FortiWLC – Add and Configure an AP with the Web UI

Add and Configure an AP with the Web UI

When you add an AP to a controller, you configure these features:

  • AP ID
  • AP Name
  • Serial Number
  • Location, Building, Floor
  • Contact
  • LED Mode
  • Boot script (AP Init Script)
  • Dataplane Encryption
  • AP Role
  • Parent AP ID
  • Link Probing Duration
  • Power Supply Type
  • AP Indoor/Outdoor Type

Meru Access Points can be connected to the controller through a Layer 2 network or a Layer 3 network. To both add and configure an AP, follow these steps:

  1. Click Configuration > Devices > APs > Add.

The AP Table Add window displays.

Add and Configure an AP with the Web UI

Figure 65: Add an AP to the Network

  1. Provide the following values and then click OK.
Field Description
AP ID

(required)

Unique AP numeric identifier up to 9999 characters long
AP Name

(required)

Alphanumeric string up to 64 characters long assigned as identifier for the access point. Note that it can be helpful to name the AP something descriptive, such as a means of indicating its location in the building.
Serial Number (optional) These boxes are designed to hold the MAC address which is part of the longer part number on the bottom of an AP. The MAC address is the last 12 numbers.
Location (optional) Alphanumeric string up to 64 characters long
Building (optional) Alphanumeric string up to 64 characters long

Add and Configure an AP with the Web UI

Field Description
Floor

(optional)

Alphanumeric string up to 64 characters long
Contact (optional) Alphanumeric string up to 64 characters long
LED Mode

(optional)

Sets LED appearance on AP332/AP400 and AP1000.

Normal: LEDs are as described in the Access Point Installation Guide

Node ID: Not supported in release 5.1

Blink: Sets all LEDs flashing; this is useful to locate one AP. The blink sequence is unique for different AP models.

Dark: Turns off all LEDs except power

AP Init Script (optional) Name of an initialization script that the access point runs when booted.
Dataplane Encryption (optional) 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)

AP Role

(optional)

In a Mesh configuration, determines the role that the AP plays in the mesh: access: Access point is operating as a standard, wired AP.

wireless: Access Point is part of the Enterprise Mesh configuration, providing wireless access services to 802.11/bg clients and backhaul services on the 802.11/a link.

gateway: Access point is part of the Enterprise Mesh configuration, providing the link between the wired and wireless service.

Parent AP ID (optional) In a Mesh configuration, a wireless AP is directed to look for a signal from a Parent AP, which provides the wireless AP with its backhaul connectivity. Several APs can be assigned the same Parent AP ID.
Link Probing Duration (optional) Length of time (from 1 to 32000 minutes) that bridged APs wait before rebooting when the controller link is broken. This setting is used in Remote AP configurations to prevent AP reboots when the connectivity to the remote controller is lost. The default is 120.
KeepAlive Timeout (seconds) In the KeepAlive Timeout (seconds), specify the duration of time (from 1 to 1800 seconds), for the remote APs to remain in the online state with respect to the controller, even when the link to the AP is down. The discovery message from the controller to the AP is modified depending on the time lapse provided in the Link Probing Duration box and the KeepAlive Timeout (seconds) box. The default is 25.
AP Indoor/ Outdoor

AP

(optional)

An Indoor and outdoor AP have different regulatory settings for channels and power levels. This setting adjusts those values.

Add and Configure an AP with the Web UI


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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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