Table Of Contents
Read This First
How to Open the Top Cover
Safety Information
Warnings
Overview
Related Documentation
Unpacking the Access Point
Deploying Standalone Access Points
Deploying Controller-Based Access Points
Mounting the Access Point
Mounting on a Horizontal or Vertical Surface
Mounting on a Suspended Ceiling
Mounting Above a Suspended Ceiling
Mounting on a Network Cable Box
Mounting on a Desktop or Shelf
Attaching the Access Point to the Mounting Plate
Securing the Access Point
Using a Security Cable
Securing the Access Point to the Mounting Plate
In Case of Difficulty
Rotating the Cisco Logo
Checking the Access Point LEDs
Compliance Information
Read This First
This guide will help you to install a Cisco 521 Wireless Express Access Point (hereafter referred to as the AP521) in your Smart Business Communications System network.
How to Open the Top Cover
The top cover provides access to the cable and power connections.
Caution 
Do not open the access point top cover as you would a hatch or door. You could damage the cover by doing so. An instruction label is attached to the access point. Take time to read the label before you open the access point cover.
When you become familiar with the opening procedure, we recommend that you remove the label and put it in a safe place such as inside the cover of this guide.
Note Status LED indications are not visible when the top cover is open.
Follow these steps to open the top cover:
1. Put the access point on a flat surface, and grasp it with both hands, as shown in this illustration.
2. Gently push the cover away from you until it stops, as shown in this illustration
.
3. Remove the opening instruction label from the top cover.
Note We recommend that you save the label for reference.
Safety Information
The FCC, with its action in ET Docket 96-8, has adopted a safety standard for human exposure to RF electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC-certified equipment. Cisco 521 access points meet the uncontrolled environmental limits found in OET-65 and ANSI C95.1, 1991. Proper operation of this radio device according to the instructions in this document and the installation and configuration guide will result in user exposure substantially below the FCC recommended limits.
•Do not hold any component containing a radio such that the antenna is very close to or touching any exposed parts of the body, especially the face or eyes, while transmitting.
•The use of wireless devices in hazardous locations is limited to the constraints posed by the safety directors of such environments.
Warnings
Warning This product must be connected to a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) IEEE 802.3af compliant power source or an IEC60950 compliant limited power source.
Warning In order to comply with FCC radio frequency (RF) exposure limits, antennas should be located a minimum of 7.9 in. (20 cm) or more from the body of all persons.
Warning Do not operate your wireless network device near unshielded blasting caps or in an explosive environment unless the device has been modified to be especially qualified for such use.
Warning Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect cables during periods of lightning activity.
Warning Read the installation instructions before you connect the system to its power source.
Warning This product relies on the building's installation for short-circuit (overcurrent) protection. Ensure that the protective device is rated not greater than: 20A.
Overview
The Cisco 521 Wireless Express Access Point is a single-band 802.11g access point that features business-class management, security, and scalability. The access point offers high performance wireless connectivity in carpeted offices and similar environments.
The access point is part of the Cisco Mobility Express Solution that brings together the AP521 and the Cisco 526 Wireless Express Mobility Controller (hereafter referred to as the WLC526). The Cisco Mobility Express Solution is the wireless component of the Cisco Smart Business Communication System.
The AP521 is available in two configurations:
•Standalone mode—AP521s are directly connected to the wired infrastructure and provide high-speed wireless connectivity to users in the areas they cover. Standalone AP521s are also known as autonomous access points because configuration and management is performed locally at the individual access point level.
•Controller-based mode—AP521s associate with a WLC526 wireless controller to provide wireless connectivity. Controller-based AP521s are also known as lightweight access points because configuration and management are performed through a single interface.
You configure the access points using the Cisco Configuration Assistant (CCA). The CCA is GUI-based software that you install on a windows-based PC and that allows you to configure all components of your Cisco Smart Business Communications System.
The following illustration shows all the components of the Cisco Smart Business Communications System.
The following illustration shows the AP521 and identifies its features.
1
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Power connector
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5
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Padlock post
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2
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Ethernet port
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6
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Mode button
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3
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Keyhole slot
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7
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Ethernet and radio LEDs
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4
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Console port
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8
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Status LED
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Related Documentation
This guide assumes that you are deploying your access points in the Cisco Smart Business Communications System. You must configure the system components before you deploy the access points. The following documents provide information about system components and include configuration procedures:
•Cisco Smart Business Communications System Setup—This document, referred to as the "Smart Doc" in some documents, contains instructions for installing, configuring, and monitoring the Cisco Smart Business Communications System. You should use the Cisco Smart Business Communications System Setup document to configure all the components of the smart business system.
