Cisco Wi-Fi controllers simplify the administration of Wi-Fi environments by centralizing the configuration and control of Wi-Fi APs, optimizing Wi-Fi performance by minimizing the effects of radio congestion, enhancing Wi-Fi uptime with rapid auto-failover, and hardening protection by uncovering threats and filtering content based on client type and location.
Cisco wireless controllers integrate with Cisco's Prime Infrastructure and DNA Center (DNAC) management tools and can support as many as 6,000 wireless access points and 64,000 client users. Cisco's line of wireless controllers are offered at prices and with capabilities appropriate for venues ranging from small offices to service provider networks, enterprises, and large campus deployments. Cisco's 802.11ax and 802.11ac controllers and APs are designed to deliver the same level of security, speed and reliability that companies expect in their wired network. Cisco's technology includes built-in mobility support like IP voice, HD video, and secure guest access. Cisco's Prime Infrastructure and DNA Center architecture allow businesses to build systems that combine wired and Wi-Fi networks into a unified ecosystem that delivers a seamless and productive user experience.
Progent's certified wireless experts can assist you to determine the business benefits of installing Cisco Wi-Fi controllers to manage wireless environments of any scale. Progent can help your business to maintain and debug your existing Cisco wireless solution or help you to design and carry out a cost-effective upgrade from earlier generation Wi-Fi controllers to current products to get enhanced performance and protection and to simplify management.
Progent's Cisco-certified network consultants offer affordable remote consulting expertise across the U.S. to assist you to create and refine Wi-Fi networks. Progent also offers onsite consulting and troubleshooting in major metropolitan areas across the United States and in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Progent offers remote predictive and on-premises Wireless Site Surveys to help you to design a Wi-Fi network with access points located and set up optimally for your specific office layout, application workloads, and user density.
Cisco 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers
Cisco Catalyst 9800 family of Wi-Fi 6-supported wireless LAN controllers allow you to manage advanced wireless networks that incorporate 802.11ax wireless APs. 802.11ax, aka Wi-Fi 6, improves on previous generation 802.11ac (called Wi-Fi 5) devices by delivering lower latency and more predictable performance, allowing higher client density, providing enhanced security, saving energy for battery-powered handheld devices, and allowing more versatility for supporting new types of IoT endpoints. Cisco's Catalyst 9800 Series Wi-Fi controllers feature always-on availability with transparent software upgrades, hot patching, and the ability to connect additional wireless APs with zero service interruption. Advanced cybersecurity technologies include Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA), secure boot, and Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access). Streaming telemetry permits you to monitor and analyze network and client health. All devices in the Catalyst 9800 line are based on Cisco's IOS XE Software and work with Cisco's DNA Center or Cisco Prime Infrastructure management platforms. Cisco's Catalyst 9800 Series wireless LAN controllers can manage Cisco Aironet Wi-Fi 5 Wave 1 and Wave 2 Wi-Fi access points as well as Catalyst 9100 Series 802.11ax APs.
Cisco's 9800-L Wi-Fi 6 Controller is a value-priced appliance with a half-width 1RU enclosure that allows dual installation in a 19-in rack. Designed for smaller wireless networks, the 9800-L controller provides enhanced speed and scale if you purchase Cisco's Performance license option. The 9800-L supports 250 wireless APs and 5,000 users (500 Wi-Fi access points and 10,00 users with Cisco's Performance license). The 9800-L offers 5 Gbps throughput (10 Gbps with a Performance license), and supports 4,096 VLANs. Deployment scenarios include Centralized, FlexConnect for remote office installations, and fabric. Integrated uplinks include four 2.5G/1G ports plus two 10G/Multigigabit copper (Catalyst 9800-L-C) or two 10G/Multigigabit fiber ports (Catalyst 9800-L-F). Other interfaces include an RJ-45 console port and a Micro USB console port for management, a USB 3.0 port for plugging in external RAM memory, an RJ-45 service port, and an RJ-45 high-availability redundancy port for stateful switchover (SSO).
