Solved: Cisco 526 Wireless Express Mobility Controller

cetciscoadmin · ‎10-15-2007

We have just purchased at UC520, 526 Controller and a LAP521 controller. We got the UC520 up and running in 15 mins, but the 526 does not include very much documentation. We can not get it to find the 521 AP on the network nor will it go to layer 2 mode. I don't want to setup layer 3 routing for a 4 PC office. During the setup the only option it gives is layer 3 and the documentation says it will do layer 2? Can anyone give me any assistance?

dennischolmes · ‎10-19-2007

First, set it up just like you would a WLC 4400 or 2106. I will attach the configuration guide link here for you.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/controller/4.1/configuration/guide/ccfig41.html

A lot of the advanced features are disabled on the 526 but you configure it pretty much the same.

Dennis

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dennischolmes · ‎10-16-2007

The 526 is a layer 3 only device similar in design to the Cisco 2106 WLC. I was the first beta tester of the 526 and AP521s in the country. You must have three things on the 526 for a 521 to associate to the controller. First, you must have a dhcp scope available to the AP on the network that the AP resides. The controller needs to have at least 2 interfaces that can be reached easily from the AP. These 2 interfaces must be static IP addresses preferably on the same network as the APs. If they are on different subnets then the dhcp server must have Option 43 enabled to tell the AP where the location of the controller is. I have this setup at my house and it works fine.

srahn · ‎10-17-2007

The controller reference between layer2 and layer3 is a little misleading. Having the WLC (WLAN Controller) in layer2 mode means that it uses layer 2 frame headers to place the LWAPP information in. With the WLC in layer3 mode, the WLC places the LWAPP header in the IP packet header instead of on the layer 2 frame header. The newer AP's support only understanding the layer3 mode of placing LWAPP info in the layer3 packet header. In either mode, you can still configure your network with only one VLAN/subnet, which sounds like your goal. To summarize, the WLC's mode of layer2 vs layer3 only references where the LWAPP header is placed in either the frame or the packet and in no way correspondes to how you design the vlan's/subnet's of your network.

dennischolmes · ‎10-17-2007

Sean Rahn...you live man...you live.

cetciscoadmin · ‎10-18-2007

First, thanks for the reply. So just to make sure I am clear. We don't need to enable EIGRP etc.. to get this to work? We can use the default data vlan to install and administor this device including the AP?

Not sure why it even asks what layer we want if I can only pick layer 3?

Is there a design guide for this product?

cetciscoadmin · ‎10-18-2007

Thanks for the reply. Is there anyway you can show me a config for how you have it setup? I am not sure I understand.

dennischolmes · ‎10-19-2007

First, set it up just like you would a WLC 4400 or 2106. I will attach the configuration guide link here for you.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/controller/4.1/configuration/guide/ccfig41.html

A lot of the advanced features are disabled on the 526 but you configure it pretty much the same.

Dennis