Controllerless Networks

Greetings! We used to be a worldwide Aruba shop with implementations in several continents.... our support contract is expiring in Dec 2018, and we have been implementing Meraki solutions in all locations that currently have Arubas. Sorry to let you go, it was a management decission to streamline everything under one brand, and we had both in place....

That said, I am left with several DOZEN APIN0325 in our office location alone, and possibly more than 100 all over the world.... and that got me thinking: Can these units work in people's homes without requiring an expensive license? Does HP/Aruba offer an open source variety that we could reflash these units with?

Basically what I want to do is dish em out to my IT crew and say: Here you go, have fun with this at your home! - The alternative would be to e-waste them all, and with electronic waste being a HUGE problem on this earth, I would rather recycle them for home use instead. 

Is this possible?

The current pile:


Pile-O-Arubas

Unfortunately, If those access points did not start life as Instant APs, they cannot operate without a controller.

You will need to check the label on the back. If it tells: AP-325, it is a campus AP model and Colin's explanation is correct. If it is labeled IAP-325-RW/IAP-325-US, the AP is a converted Instant AP and if you use the reset button to get the AP back to factory default it should work as an instant and you can use it without a separate controller.

Both the campus AP and the Instant AP version have the same APIN0325 regulatory type number, what is on the sticker on the back is what counts.