The Cisco Catalyst 9800-40 Wi-Fi 6 Controller, available in a 1 rack unit (RU) package, is designed for midsize campus environments. The 9800-40 supports 2,000 wireless APs and 32,000 clients. The 9800-40 offers 40 Gbps throughput and supports 4,096 VLANs. Deployment scenarios include Centralized, FlexConnect, and Fabric Wireless (SD-Access). Fixed ports include four GE SFP/10 GE SFP+ or SFP ports and an SFP Gigabit Ethernet redundancy interface. Other fixed interfaces include RJ-45 and USB 3.0 console ports, an RJ-45 service port, an RJ-45 redundancy port for stateful switchover (SSO), and two USB 3.0 ports for adding external RAM.
Cisco's Catalyst 9800-80 802.11ax Wireless Controller, offered in a 2RU form factor, is a modular, top-of-the-line wireless controller intended to support large campus and service provider deployments. The 9800-80 can handle 60,00 Wi-Fi access points and 64,000 clients. The 9800-80 delivers up to 80 Gbps data rates and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. Deployment modes include Centralized, FlexConnect, and Fabric Wireless. Fixed uplink interfaces include eight 10G SFP+ ports or six 10G ports plus two 1G interfaces. Optional hot swappable uplink add-in modules can add 18 1GE interfaces, 10 10GE interfaces, a 40GE port, two 40GE interfaces, or a 100GE port. Additional fixed ports include RJ-45 and USB 3.0 console interfaces, an RJ-45 service interface, an SFP Gigabit Ethernet redundancy port used for stateful switchover (SSO), an RJ-45 redundancy interface used for stateful switchover (SSO), and two USB 3.0 ports for plugging in external memory.
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 LAN Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 controllers allow fast data exchange, deployment, administration, analysis and troubleshooting for Cisco Wi-Fi devices and services. Cisco offers both hardware and software-based Wi-Fi controllers for unified management of wireless networks, but networks with many wireless access points are better served by physical wireless controllers. Wave 2 Wi-Fi controller devices from Cisco deliver major advantages in comparison to Wave 1 and earlier products such as greater throughput, concurrent support for 1G and 10G interfaces, improved application visibility and control (AVC), and hardened, integrated protection.
The Cisco 3504 WiFi Controller is an entry-level device with a desktop form factor and designed for small and medium-sized businesses. You can use the 3504 in a centralized network environment such as in lean branch and home-based offices managed over the wide-area network via Cisco FlexConnect, or in mesh installations where Ethernet cabling is sparse. The 3504 wireless controller supports as many as 150 access points and 3,000 client users, delivers 4 Gbps performance, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. Cisco's 3504 wireless controller includes a multi-gigabit Ethernet port (up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet) and four 1-GB Ethernet connections. APs can be connected to the WiFi controller through two Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller offers fast failover for access points and users, which allows nonstop availability for applications. Like other current Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers available from Cisco, the 3504 model has the integrated ability to work with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services Engine, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 wireless controllers.
Cisco's 5520 Wireless Controller, available in a 1RU package, is intended for midsize to large enterprises and campus environments and can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures. The 5520 Wi-Fi controller supports as many as 1,500 wireless APs and 20,000 users, offers 20 Gbps performance, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 model controller includes two 10 GE ports and incorporates solid-state storage, backup fans, optional redundant power supplies, and rapid failover for high availability.
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller, available in a 2 rack unit (RU) package, is a high-end WiFi controller designed to support enterprises, service providers, and large campuses. The 8540 Wireless controller can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures and can handle as many as 6,000 APs and 64,000 clients. The 8540 WiFi controller can deliver data rates as high as 40 Gbps and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 8540 controller comes with four 1-GB or 10GE ports and features solid-state storage, redundant power supplies, redundant fans, and rapid failover.
