A management interface is the WLC interface used to access and administer the controller. It provides in-band management through a management VLAN and uses the same distribution-system ports as other network traffic. section 21.2.1 section 21.4
Initial configuration defines the management interface and its network context:
- Assign an IP address and subnet mask. section 21.1.2
- Specify the default router used to reach networks beyond the management VLAN. section 21.1.2
- Set the management VLAN identifier; a configured VLAN causes traffic from the interface to be tagged with that VLAN. section 21.1.2
- Specify the DHCP server to which the WLC forwards wireless clients’ DHCP messages. section 21.1.2
Example management-interface settings
A WLC initial-configuration wizard can assign 192.168.1.100/24 to the management interface, use 192.168.1.1 as its default router and DHCP server, and tag management traffic in VLAN 10. Afterward, the WLC GUI is reached by entering the management-interface IP address in a web browser. section 21.1.2 section 21.4
The management interface is also the default AP-manager interface, so it carries CAPWAP communication with lightweight access points unless a separate AP-manager interface is configured. It differs from the service-port interface, which provides out-of-band management, and from dynamic interfaces, which map WLANs to VLANs. section 21.2.1
Management Interface IP Address: 192.168.1.100 #1 Management Interface Netmask: 255.255.255.0 #1 Management Interface Default Router: 192.168.1.1 #2 Management Interface VLAN Identifier (0 = untagged): 10 #3 Management Interface DHCP Server IP Address: 192.168.1.1 #4 #1 Configures the management interface’s IP address and netmask #2 Specifies SW1 as WLC1’s default gateway #3 Configures VLAN 10 as the management VLAN #4 Specifies SW1 as the DHCP server
Review the wizard fields for the management-interface address, mask, default router, VLAN identifier, and DHCP server. section 21.1.2
