Cisco Unified Wireless Network Solution Components
Special Rules for Upgrading to Controller Software Release 7.0.98.218
Software Release Support for Access Points
Interoperability With Other Clients
Special Rules for Upgrading to Controller Software 7.0.98.218 in Mesh Networks
Upgrading to a New Software Release
FCC Safety Compliance Statement
Using the Cisco 5500 Series Controller USB Console Port
Important Notes for Controllers and Nonmesh Access Points
Additive Licenses Available for 5500 Series Controllers
One-Time Password (OTP) Support
RADIUS Called-station-id and Calling-station-id Attributes
Using Access Points in Sniffer Mode
Inter-Release Controller Mobility
RLDP Limitations in This Release
802.11g Controller and 802.11b Clients
CAPWAP Problems with Firewalls and ACLs
Messages Appearing Upon Controller Bootup
Cisco 1250 Series Access Points and Cisco 7920 IP Phones
Crash Files for 1250 Series Access Points
Configuration File Stored in XML
Access Points Send Multicast and Management Frames at Highest Basic Rate
802.11a Channels 120, 124, and 128 Disabled
Impact of External Antenna Gain on Transmit Power
Supporting Oversized Access Point Images
MAC Filtering for WGB Wired Clients
CKIP Not Supported with Dynamic WEP
Setting the Date and Time on the Controller
Synchronizing the Controller and Location Appliance
FCC DFS Support on 1130 Series Access Points
Inaccurate Transmit Power Display
Setting the Retransmit Timeout Value for TACACS+ Servers
Configuring an Access Point’s Prestandard Power Setting
Controller Functions that Require a Reboot
Rate-Limiting on the Controller
Pings Supported to the Management Interface of the Controller
Pinging from a Network Device to a Controller Dynamic Interface
4400 Series Controllers Do Not Forward Subnet Broadcasts through the Guest Tunnel
Connecting 1100 and 1300 Series Access Points
Preventing Clients from Accessing the Management Network on a Controller
Voice Wireless LAN Configuration
Enabling/Disabling Band Selection and Client Load Balancing
Changing the IOS LWAPP Access Point Password
Exclusion List (Blacklist) Client Feature
RADIUS Servers and the Management VLAN
Management Usernames and Local Netuser Names
Home Page Retains Web Authentication Login with IE 5.x
Changing the Default Values of SNMP Community Strings
Changing the Default Values for SNMP v3 Users
DirectStream Feature Is Not Supported With WGB
Controller does not Support Transmitting Jumbo Frames
Features Not Supported on 2100 Series Controllers
Features Not Supported on 5500 Series Controllers
Some Clients See Only 64 Access Point MAC Addresses (BSSIDs) at a Time
2106 Image Not Supported for 3504 Controllers
Running a 3504 Image on a 2106 Series Controller
Upgrading External Web Authentication
Switch Port and Controller Port
Issues With mac-address CLI for Unified and Autonomous Access Points
Obtaining Documentation and Submitting a Service Request
The 7.0.98.218 release is a maintenance release that contains only bug fixes. This release does not contain any new major feature or support any new platforms. This release should not be confused with the 7.0 MR1 release, which will happen in April or May, 2011.
These release notes describe open and resolved caveats for release 7.0.98.218 for Cisco 2100, 4400, and 5500 Series Wireless LAN Controllers; Cisco Wireless Services Modules (WiSMs); Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Network Modules; Catalyst 3750G Integrated Wireless LAN Controller Switches; Cisco 3201 Wireless Mobile Interface Cards (WMICs); Cisco Aironet 1100, 1130, 1200, 1230AG, 1240, 1250, 1300, AP3500, AP1260, AP 1040, and AP801 Series Lightweight Access Points; Cisco Aironet 1130AG, 1240AG, 1522, and 1524 Mesh Access Points, which comprise part of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network (UWN) Solution.
Note Unless otherwise noted, all of the Cisco wireless LAN controllers are referred to as controllers, and all of the Cisco lightweight access points are referred to as access points.
These release notes contain the following sections.
The following components are part of the Cisco UWN Solution and are compatible in this release:
Note Client and tag licenses are required in order to retrieve contextual (such as location) information within the Context Aware Software. See the Release Notes for Cisco 3350 Mobility Services Engine for Software Release 6.0 for more information.
Note The 7.0.98.218 release does not support the NM-AIR-WLC6 platform. The NME-AIR-WLC platform is supported.
Note This release does not support Cisco Aironet 600, 1261 (single radio), 1505, 1510, 1550 access points.
Note Controller software release 5.0.148.0 or later is not compatible with Cisco Aironet 1000 series access points.
Note The AP801 is an integrated access point on the Cisco 800 Series Integrated Services Routers (ISRs).
Note The 801 access point (the access point embedded in the 88xW ISR), the 1250 series access point, and the 1140 series access point have a hardware limitation where beacons can only be output at intervals that are multiples of 17 milliseconds. When these APs are configured for a 100-millisecond beacon interval, they transmit beacons every 102 milliseconds. Similarly, when the beacon interval is configured for 20 milliseconds, these APs transmit beacons every 17 milliseconds.
Note Only Cisco Aironet 1200 Series Access Points that contain 802.11g (AIR-MP21G) or second-generation 802.11a radios (AIR-RM21A or AIR-RM22A) are supported for use with controller software releases. The AIR-RM20A radio, which was included in early 1200 series access point models, is not supported. To see the type of radio module installed in your access point, enter this command on the access point: show controller dot11radio n, where n is the number of the radio (0 or 1).
The controller GUI requires the following operating system and web browser:
Note Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 (or later) and Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.11 (or later) are the only browsers supported for using the controller GUI and web authentication.
Cisco controllers support standard SNMP Management Information Base (MIB) files. MIBs can be downloaded from the Software Center on Cisco.com. Only one MIB is posted per major release (7.0.98.218, 6.0, 5.2, 5.1, and so on). If an updated MIB becomes available, the previous version is removed from the Software Center and replaced by the new version.