•Cisco Configuration Assistant Quick Start Guide—Contains basic installation and configuration instructions for the Cisco Configuration Assistant (CCA).
•Quick Start Guide: Cisco 526 Series Wireless Express Mobility Controller—Provides installation and preliminary configuration instructions for the WLC526).
These documents are available on cisco.com. Follow this link to go to the 521 access point documentation:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps7319/prod_installation_guides_list.html
Follow this link to go to the 526 controller documentation:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps7320/prod_installation_guides_list.html
These additional documents are also on cisco.com.
•Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series for Small Business Getting Started Guide—Provides basic installation and setup instructions for the Cisco Unified 500 Series Platform (hereafter referred to as the UC500).
•Getting Started Guide for the Catalyst Express 520 Switches—Provides basic installation and setup instructions for the Cisco Catalyst Express 520 switch (hereafter referred to as the CE520).
•User Guide for the Catalyst Express 520 Switches—Provides advanced configuration information for the CE520 switch.
Unpacking the Access Point
Each access point package contains the following items:
•An AP521 access point (standalone or controller-based)
•Mounting hardware kit
•This guide
Complete these steps to prepare for installation.
Step 1 Carefully unpack and remove the access point and hardware kit from the shipping box.
Step 2 Return all packing material to the shipping container, and save it.
Step 3 Verify all the package contents, and inspect each item for damage. If any item is missing or damaged, contact your Cisco representative for support.
Deploying Standalone Access Points
In the standalone architecture, you can deploy up to three standalone AP521s and configure them using the CCA. These access points can be upgraded later into a controller-based architecture. This procedure assumes that you are using a UC500, a CE520, and the CCA.
Refer to the Cisco Smart Business Communications System Setup document, Section 4, "Deploy Basic or Multi-AP Wireless," follow the steps listed in the section entitled "Deploy Cisco 521 Series Wireless Express Access Points in Standalone Mode" to deploy your standalone AP521s.
Deploying Controller-Based Access Points
In the controller-based architecture, you can deploy up to six controller-based AP521s and configure them using the CCA. This procedure assumes that you are using a UC500, a CE520, a WLC526, and the CCA.
Refer to the Cisco Smart Business Communications System Setup document, Section 4, "Deploy Advanced Wireless," and follow the steps listed there.
Note Before you can deploy controller-based AP521s, you must first configure the WLC526. See the Quick Start Guide: Cisco 526 Series Wireless Express Mobility Controller for instructions.
Mounting the Access Point
The AP521 can be mounted as follows:
•On a horizontal or vertical surface
•On a suspended ceiling
•Above a suspended ceiling
•On a network cable box
•On a desktop
Mounting on a Horizontal or Vertical Surface
Follow these steps to mount the access point on a horizontal or vertical surface:
Step 1 Use the mounting plate as a template to mark the locations of the two mounting holes (labeled with an X) and the location of the cable access hole. See the illustration below.
1
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Keyhole clip
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5
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T-bar hanger clip hole
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2
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Screw holes (A, B, C)
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6
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Security screw hole
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3
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Screw hole (X)
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7
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Padlock hole
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4
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Location for cable access hole
|
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Step 2 Drill a 3/16 in. (4.7 mm) hole at the X mounting hole locations you marked.
Step 3 If they are required, insert wall anchors into the mounting holes.
Step 4 If needed, drill or cut a cable access hole large enough for the Ethernet cable and a power cable (if used) and pull the cables through the access hole until you have about 1 ft. of exposed cables protruding from the cable.
Note You can insert the Ethernet cable and the power cable (if used) through the cable access notch in the access point housing.
Step 5 Position the mounting plate over the wall anchors or the drilled holes.
Step 6 Insert two 8 x 32 x 1 in. pan head screws in the X mounted holes and tighten.
Step 7 Attach the access point to the mounting plate.
Mounting on a Suspended Ceiling
Review the following illustration before beginning the mounting process.
1
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T-rail locking screws
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3
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T-rail width detents
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2
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Mounting plate screw holes
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Follow these steps to mount your access point on a suspended ceiling:
Step 1 Determine the location on the ceiling where you intend to mount the access point.
Step 2 Select the appropriate T-rail clip for your suspended ceiling and open the clip to the maximum.
Step 3 Place the clip over the T-rail and close it to the appropriate (A, B, or C) detent.
Step 4 Tighten the two T-rail locking screws to prevent the clip from sliding along the rail.
Step 5 Observe the T-rail width detent letter (A, B, or C) that corresponds to the T-rail width.
Step 6 Align the corresponding (A, B, or C) holes on the mounting plate over the T-rail mounting plate holes.
Step 7 Hold the mounting plate and insert a 6 x 32 x 1/4 in. flat head screw into each of the four corresponding (A, B or C) holes and tighten.
