- Cisco Mobility Express Solution Features and Specifications
- Supported Browsers
- Cisco Mobility Express Controller Failover and Master AP Election Process
- How an Access Point is Added to the Cisco Mobility Express Network
- Predownloading an Image to an Access Point
- Alternative Method for CAPWAP to Mobility Express Conversion
- Converting an AP from Mobility Express to CAPWAP Type
- RF Parameter Optimization Settings
- Related Documents
- FAQs
Concepts, FAQs, and
Information for Advanced Users
Cisco Mobility Express Solution Features and Specifications
For a full listing of the Cisco Mobility Express Solution's technical specifications, supported and unsupported features, and interoperability information, see the Release Notes for Cisco Wireless Controllers and Lightweight Access Points for Cisco Wireless Release 8.1.120.0, at this URL: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/release/notes/crn81mr2.html
Supported Browsers
Operating System |
Supported Browsers and Versions |
---|---|
Microsoft Windows |
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Apple Mac OS |
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Cisco Mobility Express Controller Failover and Master AP Election Process
Mobility Express Controller Redundancy for Failover
In a Cisco Mobility Express network, not all the APs may have the capability to work as a master AP. See the Supported Cisco Aironet Access Points to know which AP models are capable of working as a master AP.
In order to have Cisco Mobility Express controller redundancy to enable a failover, your network must have two or more active APs with master AP capability. In the event of a failover, one of these other APs will automatically be elected as a master. The newly elected Master will have the same IP and configuration as the original Master. From an administrator perspective, there will be no difference between the original Master and the newly elected Master in case of a failover.
![]() Note | Clients that connect to the master AP will lose connectivity during a failover. |
Mobility Express Controller Forced Failover
In a Cisco Mobility Express network, not all the APs may have the capability to work as a master AP. See the Supported Cisco Aironet Access Points to know which AP models are capable of working as a master AP.
You can manually force any AP, that has the capability to work as a master AP, to become the master AP. This forced failover of the master AP to another master-capable AP of your choice can be performed both using the GUI and the CLI.
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Choose Wireless Settings > Access Points.
The Access Points Administration window is displayed.
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Click the Edit icon adjacent to the AP you want to set as master.
The Edit window with the General tab is displayed.
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Under the General tab, next to the Operating Mode field, click Make me Controller.
![]() Note | For a master AP, the Operating Mode field shows AP & Controller. For other associated APs, this field shows AP Only. The Make me Controller button is available only for subordinate APs that are capable of participating in the Master Election process. |
config ap next-preferred-master cisco-ap-name forced-failover
When you force the failover of the master to an AP of your choice, using the GUI or CLI methods, the current master AP reboots while the new AP takesover as the controller, with the IP address and configuration as the previous master. The previous master, after rebooting, comes back online and joins the new master AP as a subordinate AP.
![]() Note | Like any failover, this forced failover causes some downtime in the Mobility Express network. During this downtime, clients associated to APs that have the Standalone feature enabled will not face any disruption in service. Clients of APs that do not have the Standalone functionality enabled will be affected. |
Master AP Election Process
How an Access Point is Added to the Cisco Mobility Express Network
When a supported AP that is running a CAPWAP lightweight AP software is added to the Cisco Mobility Express network, it will start with the CAPWAP State: Discover advertisements on boot up. The Cisco Mobility Express controller running on Master AP will respond to the advertisement and the new AP will go through the process of joining the Cisco Mobility Express controller. If the AP being added is running the same version, it will straightaway join the Cisco Mobility Express network. However, if the AP is running an image older than the one running on the Cisco Mobility Express, the controller will download the corresponding Cisco Mobility Express-capable AP image from the TFTP server.
For information on performing a software update, see Updating the Cisco Mobility Express Software .
Predownloading an Image to an Access Point
To minimize network outages, an upgrade software image is downloaded to the access point from the controller without resetting the access point or losing network connectivity. This means that, first the upgrade image to the controller is downloaded and then the image is downloaded to the access point while the network is still up. When the controller reboots, the access points are disassociated and reboot. The controller comes up first, followed by the access points, all with their upgraded images. Once the controller responds to the discovery request sent by an access point with its discovery response packet, the access point sends a join request.
Alternative Method for CAPWAP to Mobility Express Conversion
![]() Note |
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What to Do Next
Proceed to Starting the Initial Configuration Wizard.
