Release Notes for Aironet 1100 and 1200 Series Access Points, Cisco IOS Release 12.3(2)XT3

Table Of Contents

Release Notes for Cisco Aironet 1100 and
1200 Series Access Points for Cisco IOS Release 12.3(2)XT3

Contents

Introduction

System Requirements

Finding the IOS Software Version

Upgrading to a New Software Release

New Features

Important Notes

CB20A Client Radios Sometimes Fail to Associate to AIR-RM21A Radio Modules

AIR-RM21A Radio Module Disabled With Antenna in High-Gain Position

Access Point Displays Power in dBm

Access Point Supports DHCP Vendor ID Class AP-1200

Specific Data Rate Settings Required for Best Throughput

Default Username and Password Are Cisco

Access Points Do Not Support Loopback Interface

Non-Cisco Aironet 802.11g Clients Might Require Firmware Upgrade

Throughput Option for 802.11g Radio Blocks Association by 802.11b Clients

Transmit Power Set to Maximum When You Install 802.11g Radio

System Software Upgrade Sometimes Fails Due to Insufficient Memory

Use Auto for Ethernet Duplex and Speed Settings

Use force-reload Option with archive download-sw Command

Radio MAC Address Appears in ACU

Radio MAC Address Appears in Access Point Event Log

Mask Field on IP Filters Page Behaves the Same As in CLI

Repeater Access Points Running IOS Software Cannot Associate to Parent Access Points Not Running IOS Software

Repeater Access Points Cannot Be Configured as WDS Access Points

Cannot Perform Link Tests on Non-Cisco Aironet Client Devices and on Cisco Aironet 802.11g Client Devices

System Software Upgrade Sometimes Fails Using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 SP2

Corrupt EAP Packet Sometimes Causes Error Message

When Cipher is TKIP Only, Key Management Must Be Enabled

Cisco CKM Supports Spectralink Phones

Non-Cisco Aironet Clients Sometimes Fail 802.1x Authentication

Caveats

Open Caveats

Resolved Caveats

Troubleshooting

Related Documentation

Obtaining Documentation and Submitting a Service Request

Release Notes for Cisco Aironet 1100 and
1200 Series Access Points for Cisco IOS Release 12.3(2)XT3

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December 21, 2004

These release notes describe caveats for Cisco IOS Release 12.3(2)XT3. They also provide important information about Cisco Aironet 1100 and 1200 series access points. Cisco IOS Release 12.3(2)XT3 is a limited-availability release that Cisco provides only to specific customers.

Contents

These release notes contain the following sections:

•Introduction

•System Requirements

•New Features

•Important Notes

•Caveats

•Troubleshooting

•Related Documentation

•Obtaining Documentation and Submitting a Service Request

Introduction

The Cisco Aironet access point is a wireless LAN transceiver that acts as the connection point between wireless and wired networks or as the center point of a standalone wireless network. In large installations, the roaming functionality provided by multiple access points enables wireless users to move freely throughout the facility while maintaining uninterrupted access to the network.

You can configure and monitor 1100 and 1200 series access points using the command-line interface (CLI), the web-browser interface, or Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

System Requirements

You can install Cisco IOS Release 12.3(2)XT3 on all 1100, 1130AG, and 1230AG series access points. You can also convert 1200 series access points that run VxWorks to run IOS software.

Finding the IOS Software Version

To find the version of IOS software running on your access point, use a Telnet session to log into the access point and enter the show version EXEC command. This example shows command output from an access point running Cisco IOS Release 12.2(15)JA:

ap1200>show version

Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software

IOS (tm) C1200 Software (C1200-K9W7-M), Version 12.2(15)JA

Copyright (c) 1986-2004 by Cisco Systems, Inc.

On access points running IOS software, you can also find the software version on the System Software Version page in the access point's web-browser interface.

If your access point does not run IOS software, the software version appears at the top left of most pages in the web-browser interface.

Upgrading to a New Software Release

For instructions on installing access point software:

1. Follow this link to the Cisco Aironet Install and Upgrade page:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/wireless/ps430/tsd_products_support_install_and_upgrade.html

2. Click this link to browse to the Cisco IOS Software Center on Cisco.com:

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/navigator.html

Log into Cisco.com to use the Cisco IOS Upgrade Planner.

New Features

This release does not contain new features. It supports the features introduced in Cisco IOS Release 12.3(2)XT. Click this link to browse to the release notes for Cisco IOS Release 12.3(2)XT:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/wireless/access_point/ios/release/notes/b32xtrn.html

Important Notes

This section describes important information about the access point.

CB20A Client Radios Sometimes Fail to Associate to AIR-RM21A Radio Modules

Cisco Aironet CB20A client radios sometimes fail to associate to the AIR-RM21A radio module because the CB20A client does not support all the channels supported by the AIR-RM21A radio module. The default channel setting for the AIR-RM21A radio module, least congested channel, often results in the access point settling on one of these frequencies that the CB20A client radio does not support: channel 149 (5745 GHz), channel 153 (5765 GHz), channel 157 (5785 GHz), and channel 161 (5805 GHz). To avoid this problem, set the channel on the AIR-RM21A radio module to one of the channels supported by the CB20A client.

