Cisco offers a comprehensive line of wireless networking products and software tools intended to enable continual access to information and other resources and to facilitate collaboration among employees, partners, vendors, and customers. Cisco's wireless products include Cisco's Small Business, Aironet and Meraki series of wireless access points, as well as Cisco's Wireless LAN Controller modules and appliances. Progent's Cisco-certified wireless consultants can help organizations of any size to utilize Cisco wireless products to accommodate the current model of Bring-Your-Own-Device networks by converging their tethered and untethered environments to benefit from simplified deployment, consistently high throughput, single-point management, uniform policy, fault tolerance, and across-the-board security.
Cisco's Unified Wireless Network architecture can expand to up to 18,000 access points with Layer 3 mobility at local or offsite venues such as business headquarters, university auditoriums, branches, and telecommuter homes. Cisco's 802.11x APs and controllers are part of Cisco's Unified Wireless Network and are designed to deliver the identical level of security, performance, and ease of management for wireless LANs that companies demand in their wired infrastructure. This technology incorporates integrated mobility services such as VoIP, high-definition IP video, and safe guest connectivity. Cisco's Unified Wireless Network technology allows companies to build wireless ecosystems that improve the way they work and enhance output via a mobile and connected workforce.
Progent's Cisco-certified network consulting services can provide remote or onsite expertise to assist your organization to plan, configure, manage, expand, and repair converged wired and wireless networks of any size and for any venue. In addition, Progent can provide affordable remote and onsite wireless site surveys to assist you to plan and install a Wi-Fi LAN with customized AP clusters optimized for your specific office layout, building structure, and intended application.
Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst lines of access points allow businesses to converge wired and wireless infrastructure to deliver the coverage, capacity, throughput, security and ease of management required to support virtually any environment. These APs start at bare bones, single-band 802.11b/g/n units with throughput of 300 Mb designed for very small businesses or telecommuters to 802.11ax access points capable of supporting hundreds of wireless clients per AP and delivering sustained throughput of more than 5 Gigabits per second. Cisco's latest line of APs can be clustered to provide the capacity to handle environments crowded with clients and with high usage rates of video-intense applications.
Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Family of Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Series of wireless access points are Linux-powered devices designed as entry-level wireless APs for light workloads. Many versions in the Cisco Small Business portfolio of access points support Cisco's Single Point Setup technology, which makes it possible to set up, manage and troubleshoot a group of access points from a single AP through an intuitive web browser interface. All versions support Power over Ethernet and provide Quality of Service (QoS), rogue AP awareness, and bridge mode for connecting to a second Ethernet LAN.
Cisco's Small Business WAP121 Wireless-N AP is a wall-mountable, single-band 2.4GHz unit that can support 16 802.11n wireless clients, includes a 10/100 Ethernet port, permits up to four AP devices and 40 wireless clients in a cluster, and supports sustained data rates of 300 Mbps. Cisco's WAP131 is a desktop dual-radio 802.11n AP that can handle 16 active clients on each radio for a total of up to 32 wireless clients, includes a GE port, and delivers throughput of up to 300 Mbps per radio. The WAP131 does not allow AP clustering. Cisco's WAP150 is a value-priced dual-radio 802.11ac/n AP that features a 1xGE Poe port and can support 16 clients per radio with 867 Mbps performance for AC clients and 300 Mbps for 802.11n clients. Cisco's WAP1501 supports four access points per cluster.
The Cisco Small Business WAP321 Wireless-N model is a wallmount single-band (either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) 802.11a/b/g/n unit that can handle 80 active wireless clients sharing an 8-device cluster. The Cisco WAP321 includes a Gigabit Ethernet interface and can support throughput of 300 Mbps for the selected radio. Cisco's Small Business WAP351 is a dual-radio 802.11n access point with a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch and can support 32 wireless clients on each radio for a total of up to 64 active clients, and support a sustained data rate of 300 Mbps per radio. The WAP351 does not support clustering. Cisco's WAP361 is a dual-band 2.4/5 GHz Wireless-AC/N access point that includes a 5 x Gb Ethernet switch, allows 32 active WLAN clients on each radio, and offers 867 Mbps throughput for 802.11ac devices and 300 Mbps for 802.11n clients. Cisco's WAP361 supports eight access points for each cluster. Cisco's wallmount Small Business WAP371 Wireless-AC/N is a dual-band AP that supports 802.11n and the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. The WAP371 Wireless-AC/N has a Gigabit Ethernet interface, can handle 32 active wireless clients per radio, and 8 APs for each cluster.
