Cisco Aironet 1815w User manual

GETTING STARTED GUIDE
Cisco Aironet 1815w Access Points
First Published: April 14, 2017
Last Updated: August 3, 2022

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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 the Access Point
10 Powering the Access Point
11 Configuring and Deploying the Access Point
12 Checking the Access Point LEDs
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 1815w access
points. This guide also provides mounting instructions and limited troubleshooting procedures.
The Aironet 1815w access point is abbreviated as AP in this document.
2 About the Access Point
The Cisco Aironet 1815w access point is an 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Wave 2) access point, with internal
antennas.
The Cisco Aironet 1815w AP can be vertically mounted on a wall or on a standard junction box.
Physical security is offered with the included Torx screw and the option to add a Kensington lock.
The AP supports 2.4 GHz 2x2 802.11 b/g/n MU-MIMO and 5 GHz 2x2 802.11 a/n/ac (Wave 2)
MU-MIMO applications simultaneously.
Access Point Features
A full listing of the access point's features and specification are provided in the Cisco Aironet 1815w
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-c78-738481.html
The features of the 1815w access points are:
•Supported mode(s) of operation:
– Centralized, including Enhanced Local sub-Mode
– OfficeExtend Mode with hardware-based encryption
– FlexConnect Mode
– Monitor Mode, including Enhanced Local Mode (ELM)
– Mobility Express
•Radio features supported are:
– 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz concurrent radios
– 2.4GHz radio with 2TX x 2RX and 2 spatial steams
– 5GHz radio with 2TX x 2RX and 2 spatial steams

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– 802.11ac based Transmit Beamforming
– Quality of Service (QoS)
– Radio Resource Management (RRM)
– Rogue Detection
– BandSelect
– Integrated Bluetooth LE 4.1 radio for location and asset tracking.
•The AP supports the following hardware external interfaces:
– Three local GigE Ethernet Ports, one uplink GigE port, and one passive pass-through RJ45
port.
– RS-232 management console interface through a custom 4-pin connector AIR-CONSADPT=.
Note The AP may face issues while booting if you use an unterminated console cable (not
plugged into any device or terminal) or a console cable that is more than one meter in
length.
– Three 10/100/1000BASE-T ports (local Ethernet ports), one of which also serves as a PoE-Out
port.
The PoE-Out port 802.3af Class 0 (15.4W) power when the AP is powered by802.3at power.
The PoE-Out port does not provide any power output when the AP is powered by 802.3af
power.
– One RJ-45 passive pass-through port (back to bottom).
– Mode button. For information on how to use the Mode button, see “Using the Mode Button”
section on page 36.
– One multi-color LED status indicator for the AP status. LEDs are also present to indicate
per-port status for local the Ethernet ports. For information, see the “Checking the Access
Point LEDs” section on page 33.
– Three local Gigabit Ethernet ports available to securely connect wired devices to the network.
•Two integrated 2.4 GHz/5 GHz dual-band antennas located on the sides of the 1815w access point
under the top housing. Peak antenna gain is approximately 2 dBi and 3 dBi in the 2.4 GHz and
5 GHz bands respectively.

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Access Point Model Numbers and Regulatory Domains
The Cisco Aironet 1815w access point comes in the model number format AIR-AP1815W-x-K9. The
‘x’ in the model number is a placeholder for the regulatory domain. For information on supported
regulatory domains, see the following page:
http://www.cisco.com/go/aironet/compliance

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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
Note This equipment is not suitable for use in locations where children are likely to be present.
Note The marking information is located at the bottom of the apparatus.
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

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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.
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 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 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).

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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 wall-plate bracket AIR-AP-BRACKET-W3, and screws.
– Torx security screw and mylar label to cover the screw.
The following accessories can be ordered separately from Cisco:
•Spacer kit AIR-AP1815W-KIT=, includes spacer box, RJ-45 jumper cable, four M3.5x32
mounting screws, two #6-32x1.62” truss head machine screws, two M3x8 pan head mounting
screws.
•Physical security kit AIR-SEC-50=, which includes 50 security screws used to secure the access
point onto the wall-mounting bracket, 50 RJ-45 block-out plugs and 2 unlock keys for blocking
physical access to the RJ45 Ethernet ports.
•Bracket Kit AIR-AP-BRACKET-W3, includes the mounting bracket, one M2x5.5 Torx security
screw , two M3.5x32 pan head mounting screws, two #6-32x0.81” truss head machine-type
mounting screws.

