Introduction to of Cisco's Catalyst Line of Wi-Fi 6/6E APs
Cisco's Catalyst series of 802.11ax (called Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E) wireless access points build on previous version 802.11ac (aka Wi-Fi 5) APs by offering less latency and more predictable performance, supporting higher client density, providing greater cybersecurity, conserving power for battery-dependent mobile client devices, and providing more configurability for handling new kinds of Internet-of-Things (IoT) endpoints. Cisco's Wi-Fi 6E devices add compatibility with the 6-GHz radio-frequency band, opening up an extra 1200 MHz of bandwidth for more than double the Wi-Fi bandwidth as the 5-GHz band.

Progent's Cisco CCIE wireless network infrastructure consultants offer online or onsite integration and debugging support to help your organization to plan, implement, upgrade, optimize, administer and debug Catalyst wireless AP deployments of any size or topology. Progent's Cisco wireless controller experts can also help you to combine your wireless ecosystem with your wired network infrastructure and cloud-based resources to build a seamless enterprise-wide connectivity foundation that is easy to administer and scale. Progent also can provide affordable wireless site surveys to help you to decide the most appropriate selection, placement and configuration of Aironet Wi-Fi access points to work with your unique office layout, building structure, and anticipated workloads.

Catalyst Wi-Fi 6 APs Experts

Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Family of Wi-Fi 6/6E 802.11ax APs deliver the performance and scale of the 802.11ax standard

The Catalyst 9100 Series 802.11ax wireless access points are designed for deployments ranging from home offices to crowded enterprise campuses. Catalyst 9100 APs are based on the 802.11ax standard, referred to as Wi-Fi 6, which is an evolution of the previous 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) standard. Unlike 802.11ac, Wi-Fi 6 is able to use both the 2.4-Ghz and 5-GHz radio bands. Headline enhancements incorporated in Catalyst 9100 Series access points include MU-MIMO support for uplink traffic, dual NAVs for improved reliability, TWT for conserving power consumption in battery-dependent endpoints, adaptive power thresholds for more efficient spectrum utilization, and dynamic fragmentation for reduced overhead. All Cisco Catalyst 9100 Series Wi-Fi 6 APs can run Cisco's Embedded Wireless Controller (EWC), handle up to 200 clients per Wi-Fi radio, and run on Cisco IOS XE Software.

Catalyst 9105i Wi-Fi 6 Access Points Planning and Deployment ConsultantsCisco's Catalyst 9105AXi Series wireless AP is a low-profile Wi-Fi 6 AP designed for use in home offices or in small to midsize organizations. Cisco's Catalyst 9105AXi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/acW2/ax and features dual 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios plus an Internet-of-Things (IoT) radio supporting Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 and Zigbee. Cisco's Catalyst 9105AXi device supports 2x2:2 MU/SU-MIMO and delivers an aggregate max data rate of 1.2 Gbps. The 9105AXi AP includes a 10/100/1000 Base-T uplink port with Power over Ethernet 802.3at, an RJ-45 management interface, and a pair of integrated antennas. Channel width for the 2.4 GHz radio is 20 MHz and 20/40/80 MHz for the 5 GHz radio. With Embedded Wireless Controller installed, the 9105AXi AP can manage up to 50 APs and 1,000 client users.

Catalyst 9105w Wi-Fi 6 Access Points Solution Design ExpertsThe Cisco Catalyst 9105AXw Series wireless AP is designed specially as a wall-mount device and is targeted at hospitality, dormitories, and other high-occupancy living spaces. The 9105AXw's capability is similar to the Cisco 9105AXi Wi-Fi access point but has different antenna options and includes a variety of ports not offered on the 9105AXi unit. These include a 100/1000/2500 Base-T (Ethernet) uplink interface, three 10/100/1000 Ethernet downlink interfaces, a USB 2.0 interface, and a passthru interface. A Ethernet downlink port supports 10.5W PSE Power Budget.

Catalyst 9115 Wi-Fi 6 APs Solution Design ConsultantsThe Cisco Catalyst 9115AX Series Wi-Fi 6-compliant wireless AP is intended for small to midsize organizations. The Cisco 9115AX Series AP supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax and incorporates three Wi-Fi radios plus an Internet-of-Things radio covering Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0. The 9115AX includes 4x4:4 + 4x4:4 spatial streams and supports an aggregate maximum data speed of 5 Gbps. Cisco's Catalyst 9115AX Series AP comes with one 100/1000/2500 Multigigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) interface with PoE 802.3at, an RJ-45 management console interface, a USB 2.0 port, integrated internal antennas, plus extra-cost external antennas. System memory includes 2048 MB DRAM and 1024 MB flash. With Embedded Wireless Controller (EWC) activated, the Cisco 9115AX Series AP lets you manage up to 50 access points and 1,000 clients.

