WLC, WCS and WCS Navigator

I would like to know what is the difference between the Wireless Lan Controller and the Wireless Controller System.
Need I WLC if I want deploy WCS.
Can I use WCS without Wireless LAN Controllers?.
What is the diference between WCS and WCS Navigator?

You don't need a WCS server however you will require WLC's to control your Wireless WAP's. The WCS allows you to add multiple WLC's into one view along with floor plans and floor layouts and alerts. Without a WCS server you would have to manually login to each WLC controller to see what the WAP's are doing. It really depends on how big your site is and how many WAP's you have to deploy after a site survey is done.

Similar Messages

  • Differences between a WLC, WLSE and WCS

    Quick question:
    I am working on a proposal for a new WLAN infrastructure for a certain local Gov't entity.  We are going to use a Cisco WLC 5508.  I am wondering what would be appropriate for extra management capabilities... I am basically wondering if it would make sense to use a WLSE appliance...  or, is a WLSE basically a watered down Wireless LAN Controller?  I have also read that using WCS is for really large deployments...  the one I am proposing would only be 32 1142 LAPs, with one WLC...  The customer wants to know if there are software management utils, or hardware and the benefits/disadvanteges to both.  They want all these advanced reporting features...which I was told in another post that WCS is what would be required for such features.
    Thanks in advance!

    Cole
    WLC = Wireless LAN Controller.  This is a Layer2 device that the AP's will join and get their configuration and code from.
    WCS = Wireless Control System.  This is a server on the LAN, that uses SNMP for monitoring and templating of the WLC.
    WLSE = Wireless Lan Solutions Engine.  This is used to monitor and template for Autonomous AP.
       So, for what your customer is looking for, WLC 5508 would need a WCS.  WCS is were all the reporting is going to come from.
    Cheers,
    Steve
    If  this helps you and/or answers your question please mark the question as "answered" and/or rate it, so other users can easily find it.

  • Cisco ACS 5.1 & Cisco WLC 5508 & Cisco WCS

    I have managed to get TACACS+ working for the WLC and WCS but having trouble with Radius for management authentication and authorization.
    Anyone got and ideas or good documents on how to authenticate administrators using radius ACS 5.1 for WLC 5508 and WCS 6
    I take it that I still need to define roles?
    Many thanks.
    Jay

    You may try this with radius-ietf under shell-privelege
    For read-write privileges for the user, set the Service-Type Attribute to Administrative.
    For read-only privileges for the user, set the Service-Type Attribute to NAS-Prompt.
    Regards,
    Jatin
    Do rate helpful posts~

  • License problem with WCS and WLC

    Hi All,
    I have planned to implement three WLCs and one WCS to manage them.
    AP count is as below :-
         WLC #1     -     10 AP
         WLC #2     -     10 AP
         WLC #3     -     20 AP
    When WLC #1 is down that connected 10 APs should failover to the WLC #3.
    So at normal scenarion, WLC #3 should need 30 AP license; to failover WLC#1 APs properly to the WLC #3
    My problem is, Can I load total AP license (40 license) to WCS without installing them to individual WLCs ?
    If it is possible i can cut off the additional 10 AP license, required to the HA and failover.
    or if I use a WCS may i need to buy additional 40 license to WCS seperately from 40 WLC license ?
    Thanks,
    Charith

    Yes, you required to have seperate licences for WLC & WCS.
    You cannot add WLC licence to WCS & vice versa.
    HTH
    Rasika

  • Rogue AP - Not in sync with WCS and WLC

    WCS - 7.0.164.0 and WLC - 7.0.98.0.
    For some reason, I am seeing rogue ap alert on WLC and am not seeing on WCS.   How do I clean up database and sync with WCS and WLC.
    I am seeing same thing with coverage holes.
    - Allen -

    Allen,
         On the WLC go to Management > SNMP > Trap Controls, make sure that you have the traps checked.
    HTH,
    Steve
    *Please remember to rate helpful posts*

  • WCS and WLC AP values not fully in sync.

    I have recently added several new aps on my network,after they connect to the controller, I set a hostname, and change the ip address to a static. However, WCS still sees the aps by the old ip and host name despite going into each one, hitting audit, and then save, any way to fix this? Thanks.

