I’m setting up a WLAN CAPsMAN for my customers, which will include 30 CAP XL devices. However, I’m running into an issue: my CAPsMAN configuration isn’t working with the default CAPs. To get it to work, I have to manually connect to each CAP individually via cable or Wi-Fi, reset the configuration, and then apply my settings. This is manageable with a few devices, but with 30 CAPs, it becomes quite time-consuming.
Do you have any suggestions or might I be missing something in my setup?
The most logical answer: something is wrong in your setup.
You saw that one coming, right ?
Please post config of capsman controller and one of the caps.
Terminal, /export file=anynameyouwish
Move to text editor, remove any sensitive info (serial, public IP, passwds, …)
My issue is with pre-configured CAPs. Every time I purchase new CAPs, I have to reset them using Ether2 and apply my configurations. Now imagine if I have 30 CAPs — I’d need to reset each one, configure it via Ether2, and then switch the cable back to Ether1.
For example, in my last project, the electrical technician had already installed all the cables and sockets, and connected everything to Ether1. After that, I couldn’t change the CAP’s configuration because I didn’t have direct access to the CAP via the router. So, I had to connect to each CAP individually via WLAN or Ether2 to change the configuration. This is because with pre-configured CAPs, you don’t have access to them through Ether1.
Just to clear some things out …
Are we talking about cAP AX devices or cAP XL AC devices ?
Former are pure AX devices and should work when put in caps mode.
Latter are AC devices and need wifi-qcom-ac package to be used with wave-capsman (under wifi menu structure) AND there are quite a bit of caveats w.r.t. VLAN handling etc.
That needs to be cleared first so there is no misunderstanding.
Your first post says cAP XL. There is only cAP XL AC having “XL” in the name so we have to assume you are referring to that one.
Then you say they use wifi-qcom (which is simply wrong for that device, it should use wifi-qcom-ac and then you have all the caveats I mentioned with it).
I’m not referring to a single configuration or project, but rather the default configuration of CAPs in general. It doesn’t matter which model. My issue is: why can’t I access new CAPs (straight out of the box and installed directly on the wall) using Winbox?
It doesn’t seem very professional to install 30 CAPs and then, for the first setup, have to physically connect to each one individually via Ether2 or WLAN just to open Winbox and apply my configuration.
Oh, sorry, I don’t want to waste your time, and I really appreciate your efforts to help me.
For the setup I mentioned earlier, I used 3 cAP ax devices. After configuring everything in the router, I still had to physically go to each of the 3 CAPs, connect my laptop directly via cable, and reset the pre-configuration.
Why can’t I connect to the CAPs using Winbox from the router? Why do I have to physically go to each CAP just to apply my configuration?
this is my Config on Caps AX:
# 2024-09-11 21:32:35 by RouterOS 7.15.2
# software id = 5Y52-S492
#
# model = cAPGi-5HaxD2HaxD
# serial number = xxxxxxxxxxxx
/interface bridge
add name=bridge1 port-cost-mode=short
/interface wifi datapath
add bridge=bridge1 disabled=no name=datapath1
/interface wifi
# managed by CAPsMAN
# mode: AP, SSID: Intern_OG, channel: 5580/ax/Ceee
set [ find default-name=wifi1 ] configuration.manager=capsman .mode=ap \
datapath=datapath1 disabled=no
# managed by CAPsMAN
# mode: AP, SSID: Intern_OG, channel: 2437/ax/Ce
set [ find default-name=wifi2 ] configuration.manager=capsman .mode=ap \
datapath=datapath1 disabled=no
/interface bridge port
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether1
add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether2
/ip firewall connection tracking
set udp-timeout=10s
/ip neighbor discovery-settings
set discover-interface-list=!dynamic
/interface wifi cap
set discovery-interfaces=bridge1 enabled=yes slaves-datapath=datapath1
/ip dhcp-client
add interface=bridge1
/system clock
set time-zone-name=Europe/Berlin
/system identity
set name=WiFi-Mitte
/system note
set show-at-login=no
Is there any other option to avoid resetting the CAPs? Sometimes the electricians install the CAPs on the wall before I even begin setting up the router.
Because out of factory, default config for most MT models is “home router” mode … in which first ether port (ether1) is used as WAN port and to protect device from being exploited before the ignorant users do the initial configuration (it’s been said that some users never do), remote management access to device is blocked via WAN port. Changing over to CAP mode can be done by pressing button while powering device up … and that’s about the simplest procedure possible (even some installer should be able to do it while mounting the device on the ceiling).
Default config has the rest of ether ports (and wireless) bridged and set as LAN … from which management access to device is possible. Hence the suggestion to isntall ether2 cable as well (but that one should be removed after device comissioning if location is accessible to non-authorized people … and that involvec climbing to the device itself again).
So I agree that it’s best to do basic comissioning prior to handing devices out to installers.
If device is fully bridged it doesn’t matter if ether1 and 2 are connected. Both are accessible then to non-authorized people.
You need to protect the other end of the cables, where they are plugged into the switch(es).
And that’s usually a restricted area with lock (network cabinet or whole room).
My view …
And as for router access itself: all of us being sensible admins do change default password, don’t we ?
Agree to that. I was just explaining to @OP why he can’t manage device via ether1 if they’re running factory default config (which doesn’t bridge ether1 with the rest of ports AFAIK).