Cisco's Small Business WAP561 Wireless-N Selectable Band AP includes one 10/100/1000 Ethernet port and dual concurrent radios that deliver 450 Mbps performance for each radio, support 64 clients per radio, and allow up to 16 wireless access points for each cluster. The Cisco WAP551 is like Cisco's WAP 561 but features a single selectable band. Cisco's WAP571 and WAP571E (a ruggedized outdoor version) are dual-radio 802.11ac Wave 1 access points that feature two Gb Ethernet LAN interfaces with link aggregation, 3x3 MIMO, and as high as 1.9 Gigabit/sec throughput with 1300 Mbps over 11ac and 600 Mbps over 11n. Both APs support 32 clients on each radio and 16 wireless access points per cluster.
The Cisco Small Business WAP581 Wireless-AC Wave 2 Wireless Access Point complies with the Wi-Fi 5 specification and features 4x4 and 3x3 MU-MIMO technology to deliver 2.8 Gbps throughput on the 5.0-Ghz radio and 600 Mbps at 2.4 GHz for a total top throughput of 2.4 Gbps. The Small Business WAP581 has a fixed 2.5G Ethernet interface and a 10/100/1000 Ethernet interface with 802.3at Power over Ethernet (PoE). Cisco's WAP581 Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 access point supports as many as 200 connective users, a maximum of 50 active client users per radio, 16 APs for each cluster, and 960 active client users per cluster.
For more information about Progent's support for current and legacy Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 family of WiFi access points, refer to Cisco Small Business wireless APs planning and support.
Cisco's Aironet Family of Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Aironet family of indoor and outdoor wireless access points has for years been the top-selling AP product. Aironet APs run the gamut from value-priced entry-level models to advanced units. The Aironet series span several generations of models compliant with the evolving 11x specification. Cisco's current line of Aironet APs work with Cisco's Unified Wireless Network architecture and incorporate 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology, which offers three times the speed as well as greater coverage and user density than the previous generation of APs. Cisco's current dual-band Aironet APs continue to accommodate 802.11n at 2.4 GHz for clients without 802.11ac radios.
The oldest Aironet access points are outdated units that have reached end-of-sale status and are no longer fully supported by Cisco. Progent still offers support for the complete Aironet family of wireless access points and can assist you to manage and troubleshoot your current Aironet wireless environment or move cost effectively to the latest Aironet technology. To find out more about Progent's consulting services for both current and legacy Aironet access points, see Aironet APs consulting.
Meraki Wireless Access Points
Cisco's family of Meraki dual-band indoor access points range from budget-friendly devices for small businesses to enterprise-class units that offer up to 5.9 Gbit/sec performance. Each Cisco Meraki indoor wireless access point provides next-generation capabilities such as plug-and-play installation, in-depth protection, Bring-Your-Own-Device support, built-in traffic analysis, automatic over-the-web updates, and consolidated cloud management via an intuitive dashboard. Each Cisco Meraki indoor AP also includes dual powerful client-serving radios with enhanced receive sensitivity as well as a dedicated radio that provides (WIDS/WIPS) security for threat detection and deep packet inspection.
Meraki outdoor access points are IP67 rated, built to operate in rugged outdoor environments, and able to resist dust particles, vibration and moisture. Meraki outdoor wireless access points include a Gigabit Ethernet port and offer advanced features such as cloud-based management with multi-site visibility, 802.1X integration, built-in antivirus scan, single-click secure guest access and guest isolation firewall, Layer 7 traffic shaping, plus auto-configuring mesh with MIMO. For more information about Progent's consulting services for Meraki access points and cloud management, see Cisco's Meraki APs system design and troubleshooting.
Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Series Wi-Fi 6 and W-Fi 6E Access Points
Cisco's Catalyst 9100 family of Wi-Fi 6 APs are intended for deployments ranging from telecommuter homes to high-density convention centers. Cisco Catalyst 9100 APs are compliant with the 802.11ax standard, referred to as Wi-Fi 6, which is an evolution of the preceding 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) specification. As an improvement to 802.11ac, Wi-Fi 6 is able to utilize both the 2.4-Ghz and 5-GHz bands. Important enhancements incorporated in Catalyst 9100 Series access points include OFDMA scheduling for high density deployments, dual NAVs for improved reliability, TWT for conserving power usage in battery-dependent endpoints, adaptive power thresholds for more efficient spectrum use, and extended guard intervals for improved outdoor performance. Catalyst 9100 802.11ax APs can run Cisco's EWC, handle up to 400 client users per Wi-Fi radio, and run on Cisco IOS XE Software.
