Wireless Consulting Support

Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi controllers simplify the administration of wireless networks by unifying the configuration and management of wireless APs, tuning wireless performance by mitigating the impact of RF interference, improving wireless availability with fast and automatic failover, and improving data protection by identifying attacks and filtering content based on user type and location.

Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi controllers operate with Cisco's Prime Infrastructure platform, which supports up to Wi-Fi 18,000 wireless APs and 64,000 clients. Cisco Catalyst wireless controllers are available at price points and with feature sets for venues ranging from branch offices to large enterprises and school campuses. Catalyst 802.11ac Wi-Fi controllers and access points are designed to provide the same level of security, performance and management ease that companies expect in their wired networks. Cisco wireless controller technology incorporates built-in mobility services like Voice over IP, high-definition video, and secure access for guest clients. Cisco's Prime Infrastructure allows organizations to create networks that seamlessly combine wired and Wi-Fi resources into a centrally managed connectivity ecosystem that produces maximum business value.

Progent's Cisco-certified Wi-Fi experts can help you to assess the benefits of using Catalyst wireless controllers to manage wireless networks of any scale. Progent can help you to support and troubleshoot your existing Wi-Fi environment or help you plan and implement a smooth migration from outdated Wi-Fi controllers to current solutions.

Progent's Cisco-certified Wi-Fi infrastructure experts offer cost-effective remote consulting and troubleshooting across the U.S. and Canada to assist you to deploy and manage wireless solutions. Progent can also provide on-premises support in major metro areas across the U.S. and in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Progent offers economical online and on-premises wireless site surveys to help your company to plan and implement a Wi-Fi network with optimal AP selection and placement to match your specific office environment, building structure, user concentration, and usage patterns.

Cisco Wave 2 802.11ac WiFi LAN Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers enable fast data exchange, deployment, control, analysis and debugging for Cisco wireless devices and software services. Cisco offers both hardware and software-based Wi-Fi controllers for centralized management of WiFi environments, but systems with many Wi-Fi APs typically require hardware-based Wi-Fi controllers. Wave 2 wireless controller appliances from Cisco offer major advantages over Wave 1 and older products such as higher performance, simultaneous support for 1G and 10G interfaces, enhanced application visibility and control, and hardened, built-in protection.

Cisco's 3504 WiFi Controller is an entry-level appliance available in a desktop enclosure and designed for small and medium-sized organizations. You can use the 3504 in a centralized WLAN environment such as in small branch and home-based offices administered over the wide-area network via Cisco FlexConnect, or in mesh installations where wiring is limited. The 3504 wireless controller can handle as many as 150 APs and 3,000 client users, delivers 4 Gbps performance, and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 3504 WiFi controller features a multi-gigabit Ethernet interface and four 1-GB Ethernet ports. APs can be attached to the WiFi controller via two PoE ports. The 3504 wireless controller features subsecond failover for APs and clients, which provides uninterrupted availability for apps. As with other current Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers available from Cisco, the 3504 model has the built-in capability to communicate with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services Engine, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 WiFi controllers.

Cisco's 5520 WiFi Controller, available in a 1 rack unit enclosure, is designed for midsize to large organizations and campus environments and can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures. The 5520 Wi-Fi controller can handle up to 1,500 APs and 20,000 client users, delivers 20 Gbps performance, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 WiFi controller includes two 10 GE interfaces and features SSD storage, backup fans, optional dual power supplies, and subsecond failover for high availability.

Cisco's 8540 Wireless Controller, offered in a 2 rack unit form factor, is a top-of-the-line WiFi controller intended to support large enterprises, service providers, and large campus environments. The 8540 Wireless controller can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments and supports up to 6,000 wireless APs and 64,000 users. The 8540 WiFi controller offers data rates as high as 40 Gbps and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 8340 includes four 1-GB or 10GE interfaces and features SSD storage, redundant power supplies, backup fans, and subsecond failover.

Wave 1 Cisco WiFi Network Controllers
Cisco wireless controllers cut the effort and cost required to deploy, manage, and operate wireless networks by centralizing control of critical functions such as setting up APs, enforcing consistent policies throughout converged LANs, supporting enterprise-wide Quality of Service (QoS) for IP voice and video, tracking and troubleshooting system health, implementing intrusion prevention capabilities to defend against unauthorized access and Distributed Denial of Service attacks, and handling IPv6 clients. Cisco has designed wireless LAN controllers for businesses of any size and offers standalone desktop controllers, modular plug-in controllers for Cisco ISR routers and switches, and Catalyst switches with built-in wireless controllers.

Cisco's Wave 1 WiFi controllers include Cisco CleanAir technology to minimize RF interference and create self-optimizing wireless LANs for top 802.11n and 802.11ac performance and protection. Integrated Bonjour Gateways permit discovery, advertisement and policy throughout WLAN, LAN and WAN for Apple-based applications. For high availability (HA), Cisco wireless LAN controllers allow AP and client stateful failover by enabling a standby HA wireless controller to synch with a primary wireless controller for access point license count, CAPWAP keys, and AP CAPWAP state. If the main wireless controller goes down, thousands of APs and clients can switchover at subsecond speeds to the secondary wireless network controller.

Cisco's Wireless Controller Module for ISR G2 Routers with UCS-E provides basic 802.11n and 802.11ac capability for 2900 and 3900 Series routers used by smaller businesses and branches. This value-priced and expandable solution can handle up to 200 APs and as many as 6000 clients. (For information concerning Progent's remote and on-premises consulting services for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router configuration and troubleshooting consulting.)

Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU form-factor switches intended for small to mid-size businesses and branches and features a built-in wireless network controller with the capability to handle up to 40 Gb of wireless throughput per switch and up to 25 wireless access points and 1000 wireless clients per switch. Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU switches intended for mid-size businesses and large enterprises and include a built-in wireless LAN controller with 40 Gb of wireless throughput per switch and the ability to handle 50 access points and up to 2000 clients. The Wireless Services Module2 (WiSM2) is an add-in blade for Catalyst 6500 Series switches with a built-in wireless controller intended for mid-to-large size enterprises and able to deliver 20 Gbps performance and able to handle 1000 access points and as many as 15,000 wireless clients. (To find out about Progent's consulting services for Cisco switches, see Cisco switches configuration and troubleshooting services.)

Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controllers are economical desktop appliances that streamline the deployment and operation of wireless LANs for small to medium-sized enterprises and branches. The Cisco 2500 wireless LAN controller supports 5 to 75 access points and 1000 clients and can deliver sustained performance of up to 1 Gbps.

The Cisco 5500 Wireless Controller is an expandable 1RU unit designed for medium-sized to large enterprises and campuses and can manage up to 500 wireless access points and 7,000 wireless clients while delivering 8 Gbps throughput. Cisco's 5760 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU device designed for mid-to-large campuses with the ability to manage up to 1000 wireless access points and 12,000 clients and delivering throughput of 60 Gbps to accommodate high client densities and high usage of media-rich applications.

Cisco's Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller is intended to manage massive collections of wireless remote sites from a single datacenter, avoiding the costs of a Wi-Fi controller at every branch. The 1RU Flex 7500 lets you establish a private cloud to configure, monitor, maintain, and repair as many as 6000 wireless access points and 64,000 clients while handling 1 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 8500 Wireless Controller is a 1RU appliance engineered to manage Wi-Fi networks for very large campuses or for service providers and can be expanded to support 6000 APs and up to 64,000 wireless clients while offering 10 Gbps performance.

Legacy Cisco Wireless Controllers
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers provide single-point management of wireless LANs by simplifying the control of common technologies such as integrated IPS, fast RF management, zero touch deployment, and N+1 redundancy. Wireless LAN controllers operate with small wireless access points to offer enhanced throughput and advanced administration capabilities.

Wireless LAN Controllers offer the manageability, expandability, security, and fault tolerance that system managers need to build secure, large-scale wireless solutions, from branch offices to small businesses to headquarter campuses. Cisco's legacy Wireless Controllers can be configured together to offer accommodation for as many as 2400 WAPs per roaming domain.

The Cisco WLCM or WLCM-E Wireless LAN Controller Module for IS Routers offers small-to mid-size businesses (SMBs) and large corporations an affordable way to implement and manage protected WLANs at branch locations. These wireless controllers supervise up to 12 Cisco Aironet access points and are supported on Cisco 2800/3800 Series Routers and 3700 Routers. (To learn about Progent's online and on-premises consulting services for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router configuration and management support.)

How Progent's Consultants Can Assist You with Cisco Catalyst Wi-Fi Controllers
Progent can provide a Cisco-certified CCIE consultant to help you to design, install, maintain and troubleshoot a converged wired and wireless environment incorporating a wide range of wireless products that offer the same protection, expandability, and ease of management you demand from your wired environment. Progent can help you to support early-generation Wi-Fi solutions from Cisco or migrate efficiently to current 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology. Progent's CISM and CISSP security consultants can show you how to build security into your WLAN and into your company's operations. Progent's disaster recovery consultants and business continuity consultants can assist you to set up the HA technology incorporated into Cisco's wired/wireless products so your converged infrastructure provides continuing return on investment.

Progent's Wireless Site Survey helps you to design and implement a robust WLAN customized for your environment, offering a Wi-Fi ecosystem that provides seamless coverage, high speed and capacity, Quality of Service features to handle IP voice and video, advanced security, and streamlined management. Progent's Wi-Fi Site Survey can be delivered online to cut time and costs, or onsite for more difficult situations.

For a more in-depth look at Progent's wireless integration capabilities, see Progent's Wireless Network Support Services.

For details about Progent's consulting services for other Cisco networking technology, select a topic:

• Overview of Progent's Cisco Consulting Services
• Timely Online Access to a CCIE Consultant
• Cisco Firepower NGFW Series Firewalls: Configuration and Troubleshooting Services
• ASA 5500-X Series Firewall with Cisco Firepower Services: Consulting and Troubleshooting Support
• ASA 5500 Firewall Upgrade. Migration Help
• PIX Series Firewall Engineering Services
• Cisco Routers Consulting Expertise
• Cisco Wireless Consulting Expertise
• Cisco Aironet Access Points Consulting Expertise
• Cisco Small Business WiFi APs Engineering Support
• Catalyst 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6/6E Access Points Solution Design, Configuration and Debugging Support
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Consulting
• Meraki APs Consulting Services
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Consulting and Technical Support
• Cisco Voice over IP (VoIP) Phones and IP Video Phones Consulting and Wireless VoIP Phone Integration
• Cisco Jabber Configuration and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Consulting and Support Services
• Nexus Switches Deployment Expertise
• Cisco Meraki Switches Deployment Expertise
• Cisco VPN and Network Security Consulting Services
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP Trunks and CUBE Integration Consulting
• Cisco Duo MFA Two-factor Authentication (2FA) Services for Telecommuters
• Design and Support for Cisco-based Datacenters and Colocation Centers
• Network Optimization Services for ISPs
• Centralized Cloud-based and Hybrid Management Technologies for Cisco-powered Environments
• NetApp and Cisco FlexPod Cloud Architecture Consulting Services