The maximum number of captive modem adapters supported on a single controller is four.
FIPS 140-2 and FIPS 140-3 versions of Ericsson Cradlepoint endpoints do not support Captive Modem controller capability.
The Ericsson Cradlepoint router connected to the adapter wishing to become a captive modem must have the NetCloud OS Type set to Controller in the NetCloud Manager Groups settings. When set to Controller, the router will contain a package of NetCloud OS (NCOS) releases for supported adapters in the Group release version.
Ideally both the router acting as controller and adapter are on the same NCOS release for quickest Captive Modem initialization. If the release versions mismatch, and the router has been changed to a Controller type in the NetCloud Manager Group, the router will contain NCOS images to automatically attempt upgrade or downgrade of the adapter to match the controller's release.
Establish only one controller per broadcast domain to avoid captive modems attempting to register to multiple controllers.
The default Ethernet WAN port on each model of controller is compatible with Captive Modem functionality out of the box. If the default WAN port is occupied or you are using a router that supports PoE on the WAN port, users can configure one of the LAN ports as a secondary WAN port. For information and steps to configure LAN or WAN ports, see NCOS: Change the LAN/WAN Ethernet Port Mode of a Cradlepoint with Multiple Ethernet Ports.
PoE Considerations: If the captive modem is to be powered using PoE, ensure that the controller has a power budget that will support the configuration. For some models, different power supplies are available that increase the power budget. In other cases, using external power to the captive modem is needed (for example, injector or AC/DC adapter, as applicable).
The W series (5G) adapters require significantly more power than the CBA or L series adapters. In addition to the total PoE budget, each port also has a maximum wattage. Thus, some controllers will not be able to power W series using PoE. See Configuring a Capable Ericsson Cradlepoint Device as PoE Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) for full PoE specifications.
When upgrading a controller that uses a NetCloud OS version earlier than 7.23.10 to a version later than 7.23.10, the captive modem's NCOS version does not get upgraded as expected. To resolve this, first upgrade the controller to 7.23.10 and then upgrade the controller again to the target NCOS version later than 7.23.10.
When booting up an adapter for the first time that wasn't purchased as a Captive Modem, do not attach the adaptor to a router. This can result in the license not being applied correctly and may cause the adapter to attach as a captive modem instead of a standalone modem.
This document describes Captive Modem capability and provides step-by-step instructions on how to migrate an existing Ericsson Cradlepoint adapter to Captive Modem mode. It also provides troubleshooting steps and how to remove an adapter from Captive Modem mode.