Installing the Access Point

This chapter contains the procedure to install the access point (AP).

Zero-Configuration of the Access Point

The AP supports zero-configuration under the following conditions:

  • The device must be in AP mode with background scanning on and without a configured SSID
  • Set up a DNS entry for wifi-security-server on all the DNS servers. This entry should point to the server IP address. By default, the AP looks for the DNS entry wifi-security-server.
  • Place the AP on a DHCP-enabled subnet.
Refer to these articles to understand how APs communicate with the server, and the ports that you need to open to enable the communication:
Important: If placing the device on a network segment separated from the server by a firewall, you must first open port 3851, the port assigned to Arista Networks, for User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and Transport Control Protocol (TCP) bidirectional traffic on the firewall. Zero-configuration does not support setting up multiple devices to connect to multiple servers. In this case, you must manually configure the APs. For details on configuring an AP manually, see the Access Point CLI Guide.

Assign a static IP address to the AP or change the settings to DHCP. Make a note of the AP MAC address and the IP address in a safe place before installing it in a hard-to-reach location. Locate the AP MAC address on a label at the bottom of the product.

Use the following steps to install the AP with zero-configuration:

  1. Ceiling Mounting the Access Point or Wall Mount the Access Point
  2. Connecting the Access Point to the Network
  3. Power On the Access Point

Ceiling Mounting the Access Point

Mounting the access point (AP) on the ceiling consists of the following steps:

  1. Attach the bracket to the T-grid - Use the mounting bracket to install the AP on the ceiling. Attach the bracket to the T-grid and rotate the bracket so that it snaps on the T-grid. The bracket becomes parallel to an arm of the T-grid. Be sure the bracket properly snaps to the T-grid, as shown below.
  2. Mounting the AP on the bracket - Place the first mounting post on the back of the AP to the lower notch of the bracket. Rotate the AP so that the center mounting post fits into the center notch on the bracket. Be sure all the mounting posts on the back of the AP snap to the respective notches on the bracket. The mounting posts now properly fit in the respective notches of the bracket and the AP mounts properly.
    Mounting Instructions using the Silhouette/Interlude Bracket Mount: The Silhouette/Interlude mounting bracket does not ship as part of the standard package and must be procured separately. The mounting instructions for the Silhouette/Interlude Bracket Mount contain similar instructions as the Standard Package Content's mounting instructions.
    Note: As a best practice, label the APs using MAC addresses or user your own convention. For example, use serial numbers so that you can easily identify the APs.

Wall Mount the Access Point

Note: The wall mounting accessory SKU (MNT-AP-FLAT-14CM) can be ordered and purchased separately.

For instructions on wall mounting the access point, refer to Wall Mount the Access Point article.