlan ap-model command.

·     Different cloud-managed APs support different AC models. To verify cloud-managed AP and AC compatibility, access the Home > Support > Resource Center > Software Download > Wireless page at the H3C official website and obtain the AC release notes.

About AC discovery

An AP discovers an AC and establishes a CAPWAP tunnel with the AC through the following methods:

·     Static method: Discovers an AC based on the AC's IP address specified by using the wlan ac ip command on the AP.

·     Dynamic methods:

¡     Through DHCP: Discovers an AC based on the AC's IP address carried in Option 43 field returned by the DHCP server.

¡     Through broadcast: Discovers an AC by broadcasting Discovery requests to 255.255.255.255.

If the AC's IP address is not specified by using the wlan ac ip command, the AP uses the DHCP and broadcast methods in sequence. If the AP uses one of the methods to establish a CAPWAP with an AC successfully, AC discovery will stop.

Procedures

Configuring Switch 1

# Enable PoE on interface GigabitEthernet 1/0/1 that connects to the cloud-managed APs.

<Switch 1> system-view

[Switch 1] interface GigabitEthernet 1/0/1

[Switch 1-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] poe enable

[Switch 1-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] quit

Configuring Switch 2

# Enable PoE on interface GigabitEthernet 1/0/1 that connects to the cloud-managed APs.

<Switch 2> system-view

[Switch 2] interface GigabitEthernet 1/0/1

[Switch 2-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] poe enable

[Switch 2-GigabitEthernet1/0/1] quit

Configuring Switch 3

# Assign IP address 192.1.0.1 to VLAN-interface 1.

<Switch 3> system-view

[Switch 3] int Vlan-interface 1

[Switch 3-Vlan-interface1] ip address 192.1.0.1 255.255.0.0

[Switch 3-Vlan-interface1] quit

# Enable DHCP services. Create DHCP address pool 1 to assign IP addresses to APs.

[Switch 3] dhcp server enable

[Switch 3] dhcp server ip-pool 1

[Switch 3-dhcp-pool-1] network 192.1.0.0 16

[Switch 3-dhcp-pool-1] gateway-list 192.1.0.1

[Switch 3-dhcp-pool-1] forbidden-ip 192.1.0.2

[Switch 3-dhcp-pool-1] quit

# Apply DHCP address pool 1 to VLAN-interface 1.

[Switch 3] interface Vlan-interface 1

[Switch 3-Vlan-interface1] dhcp server apply ip-pool 1

[Switch 3-Vlan-interface1] quit

Configuring the AC

# Assign IP address 192.1.0.2 to VLAN-interface 1 on the AC.

<AC> system-view

[AC] interface Vlan-interface1

[AC-Vlan-interface1] ip address 192.1.0.2 255.255.0.0

[AC-Vlan-interface1] quit

# Download the cloud-managed AP image to the PC. Execute the display wlan ap-model command to view the Image Name field and change the name of the image file to the same as the Image Name field.

 

NOTE: To download a cloud-managed AP image, access https://www.h3c.com/en/Support/Resource_Center/Software_Download/Wireless/.

 

For example, change the file name from WA6500A-CMW710-E2588P01.ipe to wa6500a.ipe.

# Configure the PC as the FTP server. Connect the AC to the PC and then download the cloud-managed AP image through FTP.

<AC> ftp 192.1.0.5

ftp> get wa6500a.ipe

ftp> quit

# Enable AP firmware upgrade. Specify the mapping relations between AP model and software version number.

 

NOTE: ·     After AP firmware upgrade is enabled, the AC compares the current AP version with the specified version in the binding. If the versions are the same, the AC will not perform the upgrade. If the versions are different, the AC will start the upgrade. ·     When specifying the mapping relations between AP model and software version number, you must save the AP image for upgrade to directory apimg on the AC and make sure the version number is the same as configured.

 

<AC> system-view

[AC] wlan ap-group default-group

[AC-wlan-ap-gro-default-group] firmware-upgrade enable

[AC-wlan-ap-group-default-group] quit

# Configure the AC to obtain the AP image in the local folder with the top priority.

[AC] wlan image-load filepath local

# Specify the mapping relation between the AP model and the AP version number.

[AC] wlan apdb oasisap WA6526H Ver.A E2588P01

# Enable auto AP.

[AC] wlan auto-ap enable

# Enable auto AP association to the AC.

[AC] wlan auto-ap fat-and-cloud enable

# Convert online auto APs to manual APs.

[AC] wlan auto-ap persistent all

# Enable the system to automatically convert auto APs to manual APs. This configuration takes effect only on APs that come online afterward.

[AC] wlan auto-persistent enable

Verifying the configuration

# Use the display wlan ap all command to view the AP information. Verify that the default AP name is the device MAC address, the AP state is IL during image loading and is R/M after the AP comes online.

[AC] display wlan ap all

Total number of APs: 1

Total number of connected APs: 1

Total number of connected manual APs: 0

Total number of connected auto APs: 1

Total number of connected common APs: 1

Total number of connected WTUs: 0

Total number of inside APs: 0

Maximum supported APs: 3072

Remaining APs: 3071

Total AP licenses: 128

Local AP licenses: 128

Server AP licenses: 0

Remaining AP licenses: 127

Sync AP licenses: 0

 

                                 AP information

 State : I = Idle,      J  = Join,       JA = JoinAck,    IL = ImageLoad

         C = Config,    DC = DataCheck,  R  = Run,   M = Master,  B = Backup

 

AP name                AP ID   State   Model             Serial ID

741f-4a35-6e00         1       IL      WA6526H           219801A28N819CE0002T

# Use the display wlan ap name 741f-4a35-6e00 verbose command to verify that the S/W version field is E2588P01 after the AP firmware upgrade.

