Upgrade 1120G from an autonomous to a lightweight accesspoint

frengky · ‎06-11-2007

Hi!

I have a network consisting of 22 autonomous Aironet 1120G accesspoints. Is it possible to upgarde these to lightweight accesspoints for using with a Cisco WLAN Controller?

Matthew Fowler · ‎06-11-2007

Hi,

No, the 1120s cannot be upgraded to LWAPP.

From http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6306/products_qanda_item09186a00806a4da3.shtml

Q. I have an autonomous Cisco IOS Software-based AP. Can I convert it to lightweight mode?

A. Yes, but not all the autonomous Cisco IOS Software-based AP models can be converted. These are the models that you can convert to Lightweight AP Protocol (LWAPP) mode:

* All Cisco Aironet 1130 AG APs

* All Aironet 1240 AG APs

* For all Cisco IOS Software-based Aironet 1200 Series modular AP (1200/1220 Cisco IOS Software upgrade, 1210, and 1230 AP) platforms, the ability to convert the AP depends on the radio.

o If the radio is IEEE 802.11g, MP21G and MP31G are supported.

o If the radio is IEEE 802.11a, RM21A and RM22A are supported.

You can upgrade the 1200 Series APs with any combination of supported radios:

o G only

o A only

o Both G and A

Note: An autonomous AP must run Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(7)JA or later before you can convert it to LWAPP.

Note: Only the Cisco 4400 and 2006 wireless LAN controllers (WLCs) support autonomous APs that have been converted to lightweight mode. Cisco WLCs must run a minimum software version of 3.1. The Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) must run a minimum version of 3.1. The upgrade utility is supported on the Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP platforms.

frengky · ‎06-11-2007

I found this link: http://cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/ios/release/notes/b311jx1.html

You can use the Autonomous to Lightweight Mode upgrade tool to install Cisco IOS Release 12.3(11)JX on these access points:

?All 1100 series access points containing MP21G (802.11g) radios

?All 1130, 1230, and 1240 series access points

?All modular 1200 series access points running Cisco IOS software and containing these supported radios:

?802.11g: MP21G, MP31G

?802.11a: AIR-RM21A-x-K9, AIR-RM22A-x-K9

?All 1300 series access points in access point mode

By the way, we are using Cisco Aironet 1100 Series with modelnr: air-ap1121g-e-k9. I am not sure if this is 1100 or 1121 model as specified in the modelnr.

Rob Huffman · ‎06-12-2007

Hi Frengky,

When we went to change from Autonomous to LWAPP last summer there was no support for the 1121. Lucky for us this support was added right before we started so we did not have to replace 30 plus 1121's and were able to upgrade them to LWAPP:) Have a look;

The 1310 and 1121 AP support were added to the list of AP's that can be converted from Autonomous to LWAPP. This change is supported on WLC 4404 running 4.0.155.0 (and later)and on AP's that have been upgraded to IOS 12.3(11)JA first.

From this doc;

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/iosswrel/ps5413/products_tech_note09186a00806b55ef.shtml

Hope this helps!

Rob

zmann7 · ‎06-18-2007

We are needing to take 16 AIR-AP1121G-A-K9's and tie them to a controller. Based on what I read I am still not sure if the 1121 AP's can be switched to LWAP's...

I am not sure what IOS they have currently.

Thanks for any help.

Rob Huffman · ‎06-19-2007

Hi Zach,

These AP's can be converted to LWAPP. We did this exact conversion last summer on about 30 1121G's with the LWAPP upgrade tool. Support for the 1121 was added in WLC version 4.0.155.0 Have a look at these related docs;

Software release 4.0.155.0 New Features

LWAPP for Cisco Aironet 1100 Series Access Points (802.11g radio only) Allows the Cisco Aironet 1100 Series Access Point to be upgraded from autonomous access point mode to lightweight mode using the autonomous to lightweight mode upgrade tool.

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

Note You must install software release 4.0.155.0 on the controller before connecting 1100 series access points to the controller.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6366/prod_release_note09186a00806e8989.html#wp147320

LWAPP Upgrade Tool Troubleshoot Tips

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk722/tk809/technologies_tech_note09186a008072d9a1.shtml

Access points must run Cisco IOS Release 12.3(7)JA or later before you use the upgrade tool.

System Requirements

You can use the Autonomous to Lightweight Mode upgrade tool to install Cisco IOS Release 12.3(11)JX on these access points:

**All 1100 series access points containing MP21G (802.11g) radios

All 1130, 1230, and 1240 series access points

All modular 1200 series access points running Cisco IOS software and containing these supported radios:

802.11g: MP21G, MP31G

802.11a: AIR-RM21A-x-K9, AIR-RM22A-x-K9

All 1300 series access points in access point mode

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/ios/release/notes/b311jx1.html

Cisco has released a free tool called the "Autonomous to Lightweight Mode Upgrade Tool" that allows selected Cisco Aironet autonomous access point models to be configured for lightweight mode operation.

The Autonomous to Lightweight Mode Upgrade Tool supports the following models:

Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series access points

Cisco Aironet 1230AG Series access points

Cisco Aironet 1200 Series access points that contain 802.11g (AIR-MP21G-x-K9) and/or second-generation 802.11a radios (AIR-RM21A-x-K9 or AIR-RM22A-x-K9)

Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series access points

**Cisco Aironet 1100 Series Access Points that contain 802.11g radios (AIR-AP1121G-x-K9)

Cisco Aironet 1300 Series Access Points/Bridges (AIR-BR1310G-x-K9 or AIR-BR1310G-x-K9-R). A Cisco Aironet 1300 Series operating in Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP) mode only operates as an access point. This series does not support LWAPP bridging mode.

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. Since LWAPP supports automatic access point configuration, there is no need to retain or convert the original autonomous Cisco IOS Software access point configuration.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns340/ns394/ns348/ns337/networking_solutions_white_paper0900aecd804f1a23.shtml

Cisco Aironet Access Point Support for Lightweight Access Point Protocol

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6521/prod_bulletin0900aecd80321a2c.html

Upgrading Autonomous Cisco Aironet Access Points to Lightweight Mode

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/wireless/ps430/prod_technical_reference09186a00804fc3dc.html#wp157147

Hope this helps!

Rob

frengky · ‎06-20-2007

Hi!

I have been in contact with three different Cisco Gold Partners in Norway, and all of them confirm that the 1121G can be degraded to LWAPP.