Need to add a 3rd WAP to existing small business network. Where to I begin?

[lauraxcav]

The network has a Cisco 26-port switch, and 2 existing WAPs, 1 of which is an air 1040, and the other I'm not sure about but it looks like the other one.  I need to add a 3rd WAP for a small room.  I was going to use another cisco air 1040, but I don't know where to begin.  Is there a smaller, lighter WAP that will work?  I have no experience configuring networks, so I'd like something simple.  Please help.

Thanks,

Laura

[Eric Moyers · Accepted solution]

Hello Laura

My name is Eric Moyers, I am one of the Wireless Experts in the Small Business Support Center.

Normally I tell customer to add similar products to their exiting network when they are trying to expand it. This keep learning curves down to a minimum and helps get the expansion up and running quicker. However there are time when going with brand new products are better, especially if you are trying to incorporate better technology.  

Since the Aironet 1040 is currently End of Life / End of Sale. You would need to look for a different model.

It you stay with Enterprise level Access Points, the AIR 1602 Has the same capabilitoes as the 104 that you are used too. Price range is upper 300 to low 400 depending an where you look.

If you would like to look at Small Business we have the WAP561 which is also Dual Radio and should do everything the 1040 can or you can look at the WAP371 which is dual as well but includes a radio that can do the new "AC" signal. Both of these run mid 200 to upper 200 depending on where you look. By the way they virtually look identical to the AIR1040 as well.

I hope this can get you started, please let me know if I can answer anythin else or go more in depth.

Eric Moyers
.:|:.:|:. CISCO | Eric Moyers | Cisco Technical Support |
Wireless and Surveillance Subject Matter Expert

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[lauraxcav]

Eric,

That helps very much, thank you.  I think a Small business WAP would be fine - we're planning to hook up 3 - 5 computers to it, in the same room.  I assume that the Small business WAPs will configure themselves to work with the switch and the air 1040?  

Next, what's the best help resource to help with configuring, say, a WAP561 or WAP371?  There is numerous stuff online (or does it come with instructions?) and I don't seem to have the Prime Interface available, so it would have to be configured automatically by the switch, or through the switch's browser interface.  It's a bit daunting.

Finally, do these WAPs have their own browser interface or IP address?  I've been trying to look at them some other way, and I can't find a way.  The second WAP looks like the air 1040 but I can't tell for sure what it is unless I take it down.

Thanks for the help,

Laura

[Eric Moyers · Accepted solution]

That is great. The Small Business WAPs (100s, 300s or 500s series) do have an online demo of the interface, those and some other devices.

https://supportforums.cisco.com/community/netpro/small-business/onlinedemos

There are instructions, but once you buy you can always call into the Small Business Support Center for assistance. All of our devices come with 1 year free phone support. 

Our devices do not automatically set themselves up to your network, there is some configuration that has to be done. They can get an automatic DHCP address, but I usually recommend that you setup static on these devices to make them easier to find. They do have there own browser interface which you can see in the demos at the link above. 

Your second WAP is probably an AIR as well, Our small business WAPs do have a similar look so they should blend in nicely.

Hope this answers your questions, please let me know if I forgot anything or can assist with anything else.

Eric Moyers
.:|:.:|:. CISCO | Eric Moyers | Cisco Technical Support |
Wireless and Surveillance Subject Matter Expert

Please rate helpful Posts and Let others know when your Question has been answered 

You can click my name beside the picture if you need to email me directly

[Andrew Lien]

Hi Laura,

The small business community has a tool, called GuideMe, that can help search for "how-to" configurations about the WAP 561.

Alternatively, you can go to http://www6.nohold.net/ciscosb/Loginr.aspx?pid=4&app=search&vw=1&login=1 and do a search on the knowledge base for resources and how-tos for the WAP 561; Just select Access Points under Products and WAP561  under Model and click Search

-Andy Lien

[lauraxcav]

Thank you anlien.  The website is huge and I'm not familiar with it yet.  I'll look for the GuideMe.

One question about the WAP561.  It said it could be set up in a "controller-less" environment.  I have a Cisco 26-port switch.  Is this the same as a controller?  is the air1040 that's on the switch a controller?  Or is a controller a specific piece of hardware?  Can I hook up a WAP371 in a "controller-less" environment, assuming I don't have the right equipment?

thank you again.  The website is so big that I was having trouble finding the info I needed.

Laura

[boayers]

Hello Laura,

I am Patrick from Cisco eSupport. A controller-less environment is one that does not use a dedicated piece of hardware to control the access points in a network. In the controller-less setup, each wireless access point runs controller software internally. You can configure your network using Single Point Setup so that all the access points can be managed using the configuration utility of a single device. This makes expanding your network of WAPs much easier and saves you the cost of purchasing a dedicated controller to manage your network. The WAP371 and WAP561 both support the use of a controller-less enviroment. 

