Cisco Wireless Solutions Consultants

Progent's Cisco-certified wireless networking consultants can provide online and onsite expertise to help you design, deploy, manage, tune, and troubleshoot Wi-Fi networks that include Cisco Meraki wireless access points. Progent can also assist your organization to design and configure hybrid environments that seamlessly integrate on-premises and cloud resources and that feature convenient access, advanced security, centralized management, and responsive performance across all your wired and wireless client devices. Progent also offers economical wireless site surveys to assist you in the selection, placement, and configuration of Cisco Meraki Wi-Fi access points in order to build a Wi-Fi solution tuned to your physical site or sites, user density, and application workloads.

Cisco Meraki Indoor Wireless Access Points
Cisco's selection of Meraki dual-band indoor WiFi access points runs from entry-level devices for small office or home workers to high-end APs that deliver enterprise-class performance and scale. All Meraki indoor APs feature advanced functions like plug-and-play installation, tight security, mobile device support, integrated analytics, automatic over-the-web firmware updates, and centralized cloud management for multi-site and distributed networks. Each Meraki indoor WiFi AP also includes two powerful client-serving radios with boosted receive sensitivity plus a dedicated WIDS/WIPS security radio that performs spectrum analysis and deep packet inspection in real time.

Other features of Meraki indoor WiFi APs include a Gigabit Ethernet interface, 802.3af PoE compatibility, hardware-accelerated encryption, wireless IPs, self-healing mesh routing with zero-configuration, cloud-centric location analytics, single-click secure guest access with an isolation firewall, customizable splash pages for hot spots, access control based on groups or devices, integrated anti-virus scan, WPA2-Enterprise authentication with 802.1X and native Active Directory integration, Layer 7 traffic shaping for controlling bandwidth allocation according to application class, plus MIMO and built-in beam forming to accommodate high-density venues.

The Meraki MR20 is an entry-level Wave 2 Wi-Fi AP targeted at for small office/home office (SOHO) deployments. The dual-radio MR20 has 2x2:2 MU-MIMO and delivers 1.3 Gbps maximum performance (as high as 866 Mbps for the 5 GHz radio and 400 Mbps for the 2.4 GHz radio). The MR20 includes Meraki's Air Marshal wireless intrusion prevention system (WIPS) for enhanced security. The MR20 has a single built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Ethernet RJ45 port and does not incorporate a BLE radio. The MR20 access point can be placed on a desktop or mounted on a wall or ceiling.

Cisco's Meraki MR42 is an 802.11ac Wave 2 wireless AP designed for wireless venues that need high throughput and high density. The MR42 features 3x3:3 MU-MIMO with beamforming, provides 1.9 Gbps maximum throughput, has a Gigabit Ethernet interface, and includes a built-in Bluetooth radio for scanning and beaconing. Cisco's Meraki MR52 is a Wave 2 AP intended for dense campus environments. Equipped with four radios, the MR52 offers 4x4 MU-MIMO with four spatial streams and beamforming, delivers up to 2.5 Gbps combined throughput, supports 160 MHz channels, has two built-in GE Ethernet interfaces, and has an integrated Bluetooth BLE radio. The Meraki MR53 AP is similar to the Meraki MR52 device but includes one GE interface and a 2.5 Gbps Multigigabit Ethernet port.

Cisco's Meraki MR30H is a wall switch WiFi access point intended for hotel or dormitory environments. This Wave 2 access point offers 2x2 MU-MIMO, an integrated 4-port GB Ethernet interface, and a Bluetooth BLE radio for beaconing. The MR30H supports 1.3 Gbps aggregate performance. The Meraki MR33 is a general-purpose WiFi access point designed for for schools,retail stores and other relatively dense environments. The MR33 is similar to the MR30H AP but features a compact body and does not have a 4-port GB Ethernet interface.

Cisco's Meraki MR28 is an entry-level 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 AP targeted at small business venues. The MR28 AP features 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios, 2x2:2 MU-MIMO for each radio, an integrated 1x 10/100/1000 BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45) interface, and a fixed antenna. The Meraki MR28 access point delivers an aggregate frame rate of 1.7 Gbps. The Meraki MR36 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 AP is a general-purpose appliance suited for venues like offices and schools. The MR36 features simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios with 2x2:2 MU-MIMO for both radios, a built-in 1x 10/100/1000 BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45) port, and an integrated antenna. The Meraki MR36H 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 wall-switch AP is designed for in-room hotel or dorm venues. The Meraki MR36H includes concurrent 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios with 2x2:2 MU-MIMO for each radio, incorporates an internal antenna, and delivers an aggregate frame rate of 1.3 Gbps. Integrated interfaces include 1x 10/100/1000 BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45) port with 802.3af Power over Ethernet output, two 10/100/1000 BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45) ports, and 1x Gigabit Ethernet passthrough port.

