Cisco Aironet 1800i User manual

GETTING STARTED GUIDE
Cisco Aironet 1800i Access Point

2
1About this Guide
2About the Access Point
3Safety Instructions
4Unpacking the AP
5Ports and Connectors on the AP
6Preparing the AP for Installation
7Installation Overview
8Performing a Pre-Installation Configuration
9Mounting and Powering the Access Point
10 Configuring and Deploying the Access Point
11 Checking the Access Point LED
12 Miscellaneous Usage and Configuration Guidelines
13 Related Documentation
14 Declarations of Conformity and Regulatory Information

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1 About this Guide
This guide provides instructions on how to install and configure your Cisco Aironet 1800i access
point. This guide also provides mounting instructions and limited troubleshooting procedures.
The Cisco Aironet 1800i access point is referred to as the access point, or abbreviated as AP in this
document.
2 About the Access Point
The Cisco Aironet 1800i access point is an 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Wave 2) access point, with internal
antennas only. The access point can be mounted on a wall and supports 2x2:2 SS MU-MIMO
applications.
Access Point Model Numbers and Regulatory Domains
The Cisco Aironet 1800i access point model has the model number format AIR-AP1800I-x-K9, where
the ‘x’ placeholder represents the regulatory domain. The ‘x’ can be any one of the supported
regulatory domains as listed at:
http://www.cisco.com/go/aironet/compliance

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Access Point Features
A full listing of the access point's features and specification are provided in the Cisco Aironet 1800i
Access Point Data Sheet at the following URL:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/wireless/aironet-1800i-access-point/model.html
The features of the 1800i access points are as follows:
•Supported mode(s) of operation at release:
– Unified (or Local)
•Two omnidirectional integrated 2.4 GHz dual-band antennas and 5 GHz single band antennas.
Peak antenna gain is approximately 3 dBi and 5 dBi in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands respectively.
•Radio features supported are:
– 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz concurrent radios
– 2 GHz radio with 2TX x 2RX and two spatial streams SU-MIMO
– 5 GHz radio with 2TX x 2RX 802.11ac Wave 2 capable with two spatial streams SU-MIMO
and MU-MIMO
– 802.11ac based Explicit Transmit Beamforming
– Quality of Service (QoS)
– Radio Resource Management (RRM)
– Rogue Detection
– BandSelect
•The AP supports the following external interfaces:
– One 10/100/1000 BASE-T (Ethernet) Uplink Interface with inline power capability,
Auto-MDIX (automatically support either straight through or crossover cables), and
802.3af/at PoE-In.
– UART console port connection using the custom UART–RJ45 console cable adapter,
AIR-CONSADPT=. This adapter is available from Cisco.
•Reset button. For information on how to use the Reset button, see “Using the Reset Button”
section on page 21.
•One multi-color LED status indicator. See the “Checking the Access Point LED” section on
page 19 for information on the colors of the LED status indicator.

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3 Safety Instructions
Translated versions of the following safety warnings are provided in the translated safety warnings
document that is shipped with your access point. The translated warnings are also in the Translated
Safety Warnings for Cisco Aironet Access Points, which is available on Cisco.com.
Warning IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This warning symbol means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily injury.
Before you work on any equipment, be aware of the hazards involved with electrical
circuitry and be familiar with standard practices for preventing accidents. Use the
statement number provided at the end of each warning to locate its translation in the
translated safety warnings that accompanied this device.
Statement 1071
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Warning Read the installation instructions before using, installing or connecting the system to the
power source. Statement 1004
Warning Installation of the equipment must comply with local and national electrical codes.
Statement 1074
Warning This product relies on the building’s installation for short-circuit (overcurrent)
protection. Ensure that the protective device is rated not greater than:
20A. Statement 1005
Warning Do not operate your wireless network device near unshielded blasting caps or in an
explosive environment unless the device has been modified to be especially qualified for
such use. Statement 245B
Warning Ultimate disposal of this product should be handled according to all national laws and
regulations. Statement 1040

