Introduction

Overview of Cisco Catalyst IW9165E Access Point

The Cisco Catalyst IW9165E Rugged Access Point (AP) and Wireless Client (here after referred as the Catalyst IW9165E). This AP supports 2x2 Wi-Fi 6E design with external antennas. It is designed to add ultra-reliable wireless connectivity to moving vehicles and machines. Low power consumption, rugged IP30 design, and small form factor make the Catalyst IW9165E very simple to integrate into industrial assets.

Cisco Unified Industrial Wireless Software Releases

  • From Cisco Unified Industrial Wireless (UIW) Software Release 17.12.1, Catalyst IW9165E can operate in Cisco Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul (CURWB) mode. It delivers high availability, low latency, and zero packet loss with seamless handoffs.

  • From Cisco UIW Software Release 17.13.1, the Catalyst IW9165E can also operate as:

    • Wi-Fi client in Workgroup Bridge (WGB) mode; this allows it to connect to a Cisco AP infrastructure.

    • Wi-Fi client in Universal WGB (uWGB) mode; this allows it to connect to a third-party AP infrastructure.

    Both modes help in bridging the wired clients behind the WGB to the infrastructure's AP.

  • From Cisco UIW Software Release 17.14.1, the Catalyst IW9165E can operate in Lightweight AP (control and provisioning of wireless access points (CAPWAP)) mode, or Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul (URWB) mode, or WGB mode.

The IW9165E allows you to change its operating mode to CAPWAP, WGB, or URWB by just updating the software, without changing the hardware.

CAPWAP modes

In CAPWAP mode, APs can operate in these modes:

  • Local mode: This is the default mode for the AP. In this mode, the AP serves clients. In local mode, the AP creates two CAPWAP tunnels for the controller; one for the management and the other for data traffic. This configuration is called as central switching because the AP switches (bridges) the data traffic to the controller.

  • Flexconnect mode: In this mode, the data traffic switches locally, and it is not sent to the controller. In this mode, the AP behaves like an autonomous AP, but the WLC manages the AP. Here, the AP continues to work, even after the controller connection lost.

  • Fabric mode:In this mode, the AP has a VxLAN tunnel (Access-Tunnel) build to the fabric edge where the AP is attached. If the AP connects to an extended node (EN) or a policy extended node (PEN), the access tunnels connect the AP to the fabric edge where the EN or PEN links up. This VxLAN tunnel maintains network segmentation up to AP. The AP is responsible for inserting the SGT tag in the VxLAN tunnel to the fabric edge.

  • Sniffer mode: In this mode, the AP starts sniffing the air on a given channel. It captures all the data packets from devices on that channel and sends them to a remote computer that uses programs like Airopeek or Wireshark to analyze the information. The AP tags the traffic with Security Group Tag (SGT) as it travels through the VxLAN tunnel to the fabric edge.


    Note
    In this mode, ensure that both the server and the WLC are on the same VLAN; otherwise, an error message appears.

  • Monitor mode: In this mode, the AP doesn't handle data traffic between clients and infrastructure. Instead, AP acts as a dedicated sensor for location-based services (LBS), rogue AP detection, and Intrusion Detection System (IDS). When the AP is in monitor mode, it actively monitors the airwaves and typically does not serve clients.

  • Site Survey mode:In this mode, AP is used for configuring the RF parameters for site survey investigation. For information, see the AP Survey Mode section in the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller Software Configuration Guide.

Unsupported Features

  • 2.4 GHz radio, and

  • Scan radio.

For more information about how to configure the AP on the WLC, see Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller Software Configuration Guide.

Determine image

Software images are stored under different folders on the same section on IW9165E.

Choose the software image accordingly as per the AP's mode:

  • CAPWAP,

  • URWB, or

  • WGB/uWGB.

Table 1. IW9165E software images

IW9165E mode

Software image

CAPWAP

ap1g6b-k9w8-xxx.tar

URWB

UIW image ap1g6m-k9c1-xxx.tar

WGB or uWGB

Use the show version command to determine the image running on IW9165E.

  • If the output shows Cisco AP Software, (ap1g6b) ; AP is running with the CAPWAP mode. 

    Cisco AP Software, (ap1g6b), C9165, RELEASE SOFTWARE
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2024 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Tue Feb 20 23:04:29 GMT 2024

  • If the output shows Cisco AP Software (ap1g6m); AP is running with the URWB mode or WGB/uWGB. 

    Cisco AP Software, (ap1g6m), C9165, RELEASE SOFTWARE 
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2024 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Tue Feb 20 23:04:29 GMT 2024

Image conversion

To convert the IW9165E access point either from Wi-Fi mode (CAPWAP) or URWB mode or WGB mode, follow these steps:

  1. Use the configure boot mode urwb command to convert from CAPWAP to URWB mode or from WGB/uWGB to URWB mode. 

    Device#configure boot mode urwb

  2. Use the configure boot mode capwap command to convert from URWB to CAPWAP mode or from WGB/uWGB to CAPWAP mode. 

    Device#configure boot mode capwap

  3. Use the configure boot mode wgb command to convert from CAPWAP to WGB/uWGB mode or from URWB to WGB/uWGB mode. 

    Device#configure boot mode wgb

Note

Once you perform these commands, the AP starts to reboot and the new configuration takes effect.

Warning

Image conversion performs a full factory reset which completely erases the configuration and data.

Connecting to the Access Point Console Port

To configure the access point locally (without connecting to a wired LAN), connect the computer to the access point’s console port using a DB-9 to RJ-45 serial cable and to open the CLI by connecting to the access point’s console port, follow these steps:

  1. Connect a nine-pin, female DB-9 to RJ-45 serial cable to the RJ-45 serial port on the access point and to the COM port on a computer.

  2. Set up a terminal emulator to communicate with the access point. In the terminal emulator, use the following settings:

    Parameter

    Value

    Baud rate

    115200 bps

    Data

    Eight bits

    Parity

    No

    Stop

    One stop bit

    Flow Control

    No

  3. There are two available command-prompt modes: standard command prompt (>) and privileged command prompt (#). When logged in for the first time, it directs you to standard command prompt (>) mode to execute unprivileged commands.

    To access privileged command-prompt (#) mode, enter the enable command (abbreviated as en) and enter the enable password (the privilege mode login password is different from the standard login password).

    Use these default credentials to log in:

    • Username: Cisco

    • Password: Cisco


    Note

    Once the initial configuration completes, ensure to remove the serial cable from the access point.