Switching Cisco Aironet AP between Autonomous Mode and Lightweight Mode

To use Wireless LAN Controllers manage older Cisco Aironet AP, such as Air-AP1231, you will need to convert it to lightweight mode. Occasionally, you will need to convert it back to autonomous mode and then reconvert it to lightweight mode if the AP constantly reboots itself and following message shows up in the console session:

*Mar  1 00:00:27.657: %LWAPP-3-CLIENTERRORLOG: LWAPP Crypto Init: could not start PKI session

*Mar  1 00:00:27.658: %LWAPP-3-CLIENTERRORLOG: Failed to initialize Crypto. Rebooting

*Mar  1 00:00:27.823: %SYS-5-RELOAD: Reload requested by CAPWAP CLIENT. Reload Reason: FAILED CRYPTO INIT.

*Mar  1 00:00:27.828: %LWAPP-5-CHANGED: CAPWAP changed state to DOWNXmodem file system is available.

Here is a list of software you will need to perform the tasks:

·         CiscoAironet-AP-to-LWAPP-Upgrade-Tool-v34.exe

·         TFTP server

·         LWAPP Recovery Image: c1200-rcvk9w8-tar.124-21a.JA2.tar

·         Supported IOS Image: c1200-k9w7-tar.123-7.JA1.tar

Here is the step to covert the AP to Lightweight mode:

1.       Install the Upgrade tool

2.       Connect the autonomous AP to network and get its IP. Make sure the AP is running the IOS image mentioned above.

3.       Create a text file with following content: “10.90.1.104,Cisco,Cisco,Cisco” without the quotation mark. Replace the IP address here with the AP’s IP. The sample file I used here is called “ap-file.txt”

4.       Launch the upgrading tool and fill in required field, where IP File is the text file contains AP’s IP; Select “Use Upgrade Tool TFTP Server” and points to the LWAPP image; The System IP Addr is your local machine’s IP address; Enter WLC’s IP, and credential that can add AP to controller; Select “Use Controller Time”; Click Start. The conversion process could take a few minutes. Click on Detailed Log for progress.

5.       Make sure your security policy on WLC allows the AP to join. Once it is done, you should be able to find the AP on your controller.

To convert the AP back to autonomous mode:

1.       Assign your machine with a static IP: 10.0.0.2/8, and connect it to a spare switch.

2.       Rename the IOS image to c1200-k9w7-tar.default , save it to the TFTP program’s root folder, and launch the TFTP program. Make sure “default” is the image extension – check your Folder Display Option.

3.       Plug the AP into the same VLAN port as your machine, hold the Mode button, and power on the AP.

4.       Wait the status LED turn to RED, not amber, and release the mode button. The AP will assign 10.0.0.1 to itself and download the IOS image.

Here is a reference doc from Cisco: 

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/conversion/lwapp/upgrade/guide/lwapnote.html#wp160918

Use Cisco vWLC in VMWare Workstation

Cisco offers WLC virtual machine. Here are a few good online resources to get you started:
http://jeensern.blogspot.com/2012/09/cisco-virtual-wireless-lan-controller.html
http://www.labminutes.com/wlc0001_vwlc_7_3_vmware_installation
http://www.labminutes.com/blog0003_vwlc_7.3_installation_caveats
And here is the Cisco's deployment guide:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps12723/products_tech_note09186a0080bd2d04.shtml

If you are using VMWare Workstation, you will need to download the latest VMWare OVF Tool and convert the ova file to virtual machine files.

Once you fire up the vWLC in VMware Workstation, you will see "Press any key to use this terminal as the default terminal.". If you have not configured other way to ssh or telnet to the VM, press any key here.

If you see screen "freeze" with "kernel direct mapping tables up to 100000000 @ 8000-d000", it is OK. The WLC is running fine and you can still access it though CLI or HTTPS.
Alternatively, you can

•  press any key at above stage, 
• press ESC key at following screen to get more booting options
• Or let it boot to primary image by default

You will see log in prompt soon:

Update:

Played with newer version of the vWLC and here is an update on the setup:

Device/Software List:

• PC with dual NICs
• WMware Workstation 11
• vWLC 8.0 and 8.3
• Cisco 3560 PoE Switch
• Cisco Thin AP

NIC configuration:

• The 01BottemTP is the first NIC, which has internet connection.
• The Local Area Connection 2 (Realtek PCIe GBE) is the second NIC and it supports VLANs.
• I created 3 VLANs using the second NIC's utility program and renamed them as VLAN11, 12 and 1 for easy identification purpose from original name Realtek Virtual Adapter 1, 2, & 3 in Windows 7. 

VMware Workstation Setup:

• In WMware Workstation Virtual Network, assign VMnet0 to Realtak Virtual Adapter 3.
• Assign VMnet1 to the second physical NIC.

Once the OVA file was imported to WMware, assign the first Network Adapter to VMnet0 and the second Network Adapter to VMNet1.

vWLC Setup:

The key point to initially configure the vWLC is highlight below:

• Select default for Service interface IP Address configuration
• Management Interface VLAN ID is 0

Switch Configuration:

Connect the PC's second NIC to a trunk port - Gi0/1

Aruba Y Cable Pin layout

If you work with Aruba Wireless Access Point, then a Aruba Y cable could be a good troubleshooting tool for you. One end of the Y cable looks like regular female RS232/DB9 port. The other end looks like two Ethernet cable with RJ45 connectors. You will need to plug one RJ45 connector to an AP, the other RJ45 connector to a POE switch port, and the serial connector to your PC's serial port. From a Putty session, you can see all the traffic between the AP and your network.

Here is a diagram of the Y cable's pin layout if you want to make one yourself. You will need a short Ethernet patch cord (568B at both ends) and a female DB9 adapter kit.

Carefully cut open the sleeve of the patch cord in the middle, cut open the blue, white/blue, brown, and white/brown wires, strip off the plastic cover on those wires, and wire them to pin 2, 3, & 5 from inside of the DB9 connector as shown at the bottom of the diagram - white/blue and brown wires are both connected to pin 5. The White/Orange, Orange, White/Green and Green should be untouched ans still connected to both end of the RJ45 Connectors. I erased the other 4 wires at the network end of the connector in the diagram. But in reality, they are still there, just being cut.

In one case I need to use the Y cable is one AP would not show up in master controller after been configured as a mash point. Using the cable, I was able to see the boot process and the behavior of the AP after the boot process. That provided enough information to google and find solution, which is break the boot process by press Enter key in a 2-5 seconds time window, then enter "purge" and "save" command and reboot the AP.