How do I remove an AP from NCC without access to that NCC?

BranMan

I purchased a WAX650S used and it's locked to an NCC account that I do not have access to. I only need local admin mode. Resetting the AP and/or copying /conf/system-default.conf to /conf/startup-config.conf do not have any effect. How can I separate this AP from NCC? Thanks.

Zyxel_Judy

Hi users,

If you have the used APs and you have disabled Nebula Control Center (NCC) Discovery already, you also can follow this alternative method to obtain AP owner privileges:

Register the APs to Nebula using the NCC Mobile App first. For guidance on this process, please refer to Part 1 of this FAQ.

https://community.zyxel.com/en/discussion/14395/how-to-register-access-point-to-nebula

And then, unregister the AP from NCC. Detailed instructions for this can be found here:

https://community.zyxel.com/en/discussion/17872/how-to-remove-your-device-from-nebula-and-administer-it-locally

By following these steps, you'll be able to regain owner privileges over your APs while keeping them configured in standalone mode.

BranMan

After tinkering with it for a while I find that no internet access (only a laptop and a cross-over cable to the PoE injector) and letting it time out after some time longer than 15 or 20 minutes, I am able to log in to the UI and disable NCC and configure stand-alone mode. Is there a documented procedure for this anywhere?

Zyxel_Judy

Hi @BranMan

Once a device is registered with Nebula, all configurations must be managed through Nebula. The local web interface will primarily offer monitoring and maintenance options. If you wish to configure settings via the local web GUI, you must first unregister the AP from Nebula. This action can only be performed by the device's owner or an account with the necessary privileges.

If you're unable to access the Nebula as the device's owner or as a privileged user, please provide us with a photo of the AP, specifically the label on the back. You can send this image to us via a private message (navigate to my account and select 'Message'). We will assist you with the process of unregistering the device from Nebula.

standingstart

https://community.zyxel.com/en/discussion/comment/60414#Comment_60414

Hi @BranMan geometry dash world Have any updates about this issue? I've been waiting for a long time but it seems like the login is still having an error that can't be fixed.

Zyxel_Judy

Hi @standingstart ,

Please send a photo of the AP, focusing on the label on the back to us via a private message (navigate to my account and select 'Message'). We'll then help you with the steps to unregister the device from Nebula.

Once unregistered, you can access the AP using the local login credentials: username 'admin' and password '1234'.

BranMan

https://community.zyxel.com/en/discussion/comment/60583#Comment_60583

The recipe seems to be; "Connect both the AP and a laptop (with WiFi OFF) to a small gigabit-capable switch (the PoE++ injector won't talk 100Mbps or less evidently), no internet connectivity, no DHCP, set your laptops Ethernet interface to 192.168.1.1/24, reset the WAX650S with a paperclip or jewelers screwdriver, hold the reset button for at least 30 seconds, release, allow the AP to boot, let it fail on DHCP, DNS, NCC discovery, and everything else in the universe (So I'm waiting about 30 minutes sometimes just because I forget about it.), then point a browser at 192.168.1.2 using only http. (Eventually you may get an https redirect but I don't remember the order of execution there.) Log in to the web UI using the admin/1234 user/auth pair, then immediately set NCC Discovery to "Off". Configure the rest of the AP to your liking, then reboot one more time and check your work." That procedure has worked fine for me on 2 of the WAX650S'es and I'll try it on a couple more in a week or two. While I understand the methodology behind their IOS-like CLI, SSH-ing into the AP to copy the default config to a startup config doesn't seem to work well in this situation. — These APs are absolutely bloody fantastic in my book. "Finesse versus Brute Force" kind of fantastic. Zyxel has some really exciting silicon coming out now in their WiFi6 and WiFi7 APs and the XS1930 line of switches and you can quote me on that as a network and systems engineer of 35 years. If you have problems with this recipe please feel free to ping me back. I'll be happy to help you work it out.

Zyxel_Judy

Hi users,

Implementing the workaround solution will enable access to standalone mode and allow you to configure the device; however, please note that the device will still be registered to the previous owner. So, in case you have a previously owned Nebula APs, we recommend contact us and provide a photo of the AP, focusing on the label on the back, we will assist you in the process of deregistering the AP from the Nebula cloud and its previous owner.

BranMan

Where can I contact you with pictures of the 6 APs labels to have them removed from NCC? The recipe above seems to work consistently for me, whether that's a bug in the firmware or a feature, and I currently have no need for anything other than stand-alone mode, but if I gift one or two to a friend or family I suppose I should take the necessary steps to not confuse them in the future.

Zyxel_Judy

Hi @BranMan ,

As the first response, you can send this image to us via a private message (navigate to my account and select 'Message'). We will assist you with the process of unregistering the device from Nebula.

Zyxel_Judy

Hi users,

If you have the used APs and you have disabled Nebula Control Center (NCC) Discovery already, you also can follow this alternative method to obtain AP owner privileges:

Register the APs to Nebula using the NCC Mobile App first. For guidance on this process, please refer to Part 1 of this FAQ.

https://community.zyxel.com/en/discussion/14395/how-to-register-access-point-to-nebula

And then, unregister the AP from NCC. Detailed instructions for this can be found here:

https://community.zyxel.com/en/discussion/17872/how-to-remove-your-device-from-nebula-and-administer-it-locally

By following these steps, you'll be able to regain owner privileges over your APs while keeping them configured in standalone mode.

Zyxel_Judy

Hi @BranMan ,

Per the private message, we've unregistered these six WAX650S APs from the previous owner already.

With this resolution in place, we are now proceeding to close this case.