Cisco Catalyst 9117 Wi-Fi 6 APs Solution Design ConsultantsThe Cisco Catalyst 9117AX Series LAN AP is intended for small to midsize networks. The Wi-Fi 6 appliance complies with the 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax standards and incorporates three Wi-Fi radios plus an Internet-of-Things radio that supports Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0. Cisco's Catalyst 9117AX features 8x8 MIMO with eight spatial streams for the 5-GHz radio and 4x4:4 MIMO. Maximum aggregate throughput is 5 Gbps. Cisco's Catalyst 9117AX Series AP includes one 100/1000/2500/5000 Ethernet (RJ-45) port with PoE 802.3at, an RJ-45 console interface, a USB 2.0 port, and built-in internal antennas. RAM includes 2048 MB DRAM and 1024 MB flash. With Embedded Wireless Controller installed, the Catalyst 9117AX can manage up to 50 access points and 1,000 client users.

Catalyst 9120 Wi-Fi 6 APs Planning and Deployment ConsultantsCisco's Catalyst 9120AX Series Wi-Fi 6-certified access point is designed for for mid-size to large enterprises. The Catalyst 9120AX complies with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax and includes four radios. Flexible Radio Assignment technology permits radios to run in 2.4-GHz/5-GHz mode or in Dual 5-GHz mode. An Internet-of-Things radio supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0. The Cisco 9120AX Series AP features 4x4:4 MU-MIMO spatial streams and supports an aggregate top data rate of 5.2 Gbps when both radios run in 5-GHz mode. Cisco's Catalyst 9120AX Series AP comes with 100/1000/2500 Multigigabit Ethernet (RJ-45). The device also works with PoE 802.3at and comes with an RJ-45 management port, a USB 2.0 interface, and integrated internal antennas. External antennas are an option. System memory includes 2048 MB DRAM and 1024 MB flash memory. With EWC installed, the 9120AX Series AP can manage up to 100 access points and 2,000 client users.

Catalyst 9130 Wi-Fi 6 APs Solution Design ConsultantsCisco's Catalyst 9130AX Series Wi-Fi 6 AP is designed for mid-size to large enterprises and high-density public venues like convention centers and arenas. The Catalyst 9130AX complies with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax and features 8x8:8 MU-MIMO spatial streams. External antennas on Cisco's 9130AX access point can be divided into two 4x4 radios. An Internet-of-Things radio supports (BLE) 5.0. The Catalyst 9130AX features a 100/1000/2500/5000 Ethernet (RJ-45) uplink interface and supports an aggregate top throughput of 5.38 Gbps. The access point also supports PoE 802.3at and includes an RJ-45 management interface, a USB 2.0 port, and built-in internal antennas. The 9130AX AP includes an intelligent antenna connector that gives you the flexibility to configure an external antenna to handle challenging deployments. Memory includes 2048 MB DRAM and 1024 MB flash. With the EWC image installed, the 9130AX can manage 100 access points and 2,000 client users.

Cisco Catalyst 9136 Wi-Fi 6E APs Solution Design ConsultantsCisco's Catalyst 9136 Series represents a breakthrough line of APs intended for enterprises looking for the enhanced speed, client density, and cybersecurity brought about by the 6-GHz spectrum expansion introduced with the Wi-Fi 6E standard. By adding 1.2 GHz of uninterrupted and interference-free spectrum in the 6 GHz band, the Wi-Fi 6E standard implemented in Catalyst 9136 Series APs delivers over twice the spectrum available to earlier model Wi-Fi client devices. Catalyst 9136 APs support older generation 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax Wi-Fi clients operating in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands as well as the newer generation of 6 GHz Wi-Fi devices. Concurrent MU-MIMO spatial streams support up to 8x8:8 at 5 GHz and up to 4x4:4 at 2.4/6 GHz. Aggregate max data rate is 10.2 Gbps. Also included are a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0 radio for IoT and a scan radio. Built-in omnidirectional antennas support 2.4 GHz, 5-GHz, and 6 GHz operation. Catalyst 9136 access points come with two integrated 5 Gbps mGig (RJ-45) Ethernet ports. Channel width is 20 MHz at 2.4 GHz and 20/40/80/160 MHz at 5/6 GHz. System memory includes 2048 MB DRAM and 1024 MB flash memory. Power options include PoE, PoE+, and UPoE.

