It can be difficult to remember how-to, when it comes to convert Cisco AP’s to different modes. This document are more like a reference and a summarazitaion of misc notes i have collected through the years:

• Lightweight to Autonomous
  • You can convert an access point from lightweight mode back to autonomous mode by loading a Cisco IOS Release that supports autonomous mode. If the access point is associated to a controller, you can use the controller to load the Cisco IOS release. If the access point is not associated to a controller, you can load the Cisco IOS release using TFTP.
  • Note: The lightweight 1300 series access points can only be converted back to autonomous mode using a wireless LAN controller.
  • Follow these steps to revert from LWAPP mode to autonomous mode using a wireless LAN controller:
    • Log into the CLI on the controller to which the access point is associated
    • Enter this command:
    • config ap tftp-downgrade tftp-server-ip-address filename access-point-name, using a TFTP Server to Return to a Previous Release
  • Follow these steps to revert from LWAPP mode to autonomous mode by loading a Cisco IOS release using a TFTP server:
    • The static IP address of the PC on which your TFTP server software runs should be between 10.0.0.2 and 10.0.0.30
    • Make sure that the PC contains the access point image file (such as c1200-k9w7-tar.122-15.JA.tar for a 1200 series access point) in the TFTP server folder and that the TFTP server is activated
    • On the PC where the TFTP server is located, perform these steps:
      • Disable any software firewall products, such as Windows firewall, ZoneAlarm firewall, McAffee firewall, or others
      • Ensure all Windows files are visible. From Windows Explorer, click Tools > Folder Options > View; then uncheck the Hide extensions for known file types check box
    • Rename the access point image file in the TFTP server folder to c1200-k9w7-tar.default for a 1200 series access point, c1130-k9w7-tar.default for an 1130 series access point, c1240-k9w7-tar.default for a 1240 series access point, and c1250-k9w7-tar.default for a 1250 series access point
    • Connect the PC to the access point using a Category +5 Ethernet cable
    • Disconnect power from the access point
    • Press and hold MODE while you reconnect power to the access point
    • Hold the MODE button until the status LED turns red (approximately 20 to 30 seconds) and then release
    • Wait until the access point reboots, as indicated by all LEDs turning green followed by the Status LED blinking green
    • After the access point reboots, reconfigure it using the GUI or the CLI
  • Follow this step to download autonomous image in manual mode:
    • debug capwap con cli – conf t – boot manual – reload
    • You should see the ap: prompt. – If you issue a set command you’ll see a few variables that you can change.
    • set IP_ADDR 192.168.0.2 (ex.) – set NETMASK 255.255.255.0 (ex.) – set DEFAULT_ROUTER 192.168.0.1 (ex.) – tftp_init – ether_init – flash_init
    • tar -xtract tftp://<TFTP_svr>/<Path_to_tar> flash:
    • set BOOT flash:/<image_directory>/<image_name>
    • set MANUAL_BOOT = no
• Autonomous to Lightweight
  • Use tool: CiscoAironet-AP-to-LWAPP-Upgrade-Tool-vxx (in my old Wireless folder i see it’s from 2008 ;-). Probarly require old windows…
  • Download rcv image according to AP from Cisco
    • tftp image to AP: ap#archive download-sw tftp://10.0.0.3/ap3g1-rcvk9w8-tar.153-3.JC2.tar (ex.)
• Lightweight to Mobility Express
  • On AP: ap-type mobility-express tftp://192.168.0.10/AIR-AP2800-K9-ME-8-8-125-0.tar (ex.)
    • reload
    • Starts up in setup wizard
• Mobility to Lightweight
  • On AP: ap-type capwap
• Lightweight to EWC
  • Download EWC AP bundle and unpack… Read which image beside “C9800-AP.iosxe-wlc.bin” which should be copied to AP “AP image”
    • On AP: ap-type ewc-ap tftp:// .. tftp-server…/C9800-AP.iosxe-wlc.bin tftp:// .. tftp-server…/…image…
      • Ex. ap-type ewc-ap tftp://192.168.0.1/C9800-AP-universalk9.17.06.03/ap1g7 tftp://192.168.0.1/C9800-AP-universalk9.17.06.03/C9800-AP-iosxe-wlc.bin
• EWC to Lightweight
  • On EWC: wireless ewc-ap ap ap-type <ap-name>(can be found via sh ap sum) capwap
    • Ex.: WLCxxxxxxxx#wireless ewc-ap ap ap-type APxxxx.xxxx.xxxx capwap
• AP mode to Bridge mode
  • On Lightweight AP: capwap ap mode bridge
• Bridge mode to Lightweight AP mode
  • capwap ap mode local
• Classic AP to Meraki mode
  • Only possible for 916x AP’s on 9800 WLC
    • On WLC CLI: ap name Cisco-AP-name management-mode meraki [force ] [noprompt] (Can also be done in GUI)
• Meraki mode to Classic AP
  • You need to call Meraki Support