Cisco Network Consulting and Support

Cisco offers a comprehensive catalog of wireless LAN products and technologies designed to enable continual connections to data and resources and to promote collaboration among workers, associates, suppliers, and customers. Cisco's wireless products include the Small Business, Aironet and Meraki series of access points, plus Cisco's Wireless LAN Controller modules and standalone devices. Progent's Cisco-certified wireless consulting experts can enable businesses of any size to deploy Cisco wireless technology to support the new paradigm of Bring-Your-Own-Device networks by integrating their tethered and untethered networks to benefit from easy deployment, consistently high throughput, single-point control, enterprise-wide policy enforcement, high availability, and across-the-board security.

Cisco's Unified Wireless Network solution can scale to as many as 18,000 APs with Layer 3 mobility across central or remote venues like enterprise headquarters, college auditoriums, branches, and home offices. Cisco's Wi-Fi APs and wireless controllers are components of Cisco's Unified Wireless Network and are designed to deliver the same level of protection, throughput, and manageability for wireless LANs that businesses expect in their wired infrastructure. This technology incorporates integrated mobile services such as VoIP, high-definition IP video, and safe guest connectivity. Cisco's Unified Wireless architecture enables organizations to build Wi-Fi ecosystems that streamline the way they do business and enhance productivity through a mobile and collaborative employee base.

Progent's Cisco CCIE network consulting services offers online or onsite support to help you to design, deploy, manage, expand, and repair converged wired/wireless networks of any size and for any venue. In addition, Progent offers affordable online and onsite Wi-Fi site surveys to assist you to plan and deploy a Wi-Fi network with custom-designed access point clusters optimized for your individual work area layout, building characteristics, and intended application.

Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst Wireless Access Points (APs)
Cisco's Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst families of access points allow you to converge wired and wireless networks to provide the accessibility, density, throughput, security compliance and manageability required for virtually any environment. These APs start at bare bones, single-radio 802.11b/g/n units with throughput of 300 Mb for small companies or home offices to 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) APs suitable for supporting hundreds of wireless clients per access point and delivering data rates of more than 5 Gigabits per second. Cisco's current line of access points can be clustered to provide the scale to support wireless networks with high client density and with a high incidence of video-intense apps.

Cisco Small Business Family of APs
Cisco's Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Series of access points are Linux-powered devices engineered as value-priced Wi-Fi solutions for light workloads. Many versions in Cisco's Small Business line of APs work with Cisco's Single Point Setup technology, which makes it possible to configure, control and troubleshoot a cluster of access points from a single AP via an intuitive browser-based tool. All of the versions support POE and feature QoS, rogue AP awareness, and bridging for wirelessly connecting to another network.

The Cisco Small Business WAP121 AP is a wall-mountable, single-band 2.4GHz unit able to handle 16 active 802.11b/g/n wireless clients, has a 10/100 Ethernet port, allows up to four access pointss and 40 active clients in a cluster, and can handle sustained data rates of up to 300 Mbps. Cisco's WAP131 is a desktop dual-band 2.4/5 GHz 802.11n access point that can handle 16 wireless clients per radio for up to 32 wireless clients, features a Gigabit Ethernet interface, and delivers sustained data rates of 300 Mbps per radio. The WAP131 Wireless-N does not support AP clustering. Cisco's Small Business WAP150 is an entry-level dual-radio AC/n wireless access point that includes a 1xGE Power over Ethernet port and can handle up to 16 clients from each radio with 867 Mbps throughput for 802.11ac devices and 300 Mbps for 802.11n clients. The Cisco WAP1501 supports four access points per cluster.

Cisco's Small Business WAP321 Wireless-N model is a wallmount single-band (either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) 802.11a/b/g/n device that can handle up to 80 wireless clients in an 8-AP cluster. The WAP321 has a GE port and can deliver throughput of 300 Mbps for the selected radio. The Cisco Small Business WAP351 is a dual-band 2.4/5 GHz 802.11a/b/g/n access point with a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch and can handle 32 wireless clients per radio for a total of up to 64 active clients, and support sustained throughput of 300 Mbps for each radio. The WAP351 AP does not allow clustering. The Cisco WAP361 is a dual-band 2.4/5 GHz 802.11ac wireless access point that features a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet LAN switch, allows 32 active WLAN clients per radio, and offers 867 Mbps performance for wireless AC devices and 300 Mbps for 802.11n clients. The Cisco WAP361 supports 8 access points for each cluster. Cisco's wall-mountable WAP371 Wireless-AC/N is a dual-radio device that supports 802.11a/b/g/n and the latest 802.11ac IEEE specification. The WAP371 includes a 10/100/1000 Ethernet port, can handle up to 32 wireless clients on each radio, and eight APs for each cluster.

