This concept explains how dataplane packet logs capture and display packet information for onboarding and debugging wireless clients. It describes logging categories, features, and the types of network packets collected for troubleshooting.

A dataplane packet log is a diagnostic feature that

captures connectivity and protocol packets (such as DHCP, Neighbor Discovery, and ARP) exchanged between wireless clients and the controller,
helps you debug client onboarding and network communication issues, and
offers unconditional (global) and selective (filtered) packet logging modes.

Expanded explanation

While onboarding wireless clients, you might encounter problems such as client IP address allocation, Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) resolution, and other connectivity issues. All of these issues require debugging.

For rapid troubleshooting, the controller logs Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Neighbor Discovery, and ARP packets exchanged with wireless clients by default.

Packet logging categories

You can use packet-logging categories to capture connectivity information for wireless clients.

Global Trace Log : Captures client connectivity information and is enabled by default.
Filtered Trace Log : Lets you log packets to a filtered buffer. You enable filters using debug commands. Filters capture only specific packet types or packets associated with particular client MAC addresses.

Features of dataplane packet logs

You can add or remove filters to customize the packet types captured. By default, DHCP, Neighbor Discovery, and ARP packets are always included.
You can use display filters to select a subset of logged packets to review.
You can use packet-logging data to view detailed debugging information such as client MAC address, client IP address, VLAN, interface, packet type, and time delta.

Dataplane packet log examples

For onboarding issues, enable filtered trace logs with specific filters to capture only DHCP packets from a problematic client.
Use display filters to narrow the logs to packets exchanged on a particular VLAN or interface.

Enable or disable debug level (CLI)

Adjust the debug level for tracing wireless datapath operations on the device.

Procedure

Enable privileged EXEC mode.

Example:

Device> enable

Enter your password, if prompted.

Enable the debug level to trace global and filtered logic.

Example:

Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer debug-level {all | error | info | trace | warning}

Example:

Device# debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer debug-level all

Use the no form of this command to disable the feature.

The specified debug level is enabled or disabled for the wireless datapath trace-buffer.

Enable packet logging in the global and filtered buffers in the ingress-path (CLI)

Enable detailed packet logging in the ingress-path of your device to troubleshoot and analyze network traffic.

Procedure

	1.	Enter privileged EXEC mode. Example: `Device> enable` Enter your password if prompted.
	2.	Enable the quantum flow processor for the global-trace buffer in the ingress-path. Example: `Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer ingress global-trace` Use the no form of this command to disable the feature.
	3.	Enable Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) packet logging to the filtered-trace buffer in the ingress-path. Example: `Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer ingress filtered-trace capwap ipv4 209.165.200.224/27` Use the no form of this command to disable the feature.
	4.	Enable logging of wireless client packet information to the filtered-trace buffer in the ingress-path. Example: `Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer ingress filtered-trace wlclient {ipv6-nd \| ipv6-ra \| mac-address H.H.H}` Example: `Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer ingress filtered-trace wlclient ipv6-nd` Use the no form of this command to disable the feature.

The device captures and logs packet information for analysis in the global-trace and filtered-trace buffers of the ingress-path.

Enable packet logging in global and filtered buffers for the punt-inject path (CLI)

Enable detailed packet logging to monitor traffic for troubleshooting on specific data paths.

Procedure

	1.	Enter privileged EXEC mode. Example: `Device> enable` Enter your password if prompted.
	2.	Enable the quantum flow processor in the global trace buffer for the punt-inject path. Example: `Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer punt-inject global-trace` Use the no form of this command to disable the feature.
	3.	Enable CAPWAP packet logging to the filtered trace buffer for the punt-inject path. Example: `Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer punt-inject filtered-trace capwap {ipv4 A.B.C.D \| ipv6 X:X:X:X::X \| keepalive}` Example: `Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer punt-inject filtered-trace capwap ipv4 209.165.200.224/27` Use the no form of this command to disable the feature.
	4.	Enable wireless client packet logging to the filtered trace buffer for the punt-inject path. Example: `Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer punt-inject filtered-trace wlclient {ipv6-nd \| ipv6-ra \| mac-address H.H.H}` Example: `Device# [no] debug platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless datapath trace-buffer punt-inject filtered-trace wlclient ipv6-nd` Use the no form of this command to disable the feature.

You have enabled packet logging for the global and filtered trace buffers in the punt-inject path.

Verify dataplane packet logging

To show trace buffer-configured conditions, use this command:

Device# show platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless trace-buffer ingress conditions 
LogTrace Event: Enabled
Trace wlclient-MACs: 
    8c85.90ee.ca92 
allow_all_AP_kalives: enabled
AP_kalive cnt=1, AP_kalive6 cnt=0
  IP0: 49.1.0.73

To view all the log entries in the filtered trace buffer, use this command:

Device# show platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless trace-buffer ingress filtered-trace all
Trace wlclient-MACs: 8c85.90ee.ca92 
  Trace-Buffer for Ingress: Enabled
  Total allocated global-log buffer: 16384
  Total allocated filtered-log v=buffers: 4096

<0 KEEP_ALIVE: CAPWAP peer=49.1.0.73 udp=5256 local=49.1.1.2 udp=5247 vlan=49, dt=213207 c=0
<1 KEEP_ALIVE: CAPWAP peer=49.1.0.73 udp=5256 local=49.1.1.2 udp=5247 vlan=49, dt=213236 c=0
<2 KEEP_ALIVE: CAPWAP peer=49.1.0.73 udp=5256 local=49.1.1.2 udp=5247 vlan=49, dt=213264 c=0
<3 KEEP_ALIVE: CAPWAP peer=49.1.0.73 udp=5256 local=49.1.1.2 udp=5247 vlan=49, dt=213293 c=0
<4 KEEP_ALIVE: CAPWAP peer=49.1.0.73 udp=5256 local=49.1.1.2 udp=5247 vlan=49, dt=213321 c=0
<5 KEEP_ALIVE: CAPWAP peer=49.1.0.73 udp=5256 local=49.1.1.2 udp=5247 vlan=49, dt=213350 c=0

To view the number of entries based on a count, use this command:

Device# show platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless trace-buffer ingress filtered-trace 3
Trace wlclient-MACs: 8c85.90ee.ca92 
  Trace-Buffer for Ingress: Enabled
  Total allocated global-log buffer: 16384
  Total allocated filtered-log v=buffers: 4096

<18 KEEP_ALIVE: CAPWAP peer=49.1.0.73 udp=5256 local=49.1.1.2 udp=5247 vlan=49, dt=213720 c=0
<19 KEEP_ALIVE: CAPWAP peer=49.1.0.73 udp=5256 local=49.1.1.2 udp=5247 vlan=49, dt=213748 c=0
<20 KEEP_ALIVE: CAPWAP peer=49.1.0.73 udp=5256 local=49.1.1.2 udp=5247 vlan=49, dt=213777 c=0

>> 3 entries displayed
   21 entries found in filtered-log buffer
   21 entries ever collected for filtered-log buffer

Clear logs and conditions in global and filtered trace buffers

To clear conditions and logs in the global and filtered trace buffers, use these commands:

Device# clear platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless trace-buffer ingress all
Trace, clear all trace configuration & buffer.

Device# clear platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless trace-buffer ingress conditions
Trace, clear trace configuration

Device# clear platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless trace-buffer ingress filtered-trace
Trace, clear trace Q

Device# clear platform hardware chassis active qfp feature wireless trace-buffer ingress global-trace
Trace, clear trace global Q

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