N10-009 Question 24
Single answerWireless: Access point (AP), ControllerA company has deployed 35 lightweight wireless access points across three floors of an office. The APs are centrally managed by a wireless LAN controller (WLC). Users report that after the IT team changed the corporate SSID password and enabled a new channel plan, some APs updated immediately but others continued broadcasting the old settings for several hours. The network administrator wants future wireless changes to be pushed consistently and quickly to all managed APs from a single location. Which of the following is the BEST action to take?
- A
Verify that all APs are still joined to the wireless LAN controller and receiving configuration from it
- B
Replace the lightweight APs with autonomous APs so each device can be updated locally
- C
Increase the AP transmit power on the affected floor so configuration changes replicate faster
- D
Create a second SSID with the new password and leave the old SSID active until all clients reconnect
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
In a controller-based WLAN, lightweight APs typically receive their configuration, SSIDs, security settings, and RF policies from a wireless LAN controller over a management tunnel such as CAPWAP. When some APs continue using outdated settings, the most likely issue is loss of controller connectivity, failed configuration synchronization, or APs not being properly joined to the controller. Best practice is to verify AP registration status, management reachability, and controller synchronization before making RF or client-facing changes. This aligns with common enterprise wireless design principles used by major vendors such as Cisco, Aruba, and Juniper Mist, where centralized management through a controller or controller platform provides consistent policy enforcement and rapid deployment of configuration changes.
- A. Correct.
This is correct. In a controller-based wireless deployment, lightweight APs depend on the wireless LAN controller for centralized configuration, policy, and updates. If some APs are still broadcasting old settings, a likely cause is that they are no longer properly joined to the controller, have lost CAPWAP connectivity, or are otherwise not synchronizing configuration. Confirming controller association and management connectivity is the best first step to ensure future changes are pushed consistently from one central point.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Autonomous APs are individually managed and would increase administrative overhead, especially in a 35-AP environment. Replacing lightweight APs with autonomous APs would make centralized updates harder, not easier. A controller-based design exists specifically to simplify uniform wireless configuration across many APs.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Transmit power affects RF coverage and roaming behavior, not controller-based configuration synchronization. Someone might choose this if they confuse wireless signal issues with management-plane issues, but increasing power will not cause APs to receive updated SSID settings faster.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Creating a second SSID may be used temporarily during some migration scenarios, but it does not solve the root problem of inconsistent AP configuration delivery from the controller. It may also create client confusion and additional administrative complexity. The issue described points to controller-to-AP management and synchronization, not a need for parallel SSIDs.