Cisco's Catalyst 9160 Series Wi-Fi 6E APs are the first Cisco access points to feature the versatility to be monitored and managed on-site with Cisco DNA Center platform or via the cloud using Meraki management utilities. This enables businesses to transition to cloud-based or hybrid deployments on their own timetable. All Cisco's Catalyst 916x access points meet the a/b/g/n/ac/ax and 6E wireless specifications and fully support the new 6-GHz band. Each AP includes 5 radios and supports as many as 400 clients on each radio. Each model also contains a dedicated radio for Cisco CleanAir Pro for reducing interference, includes a USB 2.0 port, and offers Bluetooth BLE. The entry-level Catalyst 9162 Series access point is intended for small organizations, incorporates three 2x2 radios, and provides 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G mGig Ethernet support. Cisco's Catalyst 9164 Series AP is intended for small and middle-size enterprises, incorporates one 2x2 radio and two 4x4 radios, and offers 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G mGig Ethernet support. The Catalyst 9166 Series access point is intended for large and medium-sized enterprises, has three 4x4 radios, and features 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G mGig Ethernet connectivity. The 9166 also comes with environmental sensors to track air quality, temperature, and humidity. For more information about Progent's consulting services for Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Series 802.11ax APs, refer to 802.11ax access points system planning, deployment, and debugging consulting.
Cisco 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers
Cisco Catalyst 9800 family of Wi-Fi 6-compatible wireless controllers allow you to automate and manage advanced wireless environments that incorporate 802.11ax access points. 802.11ax, aka Wi-Fi 6, builds on previous generation 802.11ac (called Wi-Fi 5) appliances by providing lower latency and more reliable performance, supporting higher client density, offering enhanced protection, conserving energy for battery-powered mobile devices, and offering more versatility for supporting the latest types of IoT endpoints. Catalyst 9800 line wireless controllers feature high availability with transparent software updates, hot patching, and the ability to add wireless APs without downtime. Enhanced cybersecurity technologies include Cisco Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (WIPS), image signing, and Software-Defined Access. Streaming telemetry allows you to track and analyze network and client health.
All devices in the Catalyst 9800 family are based on Cisco's IOS XE Software and operate with Cisco's DNA Center or Cisco Prime Infrastructure network management tools. Catalyst 9800 Series wireless network controllers can manage Cisco Aironet Wi-Fi 5 Wave 1 and Wave 2 wireless APs concurrently with Catalyst 9100 Series 802.11ax APs. To learn more about Progent's consulting services for Cisco 9800 line of Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers, refer to Catalyst 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6 wireless LAN controllers solution planning, deployment, and troubleshooting services.
Cisco Wi-Fi 5 802.11ac Wireless Network Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers allow fast communication, provisioning, control, analysis and debugging for Cisco wireless appliances and services. Cisco offers both physical and software-based Wi-Fi controllers for unified management of WiFi environments, but WLANs with a large number of wireless APs typically require hardware-based wireless controllers. New wireless controller devices from Cisco offer significant advantages in comparison to Wave 1 and older products including higher throughput, concurrent support for 1G and 10G interfaces, enhanced application visibility and control (AVC), and advanced, integrated protection.
Cisco's 3504 Wireless Controller is a value-priced appliance with a desktop form factor and designed for smaller organizations. You can install the 3504 in a centralized WLAN architecture such as in lean branch and remote offices managed over the wide-area network via Cisco FlexConnect, or in bridge deployments where Ethernet cabling is limited. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller supports as many as 150 wireless APs and 3,000 client users, delivers 4 Gbps throughput, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 3504 WiFi controller features a multi-gigabit Ethernet interface (up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet) and four 1-GB Ethernet interfaces. Access points can be connected directly to the WiFi controller through two Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller offers fast failover for APs and users, which allows nonstop availability for apps. Like other current Wave 2 wireless controllers available from Cisco, the 3504 device has the integrated ability to communicate with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services Engine, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 WiFi controllers.
Cisco's 5520 Wireless Controller, available in a 1 rack unit (RU) package, is designed to support midsize to large enterprises and campus networks and can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments. The 5520 wireless controller supports up to 1,500 access points and 20,000 clients, offers 20 Gbps throughput, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 model controller includes two 10 GE interfaces and features solid-state storage, redundant fans, optional backup power supplies, and subsecond failover for high availability.
