Wireless Access

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Access network design for branch, remote, outdoor, and campus locations with HPE Aruba Networking access points and mobility controllers.
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locate physical access points

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  • 1.  locate physical access points

    Posted May 22, 2019 03:28 PM

    I am new to wireless and at a new job where I need to confirm where all the physical access point are located. What is the best way to hunt them down? Is there portable app I can use on my phone or another device



  • 2.  RE: locate physical access points

    EMPLOYEE
    Posted May 22, 2019 04:02 PM

    Two ways:

     

    You can use the ap-leds command line command to make access point lights blink and then go back to normal:

    https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_6_5_4_X_Web_Help/Web_Help_Index.htm#ArubaFrameStyles/1CommandList/ap-leds.htm?Highlight=ap-led

     

    You can use the Aruba Utilities app in the Android Play store:

    Screenshot_20190522-145918.png

     



  • 3.  RE: locate physical access points

    EMPLOYEE
    Posted May 22, 2019 04:15 PM

    First question, I assume you have access to the WLAN system and that is is Aruba? If so, and the APs are visible, you can use the LED blink command to 100% identify them.

     

    If you don't or can't see the APs, or you want to get a close approvimation first, you can use the 'show ap bss-table' on each AP to note which BSSIDs are being broadcast by each AP and mark them on a spreadsheet. Then walk around with either the Aruba Utilities, or any wifi scanner tool, and when you see an AP stand directly underneath it and note the strongest (or stronger signals), which tells you you're closes to that BSSID. Then look at your list, find the BSSID, that will tell you the AP name and then you can note it's physical location, or put a label on the AP itself.

     

    if you cannot see the APs and/or you do not have access to the WLAN system to get the BSSIDs from, you will have to walk around similar to above, and then either use a directional antenna to triangulate the AP location and then get a flashlight to look in the ceiling, or just walk around until the signal gets strongest for a single BSSID and then just look around that area. This is the WORST kind.

     

    What Colin mentions above, along with the BSSID map, is the fastest.

     



  • 4.  RE: locate physical access points

    Posted May 23, 2019 09:12 AM

    some of them I cannot physically see, I have the aruba utilities app installed and the wifi analyzer now and yes I have access to all the wireless management, thanks for the great ideas I will go try them out. I can't go on the AP's because they don't have a record of the password but at some point I will need to reset them