Cisco Aironet 1200 AP help

[jdibsdale]

Does anyone know how to get one of these up and running as a stand alone AP? I have a brand new one, but really struggling to get it running on our network. It's like no other AP I've ever set up. It's flashing traffic light colours, I believe this means it's look for a WLAN controller. Do I need a controller to set it up? It has an IP address from DHCP, I know this because it's listed in the leases. I can ping it but can't access the web configuration page through IE. Have tried using a console cable with it but only got as far as changing the IP address. I have searched the Internet but cannot find a straight forward solution (if there is one). Desperate for some help now!! Many thanks. Jenny

[GrumbleDook]

In the box there should be a guide to setting it up.

 

From memory (about 3 years ago now) you connect a cross-over cable between your laptop and the device with the IP set as to what it has in the instructions. This then allows you to configure the initial settings before dumping it on the network. The DHCP address may have been picked up via the WLAN interface and IIRC it does not allow initial configuration via the WLAN interface.

 

The Cisco support site has an area dedicated to these units. Delve into there rather than using Google.

[jdibsdale]

Thanks for replying Grumbledook, from what I've read the earlier versions of these had an IP address set to 10.0.0.1, but the latest ones have to get an initial IP address from DHCP.

 

I have searched through numerous pages of the Cisco site, that was my first port of call but couldn't find a solution to get this working... in fact it says on there just put the IP address in to the web browser!

 

Thanks,

J

[dezt]

We use those AP's here, i've setup 7 of them straight from the box. What i did was plug the AP into a network point, check on my DHCP server what the ip address was, enter the ip address of the AP as an exception in firefox, then enter the ip in the address bar. This then asks you for the username and password to get into the AP web based setup, after putting those in you are in the web based setup and can change the settings from there. I've had no problems setting these up, i actually thought it would be a bit difficult as they are cisco and everyone talks of how hard cisco stuff is to use, but these were surprisingly easy to setup.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

 

Sorry i can't help with the light sequence, all i get on mine is three green lights, top and bottom ones flashing and middle one steady on.

[jdibsdale]

Thanks Dezt, that sounds promising we'll give it a go!

[jdibsdale]

No still not getting to it via web page I've added it to every exception I can find on firefox and IE and added it to a list of addresses to bypass on our proxy. Just says failed to connect. I wish I could say it was easy to set up!

[BooBoo]

Didn't know they now looked for a DHCP address on startup. You can use a Ciscco utility called IPSU which if you put in the mac address will find the ip address.

Once in (Default u/p Cisco and Cisco) you can use the Express Security Setup to set a simple WEP key. Then use the Encryption Section on the Security to increase the encrytion to WPA or WEP (With CCK and MIC). If you have a Radius server you can setup PEAP.

[jdibsdale]

The IPSU just returns with "the device does not answer" even though we know what the IP address is and can ping it, and not ping it when the device is unplugged. We've tried hooking this up to our main network and an isolated test network with DHCP. All results come back the same. It seems like something's wrong with it but this is the 2nd unit we've tried, I sent the first one back because of the same problems!

[BooBoo]

Can you logon using telnet and the ip address? If not set it back to F.Defaults - Switch the unit off and keeping your finger on the mode button switch it back on. When all of the lights come on and change colour remove your finger. It should take about two minutes to come back again.

 

I might be inclined to remove it from the network until it has rebooted and use the ip address 10.0.0.1

[jdibsdale]

Hi, no we cant telnet to it. We've tried resetting it many times, it still doesn't work . We've tried crossover cable too, the only thing we can do with all methods is Ping it.

[maark]

Hi,

sounds as though you may have a faulty unit - I had to send one back out of a batch we had recently when i could only ping it but not connect. Usually you just put IP address in web browser and away you go - will prompt you for a username and password - default is Cisco and Cisco,

cheers mark

[jdibsdale]

I think you might be right, from what you've all told me it should be easy. This is the 2nd one we've had and it's doing the same thing, so perhaps it's a faulty batch. I've gone back to my supplier again to get it changed again!

 

Thanks for all your help,

Jenny

[richardp]

Hi, it sounds to me like it is running as a light weight access point rather than an autonomous access point. They are available to buy configured as lwapp or ap and have different model numbers to reflect this. Did you not get a console lead with it, if you did you can plug that into it then into a com port on a pc and use hyperterminal to monitor the bootup which should tell you what is wrong. This should allow you do do at least some config also I think.

 

I believe it is possible to convert it to an autonomous access point by uploading the cisco operating system to it but I have not needed to do it so I cannot advise on that really.

 

Richard

[jdibsdale]

I think you are right. I've just found an article, link below which says the Aironet 1200 with software release 12.3(7)JX will only work in conjunction with a Cisco wireless network controller. Our unit has this software release, how annoying! Anyone know if and how we can get this back to autonomous mode safely?

 

 

 

Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(7)JX [Cisco Aironet 1200 Series] - Cisco Systems

[rvdmast]

We had the same issue recently with a bunch of Aironet 1130's wich turned out to be light weight access points rather than an autonomous access points.

 

From memory, these are the steps to convert it to an autonomous access point:

-download the correct firmware image from Cisco. (such as c1200-k9w7-tar.122-15.JA.tar for a 1200 series access point.

-Install a TFTP server on a PC. Cisco has a tool, but any TFTP server will do too.

-The static IP address of the PC on which your TFTP server

software runs should be between 10.0.0.2 and 10.0.0.30.

-Connect the access point's LAN interface DIRECTLY to the PC, using a normal Category 5 (CAT5)Ethernet cable., NOT a crossover cable.

-Step 3 On the PC where the TFTP server is located, perform these steps:

 

a. Disable any software firewall products, such as Windows firewall,

ZoneAlarm firewall, McAffee firewall, or others.

 

b. Ensure all Windows files are visible. From Windows Explorer, click

Tools > Folder Options > View > Show hidden files and folders.

 

-Rename the access point image file in the TFTP server folder to

c1200-k9w7-tar.default for a 1200 series access point,

c1130-k9w7-tar.default for an 1130 series access point,

c1240-k9w7-tar.default for a 1240 series access point, and

c1250-k9w7-tar.default for a 1250 series access point.

 

- Disconnect power from the access point.

 

- Press and hold MODE while you reconnect power to the access

point.

 

- Hold the MODE button until the status LED turns red

(approximately 20 to 30 seconds) and then release.

 

- Wait until the access point reboots, as indicated by all LEDs

turning green followed by the Status LED blinking green.

 

- After the access point reboots, reconfigure it using the web-interface or

the CLI.

 

 

Here's the complete article we used:

Upgrading Autonomous Cisco Aironet Access Points to Lightweight Mode - Cisco Systems

[jdibsdale]

Eventually swapped this unit for an autonomous unit.. and at last have got into the web interface!! I've set it up through the express setup and enabled the radio, but 1 laptop can see it but cannot connect and 2 laptops can't see the SSID. I've set up 128bit WEP encryption but even if I turn encryption off I still get the same client results. I have gone through the menus and also setup the DNS. Have I missed anything from anyone's knowledge?

Thanks