Step 8 If needed, drill or cut a cable access hole large enough for the access point cables and pull the cables through the hole until you have about 1 ft. of exposed cables protruding from the hole.
Step 9 Attach the access point to the mounting plate.
Mounting Above a Suspended Ceiling
The access point mounting bracket is designed to be integrated into the T-rail grid above the tiles of a suspended ceiling. The access point uses a T-bar box hanger (not supplied) such as the Erico Caddy 512 or B-Line BA12 and should be oriented just above the top surface of a standard 5/8-in. (1.59-cm) ceiling tile. You may need to modify a thicker tile to allow room for the access point.
Caution Only the fiber-optic power injector (AIR-PWRINJ-FIB) has been tested to UL 2043 operation in a building's environmental air space; the AIR-PWRINJ3 power injector and the power model are not tested to UL 2043 and should not be placed in a building's environmental air space.
Caution Cisco does not sell Ethernet cable rated for use in a building environmental air space. You must obtain special Ethernet cable with the appropriate rating.
Follow these steps to mount the access point above a suspended ceiling. Refer to the following illustration before proceeding.
1
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Suspended ceiling T-rail
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4
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Access point mounting plate
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2
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T-bar box hanger
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5
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Access point
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3
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Bracket mounting clip
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6
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T-rail clip
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Step 1 Insert the bracket mounting clip's tab into the rectangular hole on the access point mounting bracket.
Step 2 Place the clip over the T-bar box hanger as shown in the following illustration and secure it to the access point mounting bracket with the 1/4-20 fastener (supplied with the T-bar hanger).
Step 3 Remove a ceiling tile adjacent to the mounting location.
Step 4 Configure the ends of the T-bar box hanger to allow for maximum clearance above the ceiling tile.
Step 5 Open the access point cover and connect the Ethernet cable to the access point.
Step 6 Attach the access point to the access point mounting bracket.
Step 7 Attach the T-rail clips on each end of the T-bar box hanger to the ceiling grid T-rails. Make sure the clips are securely attached to the T-rails.
Step 8 Connect a drop wire to a building structural element and the hole provided in the bracket mounting clip. This additional support is required in order to comply with the U.S. National Electrical Safety Code.
Step 9 If you need additional security, you can secure the access point to a nearby immovable object using a Kensington lock and security cable.
Step 10 Verify that the access point is operating properly and then replace the ceiling tile.
Mounting on a Network Cable Box
Follow these steps to mount the access point on a network cable box.
Step 1 Position the mounting plate over the network cable box and align the two mounting holes (labeled X) with the network cable box holes.
Step 2 Hold the mounting plate and insert a 6 x 32 x 1/4 in. pan head screw into each of the two X mounting holes and tighten.
Step 3 Pull the access point cables out of the network box until there is about 1 ft. of exposed cables protruding from the box.
Step 4 Attach the access point to the mounting plate.
Step 5 Connect the cables to the access point.
Mounting on a Desktop or Shelf
When placing the access point on a desktop or shelf, you do not need the mounting plate. The access point has four rubber pads on the bottom to help prevent it from sliding on or scratching the surface of your desktop or shelf.
Attaching the Access Point to the Mounting Plate
Follow these steps to attach the access point to the mounting plate:
Step 1 Open the access point cover.
Step 2 In the cable bay area, pull the cables through the access point cable opening.
Step 3 In the cable bay area, line up the visible access point keyhole with the mounting plate keyhole clip located near the security padlock hole as shown in the following illustration.
1
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Access point keyhole
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4
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Security screw hole
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2
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Mounting plate
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5
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Padlock hole
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3
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Mounting plate clip
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Step 4 Insert the keyhole clip into the keyhole and maintain a slight pressure to hold the access point in place.
Step 5 Slightly rotate the access point from side-to-side until you hear the second keyhole clip falling into the other keyhole that is located on the opposite end of the access point and not visible.
Step 6 Slide the access point back over the keyhole clips. You will hear a click when the locking detent contacts the access point and locks it into place.
Securing the Access Point
There are two ways you can secure your access point:
•Using a security cable
•Securing the access point to the mounting plate
Using a Security Cable
You can secure the access point by installing a standard security cable (such as the Kensington Notebook MicroSaver, model number 64068) into the access point security cable slot. The security cable can be used with any of the mounting methods described in this guide.
Securing the Access Point to the Mounting Plate
The mounting plate provides two methods of securing your access point to restrict its removal:
1. You can use the security hasp adapter (supplied) and a padlock that you provide to secure your access point. Compatible padlocks are Master Lock models 120T or 121T.
2. You can use the 8 x 32 x 3/16 in. pan head screws (provided) or a tamper-resistant head screw that you provide to attach the access point to the mounting plate using the security screw hole.