AIR-RM21A Radio Module Disabled With Antenna in High-Gain Position

The AIR-RM21A radio module does not support the high-gain position for the external antenna (the high-gain position is folded flat against the access point). The access point automatically disables the radio when the antenna is in the high-gain position.

Access Point Displays Power in dBm

In this release, the access point displays transmit power in dBm instead of in mW.

Access Point Supports DHCP Vendor ID Class AP-1200

In this release, the access point supports a DHCP vendor-ID class called AP-1200.

Specific Data Rate Settings Required for Best Throughput

When you click the Best Throughput button on the access point web-browser interface for 802.11g radios the access point sets all data rates to Require. This setting blocks association by 802.11b client radios and, because ERP protection is still enabled, does not provide the absolute best throughput.

For the absolute best throughput on the 802.11g interface, set the CCK rates (1, 2, 5.5, and 11 Mbps) to Disable, and set the OFDM rates (6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 54 Mbps) to Require. These settings block association from 802.11b clients but provide the best throughput.

For the best possible throughput while allowing association from 802.11b clients, set the CCK rates (1, 2, 5.5, and 11 Mbps) to Require and set the OFDM rates (6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 54 Mbps) to Enable.

Default Username and Password Are Cisco

When you open the access point interface, you must enter a username and password. The default username for administrator login is Cisco, and the default password is Cisco. Both the username and password are case sensitive.

Access Points Do Not Support Loopback Interface

Access points do not support a loopback interface. Cisco recommends that you avoid configuring a loopback interface on your access point.

Non-Cisco Aironet 802.11g Clients Might Require Firmware Upgrade

Some non-Cisco Aironet 802.11g client devices require a firmware upgrade before they can associate to the 802.11g radio in the access point. If your non-Cisco Aironet 802.11g client device does not associate to the access point, download and install the latest client firmware from the manufacturer's website.

Throughput Option for 802.11g Radio Blocks Association by 802.11b Clients

When you configure the 802.11g access point radio for best throughput, the access point sets all data rates to basic (required). This setting blocks association from 802.11b client devices. The best throughput option appears on the web-browser interface Express Setup and Radio Settings pages and in the speed CLI configuration interface command.

Transmit Power Set to Maximum When You Install 802.11g Radio

When you replace the 802.11b radio in a 1200 series access point with an 802.11g radio, the 802.11g radio is set to the maximum transmit power allowed in your regulatory domain regardless of the power setting configured on the 802.11b radio. After you install the 802.11g radio and the access point reboots, configure the 802.11g radio to the preferred transmit power.

System Software Upgrade Sometimes Fails Due to Insufficient Memory

When you use the web-browser interface to upgrade access point system software, this error might appear:

ERROR: Not enough system memory for HTTP upgrade. 

This error indicates that your access point or bridge does not have enough free processor memory to transfer the entire system image over HTTP. The memory shortage might be caused by memory fragmentation, which can happen over long-term operation of the unit, or by features that require significant memory, such as WDS. To complete the upgrade using the web-browser interface, free the required memory by disabling the radio interfaces and high memory-usage features such as WDS, and reboot the access point. After the access point reboots, try the upgrade again.

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Note If you use the CLI to disable access point features, remember to save the configuration to Flash before rebooting.

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Use Auto for Ethernet Duplex and Speed Settings

Cisco recommends that you use auto, the default setting, for both the speed and duplex settings on the access point Ethernet port. When your access point receives inline power from a switch, any change in the speed or duplex settings that resets the Ethernet link reboots the access point. If the switch port to which the access point is connected is not set to auto, you can change the access point port to half or full to correct a duplex mismatch and the Ethernet link is not reset. However, if you change from half or full back to auto, the link is reset and, if your access point receives inline power from a switch, the access point reboots.

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Note The speed and duplex settings on the access point Ethernet port must match the Ethernet settings on the port to which the access point is connected. If you change the settings on the port to which the access point is connected, change the settings on the access point Ethernet port to match.

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Use force-reload Option with archive download-sw Command

When you upgrade access point or bridge system software by entering the archive download-sw command on the CLI, you must use the force-reload option. If the access point or bridge does not reload the flash after the upgrade, the pages in the web-browser interface might not reflect the upgrade. This example shows how to upgrade system software successfully using the archive download-sw command:

AP# archive download-sw /force-reload /overwrite tftp://10.0.0.1/image-name

Radio MAC Address Appears in ACU

When a Cisco Aironet client device associates to an access point running IOS software, the access point MAC address that appears on the Status page in the Aironet Client Utility (ACU) is the MAC address for the access point radio. The MAC address for the access point Ethernet port is printed on the label on the back of the access point.

Radio MAC Address Appears in Access Point Event Log

When a client device roams from an access point (such as access point alpha) to another access point (access point bravo), a message appears in the event log on access point alpha stating that the client roamed to access point bravo. The MAC address that appears in the event message is the MAC address for the radio in access point bravo. The MAC address for the access point Ethernet port is printed on the label on the back of the access point.

