Converting APs and IOS images??

[hrios]

Question 1: I just finished converting a large number of AP350s and AP1200s from VxWorks to IOS. I noticed that the 350 APs got firmware version 12.2(13) and the 1200 APs got 12.2(11). Why does the convertion apply two different versions of firmware?

Question 2: Now that all my access points are IOS, I need to go back an upgrade all the 1200 APs again, but now from 12.2(11) to 12.2(13)

The WLSE is supposed to allow you to apply firmware upgrades to a group of APs. However, I haven't been able to find a 12.2(13) "image". The only way to upgrade a 1200 AP to 12.2(13) is by using the "tar" file. If this is the only way to upgrade the APs, then the WLSE in useless as far as firmware upgrades are concerned. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[tcross3]

You are not wrong, I have one too and I feel that it is useless. After my upgrade I still had to go around an touch each ap that was upgraded to fix little things that get lost in translation. I have converted 15 and have 85 more that I will just do manually. I am probably going to give my wlse to the server group to use a a print server.

[hrios]

This is really a shame. Your server group is going to have a pretty expensive print server.

Thanks for your feedback.

[kschung]

Now that you guys upgraded to wonderful IOS, are you getting packet drops on the Radio interface? It looks like it drops packets whenever I want something via Telnet, SNMP, or Web.

[hrios]

The new IOS on both the 350s and 1200s has been absolutely unpredictable, unstable, and difficult to troubleshoot.

I'm still waiting on a Cisco Engineer to comment on my original questions.

[rmushtaq]

The conversion image for AP350 and AP1200 are NOT the same. If you look at the Release Notes, it clearly says that "Upgrade non-IOS 1200 series access points to Cisco IOS operation by combining the Cisco IOS configuration file with a 1200 series helper image. Converts the access point to Cisco IOS Release 12.2(11)JA1.

Upgrade non-IOS 350 series access points to Cisco IOS operation by combining the Cisco IOS configuration file with a 350 series helper image. Converts the access point to Cisco IOS Release 12.2(13)JA1.

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/wireless/airo1200/accsspts/ctrn/crn13ja1.htm. So, yes, once you convert the APs to IOS, you'll have to upgrade the 1200s to 12.2(13)JA/JA1 again.

As for the question on the tar file, IOS images for APs are indeed in .tar format only and this is the way it works with/without WLSE. There is no plain .bin file for IOS APs, since these APs also have the html GUI built in to them, hence it is in tar format. Hope this helps.

[hrios]

Thank you for your answer. You still didn't address the question as to whether the WLSE is capable of applying firmware upgrades to a group of APs. I think we can infer it by reading your answer that it is infact incapable of this function

So if this is true, documentation of the WLSE ver2.5 should be revised. I'm refering to the "User Guide for the WLSE ver 2.5". In it, there is no mention of ".tar" files. There is only talk about "firware images" and how the appliance can upgrade a group of APs. This can be very deceiving. Specially to somebody planning to purchase this appliance.

We made an investment on a pretty expensive appliance that used to facilitate a very important function; firmware upgrades. And now that function has been taken away.

I hope I can get a reply on this issue. As before, please correct me if I'm wrong.

[rmushtaq]

Yes, WLSE 2.5 can do firmware upgrades to a group of APs. In AP world, tar files = firmwares.

[richard-hughes]

I have successfully upgraded firmware on 1210's running 12.2(11)JA to 12.2(13)JA using WLSE 2.5. It works a treat. Was quite surprised.!

[rmiles]

I too have used the WLSE 2.5 to upgrade many AP's IOS at once. I have created jobs for groups of AP's as large as 40 at a time without any issues.

I have used the WLSE to upgrade IOS on ~120 1220 AP's in all.

Good luck.

[hrios]

Thank you very much. That's exactly what I was looking for. The ".tar" extension made everything a little confusing.

Thanks again