Cisco Wi-Fi Solutions Experts

Cisco wireless controllers streamline the management of Wi-Fi environments by centralizing the deployment and control of Wi-Fi access points, maximizing Wi-Fi performance by reducing the impact of radio interference, enhancing Wi-Fi uptime with fast and automatic failover, and hardening protection by detecting cyber threats and filtering traffic content based on user type and location.

Cisco wireless controllers work with Cisco's Prime Infrastructure and DNA Center (DNAC) network management tools and are able to accommodate as many as 6,000 Wi-Fi access points and 64,000 client users. Cisco's family of Wi-Fi controllers are available at price points and with capabilities appropriate for networks that run from small offices to service provider systems, multi-site enterprises, and dense campus deployments. Cisco's Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 controllers and wireless access points are engineered to provide the high standard of protection, performance and robustness that users expect from their wired network. Cisco's technology incorporates integrated mobility support like IP voice, HD video, and secure guest access. Cisco's Prime Infrastructure and DNA Center platforms make it possible for organizations to implement environments that combine wired and wireless networks into a centrally managed solution that provides a seamless and productive work environment.

Progent's certified wireless consultants can assist you to assess the business benefits of installing Cisco Wi-Fi controllers to administer wireless networks of any size. Progent can help your business to support and troubleshoot your existing Cisco-based Wi-Fi solution or help you to design and implement a smooth transition from earlier generation Wi-Fi controllers to current models to deliver enhanced functionality and security and to streamline administration.

Progent's Cisco-certified network infrastructure consultants offer low-cost remote consulting and support expertise throughout the U.S. to assist you to create and refine Wi-Fi networks. Progent can also provide onsite support in major metropolitan areas throughout the U.S. and in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Progent can provide online predictive and onsite Wireless Site Surveys to help you to plan a Wi-Fi network with access points located and configured efficiently for your particular site layout, traffic volume, and client 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 Wi-Fi networks that support 802.11ax wireless APs. The 802.11ax standard, aka Wi-Fi 6, builds on previous generation 802.11ac (referred to as Wi-Fi 5) devices by providing lower latency and more reliable performance, allowing higher client user density, providing greater protection, conserving energy for battery-powered mobile devices, and allowing more flexibility for handling new types of Internet-of-Things endpoints. Cisco's Catalyst 9800 line Wi-Fi controllers include high availability with seamless software upgrades, live fixes, and the ability to add Wi-Fi access points with zero disruption of service. Enhanced cybersecurity features include Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA), secure boot, and Cisco Software-Defined Access. Streaming telemetry permits you to monitor and analyze network and endpoint health. All appliances in the Catalyst 9800 line are based on Cisco's IOS XE Software and work with Cisco's DNA Center (DNAC) or with Prime Infrastructure management platforms. Catalyst 9800 Series wireless LAN controllers can support Cisco Aironet 802.11ac Wave 1 and Wave 2 Wi-Fi access points concurrently with Cisco Catalyst 9100 Wi-Fi 6 access points.

The Cisco 9800-L 802.11ax Controller is a value-priced device with a half-width 1RU chassis that permits dual mounting in a 19-in rack. Intended for small and medium-sized organizations, the controller provides extra throughput and scale if you purchase a Performance license option. The 9800-L can handle 250 wireless APs and 5,000 clients (500 wireless APs and 10,00 clients if you have a Performance license). The 9800-L offers 5 Gbps throughput (10 Gbps with a Performance license), and supports 4,096 VLANs. Deployment options include Centralized, Cisco FlexConnect for branch office installations, and fabric. Fixed uplinks include four 2.5G/1G ports and either two 10G/Multigigabit copper (Catalyst 9800-L-C) or two 10G/Multigigabit fiber ports (Catalyst 9800-L-F). Additional ports include an RJ-45 console port and a Micro USB console port for management, a USB 3.0 interface for adding external memory, an RJ-45 service interface, and an RJ-45 HA redundancy interface for stateful switchover (SSO).

Cisco's Catalyst 9800-40 802.11ax Wireless Controller, available in a 1RU package, is intended to support midsize campus environments. The 9800-40 supports 2,000 APs and 32,000 users. The 9800-40 offers 40 Gbps throughput and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. Deployment options include Centralized, FlexConnect, and Fabric Wireless (SD-Access). Fixed interfaces include four GE SFP/10 GE SFP+ or SFP interfaces and an SFP Gigabit Ethernet redundancy port. Other integrated interfaces include RJ-45 and USB 3.0 console ports, an RJ-45 management port, an RJ-45 redundancy port for stateful switchover, and two USB 3.0 interfaces for plugging in external RAM memory.

Cisco's Catalyst 9800-80 Wi-Fi 6 Controller, available in a 2 rack unit form factor, is a modular, high-end Wi-Fi controller intended to support large campus and service provider environments. The 9800-80 can handle 60,00 wireless APs and 64,000 users. The 9800-80 controller offers a maximum of 80 Gbps throughput and supports 4,096 VLANs. Deployment modes include Centralized, FlexConnect, and Fabric Wireless (SD-Access). Fixed uplink ports include eight 10G SFP+ interfaces or six 10G ports and two 1G ports. Optional hot swappable uplink add-in modules provide 18 1GE ports, 10 10GE interfaces, a 40GE port, two 40GE ports, or one 100GE port. Additional fixed ports include RJ-45 and USB 3.0 console interfaces, an RJ-45 service interface, an SFP Gigabit Ethernet redundancy interface used for stateful switchover (SSO), an RJ-45 redundancy port for stateful switchover, and two USB 3.0 ports for plugging in external RAM.

Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 LAN Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 wireless controllers allow realtime communication, deployment, administration, monitoring and troubleshooting for Cisco Wi-Fi appliances and services. Cisco has developed both hardware and virtual wireless controllers for centralized management of wireless networks, but networks with many Wi-Fi APs typically require physical Wi-Fi controllers. Wave 2 wireless controller devices from Cisco deliver significant benefits over Wave 1 and earlier products including greater performance, concurrent support for both 1G and 10G interfaces, enhanced application visibility and control, and advanced, built-in security.

Cisco's 3504 WiFi Controller is a value-priced appliance with a desktop body and designed for smaller businesses. You can install the 3504 model in a centralized network environment such as in small branch and remote offices managed over the wide-area network with FlexConnect, or in mesh installations where Ethernet cabling is sparse. The 3504 wireless controller can handle as many as 150 wireless APs and 3,000 client users, offers 4 Gbps throughput, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 3504 wireless controller features a Cisco Multigigabit interface (up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet) and four 1-Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. APs can be attached directly to the controller through two Power over Ethernet ports. The 3504 wireless controller offers subsecond failover for APs and users, which allows high availability for apps. As with other Wave 2 wireless controllers from Cisco, the 3504 model has the built-in capability to communicate with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 WLAN controllers.

Cisco's 5520 WiFi Controller, offered in a 1 rack unit form factor, is intended for midsize to large organizations and campus environments and can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments. The 5520 wireless controller supports up to 1,500 access points and 20,000 client users, offers 20 Gbps performance, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 WiFi controller features two 10 GE interfaces and incorporates SSD storage, redundant fans, optional redundant power supplies, and subsecond failover for nonstop availability.

Cisco's 8540 Wireless Controller, available in a 2RU form factor, is a high-end wireless 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 as many as 6,000 access points and 64,000 client users. The 8540 WiFi controller offers throughput as high as 40 Gbps and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 8340 comes with four 1-GB or 10GE interfaces and features solid-state storage, backup power supplies, backup fans, and subsecond failover.

Wave 1 Cisco WiFi LAN Controllers
Cisco wireless controllers reduce the time and expense needed to deploy, manage, and operate wireless networks by offering single-point control of critical functions like provisioning APs, enforcing single-point policies throughout converged wired and wireless LANs, supporting enterprise-wide Quality of Service for IP voice and video, monitoring and optimizing network performance, implementing intrusion prevention tools to defend against unauthorized access and Distributed Denial of Service attacks, and managing IPv6 clients. Cisco has designed wireless LAN controllers for organizations of all sizes and can provide desktop or rackmount appliances, modular plug-in controllers for Cisco ISR routers and switches, and switches with integrated wireless LAN controllers.

Cisco's Wave 1 wireless controllers incorporate Cisco CleanAir tools to avoid RF interference and create self-healing and self-optimizing wireless networks for maximum 802.11n and 802.11ac throughput and protection. Built-in Apple Bonjour Gateways allow discovery throughout WLAN, LAN and WAN for Apple-based applications. For high availability (HA), Cisco wireless controllers allow wireless access point and client stateful failover by permitting a standby HA wireless controller to synch with a main controller for access point license count, CAPWAP state and roaming keys, and access point CAPWAP state. In case the main wireless controller fails, thousands of access points and clients can failover in less than a second to the secondary wireless LAN controller.

Cisco's Wireless Controller Module for ISR Routers with UCS-E offers entry-level 802.11n and 802.11ac support for Cisco 2900 and 3900 Series routers deployed by smaller organizations and satellite offices. This affordable and scalable module can support up to 200 access points and as many as 6000 wireless clients. (To learn concerning Progent's remote and on-premises consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router deployment and management services.)

Cisco Legacy Wi-Fi LAN Controllers
Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU switches designed for small to mid-size businesses and satellite offices and features an integrated wireless controller with the capability to handle 40 Gb of wireless throughput for each switch and 25 APs and 1000 clients on each switch or stack. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU rackmount switches designed for mid-size businesses and large enterprises and include an integrated wireless network controller with up to 40 Gb of wireless capacity on each switch and the ability to handle 50 wireless access points and up to 2000 wireless clients. The Wireless Services Module2 is a plug-in blade for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches that include an integrated wireless controller designed for mid-to-large size businesses and capable of 20 Gbps throughput and able to handle up to 1000 APs and as many as 15,000 wireless clients. (To learn concerning Progent's support for Cisco switches, refer to Cisco Catalyst switches configuration and troubleshooting consulting.)

Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controllers are entry-level desktop devices that simplify the deployment and operation of Wi-Fi networks for SMBs and branch offices. The Cisco 2500 Series wireless controller supports 5 to 75 access points and up to 1000 wireless clients and can deliver sustained data rates of 1 Gbps.

The Cisco 5500 Wireless Controller is a scalable 1RU unit intended for medium-sized to large enterprises and campuses and can support 500 APs and 7,000 clients while delivering 8 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 5760 Wireless Controller is a 1RU appliance intended for mid-to-large campuses with the ability to manage up to 1000 access points and 12,000 clients and delivering throughput of 60 Gbps to accommodate high wireless client densities and high amounts of media-rich applications.

Cisco's Flex 7500 Wireless Controller is intended to enable centralized management of massive collections of wireless remote sites from one location, avoiding the need for a wireless controller at every branch. The 1RU Flex 7500 allows you to build a private cloud to configure, track, manage, and repair up to 6000 wireless access points and 64,000 clients while handling 1 Gbps throughput. Cisco's 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU appliance designed to monitor and manage wireless environments for very large campuses or service providers and can scale to handle 6000 APs and 64,000 clients while offering 10 Gbps throughput.

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