Controllerless Networks

Hi.

I have two IAP-277s and I’m having trouble configuring them. It needs to be said that I’m not a network tech but I do know what a console is and have used it on these units to set their IPs to be on the same network. I still need to set them up, nevertheless.

The idea is to have two IAP-277s bridged and both of them to have their own WANs so that laptops/phones could connect to them.

My goal scenario is to have a laptop connected wirelessly to AP1 to be able to ping a laptop connected wirelessly to AP2 and vice versa.

EDIT: one thing that I need to point out is that I don't need internet access. This is just for local communication between devices.

If someone could help me with that, that would be great.

Cheers,

Rafał

Ok. So here's an update.

I did manage to (I think) get the bridge to work.

* I've disabled ESSID in Settings

* I've created a new WAN.

* Connected to APs on the same network and I've let them 'sort things out'

* I've connected the USB to each and read which one is a Slave.

* I took the slave to a remote location and have turned it on.

The WLAN is up

I'm using the web browser to connect wirelessly to one of the APs.

I can see both APs and when I connect a PC to the WAN at the remote location I can see the client name and IP showing up as connected to the remote AP, but...... Yeah. A big but.

I can't ping the PC connected to the WLAN.

I can ping the AP which the PC is connected to, but not the other one.

I also can't ping the other PC even while connected to the same AP.

Please help.

Rafał

EDIT:

ok. What the actual f^&k?! The APs loose their bridge config after reboot? I turn the slave on and off and ..... the master AP can't pick it up again?! Is there a save command which I don't know how to execute or what? Or are you trying to say that these AP need to be configured after each reboot?

Not sure what your goal is.. maybe a picture would help.

But, if what you mean is to connect 2 IAP wirelessly (mesh), maybe these could help

https://www.mostlynetworks.com/2017/01/exploring-mesh-ap-205h/

https://community.arubanetworks.com/t5/Controller-less-WLANs/How-to-Configure-a-basic-Instant-mesh/ta-p/205027

Regards

Yopianus Linga

Hi. Basically whay I would like to get is show in the picture below:

 AP1 and AP2 are the Aruba IAP-277. The  rest are laptops and smartphones. Keep in mind that I don't want internet access (not yet anyway), simply a "local" network. Basically, the ideal config would be for me to be able to set up a network between PCs from tha AP1 group with the PCs from the AP2 group. I want to be able to: ping, share files, stream, etc each and every machine connected wirelesly to the APs (so the same wireless network). Basically all the good stuff - just as if all the PCs were  connected via wi-fi or a patch cords to a switch .

I hope that clears my intentions a bit.

p.s.

thanks for help @yopianus linga

Yup, that's mesh. Just follow the guide.on the link.

Master (AP1) still need uplink, you could use local network or connect it to pc. Or you could use "loopback ethernet" to cheat AP port.

Also try set static IP on the master.

Best regards

Yopianus Linga

Hi.
Basically both APs have static IPs. I've used the USB cable and some console command for that.
The steps in the links all give out the same procedure:
1. connect bot APs to the same switch.
2. configure APs not to use ESSID.
3. create a wi-fi network using the web service.
4. delete the old wi-fi network.
5. cycle power on both devices to let them 'sort things out on their own'
6. disconnect one AP (this is where I've been using the console to get info on which one is master and which one is slave, but you say that all it needs if for one to be disconnected from a hard-line).
7. turn the disconnected AP on at the remote location.
8. give it time to set.
9. it should be working.

and that's all well and good but I'm having a problem with the last point. It dosen't work.
I can see both APs in the web service.
I can configure them if I need to.
I can see that I have 2 PC connected to the APs (one PC one AP).
I can't ping the PCs though. I can ping the APs from both locations, but not PCs. I know their IPs - the web service has that info ('ipconfig' in windows gives out the same results) but no ping. I get 'request timed out' errors.

One thing to note. Both APs have static IPs. Is that a bad thing?

Rafał

If you can ping APs then the connection has been established. Try disable firewall on your PC.

Just remember that MESH need master to have uplink connection (cable/3G/etc). If you dont want to use any cables, just plug "loopback eth cable" on master.

Best Regards

Yopianus Linga

So I haven't tested the loopback yet but I've connected one the APs to a PC (no Internet access) using a cable. The Wi-Fi is on and I can connect. Both APs have a green LED glowing... and it's not working. The interesting part is that now the client IPs are all over the place. Prior to the cable connection, they were all 192.168.0.xxx. Not they're 192.168.yyy.xxx . See picture below.  

My question no is how? Why? What's going on here?

So I did a test and only two of the PCs can ping each other.

One PC is only visible when using the webservice. No ping goes through. Not even from the device that has a cable+wireless connection to the AP.

With this strange IP configuration I really can't ping any AP remotely, as they still have their static IPs.

The problem with one of the PCs being unreachable could be seen as a Win config problem (even though I've disabled the firewall), so I'm not that concerned with it now. The problem is with this strange IP naming convention...... right now I'm asking myself, is it strange?

p.s.

 by loopback you mean like creating a physical loopback cable?