DHCP setup help on AIR-WLC-2112 with LAP1042N

Question

I am new to wireless.  I would like to statically assign ip addresses for my controller(AIR_WLC-2112) and my access point (LAP1042N).  I would then like the controller to distribute dhcp addresses for users.  What is the best way in doing this? 

Answer 1

Hi Mark,
You can certainly setup your network for 2 VLANs for different wireless networks. You will only need to setup the switchports to the WLC as trunks. In other words, the APs will simply reside in the vlan you define (access switchports) and they will tunnel all traffic back to the controller, regardless of client vlan. The WLC will then determine which vlan the traffic needs to go on.
You have 2 ways of setting your AP IP addresses as static -- you can statically assign them through the console during initial installation:
capwap ap ip address
capwap ap ip default-gateway
capwap ap controller ip
Or, you can simply let the APs start by using DHCP, and auto discovery of the WLCs via DNS lookup of "cisco-capwap-controller", or DHCP option 43. Once they join the controller you can assign them static addresses in the WLC AP settings.
Now, onto the last question regarding your WAN sites. We do have options for you there as well -- the feature we're looking at would be H-REAP. Traditionally the APs tunnel all wireless traffic back to the controller. However, in H-REAP mode, you can specify the APs to put traffic on the network right at the local switch, so it wouldn't have to get tunneled across your WAN (depending on WAN bandwidth). You still configure the AP and manage it centrally. For more information on this feature, please check out the H-REAP deployment guide:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10315/products_tech_note09186a0080736123.shtml
-Patrick Croak
Wireless TAC