If one or more of your access points are flashing amber on the Power LED it means the access point has lost its connection to the wireless controller. Here we discuss the reasons this can occur.
This information is relevant to both access points that were connected to the WC7600 but are now disconnected, and also to access points that are joining to a controller for the first time but the join process does not complete.
1. Check the network connectivity between the access point and the controller. This relates to the physical connection, for example the physical network switch the access point is connected to, does it uplink to the same network the WC7600 is connected to. It also relates to the logical network, for example the switch port the access point is connected must be a member of a VLAN that can communicate with the VLAN the WC7600 is a member of, otherwise communication between controller and access point will be lost resulting in the access point losing connection to the controller.
2. A DHCP server is required on the network for an access point to successfully join a WC7600 and remain connected to the controller.
When setting up the WC7600 with any wireless access points, you need to have a DHCP server active on the network to provide the access points with an IP address. The DHCP server can be in the same 192.168.xx.yy subnet as the WC7600, or be routable to another network. If there is no existing DHCP server in your network there is a DHCP server function on the WC7600 that can be enabled, it is disabled by default. Instructions on how to enable and configure the DHCP server on the WC7600
Note: If you use an external DHCP server, you may need to configure DHCP option 43 in order to discover and add ap's. Whether you must enable option 43 on an external DHCP server in a Layer 2 network depends on the firmware version that the wireless controller is running:
• Firmware version 4.x and earlier versions. Option 43 must be enabled on an external DHCP server in a Layer 2 network.
• Firmware version 5.x and later versions. Option 43 is not required on an external DHCP server in a Layer 2 network.
For discovery in a Layer 3 network, you always must enable option 43 on an external DHCP server
Useful tips:
AP discovery:
In order for access points to be discovered by the wireless controller it is necessary for SNMP to be enabled on the access points. SNMP is enabled by default on Access points, to check it is enabled on your access point login to the web gui of the access point and go to Maintenance – Remote Management – SNMP.
If SNMP is disabled the access point will not be discovered by the WC7600.
Reverting an access point to standalone firmware:
When an access point is added to a wireless controller the wireless controller installs a lite firmware onto the access point. When running this lite firmware the access point has limited administration from within its own web gui and it does not broadcast any wireless signal unless it is online and connected to the controller.
A factory default on the access point does not return it to function as a standalone access point, as long as the access point is running on the lite firmware it can only operate when online and connected to a controller.
To re-load the full firmware to restore the access point back to standalone mode follow these steps:
1. Find the IP address of the access point from your DHCP server.
2. Login to the access point web gui.
3. Download the standalone firmware for your access point from our download center.
4. Perform an upgrade on the access pointusing the standalone firmware downloaded in step 3.
5. Once the firmware update is successful and the access point reboots, it should return to it's factory default IP address of 192.168.0.100, or if DHCP server is available on the network it will pick up an IP address from the DHCP server.
For further information and guidance please checkout the product page and datasheet:
WC7600 product page