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Difficulty: MediumCisco Wireless Architectures and AP Modes

A network administrator is deploying Cisco Lightweight Access Points (LAPs) at a remote branch office connected to a main campus Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) over a WAN link. The branch APs are configured in FlexConnect mode with local switching configured for the primary employee WLAN. Which two statements accurately describe the operational behavior of these access points under normal operations and during a WAN outage? (Select two.)

  1. During normal operations with an active WAN connection, control traffic is encapsulated in a CAPWAP tunnel to the central WLC while user data traffic on locally switched WLANs is bridged directly onto the local branch switch.Answer
  2. If the WAN link fails and the AP enters Standalone mode, existing client sessions on locally switched WLANs using local authentication methods continue to transmit traffic without disruption.Answer
  3. C
    If the WAN link fails, the FlexConnect access point automatically reboots into Local mode and attempts to establish a central CAPWAP data tunnel to the local branch default gateway.
  4. D
    All wireless client data traffic must be encapsulated in a CAPWAP data tunnel and routed through the centralized controller regardless of whether local switching is configured.

Answer

In FlexConnect mode with local switching, CAPWAP control traffic goes to the central WLC while client data traffic is bridged directly to the local branch network. If the WAN connection to the WLC fails, the AP transitions to Standalone mode and continues forwarding data for locally switched WLANs.
FlexConnect mode is designed for branch office deployments connected over WAN links. Under normal conditions, CAPWAP control traffic is tunneled to the central Wireless LAN Controller, while client data traffic on locally switched WLANs is bridged directly to the local Ethernet switch. When WAN connectivity to the controller is lost, the AP transitions into Standalone mode and maintains data forwarding and local authentication for locally switched WLANs without dropping client traffic.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze FlexConnect mode functionality during normal operations (Connected state).
Control traffic (CAPWAP control) is sent over the WAN to the central WLC, whereas data traffic for locally switched WLANs stays local and is switched onto the branch network.
FlexConnect implements split-MAC architecture flexible enough to separate control plane encapsulation from local data plane forwarding.
2
Evaluate FlexConnect mode behavior during a WAN connectivity loss (Standalone state).
The AP continues operating locally switched WLANs in Standalone mode, allowing active clients and locally authenticated clients to remain connected.
Standalone mode provides high availability at remote sites by avoiding complete wireless downtime when WLC reachability drops.

Key Concept

FlexConnect AP Mode Local Switching vs Central Switching Mechanics
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Topics

Cisco Wireless Architectures and AP Modes

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