Converting a Light weight AP to an Autonomous AP Using TFTP

     Occasionally, one might need to perform a conversion on an access point in order to use it as a survey tool, or convert a survey AP back to a light weight AP. The problem is this: We don't always do this and it can become very easy to forget the steps needed to be successful at it.

I recently had my Cisco 2602e loaned out to someone performing RF testing on it in a lab so I had to convert a new AP so I could use it to re-survey an industrial area that made a lot of modifications since the last survey.

Lucky for me, I have plenty of people available to reach out to to trigger my memory for such things as many of us do different tasks, and some much more than others. I reached out to Sam Clements, an old friend who is always willing to lend a hand when I need him.

Here are the steps in performing the conversion and I will add the big deal breaker here that I had to get from Sam (A Mac User), the TFTP Server that comes on the Mac doesn't work for this so I used my Mac to console in with My AIR CONSOLE (Love it) and set up my Dell Laptop as a TFTP Server using 3CDaemon (a free download) as my TFTP server program.



Console into the AP using the AIR CONSOLE Bluetooth connection from the Mac
(You can replace this step with simply using the Cisco console cable if you have a serial port on your PC).

 Press the MODE button (on the access point) and hold it down then power up the AP with the button held down.

As you see the AP boot up, the screen will show "Button Pressed. Waiting for release" and you can release the button at this time and the AP will boot into ROMMON mode.

Your first step will be to format the flash by simply typing this command:
format flash:

Next, you want to set up the network with these commands:
set IP_ADDR 10.0.0.10
set NETMASK 255.255.255.0
set DEFAULT_ROUTER 10.0.0.1

of course you can modify the network if you wish but you have to be sure your PC acting as the TFTP server is on the same subnet.

Next, you have to initiate the flash, the ethernet port on the AP, and the TFTP capability using these commands:
flash_init
ether_init
tftp_init

These three steps have to be performed.

Next you will use the xtract function and load your new image to the AP by using the following command string:
tar -xtract tftp://10.0.0.2/apimagename.tar flash:

*Note: the ip address in the string is the ip address of your PC used as the TFTP Server.

*Also note that the ".tar" extension has to be shown on the file of the directory your TFTP Server is pointing to. Type in the ap image exactly as it shows in that directory or you will not succeed.

You will see the file transfer begin, and it will take a little time to do but you are well on your way.

Once the file loads, you will need to reboot the AP and it will boot with the new image.

When you get to the prompt use Cisco for the username and Cisco for the password to log in and begin configuring the AP.

Here are your steps again in order:

format flash:
set IP_ADDR 10.0.0.10
set NETMASK 255.255.255.0
set DEFAULT_ROUTER 10.0.0.1
flash_init
ether_init
tftp_init
tar -xtract tftp://10.0.0.2/apimagename.tar flash:

Hang onto this command string for future use. You'll need it.






Brett Hill, CWNE #147