Cisco Aironet 3600 Series User manual

GETTING STARTED GUIDE
Cisco Aironet 3600 Series Lightweight Access Points
1About this Guide
2Introduction to the Access Point
3Safety Instructions
4Unpacking
5Configurations
6Access Point Ports and Connectors
7Configuring the Access Point
8Mounting the Access Point
9Deploying the Access Point on the Wireless Network
10 Installing Modules
11 Troubleshooting
12 Declarations of Conformity and Regulatory Information
13 Configuring DHCP Option 43 and DHCP Option 60
14 Access Point Specifications
15 Obtaining Documentation and Submitting a Service Request

2
1 About this Guide
This Guide provides instructions on how to install and configure your Cisco Aironet 3600 Series
Access Point and how to install any port modules. This guide also provides mounting instructions and
limited troubleshooting procedures.
The 3600 Series Access Point is referred to as the access point in this document.
2 Introduction to the Access Point
The 3600 series supports high-performing Spectrum Intelligence which sustains three spatial stream
rates over a deployable distance with high reliability when serving clients. The 3600 series provides
high reliability and overall wireless performance.
The 3600 series offers dual-band radios (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) with integrated and external antenna
options. The access points support full inter-operability with leading 802.11n clients, and support a
mixed deployment with other access points and controllers.
The 3600 series access point is a controller-based (Unified) product and supports:
•Simultaneous dual-band (2.4 GHz/5 GHz) radios
•Integrated antennas on the 3602I access point model (AIR-CAP3602I-x-K9)
•External antennas for rugged 3602E access point model (AIR-CAP3602E-x-K9)
Note The ‘x’ in the model numbers represents the regulatory domain. Refer to “Regulatory
Domains” section on page 6 for a list of supported regulatory domains.
The features of the 3600 series are:
•Processing sub-systems (including CPUs and memory) and radio hardware which supports:
– Network management
– CleanAir—Automatic detection, classification, location and mitigation of RF interference
– ClientLink+—BeamForming to 802.11n clients as well as legacy 802.11a/g OFDM clients
– VideoStream
– Location
– WIDS/WIPS
– Security
– Radio Resource Management (RRM)
– Rogue detection
– Management Frame Protection (MFP)

3
– Throughput, forwarding, and filtering performance scaled to meet 3 spatial stream 450 Mbps
data-rates
•32 MB flash size
•802.11af/at
– CDP (Cisco Discovery Protocol)
•2.4 GHz and 5 GHz 802.11n radios with the following features:
– 4TX x 4RX
– 3-spatial streams, 450 Mbps PHY rate
– Spectrum intelligence
– DPD (Digital Pre-Distortion) technology
– Cisco Vector Beamforming—Implicit Co-phase beamforming for .11ag clients and 1x1 11n
clients
– Radio hardware is capable of explicit compressed beamforming (ECBF) per 802.11n standard
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

4
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 In order to comply with FCC radio frequency (RF) exposure limits, antennas should be
located at a minimum of 7.9 inches (20 cm) or more from the body of all persons.
Statement 332
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 all 4 indented holes
on the mounting bracket.
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.af 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 ITE equipment.

5
4 Unpacking
To unpack the access point, follow these steps:
Step 1 Unpack and remove the access point and the accessory kit 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 (selected when you ordered the access point)
– Adjustable ceiling-rail clip (selected when you ordered the access point)
5 Configurations
The 3600 series access point contains two simultaneous dual-band radios, the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz
802.11n MIMO radios. The 3600 series access point configurations are:
•AIR-CAP3602E-x-K9—two 2.4-GHz/5-GHz dual-band radios, up to 4 external dual-band
diopole antennas
•AIR-CAP3602I-x-K9—two 2.4-GHz/5-GHz dual-band radios, with integrated dual-band
inverted-F antennas
For information on the regulatory domains (shown as “x” in the model numbers) see “Regulatory
Domains” section on page 6.
External Antennas
The 3602E model is configured with up to four external dual-band dipole antennas, and two 2.4-GHz/
5-GHz dual-band radios. The radio and antennas support frequency bands 2400–2500 MHz and
5150–5850 MHz through a common dual-band RF interface. Features of the external dual-band
dipole antennas are:
•Four RTNC antenna connectors on the top of the access point
•Four TX/RX antennas
These antennas are supported on the 3602E:
•AIR-ANT2524DB-R
•AIR-ANT2524DW-R

