This article will explain how to remove/change your device (access point [AP], switch, firewall) from Nebula, back to stand-alone mode as well as how to remove/change your device (access point [AP], switch, firewall) from on-premise (controller) managed to stand-alone. Furthermore, this shows how to recover legacy APs from controller to stand-alone mode again. 

Introduction 

On some occasions, after you have added your access points to a controller and strip out the controller out of the network or want to use your access points in standalone mode again. You might encounter, that the APs remain irresponsive after rebooting or even resetting them.

This might occur due to the access point kind of "freezing" into a controller state, from which it will not recover back to standalone mode unless the right triggers are set - this goes especially for older access point models such as the NWA3XXX-N or the NWA5XXX-N series.

1) Switch from Nebula to Stand-alone [Firewall/Switch/AP]

1.1 Remove the device from the Nebula site

First navigate to Nebula and go Firewall -> Monitor -> Firewall and hit "Edit configuration".

Or for switches and access points - navigate to Switch/Access Point -> Switch/Access Points and then hit "Move" and lastly, "remove from site":

1.2 Remove the device from the Nebula organization 

1.3 Reset the device with the RESET button

Reset the device by holding the "RESET" button for 10 seconds

1.4 Login to your new stand-alone device

Login to your stand-alone device again with default settings and upload the configuration or start your stand-alone configuration from scratch.

If you're unsure what IP address your stand-alone device has, please check this article: 

Accessing your router via Web GUI

or check your DHCP table on your firewall (under Monitor -> Network Status -> DHCP Status): 

Then login: 

2) Switch from Managed Mode to Stand-alone mode

2.1 Put your Controller Setting to Manual

Make sure to navigate to "Configuration -> Wireless -> AP Controller and make sure you have "Manual" selected and then hit Apply. This is because if you remove the AP from the controller, the firewall will automatically take control over the AP again if you have selected "Always Accept".

2.2 Remove the AP from Mgmt. AP List

Navigate to Configuration -> Wireless -> AP Management, highlight the AP(s) you want to remove and click "Remove". 

2.3 Reset the device with the RESET button

Reset the device by holding the "RESET" button for 10 seconds

2.4 Login to your new stand-alone device

Login to your stand-alone device again with default settings and upload the configuration or start your stand-alone configuration from scratch.

If you're unsure what IP address your stand-alone device has, please check this article: 

Accessing your router via Web GUI

or check your DHCP table on your firewall (under Monitor -> Network Status -> DHCP Status): 

Then login: 

3) Switch Legacy APs from Controller to Stand-alone mode

This section will give you some hints on when exactly it's necessary and how to recover your access points to standalone mode.

3.1 Before we proceed

Please note, that specific newer access point models, such as the NWA5XXX-NI/AC (HD) and the WAC-series with firmware newer than v4.22 automatically on reboot check for a CAPWAP controller.
This, in turn, means, that theoretically the problem of Access points freezing into the controlled state, even when no CAPWAP-controller is available, should not occur under these circumstances.

However, access points of these types with firmware versions prior to v4.22 might encounter these "frozen as controlled access point"-issues. 

3.2 Recover the APs from Controller to Stand-alone mode Process

The process to recover the access points from controlled to standalone state is as following (we will use FileZilla in this example):

1. Find out the APs IP address (this step is mandatory for the process to work!)
2. Download the newest firmware from our Zyxel Download Library.
3. Extract the .zip-file, so that you have access to the .bin-file
4. Connect your PC directly to the AP and assign your PC a static IP address in the same subnet as the APs IP
5. Open an FTP-client such as FileZilla and connect to the AP - here's an example for a connection setup (File > Site-Manager; make sure under Transfer > Transfer Type that Binary is selected):
   
   
6. Apply by pressing "OK", which should give you access to the APs filesystem
7. Take the .bin-file and drag&drop it into the root folder (main folder) of the APs filesystem

This will apply the firmware-version you dropped onto the AP and will start with default parameters - the AP most likely having the IP 192.168.1.2 as well as the AP being set by default to standalone mode - reconfigure and be good to go!

Also interesting:
Do you want to have a look directly at one of our test devices? Have a look here in our virtual Lab:

Virtual Lab - Security Device as AP Controller