User's Manual

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Published August 2016, Part Number 800-70776-002 Rev C

Page 1 of 2

Access Point

Getting Started Guide

This Getting Started Guide provides getting started

information for version 104.x and later Ruckus Wireless

base image access points (APs).

This document assumes familiarity with the Ruckus

ZoneFlex (ZF), ZoneDirector (ZD), SmartZone (SZ), and

FlexMaster (FM) product lines and the features of earlier

releases.

NOTE: This document covers Ruckus Wireless APs. For

information about ZD and SZ controllers, as well as FM

managers, please refer to their respective user

documents.

NOTE: For Ruckus Wireless APs running version 104.x

and later, please be advised that:

• The Ruckus Wireless AP may send a query to Ruckus

containing the AP’s serial number. The purpose is to

enable your AP to autonomously connect with a

wireless LAN controller operated by your choice of

cloud service provider. Ruckus may transmit back to

the AP the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or IP

address of the controller that the AP will

subsequently attempt to join.

• Please be advised that this information may be

transferred and stored outside of your country of

residence where data protection standards may be

different.

CERTIFICATE CHANGES

Beginning in November 2016, the existing default SSL

device certificate on Ruckus APs will expire. Ruckus has

been rolling out replacement certificates on APs since

2015. Build 104 makes the new replacement certificate

the default SSL device certificate.

All APs shipped from Ruckus with release 104 and later

will have the new replacement certificates for SSL

authentication with SmartZone controllers.

Due to this change, APs with release 104 may not be

able to join some older versions of SZ software. To

address this limitation, the SZ has to be upgraded to

3.1.2 or later.

The certificate expiry will require all APs to have the new

replacement certificates loaded and made default to be

able to join SZ with certificate check beyond November

2016. If, after November 2016, the AP is not able to join

SZ, please contact Ruckus Support for assistance.

STANDALONE OR FLEXMASTER-MANAGED

PERATION

Ruckus Wireless APs are shipped from the factory with a

single firmware image, referred to as the "base image."

APs with the base image can only operate in standalone

mode with or without a FlexMaster manager.

Controller-specific features (such as Smart Mesh

networking) are unavailable when the AP is running a

standalone AP base image.

Refer to the Ruckus Wireless Indoor Access Point User

Guide or the Ruckus Wireless Outdoor Access Point User

Guide for instruction on how to configure the AP for

standalone and/or FlexMaster-managed operation.

CONTROLLER MANAGEMENT

In addition to standalone and FlexMaster management,

ZoneFlex APs can also be managed by Ruckus Wireless

ZoneDirector or SmartZone controller platforms. When

the AP discovers one of these controllers on the network,

the AP downloads the associated controller-specific

image and replaces the base image with the

controller-compatible AP firmware.

"Island" SSID

Beginning with AP base image release 104.0, the

"island-xxxxxx" SSID that is broadcast when an AP

starts up in factory default state can be accessed using

the AP’s serial number as the PSK passphrase. This

change makes it easier to configure an AP that has

already been installed.

Ruckus Cloud Discovery

Ruckus Cloud Wi-Fi is WLAN Management-as-a-Service

that enables enterprises with limited IT resources to

easily set-up, monitor, and manage a high-performance

multi-site WLAN of any size, without compromising on

Wi-Fi performance.

Beginning with Release 104.0, all Ruckus 802.11ac APs

have the ability to discover and register with a Ruckus

Cloud controller (note that 802.11n APs do not have this

capability). 11ac APs with 104 image will use secure

HTTPS to query the AP Registrar to discover the

remote/cloud controller. If found, the AP will utilize

secure mechanisms (e.g., SSH port 22 and HTTPS port

11443) to communicate with the remote vSZ/Cloud

controller to connect, and download firmware.

The AP will probe the AP Registrar more often in the first

14 days after initial power-up, and after that, less

frequently. Once the AP finds a controller (ZD, SZ, or

Cloud), it will no longer look for the AP Registrar.

NOTE

: If APs are intended for management by Ruckus

Cloud controller, and you have any other Ruckus

controller on your local network, you must disable the

option to "Automatically approve all AP join requests"

from the controller UI before connecting the AP to the

network. If not, the AP will register with the local

controller first and will be unable to discover Ruckus

Cloud.

SmartZone AP Discovery Process

SmartZone controllers running version 2.5 and later

include an LWAPP2SCG utility for migrating Ruckus APs

to SmartZone control.

Ruckus APs running version 104.x and later can discover

SmartZone controllers without the need to enable the

LWAPP2SCG service on the controller and open ports

12223 and 21 on any firewalls or NAT devices between

the controller and the APs.

NOTE: Some older APs may not be able to discover an

SZ controller using this discovery process. If you

encounter this issue, you have two options:

• First upgrade the AP to base image 104 or later.

• Enable LWAPP2SCG service on the SZ, and open

ports 12223 and 21(if needed).

Summary of content (2 pages)

PAGE 1
The certificate expiry will require all APs to have the new replacement certificates loaded and made default to be able to join SZ with certificate check beyond November 2016. If, after November 2016, the AP is not able to join SZ, please contact Ruckus Support for assistance. Access Point Getting Started Guide This Getting Started Guide provides getting started information for version 104.x and later Ruckus Wireless base image access points (APs).
PAGE 2
CONTROLLER DISCOVERY METHODS There are four methods by which an AP can discover a (ZD or SZ) controller: • Method 1: Controller Discovery Using L2 Subnet • Method 2: Controller Discovery Using DHCP • Method 3: Controller Discovery Using DNS • Method 4: Manually Setting the Controller IP Address in the AP Web Interface Method 1: Controller Discovery Using L2 Subnet When the AP is powered on and connected to the same Layer 2 IP subnet as a controller, the AP looks for any SZ or ZD controller.