Introduction to Cisco's Aironet Line of Wi-Fi Access Points
Cisco Aironet Wireless APs ExpertsCisco's top-selling Aironet line of wireless access points has developed in concert with Wi-Fi technology and has steadily offered enhancements in speed, density, coverage, security, manageability and reliability. Modern Aironet Wave 2 wireless access points can handle up to 400 clients each and deliver data rates in excess of 5 Gbps. Deployments of Aironet access points implemented with Cisco's Prime Infrastructure design model enable you to build multi-location Wi-Fi LANs with 18,000 APs supporting up to 64,000 users, all under unified management. Progent's Cisco CCIE-certified wireless networking experts can provide online or onsite consulting and debugging services to help your organization to plan, install, update, optimize, manage and troubleshoot Aironet Wi-Fi environments of any size, in-building or outdoors.

Aironet Wireless APs Experts

Aironet Wi-Fi APs are available for virtually any wireless scenario

Progent's Cisco CCIE-certified Wi-Fi network experts can provide remote or onsite configuration and debugging support to help you to design, implement, update, optimize, administer and debug Aironet wireless access point deployments of any size or topology. Progent's Cisco wireless controller consultants can also help you to combine your wireless ecosystem with your wired network infrastructure and cloud-hosted resources to create an enterprise-wide connectivity solution that is simple to manage and scale. Progent also can provide affordable wireless site surveys to assist you to decide the most appropriate selection, placement and configuration of Aironet Wi-Fi access points to work with your specific office design, construction, and expected network traffic.

Cisco Aironet Wave 2 Indoor Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Aironet Wave 2 Wi-Fi APs offer substantial enhancements compared to the initial generation of 802.11ac products, called Wave 1. Enhancements include up to 2.34 gigabits/sec instead of 1.3 Gbps data rate in the 5 GHz band, multi-user MIMO for transferring data to multiple devices simultaneously, better signal coverage and scale, and the ability to utilize 160-MHz-wide channels and/or an additional spatial stream to enhance throughput and support more functionlity. For high-density wireless deployments, almost all Aironet Wave 2 wireless APs support Cisco Mobility Express, which allows 50 to 100 access points to be deployed quickly without requiring a physical Cisco wireless controller. Progent can assist your organization to evaluate the business advantages of replacing your Wave 1 or older Aironet Wi-Fi APs and can also help you to design, deploy and administer a Wave 2 Aironet Wi-Fi access point solution that adds maximum business value.

Aironet 1810 Wireless AP ExpertsCisco's Aironet 1810W Series Wi-Fi APs are compact Wave 2 wall-plate-mountable APs designed for use in multi-dwelling units such as hotels and cruise ships. Cisco's Aironet 1810W features Dual 2.4 and 5 GHz radios and a Bluetooth radio, incorporates 2x2 multi-user MIMO with two spatial streams, and supports an aggregate transfer rate of 867-Mbps and a max client count of 400. Cisco's Aironet 1810W includes three local GB Ethernet ports including one with Power over Ethernet Out for supporting an appliance such as a VoIP handset, printer or surveillance camera. The Aironet 1818 also includes a 10/100/1000BASE-T Power over Ethernet uplink port and a pass-through RJ-45 connection. The Aironet 1810 OfficeExtend Series AP is a Wave 2 802.11ac unit that includes a mounting cradle and is designed to provide safe Wi-Fi connectivity for remote workers and small office workers. Cisco's Aironet 1810W Series OfficeExtend Access Point needs to be attached to a remote Wi-Fi network controller, which allows easy unified management of policies and avoids the hassle of managing home or remote-office firewalls. The Aironet 1810 OfficeExtend Series offers the same performance and I/O ports as the Aironet 1810W Wi-Fi AP.

