Create a Controller-Managed WLAN

Upon completion, you will have created a WLAN on a NX9500 using a DHCP server to allocate IP addresses to associated wireless clients.

Assumptions

Verify the following conditions have been satisfied before attempting the WLAN configuration activities described in this section:

• It is assumed the NX9500 has the latest firmware version available.
• It is assumed the AP5xx APs have the latest firmware version available.
• It is assumed there are no previous configurations on the wireless controller or access point and default factory configurations are running on the devices.
• It is assumed you have administrative access to the wireless controller and access point CLI.
• It is assumed the individual administrating the network is a professional network installer.

Designs

This section defines the network design being implemented.

This is a simple deployment scenario, with the APs connected directly to the NX9500. One NX9500 port is connected to an external network.

On the NX9500, the GE1 interface is connected to an external network. Interfaces GE3 and GE4 are used by the APs.

On the external network, the NX9500 is assigned an IP address of 192.168.10.188. The NX9500 acts as a DHCP server for the wireless clients connecting to it, and assigns IP addresses in the range of 172.16.11.11 to 172.16.11.200. The rest of IPs in the range are reserved for devices requiring static IP addresses.

Using the Command Line Interface to Configure the WLAN

These instructions are for configuring your first WLAN using the wireless controller CLI.

Use a serial console cable when connecting to the NX9500 for the first time. Set the following configuration when using the serial connection:

• Bits per second:19200
• Data Bit: 8
• Parity: None
• Stop Bit: 1
• Flow Control: None

Logging into the NX9500 for the First Time

When powering on the wireless controller for the first time, you are prompted to replace the existing administrative password. The credentials for logging into the wireless controller for the first time are:

• User Name: admin
• Password: admin123

Ensure the new password created is strong enough to provide adequate security for the wireless controller managed network.

After logging in to the controller, follow the steps below to configure a controller-managed WLAN:

1. Create an RF Domain.
2. Create a Controller Profile.
3. Create AP Profiles.
4. Create a DHCP Server Policy.
5. Test the Configuration.