Configuration Template - VLAN Setup

[DunJer622]

Greetings,

I just finally got to the point where I've deployed a few combined networks and I've been comfortable with their configuration, so I decided to create a template (versus just copying from another network).  Seemed pretty straight-forward until I noticed that the bound networks were all getting all the same VLAN addresses.  I see I overlooked the Same/Unique pull-down.  I change that and setup all the VLANs.  However, upon saving the changes, I get the following "The first IP's host bits are not valid".  I suspect that I have a bad config, but I don't know what that is.  For this template, I need to account for at least 1000 networks (sites), with a need for more in the next few years..  Using the formula from the documentation, I tried several combinations to get 2 to the 10th (1024 subnets), but everything, so far, has given the same error.  Each network uses 8 VLANs, with 7 being unique and 1 being the same.  I have allocated a pool of 2540 networks per VLAN (i.e. data = 10.20.0.1-10.29.254.254, voice = 10.30.0.1-10.39.254.254, etc.).

Also, as I have existing networks already in the field, if I bind them to a template, will they keep all their existing VLANs?  In my initial testing, they didn't, but the VLANs were set to "same".  Obviously, I have this ticket open because I can't make "unique" work for testing.

Lastly, just to confirm, the point of the template binding is so that many common settings can be managed at one time, such as firewall, content filtering, and Wi-Fi settings.  This is how this works, correct?  I'm going to have probably 150 networks on one template and another 1200 on another.  

I appreciate any assistance provided.

Thank you,

Jeremy

[PhilipDAth]

Could you supply a screenshot of the IP addressing you have used in your template which is not working please.

[DunJer622]

I'm attempting to setup one of my VLANs as such:

Local VLAN Template

Name: Client Network

Subnetting: Unique

Subnet: /24 from 10.110.0.0/13

Appliance IP: Auto-generated

Group policy: Client Wi-Fi

For this test, I'm trying to allocate 2048 subnets to this VLAN (2^(11)).

That said, I've tried several combinations of subnet configurations and they all give the same error.

I'm obviously not understanding something quite critical about subnet allocation.

[PhilipDAth]

This is not a valid combination - it is not subnet aligned.  Change it to 10.104.0.0/13 or 10.112.0.0/13.

[DunJer622]

Tried the 10.104.0.0/13 and 10.112.0.0/13 entries and they still fail, providing the following:

There were errors in saving this configuration:

• The first IP's host bits are not valid.,The first IP's host bits are not valid.

I've always manually assigned networks and masks, so I've never ran into anything like this.  It seems very odd to me that I can't simply assign a range of 2048 subnets.  I'm now doing a crash course into CIDR to see if I can get a better grasp on what I'm missing.  This would seem to be the most difficult part of creating the configuration template within Meraki.

[PhilipDAth]

I just tried it and it worked fine.  Make sure you are not doing anything dumb like having a leading or trailing space, or some other illegal character.

[DunJer622]

Confirmed that there are no spaces.

If I have to change me IP scheme, I can live with that.  However, not being able to apply anything definitely has me stalled, at the moment.  Anything else that you can think of to look at?

[PhilipDAth]

Try making it something simpler then, like 10.0.0.0/8 and see if you can at least get that to save.

[DunJer622]

Tried that.  Failed with same message.  Sounds like I may need to get a ticket open with Meraki?

[DunJer622]

I opened a ticket with Meraki.  The issue was that I had DHCP reservations.  I deleted all of those for all VLANS and I was able to then change the Subnetting to Unique.  that seems weird, as I would have expected the DHCP settings to be cleared, following a confirmation prompt, upon saving the changes (like it does when you change the VLAN info on a network).  Anyhow, this is progress, allowing me to move forward with testing.

Jeremy

[RobinsonRoca]

Thank you posting the update, saved me so much time from being on hold with support!!!!!

[PhilipDAth]

>Lastly, just to confirm, the point of the template binding is so that many common settings can be managed at one time, such as firewall, content filtering, and Wi-Fi settings.  This is how this works, correct?  I'm going to have probably 150 networks on one template and another 1200 on another.  

Correct.

[PhilipDAth]

For these two:

>i.e. data = 10.20.0.1-10.29.254.254, voice = 10.30.0.1-10.39.254.254, etc.)

The closest matches would be:

10.16.0.0/13 (10.16.0.1-10.23.255.254)

10.24.0.0/13 (10.24.0.1-10.31.255.254)