[AC] display wlan ap name 741f-4a35-6e00 verbose                               

AP name                       : 741f-4a35-6e00                                 

AP ID                         : 1                                              

AP group name                 : default-group                                  

State                         : Run                                            

Backup type                   : Master                                         

Ready-for-Switchover          : Ready                                          

Online time                   : 1 days 22 hours 29 minutes 40 seconds          

System uptime                 : N/A                                            

Model                         : WA6526H                                        

Region code                   : CN                                             

Region code lock              : Disabled                                       

Serial ID                     : 219801A28N819CE0002T                           

MAC address                   : 741f-4a35-6e00                                 

IP address                    : 192.1.0.5                                       

UDP control port number       : 27392                                           

UDP data port number          : 27392                                          

H/W version                   : Ver.A                                          

S/W version                   : E2588P01                                        

Configuration files

·     Switch 1

#

interface GigabitEthernet 1/0/1

poe enable

#

·     Switch 2

#

interface GigabitEthernet 1/0/1

poe enable

#

·     Switch 3

#

dhcp server ip-pool 1

 gateway-list 192.1.0.1

 network 192.1.0.0 mask 255.255.0.0

 forbidden-ip 192.1.0.2

#

interface Vlan-interface1

 ip address 192.1.0.1 255.255.0.0

dhcp server apply ip-pool 1

#

·     AC

#

interface Vlan-interface1

 ip address 192.1.0.2 255.255.0.0

#

wlan ap-group default-group

firmware-upgrade enable

#

wlan image-load filepath local

#

wlan apdb oasisap WA6526H Ver.A E2588P01

#

wlan auto-ap enable

wlan auto-ap fat-and-cloud enable

wlan auto-ap persistent all

 wlan auto-persistent enable

#

Example: Switching cloud-managed APs to fit mode (optional)

Restrictions and guidelines

If an AP is already in fit mode, configuring the feature has no effect on the AP.

Network configuration

To connect cloud-managed APs to an AC to achieve centralized management, you can switch the AP mode from cloud to fit. After the switching, the APs operate as fit APs.

Procedures

# Enter the view of default AP group default-group.

<AC> system-view

[AC] wlan ap-group default-group

# Configure cloud-managed APs to act in fit mode.

[AC-wlan-ap-group-default-group] ap-mode fit

[AC-wlan-ap-group-default-group] quit

Verifying the configuration

# Use the display wlan ap name 741f-4a35-6e00 verbose command to verify that the AP type filed is Normal AP.

[AC]dis wlan ap name 741f-4a35-6e00 verbose                                

AP name                       : 741f-4a35-6e00                                 

AP ID                         : 1                                              

AP group name                 : default-group                                  

State                         : Idle                                           

Backup type                   : Idle                                           

Ready-for-Switchover          : Not ready                                      

Online time                   : N/A                                            

System uptime                 : N/A                                            

Model                         : WA6526H                                        

Region code                   : CN                                             

Region code lock              : Disabled                                       

Serial ID                     : 219801A28N819CE0002T                           

MAC address                   : Not configured                                 

IP address                    : N/A                                            

UDP control port number       : N/A                                            

UDP data port number          : N/A                                            

H/W version                   : N/A                                            

S/W version                   : N/A                                            

Boot version                  : N/A                                            

USB state                     : N/A                                            

Power level                   : N/A                                            

Power info                    : N/A                                            

Description                   : Not configured                                 

Priority                      : 4                                              

Echo interval                 : 10 seconds                                     

Echo count                    : 3 counts                                       

Keepalive interval            : 10 seconds                                     

Discovery-response wait-time  : 2 seconds                                       

Statistics report interval    : 50 seconds                                     

Fragment size (data)          : 1500                                           

Fragment size (control)       : 1450                                            

MAC type                      : N/A                                            

Tunnel mode                   : N/A                                            

CAPWAP data-tunnel status     : Down                                            

Discovery type                : N/A                                            

Retransmission count          : 3                                              

Retransmission interval       : 5 seconds                                      

Firmware upgrade              : Enabled                                        

Sent control packets          : 0                                              

Received control packets      : 0                                              

Echo requests                 : 0                                              

Lost echo responses           : 0                                              

Average echo delay            : 0                                              

Last reboot reason            : N/A                                            

Latest IP address             : N/A                                            

Current AC IP                 : N/A                                            

Tunnel down reason            : N/A                                            

Connection count              : 0                                              

Backup IPv4                   : Not configured                                 

Backup IPv6                   : Not configured                                 

Ctrl-tunnel encryption        : Disabled                                       

Ctrl-tunnel encryption state  : Not encrypted                                  

Data-tunnel encryption        : Disabled                                       

Data-tunnel encryption state  : Not encrypted                                  

LED mode                      : Normal                                         

Remote configuration          : Disabled                                        

EnergySaving Level            : N/A                                            

AP type                       : Normal AP                                      

Configuration files

·     AC

#

 wlan ap-group default-group

ap-mode fit

#

Related documentation

·     AP Management Command Reference in H3C Access Controllers Command References

·     AP Management Configuration Guide in H3C Access Controllers Configuration Guides