The following are the two new commands introduced in this release.
where the value for time-stamp tolerance is from 1000 to 5000 msecs and the default tolerance is 1000 msecs.
The software is factory installed on your controller and automatically downloaded to the access points after a release upgrade and whenever an access point joins a controller. As new releases become available for the controllers and their access points, you should consider upgrading.
Note The Cisco WiSM requires software release SWISMK9-32 or later. The Supervisor 720 12.2(18)SXF2 supports the Cisco WiSM software release 3.2.78.4 or later, and the Supervisor 720 12.2(18)SXF5 (Cisco IOS Software Modularity) supports the Cisco WiSM software release 4.0.155.5 (with Cisco IOS Software Modularity).
Note To use the Cisco WiSM in the Cisco 7609 and 7613 Series Routers, the routers must be running Cisco IOS Release 12.2(18)SXF5 or later.
Note The Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Network Module is supported on Cisco 28/37/38xx Series Integrated Services Routers running Cisco IOS Release 12.4(11)T2, 12.4(11)T3, and 12.5.
Note To use the controller in the Catalyst 3750G Wireless LAN Controller Switch, the switch must be running Cisco IOS Release 12.2(25)FZ, 12.2(35)SE or later, 12.2(37)SE or later, 12.2(44)SE or later, or 12.2(46)SE or later. The following Cisco IOS Releases and any variants are not supported: 12.2(25)SEC, 12.2(25)SED, 12.2(25)SEE, 12.2(25)SEF, and 12.2(25)SEG. All Catalyst 3750 software feature sets (IP Base, IP Service, and Advanced IP Services) are supported for use with the controller.
Note You can use the 2112 and 2125 controllers only with software release 5.1.151.0 or later.
To find the software release running on your controller, click Monitor and look at the Software Version field under Controller Summary on the controller GUI, or enter show sysinfo on the controller CLI.
Before upgrading your controller to software release 7.0.98.218, you must comply with the following rules:
– Controller software release 7.0.98.218 is larger than 32 MB; therefore, you must make sure that your TFTP server supports files that are larger than 32 MB. Some TFTP servers that support files of this size are tftpd and the TFTP server within the WCS. If you attempt to download the 7.0.98.218 controller software and your TFTP server does not support files of this size, the following error message appears: “TFTP failure while storing in flash.”
– If you are upgrading through the service port, the TFTP or FTP server must be on the same subnet as the service port because the service port is not routable, or you must create static routes on the controller.
– If you are upgrading through the distribution system network port, the TFTP or FTP server can be on the same or a different subnet because the distribution system port is routable.
– A third-party TFTP or FTP server cannot run on the same computer as WCS because the WCS built-in TFTP or FTP server and the third-party TFTP or FTP server require the same communication port.
Note When you upgrade the controller to an intermediate software release, wait until all of the access points joined to the controller are upgraded to the intermediate release before you install the 7.0.98.218 software. In large networks, it can take some time to download the software on each access point.
Note You cannot install the Cisco Unified Wireless Network Controller Boot Software 5.2.157.0 ER.aes file on Cisco 5500 Series Controller platform.
Note The ER.aes files are independent from the controller software files. You can run any controller software file with any ER.aes file. However, installing the latest boot software file (5.2.157.0 ER.aes) ensures that the boot software modifications in all of the previous and current boot software ER.aes files are installed.
Table 2 lists the controller software releases that support specific Cisco access points. The First Support column lists the earliest controller software release that supports the access point. For access points that are not supported in ongoing releases, the Last Support column lists the last release that supports the access point.
-A and N: 4.1.190.1 or 5.2 or later1 |
|||
This section describes the interoperability of the version of controller software with other client devices.
Table 3 describes the configuration used for testing the clients.
Table 4 lists the versions of the clients. The traffic tests included data or voice. The clients included laptops, handheld devices, phones, and printers.
Table 5 outlines the upgrade compatibility of controller mesh and nonmesh releases and indicates the intermediate software releases required as part of the upgrade path.
The software upgrade notes are as follows:
Note If you downgrade to a mesh release, you must then reconfigure the controller. We recommend that you save the configuration from the mesh release before upgrading to release 7.0.98.218 for the first time. Then, you can reapply the configuration if you need to downgrade.
Y2 |
||||||||||||||||
Y3 |
||||||||||||||||
Y 4 |
||||||||||||||||
2.You can upgrade directly from software release 4.1.190.5 to 4.1.192.35M; however, upgrading to 4.1.191.24M before upgrading to 4.1.192.35M is highly recommended. |
When you upgrade the controller’s software, the software on the controller’s associated access points is also automatically upgraded. When an access point is loading software, each of its LEDs blinks in succession. Up to 10 access points can be concurrently upgraded from the controller.
Note The 5500 series controllers can download the 7.0.98.218 software to 500 access points simultaneously.
Note In controller software release 5.2 or later, the WLAN override feature has been removed from both the controller GUI and CLI. If your controller is configured for WLAN override and you upgrade to controller software release 7.0.98.218, the controller deletes the WLAN configuration and broadcasts all WLANs. You can specify that only certain WLANs be transmitted by configuring access point groups. Each access point advertises only the enabled WLANs that belong to its access point group.
Note If a WiSM controller is heavily loaded with access points and clients and is running heavy traffic, a software upgrade sometimes causes an Ethernet receive-path lockup and the hardware watchdog sometimes trips. You might need to reset the controller to return to normal operation.
Note Do not install the 7.0.98.218 controller software file and the 5.2.157.0 ER.aes boot software file at the same time. Install one file and reboot the controller; then install the other file and reboot the controller.
Note When upgrading from 5.2.193.0 to 7.0.98.218 release, access points with names that contain spaces will lose their configured name after the space. For example, if an access point was named “APTestName 12”, after upgrade, when the access point rejoins the controller, the name is truncated to “APTestName”.
Note If the SSID is associated with a dynamic interface, then the DHCP Option 82 that you configure must be enabled on the dynamic interface. Otherwise, the upgrade may not occur as expected.
