Controller-less WLANs

Question: How to convert an IAP to Remote AP from apboot?
                   How to convert a single IAP from a cluster to Remote AP?

Environment: Aruba Instant at remote site which needs to deployed as RAP terminating to an Aruba Controller. Ensure Controller end configuration is in place (i.e. RAP whitelist entry; RAP inner IP pool)

Conventional option to convert an Instant AP to Remote AP is  via Activate or Instant User Interface. However; there maybe instances (such as high security  environment; convert one AP from existing cluster) where it would be desirable to carry out the conversion via apboot. This article walksthrough the procedure to carry out IAP to Remote AP conversion via apboot.

Break the boot sequence and enter apboot> mode.

APBoot 1.2.6.7 (build 30025)

Built: 2011-08-30 at 17:41:16

Model: AP-13x

CPU:   88F6560 A0 (DDR3)

Clock: CPU 1600MHz, L2 533MHz, SysClock 533MHz, TClock 200MHz

DRAM:  256MB 

POST1: mem 0 mem 1 mem 2 mem 3 passed

Flash: 16 MB

Power: 802.3at POE

LAN:   done

PHY:   ....done

PEX 0: RC, link up, x1

       bus.dev fn venID devID class  rev    MBAR0    MBAR1    MBAR2    MBAR3

       00.00   00  11ab  6560 00005   02 f1000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

       00.01   00  168c  0030 00002   01 90000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

PEX 1: RC, link up, x1

       bus.dev fn venID devID class  rev    MBAR0    MBAR1    MBAR2    MBAR3

       01.00   00  11ab  6500 00005   02 f1000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

       01.01   00  168c  0030 00002   01 94000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

Net:   eth0, eth1

Radio: ar9390#0, ar9390#1

Hit <Enter> to stop autoboot:  2  

apboot> 

Execute printenv to ensure there is no static configuration already and make note of the bootfile name.

apboot> printenv

bootdelay=2

baudrate=9600

autoload=n

boardname=Arran

servername=aruba-master

bootcmd=boot ap

autostart=yes

bootfile=armv5te.ari

ethaddr=6c:f3:7f:c4:0b:6a

os_partition=0

As Aruba Instant has Instant OS; we would need to configure serverip pointing to the Master Controller to which the AP would terminate.

apboot> setenv serverip 10.17.225.120

apboot> saveenv 

Execute command  upgrade os command in below format (matching bootfile value present in printenv) to convert as Controller-based AP.

apboot> upgrade os armv5te.ari


eth0: up, 1 Gb/s, full duplex

DHCP broadcast 1

DHCP IP address: 10.17.225.125

DHCP subnet mask: 255.255.255.224

DHCP def gateway: 10.17.225.126

DHCP DNS server: 8.8.8.8

DHCP DNS domain: arubatac.local

Controller address: 10.17.225.100

Using eth0 device

TFTP from server 10.17.225.120; our IP address is 10.17.225.125

Filename 'armv5te.ari'.

Load address: 0x2000000

Loading: *#################################################################

#############

done

Bytes transferred = 5078596 (4d7e44 hex)


Image is signed; verifying checksum... passed

Signer Cert OK

Policy Cert OK

RSA signature verified. 

Erasing flash sector @ 0xf8100000.................................................................................done

Erased 78 sectors

Copying to flash... 


Writing .............................................................................done

Verifying flash... 5078596 bytes were the same

Upgrade successful.

If dynamic master discovery isn't possible; assign static Master IP.

apboot> setenv master <ip of master>

apboot> saveenv

Configure variable to make the AP as Remote AP (without this step; AP would come as Campus AP),

apboot> setenv remote_ap 1

apboot> saveenv

Execute boot for the AP to boot up and come as Remote AP and confirm the AP has Controller's code version.

apboot> boot


Booting OS partition 0

Checking image @ 0xf8100000

Copying image from 0xf8100000


Image is signed; verifying checksum... passed

Signer Cert OK

Policy Cert OK

RSA signature verified. 

## Booting image at 02000200 ...

Uncompressing... done


Aruba Networks

ArubaOS Version 6.3.0.0 (build 38660 / label #38660) 

Built by p4build@cyprus on 2013-06-12 at 20:14:01 PDT (gcc version 4.3.3)

Memory: 256MB = 256MB total

Memory: 243840KB available (2816K code, 9017K data, 3852K init, 0K highmem)

Confirmation from Controller.