MSM760 and APs over multiple subnets

[Zach Lorimer]

I have followed the education implementation guide for the MSM760 which works great on my 10.1.x.x network, but I cannot get the APs to work outside of that network and on their own. Each school site has a 10.x.x.x network, of which, they are all connected/routed back to my main fiber switch (10.1.0.1) as seen in my diagram. I do not have multiple VLANs at each school site, but just their own descript VLAN. The MSM760 is plugged into my backbone 2910 switch via the Internet port and it is untagged on the 2910. I do not have the LAN port plugged in for the MSM760.

My APs will get DHCP at the school sites and I have put in the proper DHCP scope option that was in one of the HP guides. However, I did setup my MSM760 to only use the Internet port as said in this page: MSM Setup. Now I am stumped because the controller will see the AP at the site, but it just sits at "waiting for response" in the group AP page.

If I plug in the Internet port to a tagged port on the 2910, add all of the VLANs/subnets to the MSM, and then plug in the LAN port for the interface, will that alleviate my problems?

Thanks.

[Zach Lorimer]

Nevermind I fixed this. Close please.

[ride165]

How did you resolve this? I'm unable to discover APs outside the subnet the Controller is in.

Thanks

Dave

[Fredrik Lönnman]

If the APs use DHCP the easiest way is to use dns-based discovery. Put in an A-record for cnsrv1 that points to your controller, the AP will try to reach it at boot time.

[Zach Lorimer]

I used a lot of information from this site: AP Problems

Basically the problems that I had involved me plugging in my LAN port to my main VLAN with a static IP address and allow AP discovery on it. Then I plugged in my Internet port into the same VLAN and make the Internet port VLAN traffic only. After that, I added the DHCP Vendor Class to all of my DHCP servers (Windows based) and it has been working flawlessly since then.

The DHCP Vendor Class I added, which was stated in one of the install guides, points the APs to the MSM. I know that site I linked states that it is option 43, but I had to create a brand new vendor class and it became option 1.

[soydog78]

Hello:

I am tackling this problem and was able get discovery working for the remote WAP on different vlans/subnets to register on the WLC. However, making these changes caused my Windows DHCP to not pass-through to the connected clients on any VLAN. The WAPs themselves get an DHCP address, computer are getting 169.254.X.X.   

Here is what I did. 

Disabled the firewall. 

Changed lan port ip back to 192.168.1.1

Made the internet port discoverable

Made the LAN port undiscoverable

Uncheck the option to manage the device from LAN port

Connected the internet port and set a static ip on the LAN.

Setup DHCP options 43 and DNS records for discovery on the Internet port

Disconnected the LAN port. 

What i am missing here?  I really wish this WLC supported trunking. I would had this up and running days ago on Cisco WLC.  This HP WLC is killing me...

Please help.

Thank you,

Jeremy

[soydog78]

Update:

So after battling this issue some more. I decide to reset WLC and WAPs to factory default and start over.  I performed the same steps as before and got some different results... Now my remote WAPs wouldn't connect at all. However, now my local WAPs were handing out DHCP addresses to wireless devices. So after some more troubleshooting. I found that default gateway was missing (that explains the remote site problem). I re-adding it and disabling the LAN completely (turning off interface).   Once those changes were made. The remote WAPs connected and started handing out DHCP addresses. Not sure if it's firmware glitch, corrupted config or something. But this was very difficult to get up and running.  I find it horribly cumbersome that I have to configure it this way.   But I am happy that it's working now. Hopefully this help someone else down the road.

Jeremy

[Massimo Poletti_1]

A suggestion based on my mistake.

The DNS-based discovery is OK.

BUT if you have a team, like me, don't create A-record using the IP team address (virtual). Use real IP address of the controllers instead.

Otherwise, problems!

Massimo

[Fredrik Lönnman]

It is (at least it was, hasnt checked in a while) pretty clearly stated in the documentation about teaming that the team IP is only for management and should NOT be used in controller discovery by the APs.

[Massimo Poletti_1]

Yes Fredrik.

This is the reason because forums are useful.

My mistake will be not your mistake in the future.

Forwarned is forearmed!

Massimo