Controllerless Networks

Hello all,

I have situation at client that I was messing around about 2 days, with no luck.

So client already have about 20 Aruba 305 access points. One of them is designated as master, rest pick up config from it, they are all on same VLAN, and some SSIDs on different VLANs. That all is working just fine for years.

Now client want to implement same wifi connectivity to his remote locations. They are all connected together either by dedicated UTP, FC link or IPSec S2S VPN. Those locations are workin just fine for last 10 years for sure, but they had some simple AP just for that location.

And now they want to have it all centralised and unified so they want to have all those remote locations AP to move to Aruba and to same controller so they have centralises view of wireless network across organisation. Some remote location will have 1 AP, some will have 3APs, so all together we are looking about 15-20 new access points, all together around 40.

So i got one test 305 to make it work just inside organisation, but with Master AP on one VLAN, and this test AP on other.

I connected first test AP to same VLAN and immediately he picked up master config, reboot, and voila everything works.

Now problem was when i moved him from VLAN where master and rest of APs were, to differend VLAN. He could not see master, so he "become" master for him self and become island in wireless management network. 

Just to mention those 2 VLANs do not have any policy or ACL forbiding any traffic. any any all :) If i SSH to both of them, they can ping and have all traffic in both direction, from master to test, and from test to master.

Since we never did this kind of configuration we were testing any kind of configuration. Removed on master AutoJoin feature, then + button was not gray and could click and add. We add MAC of new AP on differend VLAN, still nothing, it just stands in controller list and nothing.

Next thing we tried to put IP of master AP in Configuration > System > Virtual Controller IP of this test AP on seperate VLAN, also nothing.

Then i read about DHCP options 60 and 43, so i set that up on DHCP server for that VLAN, changed test AP in that VLAN to get IP via DHCP, everything worked, except again nothing changed.

In all of this tries test AP on seperate VLAN was alone and master to him self, and master AP in primary management VLAN with all other 20 APs was master for all of them.

So my question is. How can i join 305 InstantAP on one VLAN to Master (Virtual Controller) AP on seperate VLAN?

Thx all!

Master election is specific to each VLAN. If the APs are on two different VLANs, you will have two separate master devices. 

If you are seeking a centralized platform to manage and monitor these devices, I would recommend exploring Aruba Central.

Hello all,

I have situation at client that I was messing around about 2 days, with no luck.

So client already have about 20 Aruba 305 access points. One of them is designated as master, rest pick up config from it, they are all on same VLAN, and some SSIDs on different VLANs. That all is working just fine for years.

Now client want to implement same wifi connectivity to his remote locations. They are all connected together either by dedicated UTP, FC link or IPSec S2S VPN. Those locations are workin just fine for last 10 years for sure, but they had some simple AP just for that location.

And now they want to have it all centralised and unified so they want to have all those remote locations AP to move to Aruba and to same controller so they have centralises view of wireless network across organisation. Some remote location will have 1 AP, some will have 3APs, so all together we are looking about 15-20 new access points, all together around 40.

So i got one test 305 to make it work just inside organisation, but with Master AP on one VLAN, and this test AP on other.

I connected first test AP to same VLAN and immediately he picked up master config, reboot, and voila everything works.

Now problem was when i moved him from VLAN where master and rest of APs were, to differend VLAN. He could not see master, so he "become" master for him self and become island in wireless management network. 

Just to mention those 2 VLANs do not have any policy or ACL forbiding any traffic. any any all :) If i SSH to both of them, they can ping and have all traffic in both direction, from master to test, and from test to master.

Since we never did this kind of configuration we were testing any kind of configuration. Removed on master AutoJoin feature, then + button was not gray and could click and add. We add MAC of new AP on differend VLAN, still nothing, it just stands in controller list and nothing.

Next thing we tried to put IP of master AP in Configuration > System > Virtual Controller IP of this test AP on seperate VLAN, also nothing.

Then i read about DHCP options 60 and 43, so i set that up on DHCP server for that VLAN, changed test AP in that VLAN to get IP via DHCP, everything worked, except again nothing changed.

In all of this tries test AP on seperate VLAN was alone and master to him self, and master AP in primary management VLAN with all other 20 APs was master for all of them.

So my question is. How can i join 305 InstantAP on one VLAN to Master (Virtual Controller) AP on seperate VLAN?

Thx all!

Thank you for straight answer.

Regarding Aruba Central, as i see it can be on-premises and cloud based solution. Does it support all those access points (model 305)? Since changing all hardware is for client out of the question? 

As i see here it should?

https://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/central/2.5.5/content/nms/access-points/supported-platforms/supported-aps.htm 

Is it licenced per AP or as platform/solution?

Original Message:
Sent: Oct 10, 2023 04:47 PM
From: sukumar
Subject: Aruba Instant Access Point and Virtual Controller on differend VLAN

Master election is specific to each VLAN. If the APs are on two different VLANs, you will have two separate master devices. 

If you are seeking a centralized platform to manage and monitor these devices, I would recommend exploring Aruba Central.

Original Message:
Sent: Oct 09, 2023 01:46 PM
From: MarioC
Subject: Aruba Instant Access Point and Virtual Controller on differend VLAN

Hello all,

I have situation at client that I was messing around about 2 days, with no luck.

So client already have about 20 Aruba 305 access points. One of them is designated as master, rest pick up config from it, they are all on same VLAN, and some SSIDs on different VLANs. That all is working just fine for years.

Now client want to implement same wifi connectivity to his remote locations. They are all connected together either by dedicated UTP, FC link or IPSec S2S VPN. Those locations are workin just fine for last 10 years for sure, but they had some simple AP just for that location.

And now they want to have it all centralised and unified so they want to have all those remote locations AP to move to Aruba and to same controller so they have centralises view of wireless network across organisation. Some remote location will have 1 AP, some will have 3APs, so all together we are looking about 15-20 new access points, all together around 40.

So i got one test 305 to make it work just inside organisation, but with Master AP on one VLAN, and this test AP on other.

I connected first test AP to same VLAN and immediately he picked up master config, reboot, and voila everything works.

Now problem was when i moved him from VLAN where master and rest of APs were, to differend VLAN. He could not see master, so he "become" master for him self and become island in wireless management network. 

Just to mention those 2 VLANs do not have any policy or ACL forbiding any traffic. any any all :) If i SSH to both of them, they can ping and have all traffic in both direction, from master to test, and from test to master.

Since we never did this kind of configuration we were testing any kind of configuration. Removed on master AutoJoin feature, then + button was not gray and could click and add. We add MAC of new AP on differend VLAN, still nothing, it just stands in controller list and nothing.

Next thing we tried to put IP of master AP in Configuration > System > Virtual Controller IP of this test AP on seperate VLAN, also nothing.

Then i read about DHCP options 60 and 43, so i set that up on DHCP server for that VLAN, changed test AP in that VLAN to get IP via DHCP, everything worked, except again nothing changed.

In all of this tries test AP on seperate VLAN was alone and master to him self, and master AP in primary management VLAN with all other 20 APs was master for all of them.

So my question is. How can i join 305 InstantAP on one VLAN to Master (Virtual Controller) AP on seperate VLAN?

Thx all!