To upgrade the controller software using the controller GUI, follow these steps.
Step 1 Upload your controller configuration files to a server to back them up.
Note We highly recommend that you back up your controller’s configuration files prior to upgrading the controller software. Otherwise, you must manually reconfigure the controller.
Step 2 Follow these steps to obtain the 7.0.98.218 controller software and the Cisco Unified Wireless Network Controller Boot Software 5.2.157.0 ER.aes file from the Software Center on Cisco.com:
a. Click this URL to go to the Software Center:
http://tools.cisco.com/support/downloads/go/Redirect.x?mdfid=278875243
c. Click Wireless LAN Controllers.
d. Click Standalone Controllers or Integrated Controllers and Controller Modules.
f. If necessary, click a controller model.
g. If you chose Standalone Controllers in Step Click Standalone Controllers or Integrated Controllers and Controller Modules., click Wireless LAN Controller Software.
h. If you chose Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series/7600 Series Wireless Services Module (WiSM) in Step Click a controller series., click Wireless Services Modules (WiSM) Software.
i. Click a controller software release. The software releases are labeled as follows to help you determine which release to download:
j. Click a software release number.
k. Click the filename ( filename.aes).
m. Read Cisco’s End User Software License Agreement and then click Agree.
n. Save the file to your hard drive.
o. Repeat steps a. through n. to download the remaining file (either the 7.0.98.218 controller software or the Cisco Unified Wireless Network Controller Boot Software 5.2.157.0 ER.aes file).
Step 3 Copy the controller software file ( filename.aes) and the Cisco Unified Wireless Network Controller Boot Software 5.2.157.0 ER.aes file to the default directory on your TFTP or FTP server.
Step 4 Disable the controller 802.11a and 802.11b/g networks.
Step 5 Disable any WLANs on the controller.
Step 6 Click Commands > Download File to open the Download File to Controller page.
Step 7 From the File Type drop-down list, choose Code.
Step 8 From the Transfer Mode drop-down list, choose TFTP or FTP.
Step 9 In the IP Address text box, enter the IP address of the TFTP or FTP server.
Step 10 If you are using a TFTP server, the default values of 10 retries for the Maximum Retries text field, and 6 seconds for the Timeout text field should work fine without any adjustment. However, you can change these values if desired. To do so, enter the maximum number of times that the TFTP server attempts to download the software in the Maximum Retries text box and the amount of time (in seconds) that the TFTP server attempts to download the software in the Timeout text box.
Step 11 In the File Path text box, enter the directory path of the software.
Step 12 In the File Name text box, enter the name of the software file ( filename.aes).
Step 13 If you are using an FTP server, follow these steps:
a. In the Server Login Username text box, enter the username to log into the FTP server.
b. In the Server Login Password text box, enter the password to log into the FTP server.
c. In the Server Port Number text box, enter the port number on the FTP server through which the download occurs. The default value is 21.
Step 14 Click Download to download the software to the controller. A message appears indicating the status of the download.
Step 15 After the download is complete, click Reboot.
Step 16 If prompted to save your changes, click Save and Reboot.
Step 17 Click OK to confirm your decision to reboot the controller.
Step 18 After the controller reboots, repeat Click Commands > Download File to open the Download File to Controller page. to Click OK to confirm your decision to reboot the controller. to install the remaining file (either the 7.0.98.218 controller software or the Cisco Unified Wireless Network Controller Boot Software 5.2.157.0 ER.aes file).
Step 20 For Cisco WiSMs, reenable the controller port channel on the Catalyst switch.
Step 21 Reenable your 802.11a and 802.11b/g networks.
Step 22 If desired, reload your latest configuration file to the controller.
Step 23 To verify that the 7.0.98.218 controller software is installed on your controller, click Monitor on the controller GUI and look at the Software Version field under Controller Summary.
Step 24 To verify that the Cisco Unified Wireless Network Controller Boot Software 5.2.157.0 ER.aes file is installed on your controller, enter the show sysinfo command on the controller CLI and look at the Emergency Image Version field.
Note If you do not install the 5.2.157.0 ER.aes file, the Emergency Image Version field shows “N/A.”
This section contains important information to keep in mind when installing controllers and access points.
Warning This warning means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily injury. Before you work on any equipment, be aware of the hazards involved with electrical circuitry and be familiar with standard practices for preventing accidents. Use the statement number provided at the end of each warning to locate its translation in the translated safety warnings that accompanied this device. Statement 1071
Warning Only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to install, replace, or service this equipment. Statement 1030
Warning Do not locate the antenna near overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits, or where it can come into contact with such circuits. When installing the antenna, take extreme care not to come into contact with such circuits, as they may cause serious injury or death. For proper installation and grounding of the antenna, please refer to national and local codes (e.g. U.S.: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Article 810, Canada: Canadian Electrical Code, Section 54). Statement 280
Warning This product relies on the building’s installation for short-circuit (overcurrent) protection. Ensure that a fuse or circuit breaker no larger than 120 VAC, 15A U.S. (240 VAC, 10A international) is used on the phase conductors (all current-carrying conductors). Statement 13
Warning This equipment must be grounded. Never defeat the ground conductor or operate the equipment in the absence of a suitably installed ground connector. Contact the appropriate electrical inspection authority or an electrician if you are uncertain that suitable grounding is available. Statement 1024
Warning Read the installation instructions before you connect the system to its power source. Statement 10
Warning Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect any cables (Ethernet, cable, or power) during periods of lightning activity. The possibility of serious physical injury exists if lightning should strike and travel through those cables. In addition, the equipment could be damaged by the higher levels of static electricity present in the atmosphere. Statement 276
Warning Do not operate the unit near unshielded blasting caps or in an explosive environment unless the device has been modified to be especially qualified for such use. Statement 364
Warning In order to comply with radio frequency (RF) exposure limits, the antennas for this product should be positioned no less than 6.56 ft. (2 m) from your body or nearby persons. Statement 339
Warning This unit is intended for installation in restricted access areas. A restricted access area can be accessed only through the use of a special tool, lock and key, or other means of security. Statement 1017
Follow the guidelines in this section to ensure proper operation and safe use of the controllers and access points.
