Controllerless Networks

Hi,

 

I have a mixed IAP environment. New IAP-115s in one location, and a few, older IAP-93s in another. The 93s have an older firmware version.

 

I am assuming that I need to update the firmware on my older IAP-93s for them to see the new controller, which is on a brand-new IAP-115. I have factory reset the 93s, but they aren't seeing the controller.

 

They are on the same network, same subnet, same VLAN.

 

When I reset the IAP-93 and log onto "instant" and attempt an automatic firmware update, it does not work.

 

I would like to download the file for a manual update, but from where? I do not have ArubaCare.

 

Thanks!

Could you please try the following?

1. Try the automatic upgrade option on the new AP115s to bring it up to the latest code.
2. Take the new IAP115s out of the network, allow the network to come up with only the older AP93s.
3. Try the automatic upgrade process again on the AP93s, it should work if the network is homogenous
4. Put the new AP115s back in.

Thanks,

Yan

Hello Yan

If i got a cluster with mixed enviroment let say i got RAP109 and IAP 115 working with the same firmware same cluster.

 

Let say i want to do a firmware upgrade to all

Which is the correct procedure to do so?

 

Cheers

Carlos

Would this work if I, say, took the 93 home and tried the automatic update?

You should have no issues providing the IAP can pull an address via DHCP and reach the Internet. The latest firmware pushed out via GUI update is 6.3.1.2-4.0.0.2_41506. I would suggest bringing the IAP to your home network and seeing if you can get out from there. 

 

Also, adding onto the post by NightShade1, it would be great  to see documentation regarding the proper upgrade procedure in a mixed enviornment. I have several customers which will have 115's, 105's, and possibly 225's coexisting in the same cluster. There are many different image versions for the various AP types (Orion, Cassiopeia, Centaurus, Pegasus, Aries) and it may be a bit tedious if customers have one of each in the cluster. Just wondering if there are any streamlined processes planned for a future date. 

Okay,

 

I finally got the IAP-93 to pull the image update. Now it's version is newer than my IAP-115s, so it's still not talking to the instant controller.

 

The IAP-93 has 6.3.1.1-4.0.0.1_41049

 

The IAP-115s have 6.3.1.0-4.0.0.0_39949

 

Logging into the controller, I see, of course all the 115s because they are on the same version. When I go to update I consistently get "image check encountered an unknown error". The IAPs can access the Internet, DHCP is working as well as DNS.

 

Any ideas?

Can you try to get the IAP 115s to the same version as the IAP93s.  

I was only able to solve this by signing up for ArubaCare and downloading the image files for the update. After that, I got all the IAPs on the same version.

Meaning you got reject when doing a online update?

Yup, I could not get the firmware to auto-update.

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@Normal Guy wrote:

Meaning you got reject when doing a online update?

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In a mixed mode deployment, the VC should instruct lower class AP's to the cloud server to fetch the code. The key there is that the same code version for the lower class ap  _must_ exist in the cloud server. What is posted on the support site has a 2-3 week delta to what is loaded in the cloud server, so if you pulled down code from support - could explain the delta.

 

In addition, I realize cost of support is always a consideration when deploying a network. That said - when you consider what the IAP is doing, the roles and functions that it plays (controller, firewall, software, DHCP, WLAN, roles, external radius etc) the cost of support on the IAP to me seems logical. You can also purchase TAC+SW support for the IAP which is at a reduced cost from the ArubaCare cost. Difference is advanced replacement so you'd be relying on the included (free) Limited Lifetime Warranty that is on all our AP's.

 

Cheers, Adam