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Caution This product and all interconnected equipment must be installed indoors within the same
building, including the associated LAN connections as defined by Environment A of the
IEEE 802.3af/at Standard.
Note This equipment is suitable for use in environment air spaces (plenums) in accordance with
Section 300.22 (C) of the National Electrical Code, and Sections 2-128, 12-010(3) and 12-100
of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1, CSA C22.2. External power supply, power adapter
and/or power injector, if provided, are not suitable installation in air spaces.
Note Use only with listed Information Technology Equipment (ITE) equipment. For more
information on ITE equipment, refer to article 645 of the latest National Electrical Code
(NEC).
4 Unpacking the AP
To unpack the access point, follow these steps:
Step 1 Unpack and remove the access point and the mounting accessories, from the shipping box.
Step 2 Return any packing material to the shipping container and save it for future use.
Step 3 Verify that you have received the items listed below. If any item is missing or damaged, contact
your Cisco representative or reseller for instructions.
– The access point.
– Mounting bracket AIR-AP-BRACKET-NS.

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5 Ports and Connectors on the AP
Figure 1 Access Point Status LED and Ports Location
1Reset button, on the right side of the AP.
For information on how to use the Reset button, see “Using the Reset Button” section on
page 21.
2
Status LED.
For more information, see the “Access Point Status LED” section on page 19
3Kensington security lock slot, on the right side of the AP.
4USB port and the PoE port (Gigabit Ethernet uplink port), on the base of the AP.

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Figure 2 Power-over-Ethernet and USB Ports on the Base
Figure 3 Reset Button and Kensington Security Lock on the Right Side
1
10/100/1000 BASE-T (Ethernet) Uplink
Interface with inline power capability,
Auto-MDIX (automatically support either
straight through or crossover cables), and
802.3af/at PoE-In 2
USB port for powering the AP, using 5V, 1.5A
power.
Power the AP using the USB port only when
PoE power is not available.
1
Reset button, on the right side of the AP.
For information on how to use the Reset
button, see “Using the Reset Button” section
on page 21.2
Kensington security lock slot
355100
1
2

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6 Preparing the AP for Installation
Before you mount and deploy your access point, we recommend that you perform a site survey (or use
the site planning tool) to determine the best location to install your access point.
You should have the following information about your wireless network available:
•Access point locations.
•Access point mounting options: vertically oriented, on a wall or a desk.
•Powered by 802.3af or 802.3at, through PoE from a network device or a PoE power injector or
hub (usually located in a wiring closet).
Note Access points mounted in a building’s environmental airspace must be powered using PoE
to comply with safety regulations.
Cisco recommends that you make a site map showing access point locations so that you can record the
device MAC addresses from each location and return them to the person who is planning or managing
your wireless network.
7 Installation Overview
During installation, gently adjust the module and radio unit such that the internal connectors are
aligned and centered. Now, gently snap them into place.
Caution To assemble the module and radio unit, do not use excessive force. This will prevent
irreversible physical connector damage.
Installing the access point involves these operations:
Step 1 Performing a Pre-Installation Configuration, page 10 (optional)
Step 2 Mounting and Powering the Access Point, page 13
Step 3 Configuring and Deploying the Access Point, page 16

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8 Performing a Pre-Installation Configuration
The following procedures ensure that your access point installation and initial operation go as
expected. This procedure is optional.
Note Performing a pre-installation configuration is an optional procedure. If your network
controller is properly configured, you can install your access point in its final location and
connect it to the network from there. See the “Deploying the Access Point on the Wireless
Network” section on page 18 for details.
The pre-installation configuration setup is illustrated in Figure 4.
Figure 4 Pre-Installation Configuration Setup
Controller
Layer 3
devices
Cisco wireless
access points
272488