The Cisco Small Business WAP561 802.11n Dual Radio Selectable Band wireless access point features a 10/100/1000 Ethernet interface and dual radios (2.4 and 5.0 GHz) that deliver 450 Mbps throughput for each radio, can handle 64 devices for each radio, and allow 16 APs per cluster. The Cisco WAP551 is similar to the WAP 561 but has a single radio selectable band. The Cisco Small Business WAP571 and WAP571E (the ruggedized outdoor version) are dual-band 802.11ac APs that feature two Gb Ethernet ports with link aggregation (LAG), 3x3 MIMO, and as high as 1.9 Gbps throughput with 1300 Mbps over 11ac and 600 Mbps on 802.11n. Both access points support 32 clients on each radio and 16 access points on each cluster.

The Cisco WAP581 Wireless-AC Wave 2 Wireless Access Point supports the Wi-Fi 5 standard and features 4x4 and 3x3 MU-MIMO to provide 2.8 Gbps data rates on the 5.0-Ghz radio and 0.6 Gbps at 2.4 GHz for a total max data rate of 2.4 Gbps. The WAP581 includes an integrated 2.5G Ethernet port and a 10/100/1000 Ethernet port with 802.3at PoE. The WAP581 Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 access point can handle up to 200 connective client users, a maximum of 50 active client users for each radio, 16 APs per cluster, and 960 active client users per cluster.

For more information about Progent's support for both current and older Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 series of wireless access points, refer to Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 WiFi APs planning and support.

The Aironet Line of Wireless Access Points
The Aironet portfolio of indoor and outdoor wireless APs has consistently been the leading access point product. Aironet access points run the gamut from value priced models to advanced APs. The Aironet line span multiple generations of models compliant with the evolving 802.11x Wi-Fi specification. Cisco's current line of Aironet access points support Cisco's Unified Wireless Network software and come with 802.11ac support, which offers triple the performance plus superior coverage and density compared to the previous generation of APs. Cisco's latest multi-band Aironet APs continue to support 802.11n at 2.4 GHz for client devices that lack 802.11ac radios.

The oldest Aironet access points are now legacy units that have reached end-of-life status and are not fully supported by Cisco. Progent continues to support the complete Aironet line of APs and can assist you to manage and troubleshoot your current Aironet Wi-Fi environment or move cost effectively to the latest Aironet technology. To find out more about Progent's support for current and outdated Aironet access points, refer to Cisco Aironet wireless access points system design and troubleshooting.

Cisco's Meraki Wireless Access Points
Cisco's family of Meraki dual-band 2.4/5 GHz indoor wireless access points range from budget-friendly devices for small businesses to advanced products that offer as high as 5.9 Gbit/sec performance. Every Cisco Meraki indoor AP provides next-generation features like self-configuring plug-and-play deployment, advanced protection, Bring-Your-Own-Device support, built-in traffic analysis, zero-touch web-based updates, and consolidated cloud-based management for multiple sites. Each Meraki indoor AP also incorporates two powerful radios with enhanced receive sensitivity as well as a dedicated radio that provides (WIDS/WIPS) security for threat detection and deep packet inspection at line rate.

Cisco's Meraki outdoor APs are IP67 certified, designed to withstand harsh outdoor conditions, and able to resist dust, shock and moisture. Cisco's Meraki outdoor wireless access points include a 1 x Gbit Ethernet port and deliver advanced capabilities that include cloud-based management with multi-site control, 802.1X integration, built-in antivirus scan, 1-click secure guest access and isolation firewall, application-aware traffic shaping, plus auto-configuring mesh with MIMO. For more information about Progent's support for Cisco's Meraki wireless access points and management tools, refer to Cisco's Meraki APs system design and troubleshooting.

Catalyst 9100 Line of 802.11ax Access Points
Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Series Wi-Fi 6 access points are designed for environments ranging from home offices to high-density arenas. Cisco Catalyst 9100 access points are compliant with the 802.11ax specification, referred to as Wi-Fi 6, which in turn builds on the preceding 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) specification. Unlike 802.11ac, Wi-Fi 6 is able to use both the 2.4-Ghz and 5-GHz bands. Important technologies incorporated in Cisco Catalyst 9100 Series access points include MU-MIMO support for uplink traffic, dual NAVs for improved dependability, increased device sleep time for reduced power consumption in battery-dependent endpoints, adaptive sensitivity thresholds for better spectrum use, and dynamic fragmentation for reduced overhead. All Cisco Catalyst 9100 Series Wi-Fi 6 access points can run Cisco's Embedded Wireless Controller (EWC), accommodate as many as 200 clients per Wi-Fi radio, and run on Cisco IOS XE Software. For more information about Progent's consulting services for Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Family of Wi-Fi 6 Access Points, see Wi-Fi 6 APs solution design, deployment, and debugging services.