Cisco Catalyst 9166 Wi-Fi 6E Access Point ConsultantsCisco's Catalyst 9160 Series Wi-Fi 6E APs are the first Cisco access points to offer the option of being managed either on-site via Cisco DNA Center platform or through the cloud by deploying Meraki Dashboard management utilities. This enables organizations to move to cloud-based or hybrid deployments at their own pace. All Catalyst 916x access points comply with the a/b/g/n/ac/ax and 6E Wi-Fi specifications and fully support the 6-GHz band. Each device includes 5 radios and supports as many as 400 clients on each radio. Each AP model also contains a dedicated radio for Cisco CleanAir Pro for reducing interference, includes a USB 2.0 port, and supports Bluetooth Low Energy. Cisco's entry-level Catalyst 9162 Series access point is intended for small businesses, incorporates three 2x2 radios, and provides 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G mGig Ethernet support.

Cisco Catalyst APs ExpertsCisco's Catalyst 9163E Wi-Fi 6E access point is built to withstand tough outdoor venues like campus environments or stadiums. The 9163E includes three client serving 2x2 radios, one IoT radio, and a tri-band scanning radio. Interfaces include 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G Multigigabit Ethernet (RJ-45), a management console port (RJ-45), 4x N-Type Wi-Fi antenna connectors, and a GPS/GNSS antenna connector. The 9163E works with Omnidirectional Dipole Self-Identifying Antennas. Cisco's Catalyst 9164 Series AP is meant for small and mid-size enterprises, has one 2x2 radio and two 4x4 radios, and provides 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G mGig Ethernet. The Catalyst 9166 Series Wi-Fi access point is designed for large and medium-sized organizations, has three 4x4 radios, and provides 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G mGig Ethernet connectivity. The 9166 also includes environmental sensors that detect air quality, temperature, and moisture.

Cisco's Embedded Wireless Controller (EWC) on Catalyst 9100 Wi-Fi 6 Access Points
Cisco's EWC is a software image running on Cisco IOS XE and available for most Catalyst 9100 wireless access points. Cisco's EWC supports most features, but not the expandability, of Cisco's Catalyst 9800 Series wireless controller appliances. APs running EWC can concurrently support Wi-Fi clients. (Cisco Catalyst 9105AXW access points can be members of an EWC network and service client users but are not able to run EWC management functions.) Cisco's EWC can be managed using Cisco DNA Center (DNAC) for multi-site networks, or by means of a web browser or mobile app for single-site environments. All Cisco DNA Center Automation and Assurance features are available. EWC features include always-on by deploying active and standby controllers, software maintenance updates (SMUs) for live patching, auto setup, Application Visibility and Control, and Flexible Radio Assignment.

How Progent Can Assist You with Catalyst Wi-Fi 6/6E Wireless Access Points
Progent can provide a Cisco-certified consultant to assist your business to design, configure, maintain and repair a wireless environment that incorporates Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Wi-Fi 6 APs. Progent can assist you to support legacy Wi-Fi APs from Cisco or migrate efficiently to current Wi-Fi 6. Progent's Cisco wireless controller solutions consultants can help you to evaluate whether your wireless environment should include Cisco Wi-Fi controller hardware or can be managed with Cisco's software-based management tools such as Cisco's EWC.

Progent's CISA and ISSAP security professionals can show you how to design protection into your wireless network and into your company's operations. Progent's disaster recovery planning consultants and business continuity consultants can assist you to deploy the high availability (HA) technology incorporated into Cisco's wireless and wired technologies so your converged infrastructure delivers non-stop business value.

Progent's Wi-Fi Site Survey assists you to design and implement a state-of-the-art WLAN customized for your facilities, providing a Wi-Fi ecosystem that provides seamless coverage, high speed and density, Quality of Service features to accommodate IP video, advanced security, and easy management. Progent's Wireless Site Survey can be delivered online to cut time and expense, or onsite for more complex facilities.

To learn more information about Progent's consulting support for Cisco solutions, select a topic: Contact Progent for Consulting Support for Catalyst WiFi 5 and WiFi 6/6E APs
To find out more about Progent's support for planning, installing, managing and troubleshooting a Wi-Fi solution incorporating Cisco Catalyst WiFi 5 and WiFi 6/6E APs, call 1-800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.