FCC Compliance with its action in ET Docket 96-8, has adopted a safety standard for human exposure to RF electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC-certified equipment. When used with approved Cisco Aironet antennas, Cisco Aironet products meet the uncontrolled environmental limits found in OET-65 and ANSI C95.1, 1991. Proper operation of this radio device according to the instructions in this publication results in user exposure substantially below the FCC recommended limits.
For your safety, and to help you achieve a good installation, read and follow these safety precautions. They may save your life!
1. If you are installing an antenna for the first time, for your own safety as well as others, seek professional assistance. Your Cisco sales representative can explain which mounting method to use for the size and type of antenna you are about to install.
2. Select your installation site with safety as well as performance in mind. Electric power lines and phone lines look alike. For your safety, assume that any overhead line can kill you.
3. Call your electric power company. Tell them your plans and ask them to come look at your proposed installation. This is a small inconvenience considering your life is at stake.
4. Plan your installation carefully and completely before you begin. Successfully raising a mast or tower is largely a matter of coordination. Each person should be assigned to a specific task and should know what to do and when to do it. One person should be in charge of the operation to issue instructions and watch for signs of trouble.
5. When installing an antenna, remember:
b. Do not work on a wet or windy day.
c. Do dress properly—shoes with rubber soles and heels, rubber gloves, long-sleeved shirt or jacket.
6. If the assembly starts to drop, get away from it and let it fall. Remember that the antenna, mast, cable, and metal guy wires are all excellent conductors of electrical current. Even the slightest touch of any of these parts to a power line completes an electrical path through the antenna and the installer: you!
7. If any part of an antenna system should come in contact with a power line, do not touch it or try to remove it yourself. Call your local power company. They will remove it safely.
8. If an accident should occur with the power lines, call for qualified emergency help immediately.
Refer to the appropriate quick start guide or hardware installation guide for instructions on installing controllers and access points.
Note To meet regulatory restrictions, all external antenna configurations must be professionally installed.
Personnel installing the controllers and access points must understand wireless techniques and grounding methods. Access points with internal antennas can be installed by an experienced IT professional.
The controller must be installed by a network administrator or qualified IT professional, and the proper country code must be selected. Following installation, access to the controller should be password protected by the installer to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements and ensure proper unit functionality.
The USB console port on the 5500 series controllers connects directly to the USB connector of a PC using a USB Type A-to-5-pin mini Type B cable.
Note The 4-pin mini Type B connector is easily confused with the 5-pin mini Type B connector. They are not compatible. Only the 5-pin mini Type B connector can be used.
For operation with Microsoft Windows, the Cisco Windows USB console driver must be installed on any PC connected to the console port. With this driver, you can plug and unplug the USB cable into and from the console port without affecting Windows HyperTerminal operations.
Note Only one console port can be active at a time. When a cable is plugged into the USB console port, the RJ-45 port becomes inactive. Conversely, when the USB cable is removed from the USB port, the RJ-45 port becomes active.
To install the Cisco Windows USB console driver, follow these steps:
Step 1 Follow these steps to download the USB_Console.inf driver file:
a. Click this URL to go to the Software Center:
http://tools.cisco.com/support/downloads/go/Redirect.x?mdfid=278875243
b. Click Wireless LAN Controllers.
c. Click Standalone Controllers.
d. Click Cisco 5500 Series Wireless LAN Controllers.
e. Click Cisco 5508 Wireless LAN Controller.
f. Choose the USB driver file.
g. Save the file to your hard drive.
Step 2 Connect the Type A connector to a USB port on your PC.
Step 3 Connect the mini Type B connector to the USB console port on the controller.
Step 4 When prompted for a driver, browse to the USB_Console.inf file on your PC. Follow the prompts to install the USB driver.
Note Some systems might also require an additional system file. You can download the Usbser.sys file from the Microsoft Website
The USB driver is mapped to COM port 6. Some terminal emulation programs do not recognize a port higher than COM 4. If necessary, change the Cisco USB systems management console COM port to an unused port of COM 4 or lower. To do so, follow these steps:
Step 1 From your Windows desktop, right-click My Computer and choose Manage.
Step 2 From the list on the left side, choose Device Manager.
Step 3 From the device list on the right side, double-click Ports (COM & LPT).
Step 4 Right-click Cisco USB System Management Console 0108 and choose Properties.
Step 5 Click the Port Settings tab and click the Advanced button.
Step 6 From the COM Port Number drop-down list, choose an unused COM port of 4 or lower.
Step 7 Click OK to save and then close the Advanced Settings dialog box.
Step 8 Click OK to save and then close the Communications Port Properties dialog box.
This section describes important information about controllers and nonmesh lightweight access points.
Upgrading to controller release 6.0.196.0 or 7.0.98.0 can cause client devices to fail to complete DHCP. To work around this problem, use an external DHCP server, such as a router or a Layer-3 switch. This defect is described in CSCth68708, which is visible in the Bug Toolkit on Cisco.com at this URL:
You can now purchase licenses to support additional access points on 5500 series controllers. The new additive licenses (for 25, 50, or 100 access points) can be upgraded from all license tiers (12, 25, 50, 100, and 250 access points). The additive licenses are supported through both rehosting and RMAs.
One Time Passwords (OTP) are supported on the Wireless Lan Controller (WLC) using TACACS and RADIUS. In this configuration, the controller acts as a transparent passthrough device. The controller forwards all client requests to the TACACS/RADIUS server without inspecting the client behavior. When using OTP, the client must only establish a single connection to the controller to function properly. The controller currently does not have any intelligence or checks to correct a client that is trying to establish multiple connections.
In software releases prior to 6.0, the controller sends uppercase alphabetic characters in the MAC address. In software release 6.0 or later, the controller sends lowercase alphabetic characters in the MAC address for the RADIUS called-station-id and calling-station-id attributes. If you enabled these attributes for 802.1X authentication in previous releases and upgrade to software release 6.0, client authentication fails. Therefore, you must change the MAC addresses to lowercase characters on the RADIUS server before upgrading to software release 6.0.