The Meraki MR44 is an 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 access point intended for high-density or performance-critical environments. The MR44 AP features simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios, 2x2:2 MU-MIMO for the 2.4 GHz radio and 4x4:4 MU-MIMO for the 5 GHz radio, an integrated 1x 100/1000/2.5G BASE-T Ethernet (RJ-45) port, and a built-in antenna. The Cisco/Meraki MR44 access point delivers an aggregate frame rate of 2.7 Gbps. The Meraki MR45 is an 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 AP intended for high-density networks. The MR45 AP features four dual-band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios with 4x4:4 MU-MIMO for both radios, a fixed 1x 1/2.5/5G Ethernet port, and four built-in antennas. The Meraki MR45 AP delivers maximum combined performance of 3.5 Gbps. The Meraki MR46 is an 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 access point designed for high-performance deployments such as offices, schools, hospitals, shops, and hotels. The MR44 AP includes concurrent 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios, 4x4:4 MU-MIMO for both the 2.4 and the GHz radios, an internal 1x 100/1000/2.5G BASE-T Ethernet (RJ-45) interface, and an internal antenna. The MR44 is desktop, ceiling, and wall mount capable. The Meraki MR44 access point supports a combined top throughput of 2.98 Gbps.

Cisco's Meraki MR55 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 AP comes with four dual-band radios and offers 4x4:4 MU-MIMO for the 2.4 GHz radio and 8x8:8 MU-MIMO for the 5 GHz radio. The Meraki MR55 AP provides an integrated 1x 1/2.5/5G Base-T Ethernet port and eight built-in antennas. The maximum throughput for the MR55 AP is 5.9 Gbps. Cisco's Meraki MR56 is an 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 access point suited for use in dense indoor deployments. The MR56 AP includes simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios, 4x4:4 MU-MIMO for the 2.4 GHz radio and 8x8:8 MU-MIMO for the 5 GHz radio, an integrated 5 Gbps multigigabit Ethernet port, and an internal antenna. The Meraki MR56 access point supports a top combined throughput of 5.9 Gbps. Cisco's Meraki MR57 WiFi 6E access point introduces support for the 6 GHz band, opening more than double the spectrum available to prior versions of Meraki access points. You can operate the MR57 access point in dual 5 GHz mode or in tri-band 2.5/5/6 GHz mode. The 4x4:4 MU-MIMO MR57 supports a top aggregate throughput rate of 7.78 Gbps. The MR57 includes dual configurable multigigabit 5Gbps Ethernet ports and integrated omni-directional antennas.

Catalyst 916x Family 6E Access Points with Meraki Cloud Management Support
Cisco's Catalyst 9160 Series Wi-Fi 6E access points are the first Cisco APs to feature the capability to be monitored and managed either on-prem via Cisco DNA Center platform or from the cloud using Meraki Dashboard management tools. This enables organizations to transition to cloud-based or hybrid management environments on their own schedule. All Cisco's Catalyst 916x APs meet the a/b/g/n/ac/ax and 6E Wi-Fi standards and fully support the new 6-GHz band. Each AP includes 5 radios and supports a maximum of 400 clients per radio. Every AP also features a dedicated radio for Cisco CleanAir Pro for mitigating wireless interference, has a USB 2.0 port, and offers Bluetooth BLE. Cisco's small-footprint Catalyst 9162 Series AP is designed for small organizations, has three 2x2 radios, and includes 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G mGig Ethernet connectivity. Cisco's Catalyst 9164 Series AP is meant for small and mid-size enterprises, includes one 2x2 radio and two 4x4 radios, and offers 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G mGig Ethernet. The Catalyst 9166 Series access point is meant for large and mid-sized enterprises, has three 4x4 radios, and offers 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G mGig Ethernet connectivity. The 9166 also includes environmental sensors to track air quality, temperature, and humidity.

Earlier Generation Meraki Indoor Wi-Fi Access Points
Cisco's Meraki MR18 is a wall-mountable or desktop 802.11n dual-radio Wi-Fi access point that features 2x2:2 MIMO and delivers 600 Mbps performances. This value-priced AP is intended for general-purpose use in low-density venues. The Meraki MR32 is a wall/ceiling mountable or desktop wireless access point with a 5 GHz 2x2:2 802.11ac radio plus a 2.4 GHz 2x2:2 802.11n radio. Maximum performance is 1.2 Gbps. This access point includes a Bluetooth radio for beaconing and BLE scanning and is intended for medium-density campus, shop, and enterprise venues.

