CCNA 200-301 v1.1 reference — Network Access

WLAN infrastructure connections

Physical connections between APs and wireless LAN controllers: access versus trunk switch ports, CAPWAP tunnels and LAG.

Objective 2.7v1.1 exam target

Quick Reference Handbook

Component connections

Component	Switch port type	Why
Lightweight AP	Access port (AP-management VLAN)	Client VLANs ride inside CAPWAP; tagging at the AP port is unnecessary
WLC uplinks	LAG / port-channel (trunk)	Aggregates capacity and survives a member link failure
FlexConnect AP	Can be a trunk when local-switching multiple WLANs to VLANs	Only needed when the AP itself maps WLANs to VLANs
Autonomous AP with multiple SSIDs	Trunk port	Each SSID maps to a VLAN and must be tagged

In local mode the data path is client → AP → CAPWAP tunnel (UDP 5247) → WLC → wired VLAN. The AP needs IP reachability to the WLC's management address only — routing, ACLs or NAT in between must permit the CAPWAP control (5246) and data (5247) ports.

Switchport for an AP

Provision an access port for a lightweight AP — Privileged EXEC → Interface configuration

Cisco IOS / IOS XE

configure terminal
interface gigabitethernet1/0/10
 switchport mode access
 switchport access vlan 50
 spanning-tree portfast
 end

Verify

show interfaces status
show cdp neighbors gi1/0/10 detail
ping <wlc-mgmt-ip>

AP appears in CDP/LLDP on the access port.
AP receives a DHCP lease in VLAN 50 and discovers the WLC.

Use a trunk instead only if the AP needs to switch client VLANs locally (FlexConnect).

Changes device configuration.

Trace a wireless client's traffic to a server

Client: Associated to WLAN 'CORP' (mapped to VLAN 20 on the WLC)
AP: Access port in VLAN 50, CAPWAP to WLC

Client sends an 802.11 frame to the AP's radio.
AP wraps it in CAPWAP over its single-VLAN access link toward the WLC.
WLC decapsulates, maps the WLAN to VLAN 20 and puts the frame onto the wired network — its LAG uplink carries that VLAN.
The server sees an ordinary Ethernet frame in VLAN 20; the CAPWAP hop was transparent.

The AP's own port only needs the management VLAN — the client VLAN exists between the WLC and the wired network.

On this page

Component connections
In local mode the data path is client → …
Switchport for an AP
Trace a wireless client's traffic to a server

Handbook sections

Related resources

Practise this topic Source topic 56: Wireless Architectures (CAPWAP & WLC)Practise topic 56 deck Source topic 58: Wireless Configuration Practise topic 58 deck

Sources

Cisco CCNA 200-301 v1.1 Exam Topics (official PDF) — reviewed 2026-11-02
RFC 5415 — CAPWAP Protocol Specification — reviewed 2026-11-02
Wi-Fi Alliance — Security — reviewed 2026-11-02

Targets CCNA 200-301 v1.1 objectives. Supplemental blocks are labeled beyond exam scope.