Cisco Aironet 1815 Wireless AP ConsultantsThe Cisco Aironet 1815 Series Wi-Fi APs are low-cost, compact Wave 2 appliances designed for small and mid-size businesses. The 1815 series is made up of four models made for different applications. The Cisco 1815i wireless AP offers versatile alternatives for wall or ceiling mount. The Cisco 1815w wireless AP is a desktop device. Cisco's 1815t Wi-Fi access point features three GE ports for use by telecommuters or workers in a small branch office; and the 1815m Wi-Fi AP offers extra transmission energy for greater signal coverage. All models in Cisco's 1815 Wireless AP series feature dual radios (2.4/5 GHz) and 2x2 MU-MIMO technology with two spatial streams. All except the 1815t Wi-Fi AP can be managed with Cisco Mobility Express software. Only the 1815t wireless access point supports OfficeExtend. Each 1815 Wi-Fi access point offers an aggregate transfer rate of 1 gigabit/sec and can support a maximum of 400 Wi-Fi users. All versions except the 1815t feature a Bluetooth Low Energy radio, and only the 1815t includes a USB port and offers the option of PoE or AC/DC power.

The Aironet 1830 Series wireless AP is designed for small and mid-size networks and includes 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios, features 3x3 MU-MIMO supporting two spatial streams, includes a 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-4 Ethernet port with PoE, delivers a combined data transfer rate of 867-Mbps on the 5-Ghz radio, and can handle up to 400 clients. The Cisco 1830 Series Wi-Fi access point also accepts a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio by means of a USB dongle. The Bluetooth radio can be used for navigation, proximity marketing, and inventory.

The Cisco Aironet 1850i wireless access point is designed for small and mid-sized companies and features 4x4 multi-user MIMO supporting up to four spatial streams (when in single-user MIMO mode, three in multiuser mode), incorporates a Gigabit Ethernet PoE interface, a GE interface for link aggregation, and an RJ-45 management console port. The Aironet 1850i wireless access point delivers a maximum aggregate dual-radio transfer rate of 2.0 gigabits/sec and a max user count of 400. A Bluetooth radio can be attached to the 1850i Series wireless access point via a USB dongle.

Cisco's Aironet 2800 Series wireless AP is intended for large enterprises and can maximize throughput by dynamically designating its dual radios as one 2.4 and one 5 GHz radio or as two 5 GHz radios, delivering combined performance as high as 5 Gbps. The Aironet 2800 wireless AP features 4x4 multi-user MIMO with three spatial streams and can handle up to 400 users. A second antenna interface is included for difficult environments such as high-ceiling auditoriums, libraries and eating areas. The 2800 wireless AP includes two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces and an RJ-45 management console interface. A Bluetooth radio can be connected via a USB dongle.

The Cisco Aironet 3800 Wave 2 Wi-Fi access points are intended for crowded sites like large offices or warehouses. The Aironet 3800 offers three antenna options. The 3800i has internal antennas, the 3800e has external ones, and the 3800p offers high-power external antennas to support crowded indoor venues such as arenas and convention centers. All 3800 series Wi-Fi APs support 4x4 MU-MIMO supporting three spatial streams, and their two radios can operate in 2.4-GHz/5-GHz mode or in Dual 5-GHz 802.11ac mode. Total throughput can be as high as 5.2 Gbps in Dual 5-GHz mode. The Cisco Aironet 3800 Wi-Fi access point can serve up to 400 clients and includes two 100/1000/2500/5000 Ethernet ports, one 100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 auxiliary port, and an RJ-45 management console port.

Cisco Aironet 4800 Access Point ConsultingCisco's Aironet 4800 wireless access point, designed for large enterprises requiring high performance and hardened security, is the high end of Cisco's Aironet family, incorporating dual 2.4/5 GHz or dual 5 GHz radios and 4x4 MU-MIMO radio designs with three spatial streams. The 4800 Wi-Fi access point can support up to 400 clients. The AP comes with two Multigigabit Ethernet ports, an RJ-45 management console port, and a BLE radio. By having a fourth radio, The Cisco 4800 Wi-Fi AP can assign core Aironet operations to more radios so they can execute simultaneously. These key functions include built-in Flexible Radio Assignment, Hyperlocation, and BLE. The 4800 wireless access point's fourth internal radio adds enhanced security and deep analytics for throughput and location. Using four radios also enables the two Wi-Fi radios with Flexible Radio Assignment to operate in 5 GHz client serving mode, delivering 5.2 Gbps wireless throughput and increasing user capacity.

