Product and Software: This article applies to all Aruba controllers running ArubaOS 3.3 and later.
802.11 mesh technology allows user traffic to be backhauled by the wireless bridge. The ideal implementation is to bridge traffic among buildings without cable.
There are multiple reasons that the mesh point might not coming up. This article explains one reason why the mesh point does come up, but instead it flaps. (If a mesh point is coming up, then the mesh-related configuration is correct).
Most of time, the mesh point is configured to backhaul user traffic so the wired AP profile is in place. Under the current implementation, only bridge mode is supported (this behavior might change in the future release). However, by default, the forwarding mode is tunnel.
Wired AP profile "default"
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Parameter Value
--------- -----
Wired AP enable Disabled
Forward mode tunnel
Switchport mode access
Access mode VLAN 1
Trunk mode native VLAN 1
Trunk mode allowed VLANs all
Trusted Not Trusted
So if user enabled the wired AP profile, but did not change the forwarding mode, then the mesh point will keep rebootstrapping, which prevents it from staying up.
The "show ap debug counter" command will tell if the AP is continuously bootstrapping.