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To perform pre-installation configuration, perform the following steps:
Step 1 Make sure that the Cisco wireless LAN controller DS port is connected to the network. Use
the CLI, web-browser interface, or Cisco Prime Infrastructure procedures as described in the
appropriate Cisco wireless LAN controller guide.
a. Make sure that access points have Layer 3 connectivity to the Cisco wireless LAN controller
Management and AP-Manager Interface.
b. Configure the switch to which your access point is to attach. See the Cisco Wireless LAN
Controller Configuration Guide for the release you are using, for additional information.
c. Set the Cisco wireless LAN controller as the master so that new access points always join with
it.
d. Make sure DHCP is enabled on the network. The access point must receive its IP address
through DHCP.
e. CAPWAP UDP ports must not be blocked in the network.
f. The access point must be able to find the IP address of the controller. This can be
accomplished using DHCP, DNS, or IP subnet broadcast. This guide describes the DHCP
method to convey the controller IP address. For other methods, refer to the product
documentation. See also the “Configuring DHCP Option 43” section on page 24 for more
information.
Note The access point requires a Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) link to prevent the Ethernet port from
becoming a bottleneck for traffic because wireless traffic speeds exceed transmit speeds
of a 10/100 Ethernet port.
Step 2 Apply power to the access point.
a. As the access point attempts to connect to the controller, the LED cycles through a green, red,
and amber sequence, which can take up to 5 minutes.
Note If the access point remains in this mode for more than five minutes, the access point is
unable to find the Master Cisco wireless LAN controller. Check the connection between
the access point and the Cisco wireless LAN controller and be sure that they are on the
same subnet.
b. If the access point shuts down, check the power source.
c. After the access point finds the Cisco wireless LAN controller, it attempts to download the
new operating system code if the access point code version differs from the Cisco wireless
LAN controller code version. While this is happening, the Status LED blinks amber.

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d. If the operating system download is successful, the access point reboots.
Step 3 Configure the access point if required. Use the controller CLI, controller GUI, or Cisco Prime
Infrastructure to customize the access-point-specific 802.11ac network settings.
Step 4 If the pre-installation configuration is successful, the Status LED is green indicating normal
operation. Disconnect the access point and mount it at the location at which you intend to
deploy it on the wireless network.
Step 5 If your access point does not indicate normal operation, turn it off and repeat the
pre-installation configuration.
Note When you are installing a Layer 3 access point on a different subnet than the Cisco
wireless LAN controller, be sure that a DHCP server is reachable from the subnet on
which you will be installing the access point, and that the subnet has a route back to
the Cisco wireless LAN controller. Also be sure that the route back to the Cisco
wireless LAN controller has destination UDP ports 5246 and 5247 open for CAPWAP
communications. Ensure that the route back to the primary, secondary, and tertiary
wireless LAN controller allows IP packet fragments. Finally, be sure that if address
translation is used, that the access point and the Cisco wireless LAN controller have
a static 1-to-1 NAT to an outside address. (Port Address Translation is not
supported.)

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9 Mounting and Powering the Access Point
The Cisco Aironet 1800i series access points can be mounted, in a vertical orientation, on a wall or
desk, to a height of 3 feet. The mounting is done using the wall-mount bracket AIR-AP-BRACKET-NS.
To mount the AP on a wall or desk:
Step 1 Identify the location for mounting the AP.
Step 2 Use the wall-mount bracket AIR-AP-BRACKET-NS, as a template to mark the two screw-hole
locations for fastening the bracket to the wall or desk.
Step 3 At the marked locations, drill a hole into the wall or desk.
Step 4 Fasten the AIR-AP-BRACKET-NS to the wall using two 18mm screws.
Step 5 Hold the back of the AP against the wall, above the bracket, and then slide the AP down onto
the bracket, till it clicks into place. The hooks on the bracket will click into the recesses on
the back of the AP.
Step 6 Proceed with connecting the data and power cables.
The AP can be powered using only the following power sources and devices:
•AC power, using the AC-USB adapter AIR-MOD-USB, supplying 5V DC, 1.5A power.
•PoE, 802.3af Class 0 power or greater, from:
– a network device or power injector.
– Cisco power injectors AIR-PWRINJ5 (for 802.3af) or AIR-PWRINJ6 (for 802.3at).
The PoE and USB ports are located on the base of the AP. When both AC power (through USB) and
PoE power is available, the PoE power takes precedence.
Note Cisco recommends that you use only the Cisco supplied AC-USB adapter AIR-MOD-USB,
(7.5 W, supplying 5V DC, 1.5A power), for powering the AP through the USB port. Other
power supply devices which do not meet the specifications of the Cisco supplied device, can
cause silent reboots or crashes.

