In which configuration mode is show ap summary used?

The show ap summary command is entered in Privileged EXEC mode on Cisco IOS devices.

WirelessPrivileged EXEC

show ap summary

Displays a summary of all connected access points, including their names, IP addresses, status, and model information, used to quickly verify AP connectivity and operational state.

Definition: show ap summary is a Cisco IOS privileged exec command. Displays a summary of all connected access points, including their names, IP addresses, status, and model information, used to quickly verify AP connectivity and operational state.

Overview

The 'show ap summary' command is a vital diagnostic tool for Cisco wireless networks, providing a concise yet comprehensive view of all access points (APs) managed by a wireless LAN controller (WLC) or a converged access switch operating in wireless mode. This command is typically executed in privileged EXEC mode on a Cisco WLC (e.g., 9800 series) or on a switch running IOS-XE with embedded wireless controller capabilities. It displays a table listing each AP's name, IP address, MAC address, administrative status, operational status, model, and software version.

The primary purpose is to quickly verify AP connectivity and operational state, enabling network engineers to identify APs that are down, misconfigured, or experiencing issues. The command is essential during initial deployment, routine health checks, and troubleshooting scenarios where wireless client connectivity problems may stem from AP failures. Unlike more detailed commands like 'show ap config general' or 'show ap inventory', which provide granular configuration or hardware details, 'show ap summary' offers a high-level snapshot ideal for rapid assessment.

It fits into the broader workflow of wireless network management: after configuring AP join parameters or after a network change, engineers run this command to confirm all expected APs are online and reporting. In troubleshooting, it is often the first step before diving into specific AP logs or client association statistics. The command does not modify the running configuration and requires privilege level 15 (or appropriate wireless privileges).

Output may be buffered if many APs are present; using 'show ap summary | count' can help manage large outputs. Understanding this command is fundamental for CCNA and CCNP candidates, as it directly relates to the 'Wireless' domain of the exam blueprint, covering AP discovery, join process, and operational states.

Syntax·Privileged EXEC

show ap summary

When to Use This Command

Checking if all access points are online after a controller reboot.
Identifying APs that are in 'Down' or 'Disassociated' state during a network outage.
Verifying AP model and software version consistency across the network.
Monitoring AP join statistics to troubleshoot frequent disconnections.

Command Examples

Basic AP Summary

show ap summary

Number of APs: 3

AP Name                     Slots    AP Model              Ethernet MAC    Location          Country     IP Address                                 State        ...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AP-Office-1                 2        AIR-CAP3702I-A-K9     aabb.cc00.0101  Building A Floor 1  US          192.168.1.10                             Registered
AP-Office-2                 2        AIR-CAP3702I-A-K9     aabb.cc00.0102  Building A Floor 2  US          192.168.1.11                             Registered
AP-Warehouse                2        AIR-CAP2702I-A-K9     aabb.cc00.0103  Warehouse           US          192.168.1.12                             Down

Line 1: Total number of APs managed by the controller. Column headers: AP Name - user-configured name; Slots - number of radios; AP Model - hardware model; Ethernet MAC - AP's base MAC; Location - configured location; Country - regulatory domain; IP Address - management IP; State - operational status (Registered, Down, Disassociated). The output shows two APs are Registered (online) and one is Down (offline).

AP Summary with Filter by Name

show ap summary | include AP-Office

AP-Office-1                 2        AIR-CAP3702I-A-K9     aabb.cc00.0101  Building A Floor 1  US          192.168.1.10                             Registered
AP-Office-2                 2        AIR-CAP3702I-A-K9     aabb.cc00.0102  Building A Floor 2  US          192.168.1.11                             Registered

Using 'include' filter to show only APs with 'AP-Office' in their name. This helps narrow down specific groups of APs, e.g., to verify all office APs are up.

Understanding the Output

The 'show ap summary' command provides a high-level view of all access points managed by the wireless LAN controller. The first line indicates the total number of APs. Each subsequent line represents one AP with columns: AP Name (user-defined identifier), Slots (number of radios, typically 2 for dual-band), AP Model (e.g., AIR-CAP3702I-A-K9 indicates a 3702 series indoor AP), Ethernet MAC (unique hardware address), Location (administratively set), Country (regulatory domain code), IP Address (management IP), and State (key status: 'Registered' means fully operational, 'Down' means unreachable, 'Disassociated' means not joined, 'Downloading' means upgrading firmware).

Good values: most APs show 'Registered'. Watch for 'Down' or 'Disassociated' indicating connectivity or configuration issues. Also note the AP Model column to ensure all APs are of expected types.