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller, offered in a 2RU enclosure, is a top-of-the-line wireless controller designed to support enterprises, service providers, and large campuses. The 8540 WiFi controller can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments and supports up to 6,000 access points and 64,000 clients. The 8540 WiFi controller can deliver throughput up to 40 Gbps and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 8340 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 time and expense required to deploy, manage, and operate Wi-Fi networks by offering single-point control of tasks like provisioning wireless access points, enforcing single-point policies throughout converged networks, supporting enterprise-wide Quality of Service for IP voice and video, tracking and optimizing network health, implementing wireless intrusion prevention system (wIPS) tools to guard against unauthorized access and Distributed Denial of Service threats, and managing IPv6 clients. Cisco has developed wireless LAN controllers for businesses of any size and offers standalone desktop controllers, modular add-on controllers for Cisco ISR routers and switches, and switches with built-in wireless LAN controllers.
Cisco's Wave 1 WiFi controllers include Cisco CleanAir technology to avoid signal interference and create self-healing wireless networks for top 802.11n and 802.11ac throughput and security. Built-in Apple Bonjour Gateways enable discovery, advertisement and policy across WLAN, LAN and WAN for Apple applications. For high availability, Cisco wireless network controllers support wireless access point and client stateful failover by permitting a backup high-availability wireless controller to synch with a primary wireless controller for AP license count, CAPWAP state and roaming keys, and AP CAPWAP state. In case the primary controller fails, thousands of access points and clients can failover in less than a second to the secondary controller.
Cisco's Wireless Controller Module for ISR G2 Routers with UCS-E offers entry-level 802.11n and 802.11ac support for 2900 and 3900 Series routers deployed by small to medium-sized organizations and satellite offices. This affordable and expandable module can handle from five to 200 wireless access points and up to 6000 wireless clients. (To find out about Progent's online and onsite consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco routers, see Cisco router configuration and management services.)
Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU form-factor switches designed for SMBs and satellite offices and have a built-in wireless LAN controller with the ability to handle 40 Gb of wireless capacity per switch and 25 APs and 1000 clients per switch or stack. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU switches intended for mid-size and large organizations and feature a built-in wireless controller supporting 40 Gb of wireless capacity on each switch and the ability to handle 50 wireless access points and 2000 wireless clients. The Wireless Services Module2 (WiSM2) is an add-in blade for Catalyst 6500 Series switches with a built-in wireless LAN controller intended for mid-to-large size businesses and able to deliver 20 Gbps performance and with support for up to 1000 access points and up to 15,000 clients. (To learn about Progent's support for Cisco switches, see Cisco Catalyst switches deployment and troubleshooting consulting.)
Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controllers are economical desktop appliances that streamline the provisioning and management of Wi-Fi LANs for small to medium-sized enterprises and branch offices. The Cisco 2500 wireless controller can handle from five to 75 APs and 1000 clients and can deliver throughput of 1 Gbps.
Cisco's 5500 Series Wireless Controller is an expandable 1RU appliance designed for medium-sized to large businesses and campus environments and can support 500 access points and 7,000 clients while delivering 8 Gbps performance. The Cisco 5760 Wireless Controller is a 1RU device intended for mid-to-large campuses with support for up to 1000 wireless access points and 12,000 clients and delivering throughput of 60 Gbps to accommodate high wireless client densities and high usage of video-intensive applications.
The Cisco Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller is designed to manage thousands of wireless branches from one location, avoiding the requirement for a wireless controller at each remote site. The 1RU Flex 7500 appliance allows you to build a private cloud to deploy, track, manage, and repair as many as 6000 wireless access points and up to 64,000 wireless clients while handling 1 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU device designed to manage wireless networks for very large campuses or service providers and can scale to handle up to 6000 access points and 64,000 wireless clients while delivering 10 Gbps performance.
To learn more about Cisco WiFi controllers, visit Cisco Wi-Fi controllers consulting and integration.
Legacy Cisco Wireless Access Points, Bridges and Controllers Supported by Progent
The IEEE 802.11ac standard for Wi-Fi largely made obsolete the earlier releases of Wi-Fi devices for environments that support high numbers of clients and high usage of HD video applications. Even for businesses who do not require the bandwidth efficiency of 802.11ac Wi-Fi, a large number of Cisco wireless products have arrived at end-of-sale or end-of-support status, which can pose serious service and regulatory compliance problems. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants provide online and onsite support for a wide range of older-generation Cisco wireless products. Progent can in addition help organizations to evaluate the potential ROI for upgrading up-of-date wireless infrastructure and can help in planning and executing cost-effective, seamless upgrades. The following are a sample of Cisco older-generation Wi-Fi devices that Progent's consultants still support.