6
•AIR-ANT2524DG-R
•AIR-ANT2524V4C-R
•AIR-ANT2544V4M-R
•AIR-ANT2566P4W-R
Internal Antennas
The 3602I model access point is configured with four dual-band inverted-F antennas, and two
2.4-GHz/5-GHz dual-band radios.
There are four antennas deployed inside the access point with one deployed on each corner of the
3602I access point top housing. Each antenna covers both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz bands with a
single feed line. The basic features are as follows:
•Dual-band inverted-F antenna for use in both the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands.
•Antenna unit integrated into the 3602I model access point.
•Peak gain is approximately 2 dBi in the 2.4-GHz band and approximately 4 dBi in the 5-GHz
band.
Regulatory Domains
The 3600 series supports the following regulatory domains (shown as “x” in the model numbers):
•-A, -C, -E, -I, -K, -N, -Q, -R, -S, -T
Countries Supported
Click this URL to browse to a list of countries and regulatory domains supported by the 3600:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps5679/ps5861/product_data_sheet0900aecd80
537b6a_ps10981_Products_Data_Sheet.html

7
6 Access Point Ports and Connectors
The 3602E model access point has external antenna connectors and the LED indictor on the top of the
model, as shown in Figure 1. The 3602I model access point has integrated antennas and does not have
external connectors on the top of the unit; however, it does have the LED indicator on top of the unit,
as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 1 Access Point Ports and Connections (top)—3602E Model
1Dual-band antenna connector A 3Dual-band antenna connector C
2Dual-band antenna connector B 4Dual-band antenna connector D
A
D
U
A
L
B
A
N
D
B
D
U
A
L
B
A
N
D
C
D
U
A
L
B
A
N
D
D
D
U
A
L
B
A
N
D
1
4
2
3

8
Figure 2 Access Point LED Indicator (top)—3602I Model
The ports and connections on the bottom of the access point are shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 Access Point Ports and Connections (bottom)-AIR3602E and 3602I Models
1LED indicator
1
272377
2 3 4
1 5
6 6

9
7 Configuring the Access Point
This section describes how to connect the access point to a wireless LAN controller. Because the
configuration process takes place on the controller, see the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller
Configuration Guide for additional information. This guide is available on Cisco.com.
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, interoperable 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 release 7.1.91.0 or later to support 3600 series access points.
1Kensington lock slot 4Console port
2
DC Power connection
5
Security padlock and hasp (padlock not
included)
3Gbit Ethernet port 6Mounting bracket pins (feet for desk or
table-top mount)

10
Note You cannot edit or query any access point using the controller CLI if the name of the access
point contains a space.
Note Make sure that the controller is set to the current time. If the controller is set to a time that
has already occurred, 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 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 11.
•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
and DHCP Option 60” section on page 37.
•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.
Preparing the Access Point
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.

11
•Access point mounting options: below a suspended ceiling, on a flat horizontal surface, or on a
desktop.
Note You can mount the access point above a suspended ceiling but you must purchase
additional mounting hardware: See “Mounting the Access Point” section on page 15 for
additional information.
•Access point power options: power supplied by the recommended external power supply (Cisco
AIR-PWR-B), a DC power supply, PoE from a network device, or a PoE power injector/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.
Installation Summary
Installing the access point involves these operations:
•Performing a pre-installation configuration (optional)
•Mounting the access point
•Grounding the access point
•Deploying the access point on the wireless network
Performing a Pre-Installation Configuration
The following procedures ensure that your access point installation and initial operation go as
expected. A pre-installation configuration is also known as priming the access point. 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 15 for details.

12
Pre-Installation Configuration Setup
The pre-installation configuration setup is shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4 Pre-Installation Configuration Setup
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 WCS 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, Release x.x 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.
Controller
Layer 3
devices
Cisco Aironet
access points
272488

13
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 “Using DHCP Option 43” section on page 18 for more
information.
Step 2 Apply power to the access point:
a. The access point is 802.3af (15.4 W) compliant and can be powered by any of the following
802.3af compliant devices:
– 2106 controller
– WS-C3550, WS-C3560, and WS-C3750 switches
– C1880 switch
– 2600, 2610, 2611, 2621, 2650, and 2651 multiservice platforms
– 2610XM, 2611XM, 2621XM, 2650XM, 2651XM, and 2691 multiservice platforms
– 2811, 2821, and 2851 integrated services routers
– 3620, 3631-telco, 3640, and 3660 multiservice platforms
– 3725 and 3745 multiservice access routers
– 3825 and 3845 integrated services routers
The recommended external power supply for the access point is the Cisco AIR-PWR-B
power supply. The access point can also be powered by the following optional external
power sources:
– 1250 series access point power injector (AIR-PWRINJ4)
– Any 802.3af compliant power injector
Note The 3602 series access point requires a Gigibit Ethernet 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.
b. 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.