You can learn more about the WAP371 and Single Point Setup here:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/small-business-300-series-wireless-access-points/datasheet-c78-732143.html

Also take a look at this Knowledge Base document referring to Single Point Setup on WAP551 and WAP561 devices. Please do note that clusters of WAPs in a controller-less enviroment must be the same model and be configured for the same type of IP addressing.

http://sbkb.cisco.com/CiscoSB/ukp.aspx?pid=2&app=vw&vw=1&login=1&json=1&docid=df059aa5b0a44563b66bcf97d981b3bc_Single_Point_Setup_Configuration_on_WAP551_and_WAP561_Access.xml

Hope this is helpful to you,

-Patrick Ayers

[lauraxcav]

Hello Eric, Andy, and Patrick,

I've decided on a WAP561 because I can find a lot more information about it than the WAP371, which appears to be fairly new, and also because Eric said it should be similar to the air 1040.  From what I read, it looks like the wap561 is for a larger network, while the 371 is a bit smaller and faster.  The 561 might be a little bit of overkill for what I need, but I do need something that I can find info on.

I think I have a "controller-less" environment, so I'm hoping my new "web-login" wap561 can see and work with my other two air1040's.  I appreciate everyone's help; I may be back after I get my new WAP.

Thanks,

Laura Cavanaugh

[Eric Moyers]

Hey Laura, just want to double check something you said.

" I'm hoping my new "web-login" wap561 can see and work with my other two air1040's."

If you are doing any type of bridging or clustering together they may not work. If you just mean work in conjunction with on the same network, then no problem.

With them being Enterprise and Small Business they can not interact directly with each other. 

Eric Moyers
.:|:.:|:. CISCO | Eric Moyers | Cisco Technical Support |
Wireless and Surveillance Subject Matter Expert

[lauraxcav]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for checking on that, but "working in conjunction with" should be just fine.  I don't intend to bridge or cluster them.  In fact, it looks like (after reading the quick start guide) that I can just plug it into the switch, configure it with a wizard and reserve an IP address, and then unplug it and plug it in, in its permanent location, and it should work.

As long as it boosts the signal.

Thanks again.  Any last words of wisdom are appreciated, and like I said, I may be back after I install.

thanks,

Laura

[Eric Moyers]

We are here to help, let me know anything I can do

Eric

[lauraxcav]

Hi Eric,

Actually, there is something you can help with again, even if it's pointing me to the right forum.

I installed and configured the WAP561, and it's working.  However, the air1040's are using WEP, and the new 561 doesn't do WEP (naturally), so the laptops can't roam around the building to pick up the new WiFi signal, seemlessly.  They have to manually reconnect to the 561 when they're in the room.  

Is it true that if I could configure the 1040's to use WPA2, like the 561, then the roaming would be seemless?  That brings me to the next question: I haven't been able to figure out how to get onto the 1040's.  I dont' know the passwords, or even how to connect.  What's the best way to look at the 1040's to configure them? Do they have default passwords?  

Thanks again,

Laura

[Eric Moyers]

Hello Laura,

Excellent question. To have true seamless roaming it would have to be in an environment with a controller.

The Wireless Controller is what "controls" the connections to the Access Points that are connected to it. None of our small business product currently work with wireless lan controllers. There are some thing that you can do to enhance the near seamless experience. The best is save the wireless connection in the client and set the properities to auto connect when it is in range. That way when you roam as soon as the one connection drops, the client should connect to the next strongest wireless signal.

Which brings up another point to remember. Since this is a controller-less environment the wireless connection must drop in order to connect to the next strongest signal. One thing you can do for this is to limit the amount of overlap between each access point. You can do this by preading the APs out from each other or by turning down the power level of the transmission. If you like I can go into that a little more. 

As far as your 1040's go,  The Datasheet does say that it will do WPA and WPA2.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/aironet-1140-series/data_sheet_c78-609338.html

Here is the configuration guide:

http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/wireless/access_point/15_2_4_JB/configuration/guide/scg15_2_4_JB3a.pdf

That is about as far as my knowledge for the 1040s go.

Eric Moyers

[boayers]

Hello again,

I thought I should mention to you that WEP has been deprecated as a security standard for wireless networks as it is highly susceptible to being comprimised by hackers. If the air1040 devices support WPA or WPA2 I highly suggest that you switch to this security standard for your network.

Best,

-Patrick Ayers