You can create up to 50 access point groups for 2100 series controllers and controller network modules and up to 300 access point groups for 4400 series controllers, 500 AP Groups on 5500 Series Controllers, and 192 access point groups for the Cisco WiSM, and the 3750G wireless LAN controller switch.
You must disable IP-MAC address binding in order to use an access point in sniffer mode if the access point is joined to a 5500 series controller, a 2100 series controller, or a controller network module running software release 6.0. To disable IP-MAC address binding, enter this command using the controller CLI: config network ip-mac-binding disable.
WLAN 1 must be enabled in order to use an access point in sniffer mode if the access point is joined to a 5500 series controller, a 2100 series controller, or a controller network module running software release 6.0. If WLAN 1 is disabled, the access point cannot send packets.
When controllers in the mobility list are running different software releases (such as 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, and 6.0), Layer 2 or Layer 3 client roaming is not supported between GD to ED. It is supported only between controllers running the same and GD release such as 6.0 and 4.2.
Guest tunneling works only between controllers running the same software release or between controllers running software release 4.2 and controllers running any later software release (for example, 4.2 to 5.0, 4.2 to 5.1, 4.2 to 5.2, or 4.2 to 6.0). Guest tunneling does not work among controllers running other combinations of software.
Rogue Location Discovery Protocol (RLDP) is a controller feature that detects the presence of rogue access points that are connected to your wired network. In this software release, RLDP operates with these limitations:
When clients use the controller’s internal DHCP server, IP addresses are not preserved across reboots. As a result, multiple clients can be assigned with the same IP address. To resolve any IP address conflicts, clients must release their existing IP address and request a new one.
When you plug a controller into an AC power source, the bootup script and power-on self-test run to initialize the system. During this time, you can press Esc to display the bootloader Boot Options Menu. The menu options for the 5500 series controllers are different than for other controller platforms.
Bootloader Menu for 5500 Series Controllers
Bootloader Menu for Other Controller Platforms
Enter 1 to run the current software, enter 2 to run the previous software, or enter 4 (on a 5500 series controller) or 5 (on another controller platform) to run the current software and set the controller configuration to factory defaults. Do not choose the other options unless directed to do so.
Note Refer to the Installation Guide or Quick Start Guide for your controller for more details on running the bootup script and power-on self-test.
Cisco 5500 series controllers do not support fragmented pings on any interface. Similarly, Cisco 4400 series controllers, the Cisco WiSM, and the Catalyst 3750G Integrated Wireless LAN Controller Switch do not support fragmented pings on the AP-manager interface.
When a controller is configured to allow only 802.11g traffic, 802.11b client devices are able to successfully associate to an access point but cannot pass traffic. When you configure the controller for 802.11g traffic only, disable any channels (such as channel 14 in Japan) that allow associations from 802.11b client devices.
If you have a firewall or access control list (ACL) between the controller and its access points that allows LWAPP traffic, before upgrading to software release 5.2 or later and CAPWAP, you should allow CAPWAP traffic from the access points to the controller by opening the following destination ports:
The access points use a random UDP source port to reach these destination ports on the controller. In controller software release 5.2, LWAPP was removed and replaced by CAPWAP, but if you have a new out-of-the-box access point, it could try to use LWAPP to contact the controller before downloading the CAPWAP image from the controller. Once the access point downloads the CAPWAP image from the controller, it uses only CAPWAP to communicate with the controller.
Note After 60 seconds of trying to join a controller with CAPWAP, the access point falls back to using LWAPP. If it cannot find a controller using LWAPP within 60 seconds, it tries again to join a controller using CAPWAP. The access point repeats this cycle of switching from CAPWAP to LWAPP and back again every 60 seconds until it joins a controller.
Note An access point with the LWAPP recovery image (an access point converted from autonomous mode or an out-of-the-box access point) uses only LWAPP to try to join a controller before downloading the CAPWAP image from the controller.
Several messages might flood the message logs when the controller boots up. These messages appear because of a failure to read or delete several different configuration files. These are low-severity messages that can safely be ignored. They do not affect controller functionality. These are some examples:
The controller supports web authentication redirects only to HTTP (HTTP over TCP) servers. It does not support web authentication redirects to HTTPS (HTTP over SSL) servers.
Note For 5500 series controllers, 2100 series controllers, and controller network modules, you must configure a preauthentication access control list (ACL) on the WLAN for the external web server and then choose this ACL as the WLAN preauthentication ACL under Security Policies > Web Policy on the WLANs > Edit page.
Cisco 1250 series access points are not supported for use with the Cisco 7920 IP phone. They can, however, be used with the Cisco 7921 and 7925 IP phones.
The 1250 series access points may contain a bootloader older than version 12.4(10b)JA. Units with old bootloaders do not generate a crash log when a crash occurs. The crash log is disabled so that a crash does not corrupt the flash file system. Units with bootloader versions 12.4(10b)JA or later generate a crash log if the access point is associated to a controller running software release 4.2.112.0 or later.
New 1250 series access points shipped from the factory contain new bootloader images, which fix the flash file system after it is corrupted during a crash (without losing files). This new bootloader automatically sets a new CRASH_LOG environment variable to "yes," which enables a crash log to be generated following a crash but only on controllers running software release 4.2.112.0 or later. Therefore, no user configuration is needed to enable a crash log on new 1250 series access points shipped from the factory.
These examples show the output from the CLI commands (in bold) that you use to check the bootloader version on lightweight and autonomous 1250 series access points:
Commands entered on the controller CLI:
debug ap enable AP001b.d513.1754
debug ap command "show version | include BOOTLDR" AP001b.d513.1754
In controller software release 4.2.61.0 and later, the controller’s bootup configuration file is stored in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format rather than in binary format. When you upgrade a controller to 4.2.61.0 or a later software release, the binary configuration file is migrated and converted to XML.