    You may want to also consider the following:
    1) Both the WCS and the WLC need to be at the same major revs (i.e.: The if the WCS is at v4.2, then the WLC should also be at 4.2). Failure to do so results in some significantly bizarre behavior such as errors after an audit - at least that was my experience.
    2) You may have better success if you make the change from the WCS which pushes the change to the WLC and that way the WCS is already aware of the change. (Normally, this should work - I know of one instance where it does not: changing Master Controller Mode from the WCS).
    3) If you feel strongly about making the change in the WLC (and are running a newer version of code in the WCS/WLC - i.e.: 4.x), there is a setting that forces the WLC to send configuration changes to the WCS once APPLY and "Save Configuration" are clicked:
    From the *WCS*, click on Configure->Controllers and click on the controller you wish to change, and check the "Refresh on Save Config Trap" check box and click OK.
    This will cause the controller to push any configuration changes up to the WCS after an APPLY and "Save Configuration" are clicked.
    4) In terms of getting the WCS to actually synch up with the controller (assuming the WCS and WLC are at the same rev. levels), you may need to do what I did (this was subsequent to upgrading to v4.2 in both the WLC and WCS and having chronic "mismatch" status between the WCS and WLC):
    From the WCS:
    Configure->Controllers, check the controllers you wish to synch up. From the dropdown, select "refresh config from controller"
    Next, select the DELETE option (instead of the RETAIN option). I believe that there are bugs in the software that upgrades earlier revisions to 4.2. I know that it might seem undesirable to DELETE information in the WCS, however, if you choose "DELETE", it seems to get rid of the residual information from the previous revisions that did not upgrade properly and the WCS will now be in synch with the controllers. DELETING the other settings makes the audit errors go away.
    Subsequent audits may go better for you after performing the step shown above. However, you may need to repeat this process in item 4 above once or twice more until the database gets cleaned up, but after that my own experience has been that the WCS and WLC will eventually stay in synch.
    It is unfortunate that we are forced to come up with workarounds like these when the software should clearly be able to handle this on its own, but we do what we must to get the job done.
    Hope this helps,
    - John
    (Please rate helpful posts)

  • WCS and WLC WLAN Config not fully in sync

    Hi,
    We're facing the issue WCS and WLC WLAN Config is not fully in sync. WLC  showing server 1 is IP:10.160.22.151, Port:1812 but WCS server showing none even  after click on “Audit” button. Any idea how to resolve this issue? Is this causing any wireless problem? Attached is screen captured. Thanks for your help.

    You mentioned "audit". Have you done a WCS audit so the WLC and WCS are in SYNC?
    If you make a change on the WLC you will not see it in WCS UNLESS they are SYNC. You will see the term "mismatch".
    "Satisfaction does not come from knowing the solution, it comes from knowing why." - Rosalind Franklin
    ‎"I'm in a serious relationship with my Wi-Fi. You could say we have a connection."

  • User admin authentication to WCS and WLC

    Hi Experts,
    Do you know is it possible to configure WLC and WCS management user access to authenticate to TACACs like IOS routers does.
    If its possible do you know where I can find a doco as a guide. Tried to find but to no avail.
    WLC
    Model No. AIR-WLC2106-K9
    Software Version 5.2.178.0
    WCS
    version 6.0.181.0
    ACS
    Cisco ACS 4.2
    Thanks
    Rgds
    Kumar Ramalingam

    I think you are looking for this for WCS
    http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/wcs/5.2/configuration/guide/5_2admin.html#wp1059589
    and the WLC guide is here.
    http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk722/tk809/technologies_tech_note09186a0080851f7c.shtml#topic6

  • Wcs and wlc snmp

    if you configure a wireless controller to not send any client traps, does that affect client information and stats in wcs?  wcs is managing controllers, and the controllers are also configured to send traps to another third party trap receiver for ticketting.  since the 3rd party trap receiver is not using these client traps for anything, and there are thousands being sent, its putting unnecessary load in the trap receiver.  If I configure the controller to stop sending client traps (like associate/disassociate, etc..) will that affect the client information that wcs reports?              

    Hello,
    Good question. The answer is No.
    WCS would still poll the controller(s) through SNMP to get that information. From WCS, if you navigate under the Administration --> Background tasks page you would see the list of polling tasks there. The snmp traps help in getting the information quicker to the management application rather than waiting for the polling to happen (which could happen only for every 15 to 60 minutes depending on the task). So your Client reporting in WCS should have the data regardless of the TRAP configuration on the WLC's.
    Ram

  • Location Appliance 2700 - is it supported with v7 WCS and WLC?

    The compatibility matrix shows no support for a Location Appliance 2700 for any version 7.0.x.x for WCS and WLC. However, I did see a thread here where a v6.0.x.0 had compatibility. v6.0.202.0 is MD. Is it compatible with v7 WCS and WLC?
    Can any of the experts please comment? Thank you.

