SmartZone 100 (SZ104) - Discovering Multiple APs

[rajivw]

Planning to deploy 100+ APs in to a SZ cluster (2x SZ104). What's the best way to enable AP discovery by the WLC?

WLC IP is in 172.x.x.x/24 range (MGT). Do the APs have to be in the same range as the WLC to be discovered? If so, how can we enable 172.x.x.x range in all the APs? (Is the only option to use DHCP Option 43?)

All the APs are connected to the Switches and are under VLAN 100 (Untagged - 192.x.x.x DATA range). Will this be an issue for the discovery process, because those are in different subnets? 

Also we're using One-port Group Mode (Control+Data traffic). We don't mind using the 192.x.x.x range to manage the WLC as well, because there's no requirement for a separate MGT and DATA planes. 

Thanks in Advance. 

[DarrelRhodes · Accepted solution]

Hi Rajiv,

APs and SmartZone do not need to be on the same IP subnet.  You will need to configure each SZ in the cluster with a NAT IP, so it can push it's configuration to the APs and they know where to contact it.

This document on our support portal may help: https://support.ruckuswireless.com/documents/1336-smartzone-network-design-with-nat

I've also found a 3rd-party guide which might help: https://wifidevan.wordpress.com/2020/07/27/configure-ruckus-smartzone-behind-nat-to-manage-remote-ap...

In order for APs to discover the SZ(s) when on a different subnet you will need to configure DHCP option 43 or use DNS controller discovery.  More info here:  https://docs.commscope.com/bundle/ap-110.0-indooruserguide/page/GUID-120D8DDA-3008-45EC-BB67-60B8E87...

DHCP Option 43: https://support.ruckuswireless.com/articles/000008703

The key thing to remember is that the APs discover the SZ (using the methods mentioned above) - the SZ does not discover the APs.

I hope that helps,
Darrel.

[rajivw]

Hi @darrel_rhodes 

We configured DHCP Op3 but, but still unable to connect the APs to the Controller. We deployed the DHCP server in one of our ICX Switches. Debugging doesn't show any results. We FR-ed the APs also.

ip dhcp-server pool test
 excluded-address 192.168.40.1
 excluded-address 192.168.40.2
 excluded-address 192.168.40.3
 lease 1 0 0
 network 192.168.40.0 255.255.252.0
 option  3 ip 192.168.40.1
 option  43 hex 060c3139322e3136382e34302e32
 option  60 ascii "Ruckus CPE"
 deploy

[rajivw]

Hi Darrel,

Thanks for your input. I will check these out and let you know. 

[rajivw]

Also, I was wondering whether we can change IP of WLC to AP range (192.168.0.0), so it's easier to discover right? But will we be able to change the IP of the WLC to a different subnet later? If so how will this affect the APs?