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Figure 5 Wall and Desk Mounting Bracket AIR-AP-BRACKET-NS
1
Screw holes for fastening the bracket to the
wall or desk.
2
Hooks which click into the recesses on the
back the AP, for mounting the AP on the
bracket.
355101
1
2
2
1

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Figure 6 Back of the AP
1
Recesses on the back of the AP into which the
hooks on the wall-mount bracket slide and
click into place. 2
UART console port, hidden under a mylar
label. To connect, use the custom console
cable AIR-CONSADPT=.
355102
1
12

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10 Configuring and Deploying the Access Point
This section describes how to connect the access point to a wireless LAN controller. The configuration
process takes place on the controller. See the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Configuration Guide for
additional information.
The Controller Discovery Process
The access point uses standard Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points Protocol
(CAPWAP) to communicate between the controller and other wireless access points on the network.
CAPWAP is a standard, inter-operable protocol which enables an access controller to manage a
collection of wireless termination points.
The discovery process using CAPWAP is identical to the Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP)
used with previous Cisco Aironet access points. LWAPP-enabled access points are compatible with
CAPWAP, and conversion to a CAPWAP controller is seamless. Deployments can combine CAPWAP
and LWAPP software on the controllers. For additional information about the discovery process and
CAPWAP, see the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Software Configuration Guide. This document is
available on Cisco.com.
Note • CAPWAP support is provided in controller software release 5.2 or later. However, your
controller must be running the release that supports 1800i series access points, as
specified in the Cisco Wireless Solutions Software Compatibility Matrix:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/compatibility/matrix/compatibility-matri
x.html#pgfId-147162.
•You cannot edit or query any access point using the controller CLI if the name of the access point
contains a space.
•Make sure that the controller is set to the current time. If the controller is set to a time that has
already passed, the access point might not join the controller because its certificate may not be
valid for that time.
The functionality provided by the controller does not change except for customers who have Layer 2
deployments, which CAPWAP does not support.
In a CAPWAP environment, a wireless access point discovers a controller by using CAPWAP discovery
mechanisms and then sends it a CAPWAP join request. The controller sends the access point a
CAPWAP join response allowing the access point to join the controller. When the access point joins
the controller, the controller manages its configuration, firmware, control transactions, and data
transactions.

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Access points must be discovered by a controller before they can become an active part of the network.
The access point supports these controller discovery processes:
•Layer 3 CAPWAP discovery—Can occur on different subnets than the access point and uses IP
addresses and UDP packets rather than MAC addresses used by Layer 2 discovery.
•Locally stored controller IP address discovery—If the access point was previously joined to a
controller, the IP addresses of the primary, secondary, and tertiary controllers are stored in the
access point’s non-volatile memory. This process of storing controller IP addresses on an access
point for later deployment is called priming the access point. For more information about priming,
see the “Performing a Pre-Installation Configuration” section on page 10.
•DHCP server discovery—This feature uses DHCP option 43 to provide controller IP addresses to
the access points. Cisco switches support a DHCP server option that is typically used for this
capability. For more information about DHCP option 43, see the “Configuring DHCP Option 43”
section on page 24.
•DNS discovery—The access point can discover controllers through your domain name server
(DNS). For the access point to do so, you must configure your DNS to return controller IP
addresses in response to CISCO-CAPWAP-CONTROLLER.localdomain, where localdomain is
the access point domain name. Configuring the CISCO-CAPWAP-CONTROLLER provides
backwards compatibility in an existing customer deployment. When an access point receives an IP
address and DNS information from a DHCP server, it contacts the DNS to resolve
CISCO-CAPWAP-CONTROLLER.localdomain. When the DNS sends a list of controller IP
addresses, the access point sends discovery requests to the controllers.

