Access Point Groups
After you create up to 512 WLANs on the , you can selectively publish them (using access point groups) to different access points to better manage your wireless network. In a typical deployment, all users on a WLAN are mapped to a single interface on the . Therefore, all users that are associated with that WLAN are on the same subnet or VLAN. However, you can choose to distribute the load among several interfaces or to a group of users based on specific criteria such as individual departments (such as Marketing) by creating access point groups. Additionally, these access point groups can be configured in separate VLANs to simplify network administration.
This section contains the following subsections:
Prerequisites for Configuring AP Groups
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The required access control list (ACL) must be defined on the router that serves the VLAN or subnet.
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Multicast traffic is supported with access point group VLANs. However, if the client roams from one access point to another, the client might stop receiving multicast traffic, unless IGMP snooping is enabled.
AP Groups Supported on Controller Platforms
This table lists the AP groups supported on various controller platforms:
Controller Platform | AP Groups Supported |
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Cisco 2504 WLC |
50 |
Cisco 5508 WLC |
500 |
Cisco Virtual Wireless Controller |
200 |
Cisco 7510 WLC |
6000 |
Cisco 8510 WLC |
6000 |
Cisco WiSM2 |
1000 |
Restrictions on Configuring Access Point Groups
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Suppose that the interface mapping for a WLAN in the AP group table is the same as the WLAN interface. If the WLAN interface is changed, the interface mapping for the WLAN in the AP group table also changes to the new WLAN interface.
Suppose that the interface mapping for a WLAN in the AP group table is different from the one defined for the WLAN. If the WLAN interface is changed, then the interface mapping for the WLAN in the AP group table does not change to the new WLAN interface.
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If you clear the configuration on the , all of the access point groups disappear except for the default access point group “default-group,” which is created automatically.
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The default access point group can have up to 16 WLANs associated with it. The WLAN IDs for the default access point group must be less than or equal to 16. If a WLAN with an ID greater than 16 is created in the default access point group, the WLAN SSID will not be broadcasted. All WLAN IDs in the default access point group must have an ID that is less than or equal to 16. WLANs with IDs greater than 16 can be assigned to custom access point groups.
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The OEAP 600 Series access point supports a maximum of two WLANs and one remote LAN. If you have configured more than two WLANs and one remote LAN, you can assign the 600 Series access point to an AP group. The support for two WLANs and one remote LAN still applies to the AP group If the 600 Series OEAP is in the default group, the WLAN/remote LAN ids must be lower than 8.
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All OfficeExtend access points should be in the same access point group, and that group should contain no more than 15 WLANs. A with OfficeExtend access points in an access point group publishes only up to 15 WLANs to each connected OfficeExtend access point because it reserves one WLAN for the personal SSID.
Note
A with OfficeExtend access points in an access point group publishes up to 15 WLANs to each connected OfficeExtend access point because it reserves one WLAN for the personal SSID.
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We recommend that you configure all Flex+Bridge APs in a mesh tree (in the same sector) in the same AP group and the same FlexConnect group, to inherit the WLAN-VLAN mappings properly.
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Whenever you add a new WLAN to an AP group, radio reset occurs and if any client is in connected state, the client is deauthenticated and is required to reconnect. We recommend that you add or modify the WLAN configuration of an AP group only during maintenance windows to avoid outages.
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The number of AP groups that you can configure cannot be more than the number of ap-count licenses on controller. For example, if your controller has 5 ap-count licenses, the maximum number of AP groups that you can configure is 5, including the default AP group.
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If you add a WLAN to a custom AP group whose interface mapping is the same as the global WLAN-level interface mapping, interface override does not occur in the AP group for the WLAN.
Later, if you change the interface mapping at a global WLAN level, the change is applied to the AP group level mappings for the WLAN and for all the AP groups to which the WLAN belongs.
Workaround: If you want a different interface mapping for the WLAN at AP group level, you can remove the WLAN from the AP group and add it back with the desired interface.
