MS 17.1.4 Firmware Breaks Ports 25-52 as Uplinks on MS220-48LP Switch

[ShenzouX]

I have a lab environment setup that I vet all the firmware releases on before I roll them into production and I've found a glaring issue with the MS220-48LP Switches when you go above 16.9. so I was hoping to get some feedback here.

I realize the MS220-48LP went end of life about 6 months ago but I still have many of them in my environment across 50+ branch offices and it will take time to replace them all with something newer.

In the meantime the firmware section of the dashboard is telling me I need to update to the newest switch firmware (17.1.4) for security and bug fixes.

So in my lab I have an MR33 and MR46 AP uplinked to the MS220-48LP and then the MS220-48LP uplinked to an MX68W which is then connected to the internet.  I'm using port 48 as the uplink port to the MX on the switch.  Its as basic as you can get setup-wise.  No firewall rules or ACLs just plug and play devices with a few VLANs configured. 

As soon as I did the firmware update the access points never came back online and completely stopped talking to the dashboard.  I plugged a laptop into an access port on the MS220-48LP and it gave me absolutely no connection to anything (I couldn't even ping the switch let along get through the switch to the MX or the internet)

I got on the phone with tech support and they said they were seeing some "strange" entries in the backend logs concerning port 25-52 so on a whim I changed my uplink port to number 24 and everything started working (APs, Laptop, etc).  I was even able to plug phones, laptops, and the APs into port above 25 as access ports and everything still worked fine.  This appears to ONLY affect up linking.

It seems on the 17.1.4 firmware if you use any port ABOVE 24 as an uplink on an MS220-48LP NONE of the other ports will be able to pass traffic through the switch.

I can't have a bunch of end users moving uplink ports around at all these offices either - that's not really an option.

I setup a second test environment with a different MS220-48LP switch just to make sure it wasn't a fluke and was able to replicate the exact same behavior.

I wanted to see if anybody else is experiencing this or if it can possibly be fixed in a future update as I have a bunch of 220-48s (and 320-48s.... not sure if these are impacted but I'm scared to upgrade them now).

If firmware releases are going to brick my switches then why doesn't Meraki gate the firmware by model just like they do with APs and MXs?  

[RWelch]

I've upgraded to MS17.1.4 on MS120s, MS125s, MS130s, MS225s, MS250s, MS350s, and MS425s without any issues or problems.  I've not upgraded any of the models you mentioned above.  Hopefully if it's a bug they can remedy quickly so as to not impact a large # of switches in your environment.

[ShenzouX]

Yeah I have all those models you mentioned above as well across all the different branch offices and those all upgraded fine as well for me.  Its just the 220 48 ports (the 220 24 ports work fine with no issues).

Its like the firmware is making the 48 port switch think its a 24 port switch for the purposes of uplink ports.

[jbright]

I had similar problems with MS220 and MS320 switches. Definitely a bug there somewhere.

[ShenzouX]

Ok good glad to hear somebody else had a similar issue - i'll hold off on updating any MS220-48s and MS320-48s.

Maybe we can get some feedback from Meraki on this thread?