Solved: Is it possible to convert an AP to LWAPP without the upgrade tool

SHANNON WYATT · ‎02-01-2007

I have a considerable number of access points to convert. All of the access points are new, so they have the MIC from Cisco. So I should be able to just TFTP the image onto the access points, but I can't find any info on this.

This would be considerably faster for me as I could do tens of AP at a time, and I wouldn't have to deal with the rather flaky upgrade tool. Has anyone done this before?

Darren Ramsey · ‎02-01-2007

Actually you can do it. The main purpose of the Upgrade tool is to generate a SSC and add the SSC string to the controller. If you already have a MIC, the upgrade tool bypasses the SSC generation process and performs TFTP. You can telnet to an IOS AP and run

"archive download-sw tftp://x.x.x.x/c1240-rcvk9w8-tar.123-11.JX1.tar"

and the IOS based AP when rebooted will load the basic LWAPP code, join the controller and upgrade itself to match the controller's code revision. Now I don't know if this is supported, but your original question pertained to the possibility. So yes it can be done without the upgrade tool provided you have an AP with MIC installed.

Good luck.

View solution in original post

Rob Huffman · ‎02-01-2007

Hi Shannon,

Unfortunately the upgrade tool is the only supported method :( You can upgrade 6 AP's at a time I believe. You can also have the tool setup on multiple machines,to expedite the process. The newer LWAPP Upgrade Tool shouldn't be as flaky as the earlier versions;

Customers have two options when migrating from Cisco Aironet autonomous access points to lightweight access points: using the software upgrade tool or trading out their existing autonomous access points.

The Autonomous to Lightweight Mode Upgrade Tool supports a process to migrate an autonomous access point from autonomous mode to lightweight mode. Unlike a VxWorks to Cisco IOS- Software upgrade, this process is a Cisco IOS Software upgrade to the existing Cisco IOS Software image-not an operating system "swapout". In converted access points operating in lightweight mode, Cisco IOS Software continues to run on the access point, while LWAPP is used to communicate with a wireless LAN controller.

From this doc;

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/modules/ps2706/products_white_paper0900aecd804f1a23.shtml

Hope this helps!

Rob

SHANNON WYATT · ‎02-01-2007

Yes, I've used it a bunch, but I'm getting ready to flash a whole bunch of access points and I was hoping I could get away from using the tool. I figured I would be much faster.

Darren Ramsey · ‎02-01-2007

Actually you can do it. The main purpose of the Upgrade tool is to generate a SSC and add the SSC string to the controller. If you already have a MIC, the upgrade tool bypasses the SSC generation process and performs TFTP. You can telnet to an IOS AP and run

"archive download-sw tftp://x.x.x.x/c1240-rcvk9w8-tar.123-11.JX1.tar"

and the IOS based AP when rebooted will load the basic LWAPP code, join the controller and upgrade itself to match the controller's code revision. Now I don't know if this is supported, but your original question pertained to the possibility. So yes it can be done without the upgrade tool provided you have an AP with MIC installed.

Good luck.

SHANNON WYATT · ‎02-01-2007

Cool. Thanks!!!

SHANNON WYATT · ‎02-02-2007

I was able to flash a hundred or so access points using this method last night. Worked great.

Rob Huffman · ‎02-03-2007

Hi Darren,

Very, very helpful info here! 5 points from me on this great answer :)

Thanks again,

Rob

wififofum · ‎03-01-2007

Yes this does work, but how do you verify that 1200 series APs are of the post-7/05 MIC-enabled variety and don't need the Upgrade Tool? I'd love to use the WLSE for this but the TAC could not provide me with any means to verify this (like hardware serial number). Is anyone in the know about this? Thanks!

Darren Ramsey · ‎03-01-2007

I don't have a 1200 with MIC handy, but there should be some evidence of the cert somewhere on the flash. I have a 1200 pre MIC that was converted and then unconverted. I have a SSC file in the NVRAM.

1200-test#dir nvram:

Directory of nvram:/

27 -rw- 2119 startup-config

28 ---- 5 private-config

1 -rw- 0 ifIndex-table

2 ---- 11938 ssc_certs_keys.cfg

Perhaps you might have something similar on the NVRAM that would be an indicator?

SHANNON WYATT · ‎03-02-2007

You should be able to use WLSE to do the upgrades on the MIC enabled, but I don't know how you would verify that they had the MIC.

wififofum · ‎03-03-2007

FYI -

The TAC offered the following undocumented command to verify the existence of a MIC on 1200/1230 APs:

test pb display

ap5#test pb display

------------------------------

Display of the Parameter Block

------------------------------

Total Number of Records : 7

Number of Certs : 6

Number of Keys : 1

If the AP outputs any information then it has the MIC; if it returns nothing it does not.

The AP has to be running 12.3.7 or later to run this command.

prakashj · ‎03-03-2007

Hi Dv,

This is regading access point conversion from autonamus to lightweight,I tried with above method.Its giving follwing error

'AP-IOS-GRB8-IN-9#$nload-sw tftp://10.163.25.74/c1200-rcvk9w8-tar.123-11JX1

examining image...

%Error opening (Permission denied)archive download: takes 0 seconds

AP-IOS-GRB8-IN-9#'

I have alredy disable my lap firewall and antivirus also,I have small doubt,will this method will work from diffrent N/W if there is a N/W route or we have to do from AP management VLAN ? Also pls let me know how we can go ahead with MIC installation.

Regds

Saji k.s