Aironet Wave 1 802.11ac Indoor Wi-Fi Access Points
Aironet Wi-Fi Access Points ExpertsAironet 2700 Wireless AP ConsultantsThe Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard operates in the 5-GHz band, uses 80-MHz channels for higher throughput, and allows wireless radios to utilize spectrum more efficiently, transmit data faster, and relinquish spectrum more quickly than earlier Wi-Fi standards. This optimizes speed, mitigation, expandability, and roaming for high-concentration wireless deployments. Even though the 802.11ac standard was approved in the beginning of 2014, Cisco developed crossover Aironet 802.11ac APs prior to that. These crossover products deliver many of the major benefits of 802.11ac technology and Cisco has branded them Wave 1 access points. Cisco's Wave 1 dual-band Aironet APs incorporate 2.4 GHz radios to accommodate legacy client devices.

Cisco's entry-level Aironet 1700 Series is an economical Wi-Fi AP based on 802.11ac Wave 1 technology, offers 3x3 multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) with two spatial streams, supports a speed of 867 Mbps, and can serve 200 clients. The Aironet 2700 Series is a wall-mountable Wi-Fi access point intended for midsize or large organizations and is offered with four internal or external antennas. The Cisco 2700 Series Wi-Fi AP has a 3x4 MIMO radio with three spatial streams, delivers a maximum connection rate of 1.3 Gbps, and supports 200 802.11ac clients and up to 128 802.11n users. The Aironet 3700 Series wireless APs are wall-mountable units available with an internal antenna, an external antenna, or in the Aironet 3700p model with a narrow-beam-width, high-gain antenna. Cisco's 3700 Series wireless access point has a 4x4 MIMO radio design with three spatial streams and delivers a top connection rate of 1.3 Gbps. The modular design of the 3700 Series Wi-Fi access point supports Cisco's Wireless Security add-on module as well as Cisco's 3G Small Cells module.

Cisco Aironet 802.11n Indoor wireless AP
The 802.11n specification made it practical for people to use Wi-Fi as their day-to-day network connection, nominally supporting 390 Mbps throughput and single-user MIMO in the 2.4/5 GHz bands. Cisco continues to offer a catalog of Wi-Fi APs powered by this popular wireless standard. Progent offers remote and on-premises consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco's current line of 802.11n wireless APs as well as legacy Aironet access points, and Progent can assist your organization to determine the value to your company of upgrading from your vintage AP infrastructure to Cisco's modern line of 802.11ac Wi-Fi access points.

The Aironet 700W Series Wi-Fi AP is an 802.11n unit intended for multi-dwelling sites such as hotels and can be installed on a wall junction box. The dual-radio Aironet 700W has 2x2 MIMO and two spatial streams, supports 100 wireless users, includes four 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet ports (one with Power over Ethernet), and offers data rates of up to 300 Mbps. The Aironet 1600 Series is a value-priced wireless access point intended for small companies and includes 802.11n-based 3x3 MIMO with two spatial streams, can handle 128 wireless clients, and delivers performance as high as 300 Mbps. Cisco's Aironet 2600 Series Wi-Fi access point is designed for dense environments and features 802.11n-based 3x4 MIMO with three spatial streams, serves 200 Wi-Fi clients, and can handle throughput as high as 450 Mbps.

Aironet Outdoor and Industrial Wi-Fi Access Points
Aironet Wi-Fi AP ExpertsThe Cisco Aironet family of Wi-Fi APs includes Wave 2, Wave 1, and 802.11a/b/g/n APs designed to be installed in outdoor sites that range municipalities to harsh industrial environments such as transportation, mining, or gas. Progent can help your organization to select, deploy and manage Aironet outdoor and ruggedized wireless APs to meet your technical requirements and IT budget. Progent's security experts can also help your organization to specify and implement policies for your outside Wi-Fi infrastructure or test the security profile of your Aironet Wi-Fi APs.