Note You cannot download a binary configuration file onto a controller running software release 7.0.98.0. Also, do not attempt to make changes to the configuration file. If you do so and then download the file to a controller, the controller displays a cyclic redundancy checksum (CRC) error while it is rebooting and returns the configuration parameters to their default values.
Note You cannot modify the configuration files for 2000, 4000, and 4100 series controllers. The ability to modify configuration files is available in controller software release 5.2 or later, and these controllers support only earlier software releases (up to the 4.2 release for 2000 series controllers and up to the 3.2 release for 4000 and 4100 series controllers).
When you upgrade to controller software release 5.0.148.0 or later, the LWAPP mode changes to Layer 3 if it was previously configured for Layer 2.
If you downgrade from controller software release 7.0.98.218, 6.0.196.0, 6.0.188.0, 5.2.178.0, 5.2.157.0, 5.1.151.0, or 5.0.148.0 to 4.2.61.0 or an earlier release, the LWAPP mode changes from Layer 3 to Layer 2. Access points might not join the controller, and you must manually reset the controller to Layer 3 to resolve this issue.
Access points running recent Cisco IOS versions transmit multicast frames at the highest configured basic rate and management frames at lowest basic mandatory rates, which can cause reliability problems. Access points running LWAPP or autonomous Cisco IOS should transmit multicast and management frames at the lowest configured basic rate. Such behavior is necessary to provide good coverage at the cell’s edge, especially for unacknowledged multicast transmissions where multicast wireless transmissions may fail to be received.
Because multicast frames are not retransmitted at the MAC layer, clients at the edge of the cell may fail to receive them successfully. If reliable reception is a goal, then multicast frames should be transmitted at a low data rate. If support for high data rate multicast frames is required, then it may be useful to shrink the cell size and disable all lower data rates.
Depending on your specific requirements, you can take the following action:
The controller disables the radio bands that are not permitted by the configured country of operation (CSCsi48220).
802.11a channels 120, 124, and 128 are disabled to achieve compliance with draft EN 301 893 version 1.5.1 on the following -E regulatory domain products: AP1131AG, AP1242AG, and AP1252AG.
In controller software release 4.2 or later, external antenna gain is factored into the maximum transmit power of the access point. Therefore, when you upgrade from an earlier software release to 4.2 or later, you might see a decrease in transmit power output.
Note The Transmit Power level can range between -10 dBM to 30 dBM.
Controller software release 4.2 or later allows you to upgrade to an oversized access point image by deleting the recovery image to create sufficient space. This feature affects only access points with 8 MB of flash (the 1100, 1200, and 1310 series access points). All newer access points have a larger flash size than 8 MB.
Note As of August 2007, there are no oversized access point images, but as new features are added, the access point image size will continue to grow.
The recovery image provides a backup image that can be used if an access point power-cycles during an image upgrade. The best way to avoid the need for access point recovery is to prevent an access point from power-cycling during a system upgrade. If a power-cycle occurs during an upgrade to an oversized access point image, you can recover the access point using the TFTP recovery procedure.
To recover the access point using the TFTP recovery procedure, follow these steps:
Step 1 Download the required recovery image from Cisco.com (c1100-rcvk9w8-mx, c1200-rcvk9w8-mx, or c1310-rcvk9w8-mx) and install it in the root directory of your TFTP server.
Step 2 Connect the TFTP server to the same subnet as the target access point and power-cycle the access point. The access point boots from the TFTP image and then joins the controller to download the oversized access point image and complete the upgrade procedure.
Step 3 After the access point has been recovered, you may remove the TFTP server.
The multicast queue depth is 512 packets on all controller platforms. However, the following message might appear on 2106 controllers: “Rx Multicast Queue is full on Controller.” This message does not appear on 4400 series controllers because the 4400 NPU filters ARP packets while all forwarding (multicast or otherwise) and multicast replication are done in the software on the 2106.
This message appears when too many multicast messages are sent to the CPU. In controller software releases prior to 5.1, multicast, CDP, and ARP packets share the same queue. However, in software releases 5.1 and later, these packets are separated into different queues. There are currently no controller commands that can be entered to determine if the multicast receive queue is full. When the queue is full, some packets are randomly discarded.
Controller software release 4.1.178.0 or later enables you to configure a MAC-filtering IP address for a workgroup bridge (WGB) wired client to allow passive WGB wired clients, such as terminal servers or printers with static IP addresses, to be added and remain in the controller’s client table while the WGB is associated to a controller in the mobility group. This feature, activated by the config macfilter ipaddress MAC_address IP_address CLI command, can be used with any passive device that does not initiate any traffic but waits for another device to start communication.
This feature allows the controller to learn the IP address of a passive WGB wired client when the WGB sends an IAPP message to the controller that contains only the WGB wired client’s MAC address. Upon receiving this message from the WGB, the controller checks the local MAC filter list (or the anchor controller’s MAC filter list if the WGB has roamed) for the client’s MAC address. If an entry is found and it contains an IP address for the client, the controller adds the client to the controller’s client table.
Note Unlike the existing MAC filtering feature for wireless clients, you are not required to enable MAC filtering on the WLAN for WGB wired clients.
Note WGB wired clients using MAC filtering do not need to obtain an IP address through DHCP to be added to the controller’s client table.
In controller software release 4.1.185.0 or later, CKIP is supported for use only with static WEP. It is not supported for use with dynamic WEP. Therefore, a wireless client that is configured to use CKIP with dynamic WEP is unable to associate to a wireless LAN that is configured for CKIP. We recommend that you use either dynamic WEP without CKIP (which is less secure) or WPA/WPA2 with TKIP or AES (which are more secure).
Cisco Aironet lightweight access points do not connect to the controller if the date and time are not set properly. Set the current date and time on the controller before allowing the access points to connect to it.
For controller software release 4.2 or later, if a location appliance (release 3.1 or later) is installed on your network, the time zone must be set on the controller to ensure proper synchronization between the two systems. Also, we highly recommend that the time be set for networks that do not have location appliances. Refer to Chapter 4 of the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide, Release 7.0, for instructions for setting the time and date on the controller.
