Controllerless Networks

I can no longer access the controller via its web interface.  I can still connect to the APs via their web GUI.  I also cannot ping the controller.  The problem started after I rebooted the "master AP."  After the "master AP" rebooted, I can no longer ping the controller IP or access the controller via its web interface.  I have rebooted all the APs since rebooting the master.  No change.  Any thoughts on how I can fix this?  Thanks.

Hi,

You mentioned that you can connect to Web GUI of APs

" I can still connect to the APs via their web GUI"

When you try to connect to web gui of any IAP in a cluster, you are redirected to VC of the cluster automatically. What is happening in your case? simply rebooting the master shouldnt be a problem. Did you change any other settings like configuring preferred master on multiple APs?

Controller IP: 10.102.220.200.  APs: 10.102.220.20-24.

If I try to go to 10.102.220.200, I receive a timeout browser message.

If I go to 10.102.220.20, for example, I am redirected to the IP of the AP that is listed as "Master."

So if AP 10.102.220.23 is "Master," when I go to 10.102.220.20, 21, 22 or 24, I am redirected to 10.102.220.23.  If I reboot 23 and 21 becomes "Master," then I am always redirected to 21 any time I try to access one of the APs directly through the web GUI.

Hi,

Are you connecting to controller ip via same subnet or different subnet? have you tried to configure other network settings for VC as well?

We have a separate "AP VLAN."  We can access the "AP VLAN" from our "Main VLAN."  I am accessing the APs through our "Main VLAN."  If I setup a switch port for just the "AP VLAN," I am still unable to connect to the controller IP.  The virtual controller had been working fine.  It is not working now after a reboot of one of the "main AP."

Model: 315

Software version: 8.3.0.9.

Thanks.  I have even tried changing the VC IP to see if this would 'fix' the issue.  Even after changing the VC IP, I am still unable to access the VC directly through the IP.  Are there any logs that we can review?

I resolved this issue by removing the gateway on the Virtual Controller.  Once I removed the gateway, I was able to access the virtual controller IP.  Again, I didn't change the configuration/network/etc.  I only rebooted the "Master AP."  Is this a known issue?

Removing what gateway?

The gateway on the Virtual Controller.

System -> General

I removed the Gateway and changed the "Virtual Controller network settings" to "Default."

Why do you enter the gateway?  You should let the controller obtain its ip address via dhcp...

We set a static IP on all of our APs and Virtual Controller.  We had the gateway setup on our virtual controller.  We do not use DHCP for APs/Virtual Controller.

Instant is designed to use dhcp for all the pieces.  Setting static ip addresses for all your instant APs opens you up for more administrative work.  You can always configure a virtual controller ip address, that the Virtual Controller will always have, so that you can login to a consistent ip address, while still using dhcp for your instant APs to avoid the management overhead.

I don't know why you are having problems while configuring a default gateway, but that is not a standard setup, so I cannot answer that..

We always use static IPs.  Much less overhead for us to use static IPs.

In terms of my original problem, it seems like there is an issue when a gateway is statically set.  Things will work for a while, then suddenly, just stop working.  That is, with a static gateway, one can access the virtual controller.  Then, suddenly, one cannot access the virtual controller.  Removing the static gateway 'fixes' this problem.

Thank you.  This can be a cautionary tale to others.