Running the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL in Containerlab
A custom vrnetlab build for the Cisco 9800-CL, the console and management fixes it needed, and the checks that proved SSH and the web GUI worked.
Wireless
Enterprise Wi-Fi on Cisco Catalyst 9800, the WLC platform that replaced the AireOS generation. Articles tagged Wireless cover the configuration model, AP join, WPA3, FlexConnect, RRM, fast roaming, SSO HA, and IOS XE troubleshooting.
Latest posts
Catalyst 9800-CL in CML: What You Can and Can't Actually Lab
The 9800-CL in CML will never show a joined AP, and it is not your config. Real IOS XE 17.18.2 output shows exactly what a virtual wireless controller can and cannot do, so you spend study time on the parts that actually work.
What Is a Wireless LAN Controller (WLC)?
A wireless LAN controller turns a pile of access points into a managed network: the APs become radios and the WLC becomes the brain. Covers the problem it solves, the controller-and-AP split, and WLC form factors.
Cisco Wireless Access Point Modes Explained
Every Cisco AP mode explained: Local, FlexConnect, Monitor, Sniffer, Rogue Detector, SE-Connect, Bridge and Mesh. What each does and when to use it.
Wi-Fi 7 for Cisco Shops: Upgrade Now or Wait?
Wi-Fi 7 is shipping and Cisco has a full 802.11be AP lineup, but the real question is whether your environment, wiring, and refresh timing justify the spend now. A practical upgrade decision guide for wireless architects.
Backing Up, Restoring, and Upgrading the Cisco C9800
Backup, restore, and upgrade on the Cisco C9800 look simple until they are not. A full lifecycle walkthrough with Install mode, ISSU, SMU, N+1 rolling upgrades, and the gotchas that never fit on a GUI tooltip.
Cisco C9800 Fabric Mode and SD-Access Wireless Integration
In an SD-Access fabric, the Cisco C9800 stops being the wireless data-plane anchor. Client traffic rides the VXLAN overlay from fabric-enabled AP to edge switch. Here is how fabric-mode wireless actually works and why you would adopt it.
C9800 FlexConnect vs. Local Mode: How to Choose
Local mode and FlexConnect are the two fundamental ways a C9800 hands off client traffic, and the wrong choice shapes WAN use, failure behavior, VLANs, ACLs, and AAA. A per-site decision framework for wireless designers.
C9800 RF Design: Site Survey, Channel Planning, and Power Tuning
RF punishes shortcuts. Bad AP count, wrong channel plan, or a misjudged power envelope will haunt a wireless design for years. A practical Cisco C9800 RF design guide covering site survey, channel planning, and 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz power tuning.
Cisco C9800 Design Best Practices: The Definitive Guide
A working Cisco Catalyst 9800 deployment and a good one are very different things. This guide pulls together the design decisions that matter most, platform, HA, tags, RF, security, and upgrades, with the CLI to validate each.
C9800 NETCONF and RESTCONF: Automation and Programmability
The Cisco Catalyst 9800 supports model-driven programmability through NETCONF and RESTCONF. A practical guide to automating WLC configuration and retrieving operational data with YANG models on real wireless deployments.
C9800 Model-Driven Telemetry: Streaming Wireless Data with YANG and gRPC
Traditional polling consumes bandwidth and lags reality. Model-Driven Telemetry streams real-time wireless data from the C9800 using YANG and gRPC. A guide to MDT on the Catalyst 9800 for dashboards and operational insight.