Note The time zone can be different for the controller and the location appliance, but the time zone delta must be configured accordingly, based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dynamic frequency selection (DFS) is supported only on 1130 series access points in the United States, Canada, and the Philippines that have a new FCC ID. Access points use DFS to detect radar signals such as military and weather sources and then switch channels to avoid interfering with them. 1130 series access points with FCC DFS support have an FCC ID LDK102054E sticker. 1130 series access points without FCC DFS support have an LDK102054 (no E suffix) sticker. 1130 series access points that are operating in the United States, Canada, or the Philippines; have an FCC ID E sticker; and are running the 4.1.171.0 software release or later can use channels 100 through 140 in the UNII-2 band.
After you change the position of the 802.11a radio antenna for a lightweight 1200 or 1230 series access point, the power setting is not updated in the controller GUI and CLI. Regardless of the user display, the internal data is updated, and the transmit power output is changed accordingly. To see the correct transmit power display values, reboot the access point after changing the antenna’s position. (CSCsf02280)
We recommend that the retransmit timeout value for TACACS+ authentication, authorization, and accounting servers be increased if you experience repeated reauthentication attempts or the controller falls back to the backup server when the primary server is active and reachable. The default retransmit timeout value is 2 seconds and can be increased to a maximum of 30 seconds.
An access point can be powered by a Cisco prestandard 15-watt switch with Power over Ethernet (PoE) by entering this command:
config ap power pre-standard { enable | disable } { all | Cisco_AP }
A Cisco prestandard 15-watt switch does not support intelligent power management (IPM) but does have sufficient power for a standard access point. The following Cisco prestandard 15-watt switches are available:
The enable version of this command is required for full functionality when the access point is powered by a Cisco prestandard 15-watt switch. It is safe to use if the access point is powered by either an IPM switch or a power injector or if the access point is not using one of the 15-watt switches listed above.
You might need this command if your radio operational status is “Down” when you expect it to be “Up.” Enter the show msglog command to look for this error message, which indicates a PoE problem:
After you perform these functions on the controller, you must reboot the controller in order for them to take effect:
The 2106 controller’s Status LED and AP LED do not flash amber when software is being uploaded to the controller or downloaded to an access point, respectively.
Note Some versions of the Cisco 2106 Wireless LAN Controller Quick Start Guide might incorrectly state that these LEDs flash amber during a software upload or download.
Rate-limiting is applicable to all traffic destined to the CPU from either direction (wireless or wired). We recommend that you always run the controller with the default config advanced rate enable command in effect in order to rate-limit traffic to the controller and protect against denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. You can use the config advanced rate disable command to stop rate-limiting of Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo responses for testing purposes. However, we recommend that you reapply the config advanced rate enable command after testing is complete.
Controller software release 4.1.185.0 or later is designed to support ICMP pings to the management interface either from a wireless client or a wired host. ICMP pings to other interfaces configured on the controller are not supported.
Pinging from a network device to a controller dynamic interface may not work in some configurations. When pinging does operate successfully, the controller places Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) traffic in a low-priority queue, and the reply to ping is on best effort. Pinging does not pose a security threat to the network. The controller rate limits any traffic to the CPU, and flooding the controller is prevented. Clients on the WLAN associated with the interface pass traffic normally.
This version of Controller software release 7.0.98.218 is compatible with the Gateway Load Balancing Protocol (GLBP).
As designed, 4400 series controllers do not forward IP subnet broadcasts from the wired network to wireless clients across the EoIP guest tunnel.
You must install software release 4.0.179.8 or later on the controller before connecting 1100 and 1300 series access points to the controller.
To prevent or block a wired or wireless client from accessing the management network on a controller (from the wireless client dynamic interface or VLAN), the network administrator should ensure that there is no route through which to reach the controller from the dynamic interface or use a firewall between the client dynamic interface and the management network.
Cisco recommends that aggressive load balancing always be turned off either through the controller GUI or CLI in any wireless network that is supporting voice, regardless of vendor. When aggressive load balancing is turned on, voice clients can hear an audible artifact when roaming, and the handset is refused at its first reassociation attempt.
It is not possible to enable or disable band selection and client load balancing globally through the controller GUI or CLI. You can, however, enable or disable band selection and client load balancing for a particular WLAN. Band selection and client load balancing is enabled globally by default.
Cisco IOS Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP) access points have a default password of Cisco, and the pre-stage configuration for LWAPP access points is disabled by default. To enable it, you must configure the access point with a new username and password when it joins the controller. Enter this command using the controller CLI to push a new username and password to the access point:
config ap mgmtuser add user_id password password {Cisco_AP | all}
The password pushed from the controller is configured as “enable password” on the access point.
There are some cases where the pre-stage configuration for LWAPP access points is disabled and the access point displays the following error message when the CLI commands are applied:
“ERROR!!! Command is disabled.”
For more information, refer to Upgrading Autonomous Cisco Aironet Access Points to Lightweight Mode.
If a client is not able to connect to an access point, and the security policy for the WLAN and client are correct, the client has probably been disabled. In the controller GUI, you can view the client’s status on the Monitor > Summary page under Client Summary. If the client is disabled, click Remove to clear the disabled state for that client. The client automatically comes back and, if necessary, reattempts authentication.
Automatic disabling happens as a result of too many failed authentications. Clients disabled due to failed authorization do not appear on the permanent disable display. This display is only for those MACs that are set as permanently disabled by the administrator.
If a RADIUS server is on a directly connected subnet (with respect to the controller), then that subnet must be the management VLAN subnet.
This product has been tested with CiscoSecure ACS 4.2 and later and works with any RFC-compliant RADIUS server.
Management usernames and local netuser names must be unique because they are stored in the same database. That is, you cannot assign the same name to a management user and a local netuser.
The controller bootloader stores a copy of the active primary image and the backup image. If the primary image becomes corrupted, you can use the bootloader to boot with the backup image.
