Exploring Wireless Controller (WLC)- Step-by-step initial configuration (CLI)

Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) is a primary requirement in today’s enterprise network. Every organization needs Wi-Fi setup or wireless access along with LAN (Local Area network).

Before setting up a wireless network or in the network and before the Access point registers with Wireless LAN Controller, we need to complete the basic or initial configuration via CLI.

Once this initial setup is completed, we can access it via GUI (Graphic user Interface).

Pre-Requisite to start initial setup of Wireless Controller (WLC)

We should be ready with all the details which we need to configure, It includes:

Documentation:

To execute any project proper and detailed documentation is very much required. These documents can be project Plans, Technical or confrontational documents, but these should be very detailed and contain everything and finally should be agreed upon and signed off from the Customer to avoid any future Gaps.

1. NIP- Network Implementation Plan
2. SS– Site Survey
3. HLD- High-Level Document
4. IP Schema and VLAN details

Let’s have an overview of the Initial booting sequences:

1. Connect the Wireless LAN Controller to your Laptop via the Console Cable.
2. Power on the Wireless LAN Controller
3. Start capturing the initial setup via console/HyperTerminal

Step-by-step initial configuration (CLI)

Once it starts booting you will see the below messages. it will check  software version, hardware status, ports and other physical checks. It also called POST ( power on Self Test), during POST we can identify if there are any hardware or software  issues. We should always capture this for further troubleshooting or raising case with OEM, It can cause hardware issue/software issue and can be considered as DOA ( Dead on Arrival).

Like we discussed above, During booting up, it will check their feature and status and marked OK as Pass. All services should be up and running before coming in config mode.

At below screen shot, you can see that its asking for termination Auto-Installation. It has been feature to configure it by auto or auto installation modem but Wireless LAN Controller should be connected on switch port which should be configured properly with DHCP enabled.

If you press “NO”, then it will start the auto installation with the default setting. But I never recommend this. We should press “Yes” to configure manually.

Network Configuration

Once we terminate auto installation process, need to configure all information manually, such as:

2. 1. Admin username
   2. Admin password
   3. Username for AP management
   4. Password
   5. Enable password
   6. Service Interface IP address, Netmask
   7. Management Interface IP address and Netmask
   8. Management Interface Default Gateway

2. Once all basic configs are done, WLC will be rebooted to save all config and after reboot you will get login prompt.

2. After login, you can verify the config by below commands. Always try to ping WLC from switch and other network.  Also before mounting the access points, always configure and get registered with WLC and let all access points get download all software from WLC and ready to server the services. So after mounted on the roof or poles there should not be any registration issues between AP to WLC.

2. If you want to change or configure any interface or any other configuration parameter then you can run below config command and then specific required parameter to configure.

WLC via GUI

Once initial setup ready and connected in the network and then we can access Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) via GUI. It is very easy and user friendly mode. From GUI, we can easily configure WLC like Creating WLAN, Interfaces, HA, managing Access Point and troubleshooting.

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