14
c. If the access point shuts down, check the power source.
d. 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 dark blue.
e. 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 WCS
to customize the access-point-specific 802.11n 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.)

15
8 Mounting the Access Point
Cisco Aironet 3602 series access point can be mounted in several configurations, including on a
suspended ceiling, on a hard ceiling or wall, on an electrical or network box, and above a suspended
ceiling. Click this URL to browse to complete access point mounting instructions:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/mounting/guide/apmount.html
9 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 18).
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 green if no clients are associated or blue 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 and DHCP Option 60” section on page 37 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.

16
10 Installing Modules
Modules are devices that are purchased as seperate items. When they are installed in the
Cisco Aironet 3600 series access point, they give the access point additional capabilities.
Modules connect to the access point’s module port. No special tools are required to install a module.
Installing a Module
Follow these steps to install a module:
Step 1 Remove the module from the packaging.
Step 2 Power down the access point.
Step 3 Peel off the label from the back of the 3600 series access point to reveal the module port
connector.
1Openings for module’s antennas. 2Label covering port connector.
345379
12 1

17
Step 4 Align the module’s connector with the connector on the back of the access point and click the
module into place.
Step 5 Screw down the thumb screws on the module.
Note If the screws are not tightened, the module will not be recognized and may not operate
correctly. Make sure not to over-tighten, only hand-tighten the screws.
Step 6 Power up the access point. When the access point boots up, it will recognize the module.
345380

18
11 Troubleshooting
If you experience difficulty getting your access point installed and running, look for a solution to your
problem in this guide or in additional access point documentation. These, and other documents, are
available on Cisco.com.
Guidelines for Using Cisco Aironet Lightweight Access Points
Keep these guidelines in mind when you use 3602 series lightweight access points:
•The access point can only communicate with Cisco wireless LAN controllers, such as 2500,
WiSM2, and 5500 series controllers.
•The access point does not support Wireless Domain Services (WDS) and cannot communicate with
WDS devices. However, the controller provides functionality equivalent to WDS when the access
point joins it.
•CAPWAP does not support Layer 2. The access point must get an IP address and discover the
controller using Layer 3, DHCP, DNS, or IP subnet broadcast.
•The access point console port is enabled for monitoring and debug purposes. All configuration
commands are disabled when the access point is connected to a controller.
Using DHCP Option 43
You can use DHCP Option 43 to provide a list of controller IP addresses to the access points, enabling
them to find and join a controller. For additional information, refer to the “Configuring DHCP Option
43 and DHCP Option 60” section on page 37.
Checking the Access Point LED
The location of the access point status LED is shown in Figure 5.
Note Regarding LED status colors, it is expected that there will be small variations in 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.

19
Figure 5 Access Point LED Location
The access point status LED indicates various conditions and are described in Table 1.
1Status LED
Table 1 LED Status Indications
Message
Type
Status
LED
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 Cisco IOS
Initialization successful
Association status Green Normal operating condition, but no wireless
client associated
Blue Normal operating condition, at least one wireless
client association
272378
1

20
Operating status Blinking blue Software upgrade in progress
Cycling through green,
red, and off
Discovery/join process in progress
Rapidly cycling
through blue, green,
and red
Access point location command invoked
Blinking red Ethernet link not operational in FlexConnect
mode
Boot loader warnings Blinking blue Configuration recovery in progress (MODE
button pushed for 2 to 3 seconds)
Red Ethernet failure or image recovery (MODE
button pushed for 20 to 30 seconds)
Blinking green Image recovery in progress (MODE button
released)
Boot loader errors Red DRAM memory test failure
Blinking red and blue FLASH file system failure
Blinking red and off Environment variable failure
Bad MAC address
Ethernet failure during image recovery
Boot environment failure
No Cisco image file
Boot failure
Cisco IOS errors Red Software failure; try disconnecting and
reconnecting unit power
Cycling through blue,
green, red, and off
General warning; insufficient inline power
Table 1 LED Status Indications (continued)
Message
Type
Status
LED
Message
Meaning