FortiWLC – Add and Configure an AP with the CLI

Add and Configure an AP with the CLI

To configure an AP with the CLI, first enter AP configuration mode (first command shown below) and then use the rest of the AP configuration commands:

Command Purpose
configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
ap ap-id Enter AP configuration for the specified AP. Use the command show ap to get a list of APs.
… commands … Enter the AP configuration commands listed in the next chart here.
boot-script string Name of an initialization script that the access point runs when booted. If nothing is configured here, the AP uses the default bootscript.
building string Command to describe building identification.
contact string Enters AP contact information
connectivity l2-only | l2-preferred | l3preferred This setting configures Layer 2 or Layer 3 connectivity to the controller. Using either L3 or L2 preferred also invokes AP connectivity mode where additional connectivity configuration can be done.
dataplane-encryption {on | off} In a Mesh configuration, selects how the AP and Controller pass data packets:

On: the AP-Controller link is encrypted

Off: the AP-Controller link is unencrypted (default)

description string Enters AP description. Note that this corresponds to the AP Name in the GUI.
floor string Enters AP floor location
led {normal | blink | NodeId | Normal} Sets LED appearance on AP400 and AP1000.

Normal: AP400 and AP1000 LEDs appear as described in the Fortinet

Access Point Installation Guide

Blink: Sets all LEDs flashing; this is useful to locate an AP

Dark: Turns off all LEDs

link-probing duration minutes For Remote AP, set the number of minutes between keep-alive signals. Minutes can be between 1 and 3200.
location string Enters AP location information

Add and Configure an AP with the CLI

Command Purpose
mac-address ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff Sets the MAC address if you are pre-configuring an AP
model string Command to enter the model type of the AP if you are pre-configuring the

AP

no boot-script Disables the boot script
end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Configure a Layer 3 AP with the CLI

The following commands can be used to set up a Layer 3 configuration for an AP not in the same subnet as the controller. It specifies the AP will obtain its IP address from DHCP, which allows it to use a DNS server for obtaining its IP address. If the network administrator has added to the DNS server the IP address for the controller hostname “wlan-controller,” DNS can return the IP address of the controller with the hostname “wlan-controller:”

default# configure terminal default(config)# ap 1

default(config‐ap)# connectivity l3‐preferred default(config‐ap‐connectivity)# ip address dhcp

default(config‐ap‐connectivity)# controller hostname wlan‐controller default(config‐ap‐connectivity)# end default#

The following table presents the commands available within the ap-connectivity mode. TABLE 21: Summary of Connectivity Mode Commands

Command Purpose
controller {domainname name|hostname name|ip <ip-address>} Configure the controller IP information.

The domainname name must be from 1 to 63 characters.

The hostname name must be from 1 to 63 characters.

The IP address must be in the format nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn or dhcp to obtain the AP IP address dynamically.

hostname name Sets the AP hostname. name must be from 1 to 63 characters.

Add and Configure an AP with the CLI

TABLE 21: Summary of Connectivity Mode Commands

Command Purpose
ip address {ip-address|dhcp} Configures the IP addressing for the AP.

Use ip-address to assign a static IP address to the AP.

Use dhcp to obtain the AP IP address dynamically.

ip default-gateway gateway Adds an IP address of the default gateway in the format nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn
ip dns-server {primary <DNS ipaddress> |secondary <DNS ipaddress>} Adds a DNS server entry for static IP.

primary ip-address sets a primary DNS server for static IP. secondary ip-address sets the secondary DNS server for the static IP.

Configure AP Power Supply, Channel Width, and MIMO Mode with CLI

Set the power supply type, channel width, and MIMO mode by following these steps:

  1. Open a terminal session on the controller.
  2. Enter configuration mode by with the command terminal configuration at the CLI prompt.
  3. Select the AP with the command ap #, for example, AP1: default(config)# ap 1
  4. Set the power supply value to 5V-DC for AP Power, 802.3af Power Over Ethernet, 802.3at Power Over Ethernet with the CLI command power-supply. default(config‐ap)# power‐supply 5V‐DC
  5. Exit ap configuration mode. default(config‐ap) # exit
  6. Enter radio configuration submode with the command interface Dot11Radio node-id interface_ID. For example, for AP1, interface 1: default(config)# interface Dot11Radio 1 1
  7. Change channel width from 20 MHz (default) to 40 MHz (either 40-mhz-extension-channel-above or 0-mhz-extension-channel-below 40) with the command channel-width. This command also sets channel bonding. default(config‐if‐802)# channel‐width above 40 MHz Extension channel
  8. Change MIMO Mode from 2×2 (default) to 3×3 with the mimo-mode 3×3 command and exit.

default(config‐if‐802)# mimo‐mode 3×3 default(config‐if‐802)# end

Add and Configure an AP with the CLI

The AP is now configured.

This entry was posted in Administration Guides, FortiWLC on by .

About Mike

Michael Pruett, CISSP has a wide range of cyber-security and network engineering expertise. The plethora of vendors that resell hardware but have zero engineering knowledge resulting in the wrong hardware or configuration being deployed is a major pet peeve of Michael's. This site was started in an effort to spread information while providing the option of quality consulting services at a much lower price than Fortinet Professional Services. Owns PacketLlama.Com (Fortinet Hardware Sales) and Office Of The CISO, LLC (Cybersecurity consulting firm).

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