Cisco's Aironet 1530 Series outdoor 802.11b/g/n wireless APs are Wave 1 dual-radio, carrier-grade devices available in an IP67-compliant body to withstand dust particles, humidity, shock and temperature extremes. The wireless access points have a GE LAN port and a GE WAN uplink port and deliver data rates of up to 300 Mbps. The Aironet 1530I includes built-in antennas and supports 3x3:2 MIMO with three spatial streams on the 2.4 GHz radio and 2x3 MIMO with two spatial streams on the 5GHz radio. Cisco's Aironet 1530E outdoor wireless AP supports 2x2 MIMO and two spatial streams on each radio and includes software-configurable dual-band or single-band external antennas.

Cisco Aironet 1540 Wireless Access Point ExpertsCisco's Aironet 1540 Series outdoor Wi-Fi AP is a Wave 2 unit that supports performance of up to 867-Mbps on the 5 GHz radio. This enables maximum data rate of up to 1.1 Gbps. The 1540 Wi-Fi access point features 2x2 MU-MIMO technology and allows up to two spatial streams. For networks with up to 50 Wi-Fi APs, you can run Cisco Mobility Express Solution for rapid and easy deployment without the need for a Cisco wireless Wi-Fi controller appliance. Among the smallest outdoor wireless APs with built-in antennas, the 1540 is available with either a directional or a semi-omni directional antenna, providing versatility in selecting antenna patterns to match different usage scenarios.

The Aironet 1552S outdoor/industrial Wi-Fi access point is engineered for dangerous sites such as refineries or chemical plants and has an integrated ISA100-compliant backbone router to interface with Wi-Fi sensor networks, offering an complete solution for wireless client support and connectivity to sensors. The Cisco Aironet 1552WU is packaged in a Div 2/Zone 2 hazardous location-compliant enclosure, supports 2:3 MIMO and two spatial streams, supports data rates of up to 300 Mbps, and provides a Gigabit Ethernet connection, a 10/100/1000 BaseT interface, and a fiber Small-Form-Factor Pluggable (SP) uplink interface. The Cisco Aironet 1552WU Wi-Fi AP is engineered for dangerous environments and has an integrated WirelessHART gateway for connecting wirelessly with industrial sensors. The Aironet 1552WU Wi-Fi AP comes in a hazardous location-certified enclosure, supports 2:3 MIMO and two spatial streams, supports data rates as high as 300 Mbps, and offers GE and 10/100/1000 BaseT uplink choices.

Cisco Aironet 1562 Wireless AP ConsultantsAironet 1562 series outdoor wireless APs are offered with three antenna choices to meet various RF conditions. The high-throughput 1562I wireless AP has internal omnidirectional antennas for common scenarios such as a school campus. The 1562E has high-power external omni antennas for sites such as outdoor warehouses or malls where businesses can select the needed coverage. The Aironet 1562D wireless AP features an integrated directional antenna designed for high-density sites or for environments that require wireless bridging such as parks or stadiums. All three 1562 versions can handle a maximum of 400 clients, offer 48 VDC and PoE power, and feature fiber Small-Form-Factor Pluggable (SP) optics and cable modem backhaul. The 1562E and 1562D models incorporate 2x2 MU-MIMO technology with 2 spatial streams and deliver data rates of up to 867 Mbps. The 1562I has 3x3 MU-MIMO with 3 spatial streams and supports performance as high as 1,300 Mbps.

Cisco's Aironet 1570 Series is a carrier-class Wi-Fi AP that was at introduction the fastest outdoor wireless access point available. The Aironet 1570 includes internal or external antennas, supports 4x4 MIMO with three spatial streams, delivers performance as high as 1.3 Gbps, and has Fiber/SFP, GE, and Cable Modem uplink connections. Models include the Aironet 1572EAC with an external antenna with AC-power, the Aironet 1572IC with integrated antennas with cable modem, and the Aironet 1572EC which includes an external antenna with cable modem.