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5 Ports and Connectors on the AP
Figure 1 Face of the AP
1
Location of the Status LED, along with ports
and connectors, on the base of the AP 2
Location of the Kensington lock slot on the
left side of the AP
354941
2
1

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Figure 2 Base of the AP with the Ports and Connectors
Note A physical security kit AIR-SEC-50=, which is sold separately, includes RJ-45 block-out plugs
and two unlock keys using which you can restrict physical access to the Ethernet port.
Note All the three LAN ports support Auto-MDIX. The interface automatically detects the required
cable connection type (straight through or crossover) and configures the connection
appropriately.
1Passive Pass-through port
It is an RJ-45 port, from the base of AP to the
back of the AP.
4LAN port 2
2LAN port 3
This port can only be used for Local
Management and not for RLAN connectivity
for wired clients.
5PSE / LAN port 1
This port provides 802.3af Power Sourcing
Equipment (PSE) PoE-Out power on the
LAN 1 Ethernet interface, when powered by
802.3at power.
3Location of the concealed Status LED
You can see the LED only when it lights up.
354942
1 2 3 4 5

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Figure 3 Back of the AP
1
Mode button
4
Console port, under a mylar cover.
You will require the custom four-pin adapter
AIR-CONSADPT= to use this port.
2
10/100/1000BASE-T PoE uplink port.
This port supports:
•Inline power capability
•Auto-MDIX (automatically support
either straight through or crossover
cables)
802.3af/at power over the Ethernet interface
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Passive Pass-Through port.
It is an RJ-45 port, from the back of AP to the
base of the AP.
3
Recess for the hook feature of wall-plate. The
AP attaches to the wall-plate by means of this
recess of the wall-plate hook.
354943
5
4
1
2
3

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6 Preparing the AP for Installation
Before you mount 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: vertical wall-mounting only.
•Access point power options. See the “Powering the Access Point” section on page 29
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 13 (optional)
Step 2 Mounting the Access Point, page 16
Step 3 Powering the Access Point, page 29
Step 4 Configuring and Deploying the Access Point, page 30

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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 for a Cisco wireless controller-based (i.e. having a physical controller device) network. 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 32 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 39 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, page 29.
a. As the access point attempts to connect to the controller, the LEDs cycle 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.

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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.
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 the Access Point
Cisco Aironet 1815w access points can be mounted directly on the wall, to numerous global wall
junction standards.
Table 1 Access Point Mounting Options
Type of Mounting Mounting Bracket and Kit
Mounting the AP directly on a Wall, page 17 AIR-AP-BRACKET-W3
Mounting the AP on an Electrical Junction Box, page 19
Mounting the AP on a Wall using the Spacer, page 21 AIR-AP-BRACKET-W3
AIR-AP1815W-KIT= spacer kit.
Mounting the AP on an Electrical Junction Box using the Spacer,
page 23

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Mounting the AP directly on a Wall
To mount the AP on a wall, follow these steps:
Step 1 Fasten the wall-mount bracket (AIR-AP-BRACKET-W3) to the wall, using two M3.5X32mm
screws. Ensure that the side having the Mount Arrows Up label is facing outwards, and the
bracket is oriented vertically as indicated by the arrows. See Figure 11.
The wall-bracket dimensions are given in Figure 12.
Step 2 Connect the power and network cables to the AP.
If you are unable to connect a PoE cable to the port on the back of the AP, then:
a. On the back of the AP, use an RJ45 jumper cable to connect the PoE port to the Pass-Through
port. This jumper cable is available as part of the spacer kit AIR-AP1815W-KIT=.
b. Connect the PoE supply cable to the Pass-Through port on the base of the AP.
This connection sends power internally from the Pass-Through port on the base, to the
Pass-Through port on the back, and then though the jumper cable into the PoE port on the
back.
Step 3 Mount the AP onto the wall-mount bracket. For this, align the AP with the bracket and then
offset the AP around ¼ inch above the bracket.
Step 4 Fasten the AP to the bracket using the M2 x 5.5mm Torx security screw. Cover it with the
mylar label.

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Figure 5 Mounting AP on a Wall
1
Mylar label for covering Torx security screw
slot. 3
Screw hole on the wall-mount bracket for the
security screw.
2
M2 x 5.5mm Torx security screw.
4
M3.5 x 32mm screws for fastening the
bracket to the wall.
354949
3
1
4
2

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Mounting the AP on an Electrical Junction Box
To mount the AP on an electrical junction box, follow these steps:
Step 1 Fasten the wall-mount bracket (AIR-AP-BRACKET-W3), using two #6-32 x 0.81 inch
machine screws, to the electrical junction box. Ensure that the side having the Mount Arrows
Up label is facing outwards, and the bracket is oriented vertically as indicated by the arrows.
See Figure 11.
The wall-bracket dimensions are given in Figure 12.
Step 2 Connect the power and network cables to the AP.
If you are unable to connect a PoE cable to the port on the back of the AP, then:
a. On the back of the AP, use an RJ45 jumper cable to connect the PoE port to the Pass-Through
port. This jumper cable is available as part of the spacer kit AIR-AP1815W-KIT=.
b. Connect the PoE supply cable to the Pass-Through port on the base of the AP.
This connection sends power internally from the Pass-Through port on the base, to the
Pass-Through port on the back, and then though the jumper cable into the PoE port on the
back.
Step 3 Mount the AP onto the wall-mount bracket. For this, align the AP with the bracket and then
offset the AP around ¼ inch above the bracket.
Step 4 Fasten the AP to the bracket using the M2 x 5.5mm Torx security screw. Cover it with the
mylar label.

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Figure 6 Mounting the AP on an Electrical Junction Box
1
Mylar label for covering Torx security screw
slot. 3
Screw hole on the wall-mount bracket for the
security screw.
2
M2 x 5.5mm Torx security screw.
4
#6-32X0.81 inch machine screws for
fastening the bracket to the junction box.
354948
3
2
1
4