Which protocol is used for CAPWAP control messages?

Control and Data Protocol for Lightweight Access Points (CAPWAP) utilizes specific ports for its operations. The control messages used in CAPWAP are transmitted over UDP port 5246. This choice is accurate because CAPWAP is designed to facilitate the communication between a Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) and lightweight access points.

UDP is chosen for the control messages because it allows for efficient connectionless communication, which is suitable in scenarios where low latency is critical, and the loss of some packets can be tolerated. The protocol is designed to ensure quick transmission of control commands and facilitate lightweight access points in establishing connectivity without the overhead that TCP would introduce, such as connection establishment and reliability mechanisms.

Understanding that UDP 5246 handles CAPWAP control messages is crucial, especially when configuring and troubleshooting wireless networks, as it impacts how access points connect and communicate with the controller.