With the backup image stored before rebooting, be sure to choose Option 2: Run Backup Image from the boot menu to boot from the backup image. Then, upgrade with a known working image and reboot the controller.
Because of a caching problem in the Internet Explorer 5.x browser, the home page retains the web authentication login. To correct this problem, clear the history or upgrade your workstation to Internet Explorer 6.x.
Client card implementations may mitigate the effectiveness of ad-hoc containment.
The controller has commonly known default values of “public” and “private” for the read-only and read-write SNMP community strings. Using these standard values presents a security risk. Therefore, Cisco strongly advises that you change these values. Refer to the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide, Release 7.0, for configuration instructions.
The controller uses a default value of “default” for the username, authentication password, and privacy password for SNMP v3 users. Using these standard values presents a security risk. Therefore, Cisco strongly advises that you change these values. Refer to the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide, Release 7.0, for configuration instructions.
Note SNMP v3 is time sensitive. Make sure that you have configured the correct time and time zone on your controller.
The DirectStream feature from the controller does not work for clients behind workgroup bridges and the stream is denied. This feature is not supported in 7.0 release.
The controller does not support transmitting jumbo frames. To avoid having the WLC transmit CAPWAP packets to the AP that necessitates fragmentation and reassembly, reduces the MTU/MSS on the client side. For example, the TCP MSS Adjust feature can be leveraged here.
This hardware feature is not supported on 2100 series controllers:
These software features are not supported on 2100 series controllers:
Note You can replicate this functionality on a 2100 series controller by creating an open WLAN using an ACL.
These software features are not supported on 5500 series controllers:
Note For 5500 series controllers, you are not required to configure an AP-manager interface. The management interface acts like an AP-manager interface by default, and the access points can join on this interface.
Note You can replicate this functionality on a 5500 series controller by creating an open WLAN using an ACL.
Note The 5500 series controllers bridge these packets by default. If desired, you can use ACLs to block the bridging of these protocols.
In a crowded RF environment, clients may not be able to detect the desired SSID because of internal table limitations. Sometimes disabling and then enabling the client interface forces a rescan. Your RF environment needs to be controlled. Cisco UWN rogue access point detection and containment can help you to enforce RF policies in your buildings and campuses.
The 2106 controller image is supported for use with only 2100 series controllers. Do not install the 2106 image on a 3504 controller. Otherwise, errors may occur. Install only the 3504 image on a 3504 controller.
It is possible to run a 3504 controller image on a 2106 series controller, but Cisco Aironet 1130, 1200, and 1240 series access points will not be able to connect to the controller.
When upgrading a controller from operating system release 2.0 or 2.2.127.4 to release 3.2.116.21 or later, update the external web authentication configuration as follows:
1. For 5500 series controllers, 2100 series controllers, and controller network modules, you must configure a preauthentication access control list (ACL) on the WLAN for the external web server and then choose this ACL as the WLAN preauthentication ACL under Security Policies > Web Policy on the WLANs > Edit page.
2. For 4400 series controllers and the Cisco WiSM, instead of using a preauthentication ACL, the network manager must configure the external web server IP address using this command:
config custom-web ext-webserver add index IP-address
Note IP-address is the address of any web server that performs external web authentication.
3. The network manager must use the new login_template shown here:
Note Make sure to format the script to avoid any extra characters or spaces before using the web authentication template.
When the port status on the controller changes, the switch status does not get changed. This is a known issue. For example, when the controller port goes down, the switch port is still in administrable state. This has been resolved in Cisco 5500 Series Controllers.
The unified and autonomous access point do not support the mac-address command for the wireless interfaces. When invoked, the command executes, but can cause the access point to fail.
By default, Aggregated MAC Protocol Data Unit (A-MPDU) is enabled for priority level 0, 4 and 5 and the rest are disabled. In releases prior to 6.0 release, only priority 0 was enabled by default. The video performance is enhanced when priorities 4 and 5 are enabled for A-MPDU aggregation.
The following sections lists Open Caveats and Resolved Caveats for Cisco controllers and lightweight access points for version 7.0.98.218. For your convenience in locating caveats in Cisco’s Bug Toolkit, the caveat titles listed in this section are drawn directly from the Bug Toolkit database. These caveat titles are not intended to be read as complete sentences because the title field length is limited. In the caveat titles, some truncation of wording or punctuation might be necessary to provide the most complete and concise description. The only modifications made to these titles are as follows:
Note If you are a registered cisco.com user, view Bug Toolkit on cisco.com at the following website:
https://tools.cisco.com/bugsearch/
To become a registered cisco.com user, go to the following website:
https://tools.cisco.com/IDREG/guestRegistration.do?locale=en_US
For open caveats, refer to the Release Notes for Cisco Wirless LAN Controllers and Lightweight Access Points for Release 7.0.98.0.
Table 6 lists caveats resolved in controller software release 7.0.98.218.
If you need information about a specific caveat that does not appear in these release notes, you can use the Cisco Bug Toolkit to find caveats of any severity. Click this URL to browse to the Bug Toolkit:
https://tools.cisco.com/bugsearch/
(If you request a defect that cannot be displayed, the defect number might not exist, the defect might not yet have a customer-visible description, or the defect might be marked Cisco Confidential.)
For the most up-to-date, detailed troubleshooting information, refer to the Cisco TAC website at
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/index.html
Click Product Support > Wireless. Then choose your product and Troubleshooting to find information on the problem you are experiencing.
This section lists updates to user documentation that has not yet been added to either printed or online documents.
For additional information on the Cisco controllers and lightweight access points, refer to these documents:
For information on obtaining documentation, submitting a service request, and gathering additional information, see the monthly What’s New in Cisco Product Documentation, which also lists all new and revised Cisco technical documentation, at:
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/general/whatsnew/whatsnew.html
Subscribe to the What’s New in Cisco Product Documentation as a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed and set content to be delivered directly to your desktop using a reader application. The RSS feeds are a free service and Cisco currently supports RSS Version 2.0.