The Aironet Industrial Wireless 3700 (IW3700) Series is the first industrial/outdoor Wi-Fi access point to offer 4x4 MIMO technology with three spatial streams and beamforming. The Wave 1 IW3700 wireless AP has a hardened IP67-rated enclosure, includes a dual-band radio compliant with 802.11ac (5 GHz) and 802.11n (2.4 GHz) standards, delivers aggregate data speeds of up to 1.3 Gbps, and supports a maximum of 200 users.

Legacy Cisco Aironet Wireless APs Supported by Progent
The dramatic improvements in Wi-Fi throughput and density driven by 802.11ac technology, coupled with the proliferation of BYOD users running high-bandwidth applications with streaming video, has made older generations of Wi-Fi infrastructure products out of date. Although many companies run Wi-Fi applications that are reasonably supported by legacy 802.11n networks, the fact that end-of-life wireless infrastructure appliances such as APs have reached, or are about to reach, end-of-life status can have serious implications for compliance, the ongoing availability of technical assistance, and the challenge of downstream expansion.

Progent's Cisco-certified wireless solutions experts offer advanced consulting support services to assist businesses of any size manage and support their legacy Aironet solution, assess the potential advantages for upgrading to the latest family of Aironet access points, and develop a budget-friendly strategy to migrate smoothly to a cohesive wireless environment that delivers the speed. performance, protection, manageability and reliability expected of a modern wireless ecosystem. Examples of legacy Aironet access points for which Progent continues to offer online and onsite expertise include:

Cisco Aironet 1000 or 1130AG family APs are designed for conventional workplaces and similar locations which have little environmental instability. These access points include integrated antennas that provide dependable omnidirectional coverage patterns. The 1130G Series WAP is designed for restricted domains that do not allow 5GHz operation.

Aironet 1230AG/1240AG family APs are designed for more problematic RF environments like manufacturing plants and warehouses or above suspended ceilings which typically require flexible external antennas and rugged metal enclosures. The Cisco Aironet 1240G Series device is intended for controlled domains that do not allow 802.11a operation.

Aironet 1500 family lightweight outdoor mesh LAN access points deliver an economical, scalable, protected outdoor wireless network technology for enterprise campuses and for public venues that need access for mobile devices.

The Cisco Aironet 600 OfficeExtend Series Wi-Fi access point is an 802.11n device designed for telecommuters. The Cisco Aironet 600 Wi-Fi access point features a dual 2.4/5 GHz radio, uses 2x3 MIMO technology with two spatial streams, serves a maximum of 15 wireless clients, and delivers throughput as high as 300 Mbps.

How Progent Can Help You with Aironet Wireless APs
Progent can provide cost-effective online or on-premises support from a Cisco-certified CCIE network infrastructure consultant to assist you to design, install, manage, optimize, update or repair a wireless network that includes Cisco's Aironet wireless APs. Progent can help you manage and debug legacy Aironet devices or move smoothly to Cisco's current generation of Wave 2 wireless access points based on 802.11ac technology. Progent's certified Cisco Wi-Fi controller consultants can assist you to see whether your Wi-Fi network should include Cisco Wi-Fi controller hardware or can be managed with software-based utilities such as Cisco Mobility Express.

Progent's online and on-premises Wi-Fi site surveys can help you to identify the most appropriate selection and placement of Aironet Wi-Fi APs to support your client volume, offer the coverage you require, and deal with your critical workloads. Progent's network security consultants can assist you to design, implement and validate a security and compliance strategy that includes network policies, remote network monitoring, and centralized management. Progent's disaster preparedness experts and business continuity planning experts can assist you to incorporate fault-tolerance and recoverability into your Cisco product implementations to maximize the uptime of your converged wired/wireless network infrastructure.

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Contact Progent for Consulting Support for Cisco Aironet Wi-Fi APs
To learn more about Progent's consulting expertise for installing, managing and troubleshooting Aironet Wi-Fi access points, call 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.

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