Profiles

You can assign common set of configuration parameters and policies to controllers, service platforms, and access points (APs). Profiles can be used to assign—shared or unique—network, wireless, and security parameters within a large, multi-segment, site. The configuration parameters within a profile are based on the hardware model the profile was created to support.

Controllers and service platforms support both default and user defined profiles, implementing new features or updating existing parameters to groups of controllers or APs. All AP models running WiNG OS support a single profile that is shared amongst multiple APs. The central benefit of a profile is the ability to update APs collectively without having to modify individual configurations.

A profile allows AP administration across large wireless network segments. Changes made to a profile are automatically inherited by all member APs.

Important

You can override the profile settings at the device level (see Devices). It is important to remember that individual APs with overrides applied no longer share the profile based configuration previously deployed. These devices require careful administration, as they no longer can be tracked as profile members. Their customized configurations overwrite their profile assignments until the profile can be re-applied to the AP.

After modifying a device profile and saving the settings, refresh the page before accessing device-level configuration.

Each AP model is automatically assigned a default profile. The default profile is available within the AP‘s configuration file. Default profiles are ideal for single-site deployments where several APs may need to share a common configuration.

Important

Default profiles are used as pointers for an AP‘s configuration, not just templates from which the configuration is copied. Therefore, if a change is made in one of the parameters in a profile, the change is reflected across all APs using that profile.

User-defined profiles, on the other hand, are manually created for each supported service and virtual platform, wireless controller, and AP model. User-defined profiles are recommended for larger deployments using centralized controllers and service or virtual platforms when groups of devices on different floors, buildings or sites share a common configuration. These user-defined profiles can be manually, or automatically assigned to through an auto provisioning policy. An auto provisioning policy provides the means to assign profiles to access points based on model, serial number, VLAN ID, DHCP options, IP address (subnet) and MAC address. For more information, see Auto-Provisioning Policy.