Wireless Access

Hi guys,

I have been installing a IAP and I wasn't be able to reach the Instant UI. The scenario was like this:

When I changed the AP to another switch with the port in access mode and DHCP server enabled, then I was able to reach the Instant UI.

What was the problem with the first scenario as illustrated above?

Regards,

Julián

What is your native VLAN set to and is the IAP able to pick up a DHCP IP address in this VLAN? So for example, if you have VLAN's 10, 20 and 30. The IAP managment sits on VLAN 10, this would be your native VLAN (untagged) and VLAN's 20, 30 would be the tagged VLAN's on your trunk.

Hi zailon0,

The IAP is new, I took it from the box. I wasn't be able to reach the GUI in my first scenario (with trunks). When I changed to a switchport in access mode and DHCP enabled, I got the GUI, then I saw its uplink management VLAN is 0. As I told you, the IAP is completely new with factory configuration. Then what was the problem with the first scenario to reach the GUI?

Regards,

Julián 

Hi zailon0,

What do you think about I have stated above?

Regards,

Julián

Hi Julian,

1. Uplink management vlan is 0 by default.

When you connected the IAP to trunk port, it will send untagged packets by default. So, we expect it to get an IP address on the native vlan defined on the trunk port.

As you have mentioned you were unable to access the IAP's UI i scenario 1, please provide the following information:

1. Was the IAP getting an IP address?

In case it was unable to get an IP address, probably there is no DHCP scope for native vlan.

2. Did you try connecting wireless client to the factory SSID "instant" & tried accessing the Web UI? 

Hi Nitesh,

The IAP didn't get an IAP address and I think because the native VLAN is not allowed on the trunk.

And I tried to connect a client to the SSID instant and access the WebUI but I couldn't.

Is this because the IAP needs a valid IP address (not 169.254 subnet) in order to have access to the WebUI?

Regards,

Julián

Hi Julian,

Please share the firmware version running on the IAP.

Did your client get the IP address from 172.x.x.x scope when connected to instat ssid ?

Did you try accessing the WebUI from a device which was only connected to wireless ?

I can test it in lab tomorrow once I am in office.

Hi Nitesh,

My client got IP 172.31.98.x, and I tried accessing the WebUI from this client, which was only connected to wireless, but nothing.

Regards,

Julián

Hi Nitesh,

I have just tested this issue at office. I factory reseted an IAP 305 with firmware 6.5.1.0-4.3.1.0. I have powered it up by a kit power, without connecting the Eth uplink port.

1 - The IAP boots and the power LED starts flashing, after a while the radio LED starts flashing and the instant SSID appears.

2 - Both LEDs keep flashing (no one steady), I can't connect to the instant SSID (it lasts a lot and finally is connected like "without internet"), if I try to reach the WebUI I can't.

3 - After a while, the radio LED turns off and the instant SSID dissapears.

4 - IAP starts again in step 1.

After this, I powered off the IAP and powered it up again, this time I connected the Eth uplink to a LAN with DHCP server enabled. After a while, the power LED is on (without flashing) and the radio LED flashes. I can connect to the instant SSID and I can reach the WebUI successfully.

So it seems when the IAP is not connected to a DHCP server it can't get a valid IP and then the instant SSID doesn't properly work (in fact, the IAP boots from step 1 to 4 again and again), then users can't reach the WebUI. It seems for things work properly, the IAP needs to get a valid IP address.

Regards,

Julián

Hi Nitesh,

After I powered up the IAP with its uplink connected to the LAN with DCHP server enabled, I was able to reach the GUI as I told you. I have configured the IAP and I ran the command "AP version", I got this message:

It says that the last IAP reboot was because before the Eth uplink was down (when I powered up the IAP without connecting the Eth uplink at the beginning as I stated in my last post).

So it seems the IAP needs to have both the Eth uplink connected and to get a valid IP address to work properly.

Regards,

Julián

Hi Julian,

I tried testing it in lab & had the following findings:

1. I had an IAP connected to switchport configured in access mode.

The access mode vlan did not had any DHCP server mapped to it.

2. IAP booted up with the default IP (169.254.x.x) & started broadcasting the Instant SSID.

3. I connected a wireless client to it & it was assigned IP address in 172.x.x.x range from the IAP.

4. When I tried accessing the WebUI for the IAP, it was inaccessible.

I ran a debug pkt dump on the IAP & found that ARP request sent by the client for the IAP's IP (169.254.x.x) was being dropped on the IAP.

So, i added a static ARP on the client device for IAP's IP post which I was able to access the Web UI.

I will check internally for the reason ARP packets are dropped by the IAP & update the thread.

Meanwhile, please try with static ARP option when your IAP is in 169.254.x.x address & check if you are able to access the Web UI.

Hi Nitesh,

Good lab! The IAP has a weird behaviour dropping ARP packets. I will try with the static ARP option in a couple of days once I am back at office. But the magic of Instant should work without having to configure anything on client, since that is what is said in the Official Instant User Guide and the Airheads youtube IAP tutorials.

Regards,

Julián

Hi Julian,

I was testing this using IAP-205.

This issue was fixed beginning 4.3.1.0 & 4.3.0.3 release.

I was running 4.2.4.6 on my IAP when i encountered the issue.

Post upgrading to 4.3.1.0, I am able to access th WebUI without any issues.

When you plan to test in lab, please collect the following:

1. Client side wireless pcap

2. on IAP, enable the following & collect the output while you are trying to access WebUi

show version

debug pkt match mac <mac-address of client>

debug pkt type any

debug pkt dump

Hi Nitesh,

I will not be able to capture all the output on the IAP you say, since this IAP has a non-conventional console cable which I don't have. Therefore maybe I will never know the exact problem of this IAP.

Regards,

Julián