Nearly all approaches to troubleshooting MG connectivity issues begin with accessing the Local Status page, a self-hosted configuration page provided with most Meraki devices (MX/MG/MS/MR) that is accessible only from the LAN of Meraki devices. From this page, you can gather basic connectivity information for troubleshooting, such as if the device is currently able to access various resources such as its local gateway, the Internet, and the Meraki cloud (see Figure 5-32). Importantly, after authenticating, you can also make configuration changes to the uplink configuration of the device in question.
Figure 5-32 Local Status Page of an MG Showing the Current Cellular Connection Details and Connectivity Test Results
For MG (and MX-C) devices, this means you can view details about the modem and any currently inserted SIM cards, as well as apply any custom configuration options, such as a static access point name (APN) or authentication details, needed to bring up the cellular connection (see Figure 5-33)
Figure 5-33 Local Status Page of a Device with a Cellular Modem, Specifically Showing a Blank Custom Cellular APN Configuration
Before you access the Local Status page, first ensure that you have a direct connection to a LAN port of the device and no other Internet or network connectivity. Then, access the Local Status page through a web browser either by URL (setup.meraki.com or my.meraki.com) or directly at the device IP. All Meraki devices support the use of the generic URL as well as device-specific URLs, such as switch.meraki.com and ap.meraki.com, respective to the device type in question.
Safe Mode
The Local Status page on MG devices has a special option available known as Safe Mode. This alters the configuration of the MG to allow it to use one of the physical LAN ports as a wired uplink port for additional connectivity. This allows the MG to be brought online via a wired connection over a traditional Internet uplink and complete the initial check-in to the Dashboard.
Using Safe Mode can prevent unnecessary data usage when devices are downloading initial firmware upgrades during prestaging. It also can be used for more advanced troubleshooting of cellular issues when working with Meraki Support because it allows direct device access despite failing cellular connectivity.