    Hi,
    here is the link that will answer ur question!!
    http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/controller/4400/tech_notes/Wireless_Software_Compatibility_Matrix.html#wp78062
    Please dont forget to rate the usefull posts!!
    Regards
    Surendra

  • WLC and WCS licenses

    How many APs does wireless controller 5508 and WCS (version 7.0) supports?
    Cheers,

    Sorry for jumping in on the question with another question but it seemed the right place.
    I have an AIR-CT5508-25-K9 WLC and +25AP license : L-LIC-CT5508-25A.
    As far as I understand it the WLC should already have a 25AP license installed and with the adder license I should have a count of 50 APs.
    However, after installing the adder license the count is still 25.
    Could you please let me know if it's just something wrong in my reasoning or should a case be opened?
    Thank you,
    Barbara

  • WCS and WLC syncing

    Gday again,
    I am converting standalone cisco1231AP to LWAPP. In the process, the conversion is always successfull. Run the audit on WCS, refresh values from Controller and restore values from Controller... The process after that involves us running few lightweight templates. Now, with the newly converted AP, I used to be able to see thm on both WCS and WLC. However, I dont see the new APs in WLC anymore. Besides checking the SNMP settings for sync, what else should I check?
    Regards,

    are the APs registered to the WLC? whats the software running on the WLC and WCS??

  • WCS and WLC versions for Cisco 3600 WAP

    Hi,
    I got a few Cisco Aironet 3602i. The minimum WLC version to support these is 7.1.91.0. I am planning to upgrade to 7.2.103.0. The minimum WCS version to support these WAP is 7.0.220.0 and the next available 7.0.230.0. Checking the release notes for both of these WCS versions, there is no mention of support for WLC versions listed above.
    http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/wcs/release/notes/WCS_RN7_0_230.html#wp152663
    Am I missing something here ? What versions would be required on WCS and WLC to make all the three entities (WLC, WCS, WAP) inter-operable ?
    Thanks,
    Regards, Rashid.

    Thanks Scott.
    Table-5 from your link indicates WCS 7.0.230.0 support for WLC 7.1.91.0, although release notes for WCS fails to mention this. I think thats the only option in the our existing WCS based network then. Other option being to upgrade to NCS.
    The NCS page http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6305/index.html indicates it will be offered to existing WCS customers when releases. Would we be required to pay for the product or both product and licenses or none ?

  • What are the bandwidth requirements between a WCS and a WLC?

    We have a customer who has two locations Site A (approx. 30 APs) and Site B (approx. 50 APs). Each site has a WLC. The customer wants to deploy a WCS at Site A that will monitor both WLCs.
    What I have been unable to find is how much traffic is going to be generated between the WCS at Site A and the WLC at Site B?
    Primarily, I would like to understand how this configuration will impact their point to point WAN link.
    Also, are there any known requirements in terms of max. allowable latency between the WCS and WLC?
    Any anectdotal evidence would also be appreciated - such as any experiences running this over a T1.
    In this particular case, the customer has a 100Mbps wireless point-to-point link as their WAN link, but I do not know the actual throughput capacity and/or if it is half or full duplex.
    Thanks,
    John

    John,
    This is very interesting question and I will try to answer with what I know after supporting WCS for a while.
    WLC and the WCS communicate over SNMP only. The generated traffic is SNMP (UDP). It's not a lot in terms of bandwidth, should I say quite minimal. Running over a T1 (not congested!) should be completly fine.
    There are a few things we can control about snmp as you are over a WAN link: we can increase the SNMP timeout, we can increase the SNMP retries and also, we can reduce the max varbinds per PDU, so the snmp packets sent are smaller and dont get fragmented over your WAN ISP.
    As SNMP is UDP, the only things you can control is the timeout and the number of retries because UDP doesnt have the control that TCP offers.
    The most intense traffic will be when you first add your controllers in WCS.
    I have seen quite a few deployments with WCS over WAN link and tweaking those settings I mentioned made it possible.
    You can find those settings in WCS -> Administration -> Settings -> SNMP
    HTH

  • WCS and WLC, On the same VLAN ?

    Whats best practice ? Is it better to have the WCS on the same vlan as the controller(s)
    Johann Folkestad

    Given the fact that it is snmp traffic, the WCS to WLC snmp read/writes should be confined to a subnet(s) that are secured by ACLs/firewalls/rfc1918 address space, yada yada....
    One way to do it is to place the WCS behind a firewall on the same or reachable subnet as the WLC service or management ports. I prefer using the service port on the WLC for the WCS snmp traffic, this way I can prune that vlan off the switch trunk ports that the WLC connect to as well as put it in a subnet that is away from prying eyes. I have had it working just fine since 3.0.2x all the way up to the latest rev this way.
    the controller will touch an additional vlan for each dynamic interface you create for wlans
    You can also dual home the WCS server, but the default option on WCS install/upgrade is to bind to one interface (it will detect & prompt in regards to multiple interfaces - at least on the Linux version).
    Also don't forget to lock down https access to WCS web frontend as well

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