Cisco Aironet 1815i User manual

GETTING STARTED GUIDE
Cisco Aironet 1815i Access Point
First Published: November 10, 2017
Last Updated: February 27, 2019

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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 Grounding the Access Point
10 Powering the Access Point
11 Configuring and Deploying the Access Point
12 Checking the Access Point LED
13 Miscellaneous Usage and Configuration Guidelines
14 Related Documentation
15 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 1815i Access
Point. This guide also provides mounting instructions and limited troubleshooting procedures.
The Cisco Aironet 1815i Access Point is referred to as the access point, or abbreviated as AP in this
document.
2 About the Access Point
The Cisco Aironet 1815i 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 or a ceiling, and supports 2x2:2 SS
MU-MIMO applications.
Access Point Model Numbers and Regulatory Domains
The Cisco Aironet 1815i access point model has the model number format AIR-AP1815I-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 1815i
Access Point Data Sheet, at the following URL:
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/aironet-1815-series-access-points/datashee
t-c78-738243.html
The features of the 1815i access points are:
•Supported mode(s) of operation:
– Unified (or Local)
– Sniffer
– Monitor
– FlexConnect
•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 Transmit Beamforming
– Quality of Service (QoS)
– Radio Resource Management (RRM)
– Rogue Detection
– BandSelect
– Bluetooth Low Energy 4.0
•The AP supports the following hardware 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.
– RS-232 console interface through RJ-45
•Mode button. For information on how to use the Mode button, see “Using the Mode Button”
section on page 23.
•One multi-color LED status indicator. See the “Checking the Access Point LED” section on
page 22 for information on the colors of the LED status indicator.

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•The 1815i model access point has two integrated 2.4 GHz single band antennas and two 5 GHz
single band antennas. Peak antenna gain is approximately 2 dBi and 4 dBi in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
bands respectively.
Access Point Antenna Radiation Patterns
•2.4 GHz WiFi Antenna Radiation Patterns
•5 GHz WiFi Antenna Radiation Patterns

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2.4 GHz WiFi Antenna Radiation Patterns
Figure 1 2.4 GHz - Elevation Radiation Pattern

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Figure 2 2.4 GHz - Azimuth Radiation Pattern

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5 GHz WiFi Antenna Radiation Patterns
Figure 3 5 GHz- Elevation Radiation Pattern

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Figure 4 5 GHz - Azimuth Radiation Pattern

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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 you connect the system to its 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
Caution The fasteners you use to mount an access point on a ceiling must be capable of
maintaining a minimum pullout force of 20 lbs (9 kg) and must use a minimum of 4 holes
on the mounting bracket, or a minimum of 2 holes when mounting on a network box.

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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 When this access point is installed in the air handling system, the face of the AP (having the
status LED) should not be oriented upwards. The access point is suitable for use in
environmental air space 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, C22.1.
You should not install the power supply or power injector in air handling spaces.
Note When this access point is installed in the air handling system, the face of the AP (having the
status LED) should not be oriented upwards. 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-8, only if selected when you ordered the access point.
Can be ordered separately also.
– T-RAIL clips and Channel Adapter (only if selected when you ordered the access point).

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5 Ports and Connectors on the AP
The 1815i series access points have an LED indicator on the face of the unit, above the Cisco logo, as
shown in Figure 5. For information on the LED scheme, see the “Access Point Status LED” section on
page 22.
The ports and connections on the access point are shown in Figure 6.
Figure 5 Access Point Status LED and Ports Location
1
Status LED.
For more information, see the “Access Point Status LED” section on page 22
2
Security screw hole location, where the security screw locks the AP to its mounting bracket,
AIR-AP-BRACKET-8
3Location of the console port, the PoE port, and the Mode button.
354896
1
2
3

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Figure 6 Access Point Ports and Mode Button
Figure 7 AIR-AP-BRACKET-8
1RJ-45 console port
2PoE-In port (Ethernet Uplink port)
3Mode button.
For information on how to use the Mode button, see “Using the Mode Button” section on
page 23.
354897
1 2 3
354898

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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: on a wall or a ceiling only.
Note You can mount the access point above a suspended ceiling but you must purchase
additional mounting hardware: See “Mounting and Grounding the Access Point” section
on page 18 for additional information.
•Powered by 802.3af, 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
Installing the access point involves these operations:
Step 1 Performing a Pre-Installation Configuration, page 15 (optional)
Step 2 Mounting and Grounding the Access Point, page 18
Step 3 Powering the Access Point, page 18
Step 4 Configuring and Deploying the Access Point, page 19

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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 21 for details.
The pre-installation configuration setup is illustrated in Figure 8.
Figure 8 Pre-Installation Configuration Setup
To perform pre-installation configuration, perform the following steps:
Controller
Layer 3
devices
Cisco wireless
access points
272488

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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 27 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. See “Powering the Access Point” section on page 18.
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 Grounding the Access Point
Cisco Aironet 1815i series access points can be mounted in several configurations – on a suspended
ceiling, on a hard ceiling or wall, or in the plenum air space above a suspended ceiling. You can mount
the AP on an electrical or network box.
Note When mounting the AP in the plenum air space or above a suspended ceiling, it should be
mounted on a vertical wall or with the face of the AP (having the status LED) directed
downwards.
The standard mounting hardware supported by the AP is listed in Table 1.
Detailed instructions on how to mount the access point is available at the following URL:
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/access_point/mounting/guide/apmount.html
10 Powering the Access Point
The AP can be powered using only through Power-over-Ethernet (PoE), from:
•A network device supplying PoE power of 802.3af Class 0 or greater.
•Cisco power injectors AIR-PWRINJ5 or AIR-PWRINJ6.
Table 1 Bracket and Clips for Mounting the AP
Part Number Description
Bracket AIR-AP-BRACKET-8 Mounting bracket for ceiling and wall. See Figure 7.
Clips AIR-AP-T-RAIL-R Ceiling Grid Clip (Recessed mounting)
(This is the default option)
AIR-AP-T-RAIL-F Ceiling Grid Clip (Flush mounting)
AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER Optional adapter for channel-rail ceiling grid profile.

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11 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.
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.
Note 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 1815i series access points, as specified in
the access point’s data sheet.
Note You cannot edit or query any access point using the controller CLI if the name of the access
point contains a space.

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Note 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.
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.
•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 15.
•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 27.
•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.