Configuration Scenarios

Verify AP Connectivity After Initial Deployment

A network engineer has deployed 10 new APs (model 9130AXI) in an office building. After configuring the WLC with the correct mobility express or controller IP, the engineer needs to confirm all APs have joined and are operational.

Topology

WLC (10.1.1.1) --- Switch --- AP1 (10.1.1.11) ... AP10 (10.1.1.20)

Steps

1.Step 1: Connect to the WLC via SSH or console and enter privileged EXEC mode: WLC> enable
2.Step 2: Run the command: WLC# show ap summary
3.Step 3: Review the output table. Ensure each AP's 'Admin Status' is 'Enabled' and 'Oper Status' is 'Up' or 'Registered'.
4.Step 4: Verify the 'Model' column matches the expected model (e.g., 9130AXI).
5.Step 5: Check the 'IP Address' column to confirm APs have obtained IP addresses from the correct subnet (10.1.1.0/24).
6.Step 6: If any AP shows 'Down' or 'Not Joined', investigate further using 'show ap config general <AP-name>' or 'debug ap join'.

Configuration

! No configuration is required for this verification step.
! Ensure APs are configured with the correct WLC IP via DHCP option 43 or DNS.
! Example DHCP scope option 43 (hex): f1040a010101 (for WLC IP 10.1.1.1)

Verify: WLC# show ap summary Number of APs: 10 AP Name Slots AP Model Ethernet MAC Location Country IP Address State Admin ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AP-Office-1 2 9130AXI aabb.cc00.0101 Building A Floor 1 US 10.1.1.11 Registered Enabled AP-Office-2 2 9130AXI aabb.cc00.0102 Building A Floor 1 US 10.1.1.12 Registered Enabled ... (all 10 APs should show 'Registered' and 'Enabled')

Watch out: A common mistake is forgetting to configure the AP's country code. If the country code is not set or mismatched, the AP may fail to join. Always verify the country code using 'show ap config general <AP-name>'.

Troubleshoot a Single AP That Is Not Joining

After a power outage, one AP (AP-Office-5) is not coming online. Other APs are operational. The engineer needs to quickly identify the AP's status and determine if it's a connectivity issue or a configuration problem.

Topology

WLC (10.1.1.1) --- Switch (Gi1/0/5) --- AP-Office-5 (expected IP 10.1.1.15)

Steps

1.Step 1: Run 'show ap summary' to see the overall AP list.
2.Step 2: Look for AP-Office-5 in the output. If it appears, check the 'State' column. If it shows 'Down' or 'Not Joined', proceed.
3.Step 3: If the AP is not listed at all, it may not have discovered the WLC. Check DHCP and network connectivity.
4.Step 4: If the AP is listed but 'State' is 'Down', check the 'IP Address' column. If it shows 0.0.0.0, the AP failed to get an IP.
5.Step 5: Use 'show ap config general AP-Office-5' to see detailed configuration and error messages.
6.Step 6: Check the switch port connecting the AP: ensure it is in the correct VLAN and that PoE is delivering power.

Configuration

! On the switch, verify port configuration:
Switch# show interfaces gigabitEthernet 1/0/5 status
! Ensure port is not err-disabled and is in the correct access VLAN (e.g., VLAN 10 for APs).
! Example switchport config:
interface GigabitEthernet1/0/5
 switchport mode access
 switchport access vlan 10
 spanning-tree portfast
 power inline auto

Verify: WLC# show ap summary | include AP-Office-5 AP-Office-5 2 9130AXI aabb.cc00.0105 Building A Floor 2 US 10.1.1.15 Down Enabled If the AP is not listed, check the switch port and AP power. After fixing, re-run 'show ap summary' to see the state change to 'Registered'.

Watch out: A common oversight is that the AP's Ethernet MAC address is not the same as the BSSID. When troubleshooting, use the AP name, not the MAC from the AP label. Also, ensure the AP's software version is compatible with the WLC; mismatched versions can cause join failures.

Troubleshooting with This Command

When using 'show ap summary' for troubleshooting, a healthy output shows all expected APs with 'State' as 'Registered' and 'Admin' as 'Enabled'. The 'IP Address' column should display valid IP addresses from the management subnet. Problem indicators include: 'Down' state (AP is powered but not communicating), 'Not Joined' (AP has not completed the CAPWAP discovery/join process), 'Disabled' (administratively shut down), or '0.0.0.0' IP (DHCP failure).

The 'Model' column helps identify if an incorrect AP model is deployed. Focus on the 'State' field: if multiple APs show 'Down', suspect a network-wide issue like a switch outage or DHCP server failure. If only one AP is down, check its specific port, PoE, or physical connection.