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Deploying the Access Point on the Wireless Network
After you have mounted the access point, follow these steps to deploy it on the wireless network:
Step 1 Connect and power up the access point.
Step 2 Observe the access point LED (for LED descriptions, see “Checking the Access Point LED”
section on page 19).
a. When you power up the access point, it begins a power-up sequence that you can verify by
observing the access point LED. If the power-up sequence is successful, the discovery and join
process begins. During this process, the LED blinks sequentially green, red, and off. When the
access point has joined a controller, the LED is chirping green if no clients are associated or
green if one or more clients are associated.
b. If the LED is not on, the access point is most likely not receiving power.
c. If the LED blinks sequentially for more than 5 minutes, the access point is unable to find its
primary, secondary, and tertiary Cisco wireless LAN controller. Check the connection
between the access point and the Cisco wireless LAN controller, and be sure the access point
and the Cisco wireless LAN controller are either on the same subnet or that the access point
has a route back to its primary, secondary, and tertiary Cisco wireless LAN controller. Also,
if the access point is not on the same subnet as the Cisco wireless LAN controller, be sure that
there is a properly configured DHCP server on the same subnet as the access point. See the
“Configuring DHCP Option 43” section on page 24 for additional information.
Step 3 Reconfigure the Cisco wireless LAN controller so that it is not the Master.
Note A Master Cisco wireless LAN controller should be used only for configuring access
points and not in a working network.

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11 Checking the Access Point LED
Access Point Status LED
Note It is expected that there will be small variations in the LED color intensity and hue from unit
to unit. This is within the normal range of the LED manufacturer’s specifications and is not a
defect.
The access point status LED indicates various conditions which are described in Table 1.
Table 1 LED Status Indications
Message
Type
LED State Message
Meaning
Boot loader status
sequence
Blinking Green DRAM memory test in progress
DRAM memory test OK
Board initialization in progress
Initializing FLASH file system
FLASH memory test OK
Initializing Ethernet
Ethernet OK
Starting the Cisco AP-OS operating system of the
AP
Initialization successful
Association status Chirping Green
(Chirping means
shorter blips of the LED
that are distinctly
different from a
blinking LED.)
Normal operating condition, but no wireless
client associated
Green Normal operating condition with at least one
wireless client association

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Operating status Blinking Amber Software upgrade is in progress.
Cycling through Green,
Red, and Amber
Discovery/join process is in progress.
Rapidly cycling
through Red, Green,
Amber, and off.
Access point location command invoked from
controller web interface.
Blinking Red Ethernet link is not operational.
Boot loader warnings Blinking Amber Configuration recovery in progress (Reset button
pushed for 2 to 3 seconds)
Red Ethernet failure or image recovery (Reset button
pushed for 20 to 30 seconds)
Blinking Green Image recovery in progress (Reset button
released)
Boot loader errors Blinking Red-Red-Off DRAM memory test failure
Blinking Red and
Amber
FLASH file system failure
Blinking Red and off One of the following:
•Environment variable failure
•Bad MAC address
•Ethernet failure during image recovery
•Boot environment failure
•No Cisco image file
•Boot failure
Cisco Access Point
Operating System
(AP-OS) errors
Blinking
Red-Red-Red-Red-Off
Software failure; try disconnecting and
reconnecting unit power
Cycling through Red,
Green, Amber and off.
General warning; insufficient inline power
Table 1 LED Status Indications (continued)
Message
Type
LED State Message
Meaning