Configuring Packet Capture on a Selected APNEW!

Use Packet Capture to identify network inconsistencies by intercepting packets that travel from the APs to the controller. Packets are captured based on the parameter configurations that you specify.

The packets are logged in a PCAP file for each session. The PCAP file is temporarily stored on the controller that is associated with the AP. To view the PCAP file, export the file to a host running Wireshark.

Note

Live Packet Capture is available in addition to the saved file option. After starting Packet Capture, start Wireshark and configure the capture options. Be sure to use the Management IP address of the controller. See the Wireshark documentation for details.

Capture packets from all APs associated with either controller in an Availability Pair. Continue to capture packets after AP failover, displaying results in one file.

Once packet capture has started, you can change the capture parameters and refresh the capture, continuing to capture without interruption. This feature allows you to modify parameters as you monitor the capture process. All parameters are represented in a single file, except when the Capture Location is changed between wired and wireless. Wired and wireless packets are always represented in separate PCAP files.

To enable packet capture on an AP:

1. From the top menu, click AP.
2. From the left pane, click Global > Maintenance.
   The AP Software Maintenance screen displays.
3. Click the Troubleshooting tab.
   The Packet Capture screen displays.

   

   
4. In the Search for AP name field, enter the AP name, and select the appropriate AP from the list displayed.
5. Alternately, click the arrow icon and select the appropriate AP from the list displayed.
6. Configure the packet capture parameters.
7. Click Start to start the packet capture.
8. Click Stop to manually stop the packet capture.
   If not manually stopped, packet capture continues until the specified Maximum Packet Count threshold or Duration window is reached.
9. Click Export to export the generated PCAP file to a host running Wireshark.
   

   Note

   The controller can store only one PCAP file at a time. Therefore, export the file immediately upon completion of packet capture to avoid the file being overwritten by the next capture.