07-04-2016 11:05 AM
After many days and weekends fighting with the ZoneDirector and the Access Points I need some help and here's my first post!
We have the following:
Zone Director ZD1112 - 9.8.2.0 build 15
Connecting to Cisco Nexus 3048 Switches.
We have Office A and Office B. The ZoneDirector is in Office A with local access points. Office B also has access points.
Office A and Office B are connected via an Ethernet link.
We have created VLAN 31 and this works when wireless devices connect to a standard WLAN. However, the problem that we have is that we want the ZoneDirector to distribute the wpad.dat file to clients from the ZoneDirector which isn't working.
I believe this isn't working because we don't have two way communication between the ZoneDirector and Access points at Office B.
We DO HAVE communication on this network/VLAN between offices. Office B devices on this VLAN and network range can see the Office A devices and vice versa.
The problem we have is that the WIFI Controller cannot ping the other Access Points when it is placed in the WIFI VLAN (31) or native VLAN 1. The Access Points still connect to the Zone Director.
This is where we need some guidance and here's the confusing part (for me): On the WIFI Controller configuration page it requires a VLAN setting for its IPv4 Ethernet address. Why is there a VLAN requirement here and why not let the Ethernet switch port tag the frame?
We have adjusted switch ports’ “access mode” to “port” and “trunk” and allowed VLAN 31 etc, etc, but the results are the same in that:
When the Access VLAN is set the native vlan 1 on the ZD the results are:
A Office B Access Point CAN ping the Office A controller
The Office A ZD cannot ping an Office B Access Point but it can ping its local Access Points.
The Office A ZD is pingable from the switch that is connected to.
When the Access VLAN is set to 31 on the ZD the results are:
The Office A ZD cannot ping any Access Points in Office A or Office B
The Office B Access Point CAN still ping the ZD.
The Office A ZD is NOT pingable from the switch that is connected to but as you can see in the last point other Access Points can still ping it.
The problem appears to be a combination of the native VLAN (1) across the link and VLAN 31.
I appreciate there's a lot to take in but any pointers or guidance really would be appreciated. I have produced a network diagram if that would help.
Tolan
07-04-2016 01:52 PM
07-06-2016 02:54 AM
Hi Eizens
Thank you for the detailed response, really appreciated.
I have "stepped back" from this installation and we're going to start again and take the following action. We have moved the ZD to the same office as the DNS/DHCP and Internet servers to avoid additional routing issues.
We are putting the ZD and AP's into a VLAN that we know has clear communication between offices. This hopes to avoid VLAN1 which (I think) has been "disabled" in various ways by previous engineers to improve security.
I will let you know how we get on.
Tolan
07-08-2016 05:08 AM