User's Manual

4/1/05 Adding ID Certificates to a Cisco Wireless LAN Controller
OL-7426-02
When you obtain certificates (usually in an email from the CA or from your key-generation program), it
is a simple matter to add the CA certificate to your Cisco Wireless LAN Controller:
• Launch a Web User Interface session as described in Using the Web User Interface.
• Navigate to the CA Certification page in the Web User Interface.
• Copy the Certificate (a large block of ASCII characters) from your email or text viewer
program, and paste it into the CA Certification box.
• Click Apply.
The CA Certificate is now in the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Volatile RAM. Use ‘System Reboot with
Save’ to save the CA Certificate to NVRAM, so the CA Certificate is preserved across restarts.
Adding ID Certificates to a Cisco Wireless LAN ControllerAdding ID Certificates to a Cisco Wireless LAN Controller
ID Certificates and Private Keys are used by Web server operators to ensure secure server operation.
The ID certificate and key are used to authenticate the server and encrypt data transmissions between
server and browser.
When you obtain ID certificates (usually in an email from the CA or from your key-generation
program), it is a simple matter to add the ID certificate and key to your Cisco Wireless LAN Controller:
• Launch a Web User Interface session as described in Using the Web User Interface.
• Navigate to the ID Certificate > New page in the Web User Interface.
• Type or paste the ID Certificate Name into the Certificate Name box.
• Type a Private Key (Password) into the Certificate Password box.
• Copy the Certificate (a large block of ASCII characters) from your email or text viewer
program, and paste it into the ID Certification box.
• Click Apply.
The ID Certificate and Key are now in the Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Volatile RAM. Use ‘System
Reboot with Save’ to save the ID Certificate and Key to NVRAM, so the Certificate and Key are
preserved across restarts.
CAUTION: Each certificate has a variable-length embedded RSA Key. The RSA key
can be from 512 bits, which is relatively insecure, through thousands of bits, which is
very secure. When you are obtaining a new certificate from a Certificate Authority
(such as the Microsoft CA), BE SURE the RSA key embedded in the certificate is AT
LEAST 768 Bits.
Note: You can obtain an ID Certificate and Private Key from three sources:
Factory-supplied, Operator-generated, and Purchased from a trusted CA. This
procedure only applies to adding an Operator-generated or Purchased ID Certificate
and Key, as the Factory-supplied Certificate and Key are already stored in the Cisco
Wireless LAN Controller NVRAM. You do not need to complete this procedure if you
choose to use the Factory-supplied ID Certificate and Key.
CAUTION: Each certificate has a variable-length embedded RSA Key. The RSA key
can be from 512 bits, which is relatively insecure, through thousands of bits, which is
very secure. When you are obtaining a new certificate from a Certificate Authority
(such as the Microsoft CA), BE SURE the RSA key embedded in the certificate is AT
LEAST 768 Bits.