Mask Field on IP Filters Page Behaves the Same As in CLI

In Cisco IOS Release 12.2(8)JA and later, the mask that you enter in the Mask field on the IP Filters page in the access point GUI behaves the same way as a mask that you enter in the CLI. If you enter 255.255.255.255 as the mask, the access point accepts any IP address. If you enter 0.0.0.0, the access point looks for an exact match with the IP address that you entered in the IP Address field.

Repeater Access Points Running IOS Software Cannot Associate to Parent Access Points Not Running IOS Software

Repeater access points running Cisco IOS software cannot associate to parent access points that do not run IOS software (340 series access points and 350 and 1200 series access points that have not been converted to run IOS software).

Repeater Access Points Cannot Be Configured as WDS Access Points

Repeater access points do not support WDS. You cannot configure a repeater access point as a WDS access point, and if a root access point becomes a repeater in fallback mode, it cannot provide WDS.

Cannot Perform Link Tests on Non-Cisco Aironet Client Devices and on Cisco Aironet 802.11g Client Devices

The link test feature on the web-browser interface does not support non-Cisco Aironet client devices nor Cisco Aironet 802.11g client devices.

System Software Upgrade Sometimes Fails Using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 SP2

A system software upgrade sometimes fails when you use Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.01 SP2 to upgrade system software using the HTTP Upgrade page in the web-browser interface. Use a later version of Microsoft Internet Explorer to perform HTTP system software upgrades, or use TFTP to upgrade system software. Click this URL to browse to the Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide for Cisco Aironet Access Points for complete instructions on performing software upgrades:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/wireless/ps4570/tsd_products_support_configure.html

Corrupt EAP Packet Sometimes Causes Error Message

During client authentication, the access point sometimes receives a corrupt EAP packet and displays this error message:

Oct  1 09:00:51.642 R: %SYS-2-GETBUF: Bad getbuffer, bytes= 28165 
-Process= "Dot11 Dot1x process", ipl= 0, pid= 32 
-Traceback= A2F98 3C441C 3C7184 3C604C 3C5E14 3C5430 124DDC

You can ignore these messages.

When Cipher is TKIP Only, Key Management Must Be Enabled

When you configure TKIP-only cipher encryption (not TKIP + WEP 128 or TKIP + WEP 40) on any radio interface or VLAN, every SSID on that radio or VLAN must be set to use WPA or CCKM key management. If you configure TKIP on a radio or VLAN but you do not configure key management on the SSIDs, client authentication fails on the SSIDs.

Cisco CKM Supports Spectralink Phones

Cisco CKM (CCKM) key management is designed to support voice clients that require minimal roaming times. To date, CCKM supports only Spectralink Wireless Phones. Other voice clients have not been tested with CCKM and are not supported.

Non-Cisco Aironet Clients Sometimes Fail 802.1x Authentication

Some non-Cisco Aironet client adapters do not perform 802.1x authentication to the access point unless you configure Open authentication with EAP. To allow both Cisco Aironet clients using LEAP and non-Cisco Aironet clients using LEAP to associate using the same SSID, you might need to configure the SSID for both Network EAP authentication and Open authentication with EAP.

Caveats

This section lists Open Caveats and Resolved Caveats in Cisco IOS Release 12.3(2)XT3.

Open Caveats

There are no open cavets for this release.

Resolved Caveats

These caveats are resolved in this release:

•CSCee51985—QoS prioritization of packets marked with DSCP priority values now works correctly.

•CSCee63284—1200 series access points no longer reboot intermittently while displaying this error:

LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface Dot11Radio0, changed state to reset.

•CSCee77092—When access points are configured to use long preambles, they no longer mistakenly advertise the use of short preambles in beacons and probe responses.

•CSCee85447—Memory allocation failures on 1200 series access points no longer cause the units to lock up when they are configured as WDS devices.

•CSCef05679—Access points configured as WDS devices no longer display tracebacks indicating a memory leak.

•CSCef35469—1200 series access points equipped with AIR-RM20A radio modules now correctly report the value of the IEEE 802.11 MIB OID dot11CurrentTxPowerLevel.

Troubleshooting

For the most up-to-date, detailed troubleshooting information, refer to the Cisco TAC website at http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html. Click Technology Support, select Wireless from the menu on the left, and click Wireless LAN.

Related Documentation

This section lists documents related to Cisco IOS Release 12.2(15)JA and to 1100 and 1200 series access points.

•Quick Start Guide: Cisco Aironet 1200 Series Access Points

•Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide for Cisco Aironet Access Points

•Cisco IOS Command Reference for Cisco Aironet Access Points and Bridges

•Installation Instructions for Cisco Aironet Power Injectors

Obtaining Documentation and Submitting a Service Request

For information on obtaining documentation, submitting a service request, and gathering additional information, see the monthly What's New in Cisco Product Documentation, which also lists all new and revised Cisco technical documentation, at:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/general/whatsnew/whatsnew.html

Subscribe to the What's New in Cisco Product Documentation as a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed and set content to be delivered directly to your desktop using a reader application. The RSS feeds are a free service and Cisco currently supports RSS Version 2.0.

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