APs Cannot Go Online

Fault Symptom

After the AP's uplink wired interface is configured to work in endpoint mode, the AP cannot go online after a restart.

Procedure

1. Check whether the AP's uplink wired interface is configured to work in endpoint mode.

   Error-prone configuration:

   When working as an uplink interface to connect to an AC, an AP's wired interface must work in root mode. In root mode, the AP's wired interface automatically joins service VLANs and user-specific VLANs (for example, VLANs assigned by the RADIUS server).

   When working as a downlink interface to connect to a wired terminal, the AP's wired interface must work in endpoint mode. In endpoint mode, the AP's wired interface does not join any VLAN by default.

   This configuration takes effect only after the AP is restarted.

   [AC-wlan-view] wired-port-profile name wired
   [AC-wlan-wired-port-wired] mode endpoint
   Warning: If the AP goes online through a wired port, the incorrect port mode configuration will cause the AP to go out of management. 
   This fault can be recovered only by modifying the configuration on the AP. Continue? [Y/N]:y  

   Suggestion:

   • Method 1: Wait for the AP to automatically roll back the configuration. The configuration rollback mechanism is triggered if the AP fails to go online due to incorrect configurations after about 10 minutes.
   • Method 2: Hold down the Default button to restore factory settings of the AP.
   • Method 3: Log in to the AP and modify the configurations as follows:
     1. Configure a static ARP entry on the access switch.

        [Switch] arp static 169.254.1.1 a858-40dd-ef80  //The default IP address of the AP is 169.254.1.1. The MAC address of the AP is specified because devices on the network may have the same IP address.

     2. Configure an IP address on the same network segment as that of the AP for the switch.

        [Switch] interface Vlanif1
        [Switch-Vlanif1] ip address 169.254.1.100 255.255.255.0

     3. Configure the PVID for the port connecting the switch directly to the AP.

        [Switch-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] port trunk pvid vlan 1

     4. Log in to the AP from the access switch through STelnet.
     5. Run the work-mode root command in the interface view of the AP to set the working mode of the interface to root. Alternatively, run the reset factory-configuration command in the user view to restore factory settings of the AP.

        [AP] interface GigabitEthernet 0/0/0                                         
        [AP-GigabitEthernet0/0/0] work-mode root

     6. Restart the AP.

        <AP> reboot

Fault Symptom

The management VLAN is incorrectly configured, causing APs' failures to go online.

Procedure

Error-prone configuration: A management VLAN is incorrectly configured, causing disconnection of intermediate networks.

By default, management packets of APs are untagged, and the access switch directly connected to the APs tag VLAN IDs on the management packets. After the management-vlan vlan-id command is executed, the management and control packets sent from APs to the AC contain the management VLAN tag. You can use this command based on the networking. This configuration takes effect only after an AP is restarted.

Suggestion:

• Modify the management VLAN and add the VLAN to the allowed list on the AC and access switches. In this manner, APs can communicate with the AC through the modified management VLAN.
• Configure VLAN mapping on the access switch to replace the misconfigured management VLAN with the correct VLAN.
  1. Delete the management VLAN configured on the AC.
  2. Create a VLAN on the switch and configure VLAN mapping on interfaces.

     #
     interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1   //To perform the configuration on multiple interfaces, run the interface range GigabitEthernet 0/0/1 to GigabitEthernet 0/0/20 command.
      qinq vlan-translation enable
      port vlan-mapping vlan 400 map-vlan 1100

Fault Symptom

Network address translation (NAT) is configured on VLANIF interfaces. The response packets from ACs are not received by APs. The APs therefore failed to go online.

Procedure

1. Check whether NAT is configured on VLANIF interfaces.

   Error-prone configuration:

   [AC] display current-configuration | include nat

   Suggestion: Delete the NAT configuration and test whether the APs can go online.

Fault Symptom

In MAC address authentication mode, APs failed to go online.

Procedure

1. Check whether the AP's MAC address added offline is the same as the actual MAC address of the AP.

   Error-prone configuration: In MAC address authentication mode, the AP's MAC address offline must be the same as the actual MAC address of the AP. Otherwise, the AP fails the authentication process and cannot go online.

   <AC> display ap global configuration
   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
   AP auth-mode                       : MAC-auth
   AP LLDP switch                     : disable
   AP username/password               : -/******
   AP data collection                 : disable
   AP data collection interval(minute): 5
   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Suggestion: Ensure that the AP's MAC address added offline is the same as the actual MAC address of the AP.

