Lightweight APs

• Lightweight APs (also called Split-MAC Architecture) split Media Access Control duties between the AP and the WLC
• Lightweight APs handle "real-time" operations like handling wireless traffic, encryption/decryption, sending beacons, etc.
  • WLCs perform RF/Security/QoS management, client authentication, association, and roaming management, etc.

• LWAPs can operate in 8 different modes

Lightweight AP Modes

1. There are two different kinds of modes for Lightweight APs
   1. Client-serving
      1. Local
         1. The default mode that provides BSSs, allowing clients to associate with the WLAN
      2. FlexConnect
         1. Enables traffic switching if the connection to the WLC goes down
         2. Functionally transitions the AP from Lightweight mode to Autonomous mode
      3. Bridge Mode (also Mesh Mode)
         1. AP forms a dedicated point-to-point or point-to-multipoint bridge between physical networks
      4. Flex+Bridge
         1. Basically what the name says
   2. Network Management
      1. Monitor
         1. Doesn't broadcast an SSID
         2. Monitors wireless signals and channels for IDS events, rogue APs, and physically locate other wireless stations
      2. Rogue Detector
         1. Can still broadcast an SSID serving clients
         2. Dedicated to detecting rogue wired and wireless device
      3. SE-Connect
         1. SE stands for Spectrum Expert, and collects data for spectrum analysis
         2. Data is sent from the SE-Connect AP to PCs running Cisco Spectrum Expert or MetaGeek Chanalyzer for review
      4. Sniffer
         1. Functions purely as a wireless traffic receiver (does not broadcast SSID)
         2. forwards all traffic to a machine running Wireshark or OmniPeek

CLI Commands

With show ap config general <AP name>, you are likely to device addressing information (DNS, DHCP, Gateway, etc.), but not Syslog or other management information
- You might get Syslog info by running show ap config global on the WLC
This is an example of possible output generated by ChatGPT

(Cisco Controller) >sho ap config general AP01

Cisco AP Identifier.............................. 1
Cisco AP Name..................................... AP01
Country code...................................... US
...
Switch Port Number................................ 1
MAC Address....................................... 00:1a:2b:3c:4d:5e
IP Address........................................ 192.168.1.10
IP Netmask........................................ 255.255.255.0
Gateway IP Addr................................... 192.168.1.1
...
DNS server IP..................................... 192.168.1.2

Metadata

OSI or TCP/IP Layer

CCNA Exam Topic

#extop-2-6

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