Converting an AP from Mobility Express to CAPWAP Type
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Connect to the Console Port, Telnet or SSH to the AP.
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Login to the Mobility Express controller console.
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In the Mobility Express controller console, use the command apciscoshell to connect to the AP console.
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Login to the AP console using the username Cisco and password Cisco. Both are case-sensitive.
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Enter enable.
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Enter the command ap-type capwap, and confirm .
Once the AP type is CAPWAP, the AP will not start its Mobility Express controller functionality and does not participate in the Mobility Express master AP election process. This AP can then be deployed in a physical wireless controller-based network (i.e. in a non-Mobility Express network). There the AP will join that controller, and as the image on the controller will be different, the AP will request a CAPWAP image from the controller, reboot, and rejoin the controller as a CAPWAP AP.
(Cisco Controller) > config ap unifiedmode <switch_name> <switch_ip_address>
The arguments <switch_name> and <switch_ip_address> are the name and IP address, respectively, of the WLC to which the APs need to be migrated to.
The above command converts all APs to AP Configuration: NOT MOBILITY EXPRESS CAPABLE. The APs are then reloaded, and they come back up in local mode.
RF Parameter Optimization Settings
When making the RF Parameter Optimization settings, use the information in the following table to select the right settings for your deployment. The following table shows the default values when low, typical, or high client density type is selected.
![]() Note | If you do not enable RF Parameter Optimization during the initial configuration wizard, then client density is set to Typical (the default value), and RF traffic type is set to Data (the default value). |
|
Dependency |
Typical (For enterprise deployments. Default profile.) |
High Density (Where throughput is most important) |
Low Density (For coverage in open spaces) |
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TX Power |
Global per band |
Default |
Higher |
Highest |
TPC Threshold, TPC Min, and TPC max (These parameters are equivalent to TX Power) |
Specific RF profile per band |
TPC Min: Default at -10 dB TPC Max: Default at 30 dB |
TPC Min: +7 dB TPC Max: Default at 30 dB |
TPC Min: -10 dB TPC Max: Default at 30 dB |
RX Sensitivity |
Global per band (Advanced RX-SOP) RF profiles |
Default (Automatic) |
Medium (RX-SOP) |
Low |
CCA Threshold |
Global per band 802.11 a only (hidden) RF Profiles |
Default (0) |
Default (0) |
Default (0) |
Coverage RSSI Threshold |
Global per band Data and voice RSSI RF Profiles |
Default (Data: -80 Voice: -80) |
Default (Data: -80 Voice: -80) |
Higher (Data: -90 Voice:-90) |
Coverage Client Count |
Global per band (Coverage Exception) RF Profiles (Coverage Hole Detection) |
Default (3) |
Default (3) |
Lower (2) Lower (1 to 3) |
Data Rates |
Global per band (network) RF Profiles |
12 Mbp mandatory 9 Mbp supported 1,2, 5.5, 6, 11 Mbp disabled |
12 Mbp mandatory 9 Mbp supported 1,2, 5.5, 6, 11 Mbp disabled |
CCK rates enabled 1,2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12 Mbp enabled |
Related Documents
Cisco Aironet 1850 Series Access Points Hardware Guide
Cisco Aironet 1830 Series Access Points Hardware Guide
Cisco Aironet Universal AP Priming and Cisco AirProvision User Guide
FAQs
Which access points can host the Mobility Express wireless LAN controller function and which access points can be managed by it?
What controller-based modes does the Mobility Express wireless LAN controller function support?
Access points managed by the Mobility Express solution will operate with Centralized Control Plane and Distributed Data Plane, similar to the AireOS FlexConnect mode.
What are the licensing requirements for Mobility Express?
The Cisco Mobility Express solution does not require any licenses for access points.
Can I expand the scale of access points and convert to a wireless controller deployment?
Yes, you can simply point the Access Points to the WLAN controller IP address as the primary controller. This is independent of modes. The WLAN controller will push the right AP image and respective configuration. For detailed information, see Converting an AP from Mobility Express to CAPWAP Type.
If my deployment needs to downsize to 25 access points or less, can they convert from existing controller-based deployment to Mobility Express?
Yes. You can convert your wireless controller-based deployment to Mobility Express, as long as your deployment has access points capable of hosting the Mobility Express controller functionality, such as Cisco Aironet 1850 or 1830 series access points.