Configuring Access Point Groups
Procedure
Step 1 |
Configure the appropriate dynamic interfaces and map them to the desired VLANs. |
Step 2 |
Create the access point groups. See the Creating Access Point Groups section. |
Step 3 |
Create a RF profile. See the Creating an RF Profile section. |
Step 4 |
Assign access points to the appropriate access point groups. See the Creating Access Point Groups section. |
Step 5 |
Apply the RF profile on the AP groups. See the Applying RF Profile to AP Groups section. |
Creating Access Point Groups (GUI)
Procedure
Step 1 |
Choose WLANs > Advanced > AP Groups to open the AP Groups page. This page lists all the access point groups currently created on the controller. By default, all access points belong to the default access point group “default-group,” unless you assign them to other access point groups.
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Step 2 |
Click Add Group to create a new access point group. The Add New AP Group section appears at the top of the page. |
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Step 3 |
In the AP Group Name text box, enter the group’s name. |
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Step 4 |
In the Description text box, enter the group’s description. |
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Step 5 |
In the NAS-ID text box, enter the network access server identifier for the AP group. |
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Step 6 |
Click Add. The newly created access point group appears in the list of access point groups on the AP Groups page.
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Step 7 |
Click the name of the group to edit this new group. The AP Groups > Edit (General) page appears. |
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Step 8 |
Change the description of this access point group by entering the new text in the AP Group Description text box and click Apply. |
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Step 9 |
Choose the WLANs tab to open the AP Groups > Edit (WLANs) page. This page lists the WLANs that are currently assigned to this access point group. |
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Step 10 |
Click Add New to assign a WLAN to this access point group. The Add New section appears at the top of the page. |
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Step 11 |
From the WLAN SSID drop-down list, choose the SSID of the WLAN. |
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Step 12 |
From the Interface Name drop-down list, choose the interface to which you want to map the access point group. Choose the quarantine VLAN if you plan to enable network admission control (NAC) out-of-band support.
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Step 13 |
Select the SNMP NAC State check box to enable NAC out-of-band support for this access point group. To disable NAC out-of-band support, leave the check box unselected, which is the default value. |
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Step 14 |
Click Add to add this WLAN to the access point group. This WLAN appears in the list of WLANs that are assigned to this access point group.
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Step 15 |
Repeat Step 10 through Step 14 to add any additional WLANs to this access point group. |
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Step 16 |
Choose the APs tab to assign access points to this access point group. The AP Groups > Edit (APs) page lists the access points that are currently assigned to this group as well as any access points that are available to be added to the group. If an access point is not currently assigned to a group, its group name appears as “default-group”. |
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Step 17 |
Select the check box to the left of the access point name and click Add APs to add an access point to this access point group. The access point, after it is reloaded, appears in the list of access points currently in this access point group. The AP has to be reloaded if the AP has to be moved from one group to another.
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Step 18 |
In the 802.11u tab, do the following:
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Step 19 |
Click Save Configuration. |
Creating Access Point Groups (CLI)
Procedure
Step 1 |
Create an access point group by entering this command:
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Step 2 |
Add a description to an access point group by entering this command: config wlan apgroup description group_name description |
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Step 3 |
Assign a WLAN to an access point group by entering this command: config wlan apgroup interface-mapping add group_name wlan_id interface_name
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Step 4 |
Enable or disable NAC out-of-band support for this access point group by entering this command: config wlan apgroup nac { enable | disable} group_name wlan_id |
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Step 5 |
Configure a WLAN radio policy on the access point group by entering this command: config wlan apgroup wlan-radio-policy apgroup_name wlan_id { 802.11a-only | 802.11bg | 802.11g-only | all}
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Step 6 |
Assign an access point to an access point group by entering this command: config ap group-name group_name Cisco_AP
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Step 7 |
To configure HotSpot for the AP group, enter this command: config wlan apgroup hotspot {venue | operating-class} |
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Step 8 |
Save your changes by entering this command: save config |
Viewing Access Point Groups (CLI)
To view information about or to troubleshoot access point groups, use these commands:
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See a list of all access point groups on the controller by entering this command:
show wlan apgroups
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See the BSSIDs for each WLAN assigned to an access point group by entering this command:
show ap wlan {802.11a | 802.11b} Cisco_AP
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See the number of WLANs enabled for an access point group by entering this command:
show ap config {802.11a | 802.11b} Cisco_AP
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Enable or disable debugging of access point groups by entering this command:
debug group {enable | disable}