Follow these steps to install the security hasp adapter:
Step 1 Open the access point cover.
Step 2 Carefully tilt the security hasp adapter and insert the access point security hasp tab into the notch on the security hasp adapter as shown in the following illustration.
1
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Access point security hasp tab
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3
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Security hasp adapter
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2
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Security hasp notch
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Step 3 Push down on the security hasp adapter to expose the padlock post hole.
Step 4 Insert a padlock into the padlock post hole and lock the padlock.
Step 5 Position the padlock into the access point's padlock area as shown in the following illustration.
1
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Access point cover open
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3
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Security padlock
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2
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Security hasp adapter
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Step 6 Push down on the padlock to ensure that the padlock is held by the security hasp adapter clips.
Step 7 Close the access point cover by sliding it over the security hasp adapter until you hear a click.
In Case of Difficulty
If you followed the instructions in previous sections of this guide, you should have had no trouble getting your access point installed and running. If you do experience difficulty, the following sections provide basic troubleshooting information.
Before contacting Cisco, look for a solution to your problem in this guide.
Support is available on cisco.com. Follow this link to go to the Support page:
http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html
From the support page, select the appropriate link.
Rotating the Cisco Logo
The Cisco logo on top of the unit can be rotated to correctly position the logo for any mounting arrangement. For example, when the unit is mounted on a vertical surface. The logo should always be easy to read.
To rotate the logo, follow these steps:
Step 1 Place the end of an opened paper clip into each of the holes on the logo assembly.
Step 2 Using the paper clips, rotate the logo until you reach the desired orientation. Detents are provided to help you align the logo for 90 degree rotations.
Step 3 Remove the paper clips.
Checking the Access Point LEDs
If your AP521 is not working properly, check the Status LED on the top panel or the Ethernet and Radio LEDs in the cable bay area. You can use the LED colors to assess the unit status.
Note To see the Ethernet and Radio LEDs you must open the access
point cover.
The LED meanings are shown in this table.
Cable Bay Area
|
Top of Unit
|
Meaning
|
Ethernet
|
Radio
|
Status
|
Green
|
Green
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Green
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DRAM memory test OK
|
Off
|
Blinking green
|
Blue-green
|
Initialize Flash file system
|
Off
|
Green
|
Pink
|
Flash memory test OK
|
Green
|
Off
|
Dark blue
|
Ethernet test OK
|
Green
|
Green
|
Green
|
Starting operating system
|
-
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-
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Light green
|
Normal operation, no wireless devices associated
|
-
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-
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Blue-green
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Normal operation, at least one wireless device associated
|
Green
|
-
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-
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Ethernet link is operational
|
Blinking green
|
-
|
-
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Transmitting or receiving Ethernet packets
|
-
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Blinking green
|
-
|
Transmitting or receiving radio packets
|
-
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-
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Blinking dark blue
|
Software upgrade in progress
|
Off
|
Off
|
Yellow
|
Ethernet link not operational
|
Red
|
Off
|
Yellow
|
Ethernet failure
|
Red
|
Red
|
Red
|
DRAM memory test failure
|
Off
|
Red
|
Blinking red and blue
|
Flash file failure
|
Off
|
Amber
|
Blinking red and blue-green
|
Environmental variable failure
|
Amber
|
Off
|
Blinking red and yellow
|
Bad MAC address
|
Red
|
Off
|
Blinking red and off
|
Ethernet failure during image recovery
|
Amber
|
Amber
|
Blinking red and off
|
Boot environment error
|
Red
|
Amber
|
Blinking red and off
|
No Cisco IOS image file
|
Amber
|
Amber
|
Blinking red and off
|
Boot failure
|
Blinking amber
|
-
|
-
|
Transmit or receive Ethernet errors
|
-
|
Blinking amber
|
-
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Maximum retries or buffer full occurred on the radio
|
Red
|
Red
|
Amber
|
Software failure
|
-
|
-
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Amber
|
General warning, insufficient inline power
|
-
|
-
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Alternating green, red, and amber
|
Connection to the controller
Note If the access point remains in this mode for more than five minutes, it is unable to find the controller.
|
-
|
-
|
Blinking dark blue
|
Loading the access point image file
|
Compliance Information
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the European Telecommunications Standard ETS 300.328. This standard covers Wideband Data Transmission Systems referred to in CEPT recommendation T/R 10.01.
This type-accepted equipment is designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
The Declarations of Compliance for this product relevant to the European Union and other countries following EU Directive 1999/5/EC (R&TTE Directive) can be found in the Declarations of Conformity and Regulatory Information for the Cisco 521 Access Point. This document is available on Cisco.com.
