Here is the way to create a login banner on WLC by GUI or CLI. Normally its supported from software release 6.0 or later releases. The login banner is the text that appears on the page before user authentication when we access the controller GUI or CLI using Telnet, SSH, or a console port connection.
***We save the login banner information as a text (*.txt) file. The text file cannot be larger than 1500 bytes and cannot have more than 18 lines of text.
*** We can only have one login banner on WLC. If we download the 2nd Loogin banner on WLC then it will remove the first means overwrite the 1st one.
Here is the example of my banner:
Hey Sandeep, Please study hard and read as much cisco technote to crack CCIE wireless.
Only few days Left!
First we will use the GUI and CLI method to download login Banner on WLC.
Via GUI:
Step1: We must have a TFTP/FTP server running.(Note down the IP address of the server).
Step2: Put the login banner text file in TFTP/FTP server default directory.
Step3: Login to WLC.
Step4: Go to Commands > Download file
Step5: Enter these details:
File Type: Login Banner
Transfer Mode: TFTP / FTP
IP Address of Server (TFTP/FTP): 10.xx.xx.7
Maximum Retries: 10 (Default is 10)
Timeout (Seconds): 6 (Default is 6)
File Path: (we can enter the file path here from TFTP/FTP directory or leave empty)
File Name: Loginbanner.txt
***If we use FTP then we must enter username and password.
Service Port Number: Enter the port number on the FTP server through which the download occurs. The default value is 21.
Here is the screenshot:
Step 6 Click Download
We must reboot the WLC with save and reboot button.
Here is the output:
Via CLI:
Here is the command line way to configure login banner on WLC.
Log into the controller via CLI.
Specify the transfer mode
transfer download mode {tftp | ftp}
Download the controller login banner by entering this command:
transfer download datatype login-banner
Specify the IP address of the TFTP or FTP server
transfer download serverip server-ip-address
Specify the name of the config file to be downloaded command:
transfer download path server-path-to-file
Specify the directory path of the config file
transfer download filename filename.txt
If we are using a TFTP server
transfer download tftpMaxRetries retries transfer download tftpPktTimeout timeout
If you are using an FTP server, enter these commands:
transfer download username username transfer download password password transfer download port port
To start this download:
transfer download start
Here is the live action from WLC:
(WLAN1) >transfer download mode ? tftp Enter mode: tftp. ftp Enter mode: ftp. (WLAN1) >transfer download mode ftp (WLAN1) >transfer download datatype ? code Download an executable image to the system. config Download Configuration File. eapcacert Download a eap ca certificate to the system. eapdevcert Download a eap dev certificate to the system. icon Download an executable image to the system. image Download a web page logo to the system. login-banner Download controller login banner. (Only Text file supported: Max 1500 bytes & 18 lines, Non printable characters not supported) signature Download a signature file to the system. webadmincert Download a certificate for web administration to the system. webauthbundle Download a custom webauth bundle to the system. webauthcert Download a web certificate for web portal to the system. (WLAN1) >transfer download datatype login-banner (WLAN1) >transfer download serverip 10.xx.xx.7 (WLAN1) >transfer download filename Loginbanner.txt (WLAN1) >transfer download tftpMaxRetries 10 (WLAN1) >transfer download tftpPktTimeout 6 (WLAN1) >transfer download username anonymous (WLAN1) >transfer download password anonymous (WLAN1) >transfer download port 21 (WLAN1) >transfer download start Mode............................................. FTP Data Type........................................ Login Banner FTP Server IP.................................... 10.xx.xx.7 FTP Server Port.................................. 21 FTP Path......................................... FTP Filename..................................... Loginbanner.txt FTP Username..................................... anonymous FTP Password..................................... ********* This may take some time. Are you sure you want to start? (y/N) y FTP Login Banner transfer starting. FTP receive complete... checking login banner. Successfully installed new login banner file. (WLAN1) >
To clear this login banner we have two ways GUI and CLI.
Via GUI:
Go to Commands > Login banner
Then click on Clear, when prompted then click ok.
Via CLI:
To clear the login banner via CLI just use this command:
(WLAN1) >clear login-banner
That’s it for today. Wait for next post.