Which AP mode is required for CAPWAP communication with a Wireless LAN Controller?

Lightweight AP mode is specifically designed for CAPWAP communication with a Wireless LAN Controller (WLC). In this mode, the AP acts as a "thin" client, forwarding all management and most data plane traffic to the WLC for processing. This centralizes control and simplifies management. Autonomous APs, in contrast, operate independently and handle all functions themselves, so they don't communicate with a WLC via CAPWAP. Route and bridge are not AP operating modes; they describe network device functions.