Wave 1 Cisco WiFi Network Controllers
Cisco wireless LAN controllers reduce the effort and cost required to deploy, monitor, and troubleshoot Wi-Fi networks by centralizing control of functions such as provisioning access points, applying consistent policies throughout converged wired/wireless LANs, supporting enterprise-wide QoS for IP voice and video, tracking and troubleshooting system health, activating wireless intrusion prevention system (wIPS) tools to guard against unauthorized access and DDoS attacks, and handling IPv6 and dual-stack clients. Cisco has developed wireless LAN controllers for organizations of any size and can provide desktop or rackmount controllers, modular plug-in controllers for Cisco routers and Catalyst switches, and Catalyst switches with integrated wireless LAN controllers.
Cisco's Wave 1 wireless controllers incorporate Cisco CleanAir technology to minimize RF interference and create self-healing and self-optimizing wireless LANs for top 802.11n and 802.11ac throughput and protection. Built-in Bonjour Gateways allow discovery, advertisement and policy throughout WLAN, LAN and WAN for Apple-based applications. For fault tolerance, Cisco wireless network controllers support AP and client stateful failover by permitting a backup high-availability wireless controller to synchronize with a primary controller for access point license tabulation, CAPWAP state and roaming keys, and AP CAPWAP state. If the primary controller stops working, thousands of wireless access points and wireless clients can failover in less than a second to the secondary wireless controller.
Cisco's Wireless Controller Module for ISR G2 Routers with UCS-E offers entry-level 802.11n and 802.11ac support for Cisco 2900 and 3900 Series routers used by small to medium-sized businesses and satellite offices. This value-priced and scalable module can handle from five to 200 APs and up to 6000 clients. (To find out about Progent's remote and on-premises consulting and troubleshooting services for Cisco routers, see Cisco router deployment and troubleshooting services.)
Cisco Legacy Wireless Network Controllers
Cisco Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU form-factor switches intended for small to mid-size businesses and branch offices and come with a built-in wireless LAN controller with the ability to handle up to 40 Gb of wireless throughput per switch and up to 25 wireless access points and 1000 wireless clients on each switch or stack. Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU rackmount switches designed for mid-size businesses and large enterprises and feature a built-in wireless LAN controller supporting 40 Gb of wireless capacity per switch and the ability to handle up to 50 wireless access points and up to 2000 clients. The Wireless Services Module2 is an add-in blade for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches that include a built-in wireless network controller intended for mid-to-large size businesses and capable of 20 Gbps throughput and with support for 1000 wireless access points and up to 15,000 clients. (To find out about Progent's online and onsite consulting support for Cisco Catalyst switches, refer to Catalyst switches deployment and troubleshooting consulting.)
Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controllers are value-priced desktop devices that streamline the deployment and management of Wi-Fi networks for small to medium-sized enterprises and branches. The 2500 Series wireless LAN controller can handle from five to 75 access points and 1000 wireless clients and offers throughput of up to 1 Gbps.
Cisco's 5500 Wireless Controller is a scalable 1RU appliance designed for medium-sized to large businesses and campus environments and can support up to 500 APs and 7,000 clients while providing 8 Gbps performance. Cisco's 5760 Wireless Controller is a 1RU appliance designed for mid-to-large campus environments with the ability to manage 1000 wireless access points and 12,000 wireless clients and delivering performance of 60 Gbps to accommodate high wireless client densities and high usage of video-intensive applications.
The Cisco Flex 7500 Wireless Controller is intended to manage thousands of wireless remote sites from a single datacenter, avoiding the costs of a Wi-Fi controller at every remote site. The 1RU rackmount Flex 7500 allows you to build a private cloud to configure, monitor, maintain, and repair as many as 6000 wireless access points and 64,000 wireless clients while supporting 1 Gbps performance. Cisco's 8500 Wireless Controller is a 1RU rackmount appliance engineered to monitor and manage wireless environments for large campuses or for service providers and can scale to support 6000 wireless points and 64,000 clients while delivering 10 Gbps throughput.
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