Wireless Consulting Expertise

Cisco wireless controllers simplify the management of Wi-Fi environments by unifying the deployment and administration of Wi-Fi access points, maximizing Wi-Fi throughput by minimizing the impact of RF congestion, enhancing Wi-Fi availability with rapid auto-failover, and hardening protection by detecting threats and filtering content based on client ID and location.

Cisco's Wi-Fi controllers integrate with Cisco's Prime Infrastructure and DNA Center (DNAC) network management solutions and are able to support up to 6,000 wireless APs and 64,000 clients. Cisco's family of Wi-Fi controllers are available at price points and with capabilities appropriate for networks that run from branch offices to service provider systems, enterprises, and large campus environments. Cisco's 802.11ax and 802.11ac controllers and APs are designed to deliver the same level of protection, speed and robustness that users are accustomed to in their wired environments. Cisco's technology incorporates integrated mobility support like Voice over IP, HD video, and protected guest access. Cisco's Prime Infrastructure and DNAC architecture make it possible for organizations to implement environments that combine wired and wireless networks into a unified solution that provides a seamless and productive work environment.

Progent's seasoned wireless experts can help you to assess the business benefits of deploying Cisco wireless controllers to manage WiFi environments of any scale. Progent can assist your business to support and troubleshoot your existing Cisco wireless solution or assist you to design and carry out an efficient upgrade from earlier generation Wi-Fi controllers to current models to get improved functionality and security and to streamline management.

Progent's Cisco-certified network consultants offer affordable online consulting and support expertise throughout the U.S. and Canada to help organizations to build and refine Wi-Fi solutions. Progent also offers on-premises consulting and troubleshooting in major metropolitan areas across the U.S. and in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Progent offers remote predictive and on-premises Wireless Site Surveys to assist your company to plan a Wi-Fi network with wireless access points placed and set up optimally for your specific site environment, application workloads, and client density.

Cisco 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers
Cisco Catalyst 9800 family of Wi-Fi 6-compatible wireless LAN controller appliances help you manage advanced wireless environments that incorporate 802.11ax wireless APs. The 802.11ax standard, referred to as Wi-Fi 6, improves on prior generation 802.11ac (called Wi-Fi 5) devices by providing less latency and more predictable performance, supporting higher client density, offering greater protection, conserving energy for battery-dependent handheld devices, and allowing more versatility for handling new kinds of Internet-of-Things (IoT) endpoints. Catalyst 9800 Series wireless controllers include high availability with transparent software updates, live patching, and the ability to connect additional Wi-Fi access points without disruption of service. Enhanced security technologies include Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA), image signing, and Cisco Software-Defined Access. Streaming telemetry permits you to monitor and understand network and endpoint health. All controllers in the Catalyst 9800 line are powered by Cisco's IOS XE Software and work with Cisco's DNA Center or with Cisco Prime Infrastructure management platforms. Cisco's Catalyst 9800 Series wireless network controllers can support Cisco Aironet 802.11ac Wave 1 and Wave 2 wireless APs concurrently with Catalyst 9100 Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi access points.

Cisco's 9800-L 802.11ax Controller is an entry-level device available in a half-width 1RU form factor that allows dual mounting in a standard 19-in rack. Designed for smaller wireless networks, the controller delivers extra throughput and scale if you purchase a Performance license option. The 9800-L can handle 250 Wi-Fi access points and 5,000 users (500 APs and 10,00 users with Cisco's Performance license). The controller offers 5 Gbps throughput (10 Gbps with a Performance license), and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. Deployment options include Centralized, Cisco FlexConnect for remote office deployments, and fabric. Integrated uplinks include four 2.5G/1G ports and 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 interface and a Micro USB console interface for out-of-band management, a USB 3.0 port for plugging in external memory, an RJ-45 management port, and an RJ-45 high-availability redundancy port used for stateful switchover.

The Cisco Catalyst 9800-40 802.11ax Wireless Controller, offered in a 1 rack unit (RU) package, is intended for midsize campus deployments. The 9800-40 can handle 2,000 wireless APs and 32,000 clients. The appliance offers 40 Gbps data rates and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. Deployment scenarios include Centralized, Cisco FlexConnect, and Fabric Wireless (SD-Access). Integrated ports include four GE SFP/10 GE SFP+ or SFP ports and an SFP Gigabit Ethernet redundancy interface. Additional integrated interfaces include RJ-45 and USB 3.0 console interfaces, an RJ-45 service interface, an RJ-45 redundancy port used for stateful switchover (SSO), and two USB 3.0 ports for plugging in external RAM memory.

Cisco's Catalyst 9800-80 802.11ax Wireless Controller, offered in a 2 rack unit enclosure, is a modular, top-of-the-line Wi-Fi controller designed to support large campus and service provider deployments. The 9800-80 can handle 60,00 access points and 64,000 client users. The 9800-80 delivers up to 80 Gbps throughput and supports 4,096 VLANs. Deployment scenarios include Centralized, FlexConnect, and Fabric Wireless. Integrated uplink interfaces include eight 10G SFP+ interfaces or six 10G interfaces and two 1G interfaces. Supported uplink modules provide 18 1GE interfaces, 10 10GE interfaces, a 40GE port, two 40GE ports, or one 100GE port. Other integrated ports include RJ-45 and USB 3.0 console interfaces, an RJ-45 management port, an SFP Gigabit Ethernet redundancy port for SSO, an RJ-45 redundancy interface used for stateful switchover, and two USB 3.0 ports for plugging in external RAM memory.