Fault Symptom

RUs failed to go online when the downlink interface of the central AP is used as the uplink interface.

Procedure

1. Check whether the uplink and downlink interfaces of the central AP are connected properly.

   Error-prone configuration: Downlink interfaces of a central AP are used as uplink interfaces. Uplink and downlink interfaces of a central AP are distinguished as follows:

   • AD9430DN-24: The downlink interfaces are GE0 through GE23 and the uplink interfaces are GE24 through GE27.
   • AD9430DN-12: The downlink interfaces are GE0 through GE11 and the uplink interfaces are GE12 and GE13.
   • AD9431DN-24X: The downlink interfaces are GE0 through GE23 and the uplink interfaces 10GE fiber interfaces.
   • AirEngine 9700D-M or AirEngine 9700D-M1: The downlink interfaces are GE1 to GE24, and the uplink interfaces are 10GE SFP+ Ethernet optical interfaces.

   Suggestion: Connect an uplink interface to a PoE switch or AC, and downlink interfaces to RUs.

   By default, the uplink interfaces of a central AP work in root mode and connect to uplink devices, such as switches or ACs, and the downlink interfaces work in middle mode and connect to downlink RUs.

Fault Symptom

APs go online and offline unexpectedly in dual-link HSB scenarios.

Procedure

1. Check whether the address pool for APs or STAs is configured on the AC.

   Error-prone configuration: Dual-link HSB scenarios do not support backup for the DHCP address pool. Therefore, it is not recommended that address pools be configured on the AC.

   Suggestion: Deploy the address pool on the core switches or other devices.

Fault Symptom

Leaf APs go online and offline repeatedly in WDS scenarios.

Procedure

1. Check whether the wds-name parameter is configured the same in the WDS profiles of the root and leaf nodes.

   Error-prone configuration: Different WDS names are configured for the root and leaf nodes.

   #
    wds-profile name leaf
     vlan tagged 101
     wds-name VLINK1
    wds-profile name root
     vlan tagged 101
     wds-name VLINK2
     wds-mode root

   Suggestions: Configure the same value for wds-name in the WDS profiles of the root and leaf nodes.

   [HUAWEI-wlan-view] wds-profile name root
   [HUAWEI-wlan-wds-prof-root] wds-name bridge
   [HUAWEI-wlan-view] wds-profile name leaf
   [HUAWEI-wlan-wds-prof-leaf] wds-name bridge

   Extended knowledge: Similarly, in Mesh scenarios, MPs and MPPs must be configured with the same Mesh ID in the Mesh profile.

   [HUAWEI-wlan-view] mesh-profile name MPP 
   [HUAWEI-wlan-mesh-prof-MPP] mesh-id mesh-net
   [HUAWEI-wlan-view] mesh-profile name MP 
   [HUAWEI-wlan-mesh-prof-MP] mesh-id mesh-net

2. Check whether the WDS distance parameter is properly configured.

   Error-prone configuration: The WDS distance parameter determines a series of parameters, including the waiting time for the peer end to respond to radio packets. In long-distance transmission scenarios, the distance parameter must be correctly configured. Otherwise, the backhaul link may become unstable.

   [AC-wlan-view] ap-id 1
   [AC-wlan-ap-1] radio 1
   [AC-wlan-radio-1/1] display this
   #
      coverage distance 1
   #
   return

   Suggestion: Configure the distance parameter based on site requirements.

   Extended knowledge: In Mesh scenarios, the parameter settings (such as the Mesh backhaul distance) vary depending on AP models and versions. Therefore, before deploying a Mesh network, properly plan the Mesh network according to Scenario-based WLAN Planning Design for Backhaul and query the Mesh specifications of the corresponding AP model on Info-Finder.

Fault Symptom

Leaf APs do not go online in WDS scenarios.

Procedure

1. Check whether APs of the same model are used to set up a WDS link.

   Error-prone configuration: APs of different models are used to set up a WDS link.

   Suggestion: Use APs of the same model to set up a WDS link

2. Check whether the management VLAN is configured on the root AP.

   Error-prone configuration: The management VLAN is configured only on the root AP but not on leaf APs.

   [AC-wlan-ap-system-prof-test] display this
   #
     management-vlan 100
   #
   return

   Suggestion: Do not configure the management VLAN. If the management VLAN is required in the system, configure it on both the root and leaf APs.