Legacy Cisco Aironet APs
Aironet 1000 or 1130AG family access points are ideal for offices and other venues which have little environmental variability. These devices have built-in antennas that provide dependable radio coverage patterns. The Aironet 1130G family device is designed for restricted domains that do not allow 5GHz operation.
Cisco Aironet 1230AG/1240AG family wireless access points are ideal for more problematic radio frequency environments such as factories or above suspended ceilings which commonly require adjustable external antennas and durable enclosures. The 1240G family device is designed for restricted domains that do not allow 5GHz transmission.
Aironet 1500 family lightweight outdoor mesh LAN access points deliver an affordable, expandable, secure outdoor wireless network technology for campus areas and for public venues that need access for mobile phones or computers.
Legacy Cisco Wireless LAN Bridges
Cisco Aironet wireless bridges provide a high-speed and feature-rich solution for connecting numerous LANs in a metro area or public access environment. Cisco wireless LAN bridges offer a versatile, manageable solution that meets the security needs of public networking specialists. They handle both P2P and PTMP implementations with excellent range and support for data rates as high as 54 Mbps.
Cisco Aironet wireless bridges deliver throughput several times higher than E1/T1 connections for a fraction of the cost, erasing the need for costly leased lines when linking separate offices. Since wireless bridges have no recurring costs, savings on leased-line services quickly cover the initial hardware costs. Self-installed private lines and in some cases leased lines using copper or fiber-optic cable can require very expensive startup expenses in cases where they are separated by barriers like freeways, train tracks, or lakes and rivers. Cisco Aironet wireless LAN bridges can be deployed quickly with a fast return on investment.
Cisco Aironet 1300 outdoor access points/bridges can be deployed as stand-alone access points, bridges, or workgroup bridges. These devices have a tough enclosure and provide fast, economical wireless interfaces between numerous stationary or mobile environments and users.
Cisco Aironet 1400 family wireless bridges provide fast, dependable outside connections for line-of-sight (LOS) applications. These devices include a ruggedized cover that is optimized for severe outside environments and can function within broad temperature ranges.
Legacy Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco WLAN Controllers provide single-point management of wireless LANs by streamlining the control of key functions such as integrated IPS, fast RF control, zero touch deployment, and full N+1 redundancy. Cisco Wireless controllers operate with lightweight APs to deliver superior throughput and advanced management functions.
WLAN Controllers provide the control, expandability, protection, and dependability that IT managers need to build secure, large-scale wireless networks, from branch offices to small businesses to main campuses. Cisco's first-generation Wireless Network Controllers can be clustered to provide support for up to 2400 WAPs per roaming domain.
Cisco's WLCM or WLCM-E Controller Module for IS Routers provides small-to medium businesses and large corporations an affordable way to deploy and control protected wireless networks at satellite offices. These products manage up to twelve Aironet access points and are installable in Cisco 2800/3800 Series Routers and Cisco 3700 Series Integrated Services Routers. (For information concerning Progent's remote and on-premises support for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router deployment and troubleshooting support.)
How Progent's Engineers Can Assist Your Company with Cisco Wireless Products
Progent can provide access to a Cisco-certified consulting professional to assist you to plan, install, maintain and repair a converged wired/wireless infrastructure incorporating a broad array of wireless devices that provide the same security, expandability, and ease of management you expect from a wired network. Progent can assist you to support early-generation Wi-Fi products from Cisco or upgrade seamlessly to current 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 technology. Progent's CISA and ISSAP security consultants can show you how to design security into your wireless network and into your company's processes. Progent's disaster recovery consultants and business continuity planning consultants can show you how to set up the high availability technology built into Cisco's wired/wireless technologies so your converged network delivers significant return on investment.
Progent's Wi-Fi Site Survey assists you to plan and implement a state-of-the-art WLAN customized for your environment, providing a Wi-Fi solution that provides seamless coverage, high speed and density, QoS to handle IP video, advanced security, and simplified management. Progent's Wi-Fi Site Survey can be performed online to cut time and expense, or on premises for more difficult environments.
For a further look at Progent's wireless integration capabilities, visit Progent's Wireless Consulting.
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