The factory configuration of the WLC is preconfigured to require minimal configuration from the user to get the first working Wi-Fi network. To quickly connect the WLC to the workbench, follow these steps:

1. Ensure that the WLC and the AP to be connected to it are factory reset. If there is any doubt reset them to default by pressing the “F” button located on the front or back panel for 20 seconds. This will reboot the device and it will boot with the factory configuration.
2. Connect the AP directly into the gi1/0/2 port. If PoE injector is used to power the access point, connect the access point to the gi1/0/2 port via the PoE injector. If aPoE switch is used to power the access point, the point is plugged into the switch's access port, and the switch is plugged into the gi1/0/2 WLC port by another access port.
3. The gi1/0/1 WLC port should be included in any access port of the higher network where there is Internet access and an IP address is issued from DHCP server. The gi1/0/1 interface is an uplink in the factory configuration and receives an address via DHCP. The interface that receives the DHCP address is used in the WLC for NAT. After connecting the uplink and access point to the WLC, the access point will automatically receive a DHCP address from 192.168.0.1/24 from the WLC, register with the built-in Wi-Fi controller, get the configuration, including SSID, build a GRE-tunnel to the WLC to transfer subscriber traffic and be ready for connecting enterprise-clients.

4. To successfully authorize a client, it is necessary to create an account for it in the database of the local RADIUS server embedded in the WLC. It can be created using the following commands:

   Login for authorization in WLC: "admin", password: "password". After authorization it is necessary to change the password: wlc(change-expired-password)# password newpassword wlc(change-expired-password)# commit wlc(change-expired-password)# confirm wlc# configure wlc(config)# radius-server local wlc(config-radius)# domain default #Create Wi-Fi user account to connect to the Enterprise SSID: wlc(config-radius-domain)# user name1 wlc(config-radius-user)# password ascii-text password1 wlc(config-radius-user)# end wlc# commit wlc# confirm

   After that you can connect to SSID “default_ssid” with login “name1” and password “password1” and get Internet service.

   Status of the access point on the controller can be viewed using the following command:

   wlc# show wlc ap

   
   

The complete WLC configuration is described in the WLC configuration section. All of the configuration described there is already contained in the factory configuration of the WLC, except for the Wi-Fi user account settings above. Examining the full WLC configuration provides an understanding of what the various objects in the configuration are responsible for and how they relate to each other.