Configuring And Deploying The Access Point - Cisco Aironet 1850 Series Getting Started Manual

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Configuring and Deploying the Access Point

This section describes how to connect the access point to a wireless LAN controller. Because the

configuration process takes place on the controller, see the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller

Configuration Guide for additional information.

For a Cisco Mobility Express deployment, see the Cisco Mobility Express User Guide at this URL:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/access_point/mob_exp/1/user_guide/b_ME_User_Guid

e.html

The information in this section does not include configuring Link Aggregation. For information on

configuring Link Aggregation, see the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide, Release

8.1, at the following URL:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/8-1/configuration-guide/b_cg81.html

The Controller Discovery Process

The access point uses standard Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points Protocol

(CAPWAP) to communicate between the controller and other wireless access points on the network.

CAPWAP is a standard, inter-operable protocol which enables an access controller to manage a

collection of wireless termination points. The discovery process using CAPWAP is identical to the

Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP) used with previous Cisco Aironet access points.

LWAPP-enabled access points are compatible with CAPWAP, and conversion to a CAPWAP controller

is seamless. Deployments can combine CAPWAP and LWAPP software on the controllers.

The functionality provided by the controller does not change except for customers who have Layer 2

deployments, which CAPWAP does not support.

In a CAPWAP environment, a wireless access point discovers a controller by using CAPWAP discovery

mechanisms and then sends it a CAPWAP join request. The controller sends the access point a

CAPWAP join response allowing the access point to join the controller. When the access point joins

the controller, the controller manages its configuration, firmware, control transactions, and data

transactions.

For additional information about the discovery process and CAPWAP, see the Cisco Wireless

Note

LAN Controller Software Configuration Guide. This document is available on Cisco.com.

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