The 'AP Name' field is critical for correlating with other show commands like 'show ap config general <name>' or 'show ap association'. A step-by-step diagnostic flow: 1) Run 'show ap summary' to get a quick overview. 2) If any AP is down, note its name and IP. 3) Check the switch port status for that AP using 'show interfaces status' or 'show power inline'. 4) Verify DHCP scope availability and that the AP's VLAN is correctly configured. 5) Use 'show ap config general <AP-name>' to review the AP's join status, last failure reason, and certificate status. 6) If the AP is not listed at all, it may not have discovered the WLC; check DNS (CISCO-CAPWAP-CONTROLLER) or DHCP option 43. 7) Correlate with 'debug capwap events' or 'debug ap join' for real-time join failures. Common symptoms this command helps diagnose: APs not appearing after a WLC reboot (check AP join statistics), intermittent AP disconnects (look for 'Down' state flapping), or APs stuck in 'Downloading' state (firmware upgrade issue).

The command's output can be filtered using 'include', 'exclude', or 'begin' to isolate specific APs. For example, 'show ap summary | include Down' quickly lists all problematic APs. Remember that the command does not show client information; for client issues, use 'show client summary' or 'show ap association <AP-name>'.

CCNA Exam Tips

CCNA exam may ask which state indicates an AP is fully functional: answer 'Registered'.

Be able to identify that a 'Down' state could be due to a Layer 2/3 connectivity issue or power loss.

Remember that 'show ap summary' is a quick health check; for detailed radio stats use 'show ap auto-rf' or 'show ap config general'.

The exam might test that the AP Name is configured on the controller, not on the AP itself.

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'Down' with 'Disassociated': Down means no IP connectivity, Disassociated means AP has IP but not joined the controller.

Assuming all APs must be the same model; different models are fine as long as they are supported.

Forgetting that the AP must be in 'Registered' state to serve clients; troubleshooting should start with checking this command.

show ap summary vs show wlan summary

Both `show ap summary` and `show wlan summary` provide high-level overviews of wireless components on a Cisco wireless LAN controller, but they focus on different aspects: APs (hardware) versus WLANs (service sets). They are commonly confused because both display summary information and are used for initial troubleshooting of wireless networks.

Aspect	show ap summary	show wlan summary
Scope	Access points (hardware devices)	WLANs (logical wireless networks)
Output fields	AP name, IP address, model, status, channel, power	WLAN ID, profile name, SSID, status, security, interface
Configuration level	Shows operational state of each connected AP	Shows configured service set parameters
Typical use	Verify AP connectivity and operational status	Review configured SSIDs, security settings, and interface bindings
Effect on client connectivity	Indirect impact: AP outages affect client access	Direct impact: WLAN status determines if SSID is broadcast and clients can associate

Use `show ap summary` when you need to quickly check the connectivity, model, and status of all access points in the wireless network.

Use `show wlan summary` when you need to verify the configured WLANs, their SSIDs, security settings, and interface assignments.

Platform Notes

On IOS-XE platforms (e.g., Catalyst 9800 WLC or embedded wireless on Catalyst 9000 switches), the command syntax is identical: 'show ap summary'. However, the output format may differ slightly, with additional columns like 'AP Submode' or 'FlexConnect Group'. On older AireOS WLCs (e.g., 5508, 2504), the command is also 'show ap summary' but the output is more text-based and may not include software version.

For NX-OS, there is no direct equivalent because NX-OS does not support wireless controller functionality; wireless is handled by separate WLCs. On ASA firewalls, wireless is not supported, so no equivalent exists. In IOS-XR, wireless is not a feature, so the command is absent.

For IOS versions prior to 15.x (e.g., 12.x on older switches with wireless module), the command may be 'show ap summary' but with limited output. In IOS-XE 16.x and later, the command supports additional parameters like '| count' and '| redirect' for output management. Always ensure you are in privileged EXEC mode (enable) before running the command; user EXEC mode will return '% Invalid input detected'.

The command does not affect the running configuration and can be run at any time. For large deployments with hundreds of APs, consider using 'show ap summary | count' to get a total count, or use the 'ap-name' filter if available (e.g., 'show ap summary | include AP-Office'). On Catalyst 9800, the command 'show ap summary' also shows the 'AP Join Priority' and 'AP Location' fields, which are not present in AireOS.

Always refer to the specific platform's command reference for exact output fields.

Related Commands

show wlan summary

Displays a summary of all WLANs configured on a Cisco wireless controller, used to quickly verify WLAN IDs, names, SSIDs, status, security settings, and interface bindings.

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