Cisco Wave 2 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5 LAN Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 controllers allow fast communication, deployment, control, analysis and troubleshooting for Cisco wireless appliances and services. Cisco offers both physical and virtual Wi-Fi controllers for unified administration of wireless environments, but WLANs with a large number of Wi-Fi access points are better served by hardware-based Wi-Fi controllers. Wave 2 Wi-Fi controller appliances from Cisco offer significant benefits over Wave 1 and earlier products including higher performance, simultaneous support for 1G and 10G interfaces, improved application visibility and control (AVC), and advanced, integrated security.

The Cisco 3504 WiFi Controller is a value-priced device with a desktop enclosure and intended for smaller businesses. You can install the 3504 model in a centralized network architecture such as in small branch and home-based offices managed over the WAN via Cisco FlexConnect, or in mesh deployments where wiring is sparse. The 3504 wireless controller can handle as many as 150 APs and 3,000 client users, offers 4 Gbps performance, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. Cisco's 3504 wireless controller includes a multi-gigabit Ethernet interface (up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet) and four 1-GB Ethernet interfaces. APs can be attached to the controller through two Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller features subsecond failover for access points and clients, which allows uninterrupted availability for apps. As with other current Wave 2 wireless controllers from Cisco, the 3504 device has the integrated capability to work with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services Engine, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 WLAN controllers.

Cisco's 5520 Wireless Controller, offered in a 1 rack unit form factor, is intended to support midsize to large enterprises and campus environments and can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures. The 5520 wireless controller can handle as many as 1,500 APs and 20,000 users, delivers 20 Gbps throughput, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 wireless controller features two 10 GE ports and features SSD storage, redundant fans, optional dual power supplies, and rapid failover for nonstop availability.

The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller, offered in a 2RU enclosure, is a top-of-the-line wireless controller designed to support large enterprises, service providers, and large campuses. The 8540 Wireless controller can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments and supports as many as 6,000 wireless APs and 64,000 client users. The 8540 WiFi controller offers data rates up to 40 Gbps and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 8540 controller comes with four 1-GB or 10GE ports and features SSD storage, backup power supplies, redundant fans, and subsecond failover.

Wave 1 Cisco WiFi Network Controllers
Cisco wireless network controllers reduce the effort and expense needed to deploy, manage, and operate Wi-Fi networks by offering single-point control of tasks like provisioning wireless access points, enforcing single-point policies across converged wired and wireless LANs, supporting enterprise-wide Quality of Service for IP voice and HD video, monitoring and troubleshooting system health, implementing wireless intrusion prevention system (wIPS) capabilities to guard against cyber break-ins and Distributed Denial of Service attacks, and managing IPv6 and dual-stack clients. Cisco has developed wireless network controllers for organizations of all sizes and offers desktop or rackmount appliances, modular plug-in wireless controllers for Cisco ISR routers and Catalyst switches, and Catalyst switches with built-in wireless network controllers.

Cisco's Wave 1 wireless LAN controllers include Cisco CleanAir technology to avoid RF interference and produce self-optimizing wireless networks for top 802.11n and 802.11ac throughput and protection. Built-in Apple Bonjour Gateways enable discovery and policy throughout WLAN, LAN and WAN for Apple-based applications. For high availability (HA), Cisco wireless LAN controllers allow access point and client stateful failover by permitting a backup high-availability wireless controller to synchronize with a main controller for AP license tabulation, CAPWAP state and roaming keys, and AP CAPWAP state. If the primary controller fails, thousands of APs and wireless clients can failover immediately to the backup wireless controller.

Cisco's Wireless Controller Module for ISR G2 Routers with UCS-E offers basic 802.11n and 802.11ac capability for Cisco 2900 and 3900 routers deployed by small to medium-sized businesses and branch offices. This value-priced and expandable solution can handle from five to 200 APs and as many as 6000 wireless clients. (To learn about Progent's online and onsite consulting support services for Cisco routers, see Cisco router configuration and troubleshooting consulting.)

Cisco Legacy Wireless LAN Controllers
Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU form-factor switches designed for small to mid-size businesses and branches and have an integrated wireless network controller with the capability to support up to 40 Gb of wireless throughput for each switch and 25 APs and 1000 wireless clients per switch. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU switches designed for midsize businesses and large enterprises and feature a built-in wireless LAN controller with 40 Gb of wireless capacity per switch and support for 50 wireless access points and 2000 wireless clients. The Wireless Services Module2 (WiSM2) is a plug-in blade for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches with a built-in wireless LAN controller intended for mid-to-large size enterprises and able to deliver 20 Gbps performance and able to handle 1000 wireless access points and as many as 15,000 clients. (To find out concerning Progent's online and onsite consulting support for Catalyst switches, see Cisco switches configuration and management consulting.)

Cisco 2500 Wireless Controllers are value-priced desktop appliances that streamline the provisioning and management of wireless LANs for small to medium-sized enterprises and satellite offices. The 2500 Series wireless LAN controller can manage from five to 75 wireless access points and 1000 wireless clients and can deliver throughput of 1 Gbps.

The Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller is a scalable 1RU appliance designed for medium-sized to large businesses and campuses and can manage 500 APs and 7,000 wireless clients while providing 8 Gbps performance. Cisco's 5760 Wireless Controller is a 1RU device designed for mid-to-large campus environments with support for 1000 wireless access points and 12,000 wireless clients and offering performance of 60 Gbps to accommodate high wireless client densities and high usage of video-intensive mobile applications.

Cisco's Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller is designed 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 build a private cloud to deploy, monitor, maintain, and repair as many as 6000 access points and up to 64,000 clients while handling 1 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU rackmount appliance engineered to 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 performance.

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