I have attempted working with support on how to auto provision ePMP devices but have not been able to get anywhere.
With PMP 450 we are able to put SM's on a bench in our lab.
Set them to receive DHCP (it would be nice if these were set to receive DHCP out of the box on the LAN interface)
Then using Option 66 push a config file to the unit so its ready for the field.
We even take it a step further and have a lab AP that the 450's conect to once they retrieve the config file and then auto update the firmware using CNUT.
I am trying to do the same thing with ePMP but the first problem is these units do not seem to be able to receive DHCP on the LAN interface.
Support confirmed this and said it is only possible to get DHCP via the wireless side.
Then on another support ticket i was told you auto provision ePMP the same way you do PMP 450.
So my questions are is there a way to force an ePMP SM to get DHCP via its LAN interface and if so does option 66 work to push a config to it?
we have an intergrated radio for both 2 and 5 ghz setup in the office with the default config and 0 dbm tx power. what ever radio we turn on out of the box connects and we can upgrade and configure.
the APs will take dhcp via LAN, the cpes will not. you'll need to connect them wirelessly to something first. then you can bulk upgrade and configure.
no, I haven't had time to play with those extra functions. I've set cnmaestro for the field units via 66, but not our configure scope. the bulk programing and updates don't take long so i haven't spent any extra time on doing that yet. its in my to-do list.
a batch of 20 radios takes us 20 to 30 minutes to unbox, bulk update twice for 2.4 radios (using cnut) and drop the config in and rebox. probably spend more time boxing and unboxing than anything.
I'd love to see the APs beable to use more than one ssid and key so a blank fresh out of box radio can be taken to the field, register and if its mac address is in inventory, a config file sent, loaded rebooted and then ready for field use.
completely take away the need to prep the radios before leaving the office. ofcourse care would be needed to keep that default vlan locked down and only reaching the config server... but that would be wonderfully simple for the field guys and save a lot of time.
We use a simple q&a script on tech machines to send snmp commands to the radios. The script determines the current version and directs the radio to a mini web server on the tech machine for firmware and initial configuration. It works very well and we don’t have someone blowing time in their day updating batches of units. We have used the same concept for 100/450 for years.