The Meraki MR34 Wave 1 access point features 3x3 MIMO and delivers 1.75 Gbps throughput. Designed for high density applications, the MR34 offers 802.af PoE and 802.3at PoE+ and does not include a Bluetooth radio. The MR34 has reached end-of-life status.

Cisco Meraki Cloud-managed Outdoor/Industrial Wi-Fi Access Points
Cisco's Meraki outdoor and industrial wireless access points are IP67 rated, engineered to work in outdoor venues, and certified to withstand dust, shock, vibration and moisture. Meraki outdoor WiFi APs include a GB Ethernet interface and provide advanced features such as cloud management, 802.1X and native Active Directory support, integrated AV security scanning, single-click secure guest access and firewall isolation, application-aware traffic shaping, and self-configuring mesh with MIMO and beamforming.

Cisco's Meraki MR62 is an entry-level single-radio 802.11n outdoor WiFi access point offering 300 Mbps throughput and featuring a single-radio mesh plus VPN support for remote clients. The Meraki MR66 has dual radios with band steering, delivers 600 Mbps throughput, and features 2x2 MIMO, beamforming, and multi-radio mesh. The Meraki MR72 is a three-radio WiFi access point that delivers 1.2 Gbps performance with concurrent 802.11ac and 802.11n 2x2:2 MIMO radios. A third radio is dedicated to WIDS/WIPS security and automatic spectrum optimization. The MR72 incorporates a Bluetooth radio for beaconing and scanning. The high-end Meraki MR84 is a 4-radio outdoor WiFi access point intended for challenging high-density venues like stadiums or other outdoor venues. The MR84 features 4'4:4 MU-MIMO, 160 MHz channels, a 1 GB Ethernet interface and a Multigigabit Ethernet port, plus a built-in Bluetooth radio.

Meraki's Cloud-based WiFi Management Services
Meraki's cloud-based management services offer centralized administration and control over multi-site WiFi networks of practically any size. Meraki's web-accessible control console provides device and application visibility, availability and performance monitoring with automatic alerts, extensive reporting and analytics for network tuning, over-the-web software updates, and advanced security. Meraki cloud services also handle issues such as route discovery, authentication, and security policy enforcement.

Individual Meraki wireless access points have the CPU power, storage capacity, and system architecture needed to perform line-rate packet processing, Quality of Service, layer 3-7 security, hardware-assisted encryption, and other core functions while at the same time communicating with Meraki's cloud services for remote management. If the connection to Meraki cloud services is interrupted for any reason, clients can continue to use their Wi-Fi networks while service is being restored. You can also integrate Meraki service stacks for Meraki switches and firewalls, allowing you to build a unified solution for managing your entire network infrastructure from a single pane of glass.

Traffic sent from Meraki access points to the Meraki service cloud is limited to control information and does not include application data or web browsing traffic. WiFi access point control data is transmitted efficiently over an out-of-band management tunnel that requires only around 1 kbps of bandwidth per managed access point. This avoids AP performance degradation while at the same time saving businesses the cost and management hassle of installing and operating wireless controller hardware within the network core.

For more details about the features of Meraki's cloud-based management services, see Cisco Meraki Wi-Fi access point cloud management services consulting.

How Progent Can Help You Integrate and Manage Cisco Meraki WiFi Access Points
Progent's Cisco-certified Wi-Fi networking consultants offer online and onsite support to help businesses of any size to plan, deploy, manage, expand, or debug Wi-Fi environments that utilize Cisco Meraki wireless access points. Progent's consultants can provide on-demand expertise to help you resolve occasional technical issues or Progent can provide full-service project management or co-management support to make sure strategic Wi-Fi projects are carried out successfully, on schedule, and on budget. Progent can help you integrate Meraki wireless access points with Meraki switches and security appliances or with non-Meraki network products from Cisco or other manufacturers. (See Cisco Meraki switches consulting.) Progent's also offers wireless site surveys to help you select, place, and configure Cisco Meraki wireless access points to provide optimal coverage, performance, and user capacity as required by your Wi-Fi environment.

Progent's certified network security and compliance experts can help you apply consistent best-practices-based policies across your Wi-Fi and wired networks and verify that your security profile is compliant with industry and regulatory requirements. Progent's disaster preparedness and business continuity planning consultants can help you design and test a high-availability and recoverable Wi-Fi environment that incorporates the fault-tolerant technology built into Cisco-Meraki wireless access points and cloud services.

To learn more about Progent's Wi-Fi consulting services, visit Progent's Wi-Fi Integration Consulting and Troubleshooting Support.

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