Cisco Systems AIRAP1041NAK9 5

5 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 1040 series access point uses the IETF 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 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.