Cisco 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers
Catalyst 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6-supported wireless controllers allow you to automate and manage modern wireless environments that incorporate 802.11ax APs. The 802.11ax standard, popularly known as Wi-Fi 6, builds on prior generation 802.11ac (called Wi-Fi 5) devices by delivering less latency and more predictable performance, supporting higher client user density, offering greater security, conserving energy for battery-powered handheld devices, and allowing more versatility for handling the latest types of Internet-of-Things (IoT) endpoints. Cisco's Catalyst 9800 Series Wi-Fi controllers feature high availability with transparent software updates, hot patching, and the ability to add wireless APs with zero service interruption. Advanced security features include Cisco Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (WIPS), secure boot, and Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access). Streaming telemetry allows you to monitor and analyze infrastructure and endpoint health.

All appliances in the Catalyst 9800 line are based on Cisco's IOS XE Software and operate with Cisco's DNA Center or with 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 wireless APs as well as Cisco Catalyst 9100 Series 802.11ax access points. For more information about Progent's support for Cisco 9800 line of Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers, see Catalyst 9800 family of Wi-Fi 6 wireless LAN controller appliances solution design, configuration, and troubleshooting consulting.

Cisco Wave 2 Wireless Network Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 wireless controllers allow fast communication, configuration, management, monitoring and troubleshooting for Cisco wireless appliances and services. Cisco offers both physical and virtual wireless controllers for unified administration of WiFi environments, but WLANs with a large number of wireless APs typically require hardware-based Wi-Fi controllers. Current generation Wi-Fi controller appliances from Cisco deliver major benefits in comparison to Wave 1 and earlier models such as higher throughput, concurrent support for both 1G and 10G Ethernet, enhanced application visibility and control (AVC), and hardened, integrated security.

The Cisco 3504 WiFi Controller is a value-priced appliance with a desktop enclosure and designed for smaller businesses. You can install the 3504 model in a centralized WLAN architecture such as in lean branch and home-based offices managed over the WAN via FlexConnect, or in mesh installations where Ethernet cabling is sparse. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller supports up to 150 wireless APs and 3,000 client users, offers 4 Gbps throughput, and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 3504 wireless controller features a Cisco Multigigabit interface and four 1-Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. APs can be attached 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 uninterrupted availability for applications. As with other current Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers available from Cisco, the 3504 device has the built-in capability to communicate with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services Engine, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 WiFi controllers.

The Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller, offered in a 1 rack unit (RU) form factor, is designed to support midsize to large enterprises and campus networks and can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures. The 5520 Wi-Fi controller supports as many as 1,500 Wi-Fi access points and 20,000 client users, offers 20 Gbps performance, and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 WiFi controller features two 10 GE ports and features SSD storage, backup fans, optional redundant power supplies, and rapid failover for uninterrupted availability.

Cisco's 8540 Wireless Controller, offered in a 2RU package, is a top-of-the-line WiFi controller designed to support enterprises, service providers, and large campus environments. The 8540 Wireless controller can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures and supports as many as 6,000 Wi-Fi access points and 64,000 client users. The 8540 Wireless controller offers data rates as high as 40 Gbps and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 8340 includes four 1-GB or 10GE ports and features SSD storage, dual power supplies, redundant fans, and subsecond failover.

Wave 1 Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco wireless LAN controllers reduce the time and cost required to configure, manage, and operate wireless networks by centralizing control of functions like setting up access points, applying consistent policies throughout converged wired/wireless networks, supporting enterprise-wide QoS for voice and video, tracking and optimizing network performance, activating intrusion prevention capabilities to guard against unauthorized access and Distributed Denial of Service attacks, and managing IPv6 and dual-stack clients. Cisco has developed wireless LAN controllers for businesses of any size and offers standalone desktop controllers, modular add-on controllers for Cisco routers and switches, and Catalyst switches with built-in wireless network controllers.

Cisco's Wave 1 WiFi LAN controllers incorporate Cisco CleanAir technology to minimize RF interference and create self-healing wireless LANs for top 802.11n and 802.11ac throughput and protection. Integrated Apple Bonjour Gateways permit discovery, advertisement and policy across WLAN, LAN and WAN for Apple applications. For fault tolerance, Cisco wireless network controllers allow AP and client stateful failover by enabling a backup high-availability controller to synchronize with a primary controller for access point license tabulation, CAPWAP keys, and AP CAPWAP state. If the primary wireless controller fails, thousands of wireless 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 provides basic 802.11n and 802.11ac capability for Cisco 2900 and 3900 routers used by smaller organizations and branches. This value-priced and scalable module can support up to 200 wireless access points and as many as 6000 wireless clients. (For information concerning Progent's online and on-premises consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router deployment and management services.)

Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU switches intended for small to mid-size businesses and satellite offices and have a built-in wireless network controller with the capability 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. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU switches intended for mid-size businesses and large enterprises and feature an integrated wireless network controller supporting up to 40 Gb of wireless capacity per switch and support for up to 50 access points and up to 2000 wireless clients. The WiSM2 is a plug-in blade for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches that include an integrated wireless LAN controller intended for mid-to-large size enterprises and able to deliver 20 Gbps throughput and with support for up to 1000 wireless access points and up to 15,000 wireless clients. (For information concerning Progent's online and onsite consulting support for Cisco switches, see Cisco Catalyst switches deployment and management consulting.)

Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controllers are economical desktop appliances that streamline the deployment and management of wireless networks for SMBs and branches. The 2500 Series wireless network controller supports from five to 75 access points and 1000 wireless clients and can deliver sustained performance of 1 Gbps.

The Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller is an expandable 1RU appliance intended for medium-sized to large enterprises and campus environments and can manage 500 access points and 7,000 wireless clients while delivering 8 Gbps performance. The Cisco 5760 Wireless Controller is a 1RU appliance intended for mid-to-large campus environments with support for 1000 access points and 12,000 wireless clients and delivering performance of 60 Gbps to handle high client densities and high amounts of media-rich mobile applications.

The Cisco Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller is intended to manage massive collections of wireless branches from one datacenter, eliminating the need for a wireless controller at each branch. The 1RU rackmount Flex 7500 appliance lets you establish a private cloud to deploy, monitor, maintain, and repair as many as 6000 wireless access points and up to 64,000 wireless clients while handling 1 Gbps performance. The Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU appliance engineered to manage Wi-Fi networks for very large campuses or service providers and can scale to support up to 6000 APs and 64,000 wireless clients while delivering 10 Gbps performance.

For more information about Cisco WiFi controllers, go to Cisco Wi-Fi controllers consulting services.

Legacy Cisco Wireless Access Points, Bridges and Controllers Supported by Progent
The introduction of the IEEE 802.11ac standard for Wi-Fi effectively made obsolete the prior releases of Wi-Fi products for many environments that have high densities of wireless clients and high usage of video-intensive applications. Even for organizations who do not currently require the performance of 802.11ac Wi-Fi, many of Cisco wireless products have reached end-of-life status, which can represent significant maintenance and compliance problems. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants provide remote and on-premises support services for a broad range of older-generation Cisco wireless products. Progent can also help organizations to assess the business case for updating up-of-date wireless infrastructure and can assist in planning and executing affordable, non-disruptive upgrades. Below are a few of Cisco legacy Wi-Fi products that Progent's consulting experts still support.

Legacy Cisco Aironet Access Points
Aironet 1000 or 1130AG Series access points are ideal for offices and similar locations which have little environmental variability. These access points have integrated antennas that offer dependable radio range profiles. The Cisco Aironet 1130G Series wireless access point is designed for controlled locations that do not permit 802.11a operation.

Aironet 1230AG/1240AG Series access points are ideal for more difficult radio frequency environments such as manufacturing plants and warehouses or above ceiling structures which often require flexible protruding antennas and durable enclosures. The Cisco 1240G family product is intended for regulatory locations that do not allow 802.11a/5GHz transmission.

Aironet 1500 lightweight outdoor wireless mesh LAN access points provide an affordable, expandable, protected outdoor wireless network mechanism for enterprise campuses and for public venues that require access for portable phones or computers.

Legacy Cisco Aironet Wireless LAN Bridges
Cisco wireless LAN bridges offer a high-performance and multi-featured technology for connecting multiple local area networks in a metro area or public access environment. Cisco wireless bridges offer a versatile, easy-to-use technology that satisfies the protection needs of WAN specialists. They manage both P2P and P2MP configurations with excellent range and the ability to handle traffic throughput as high as 54 Mbps.

Cisco wireless bridges offer throughput dramatically higher than E1/T1 connections for far less cost, avoiding the necessity of costly leased lines when connecting separate buildings. Since bridges carry no recurring charges, the expenses saved on connection services rapidly cover the initial equipment costs. Private lines and in some cases leased lines using copper or optical cable often result in high startup expenses when they are separated by obstacles like freeways, railroads, or bodies of water. Cisco wireless LAN bridges can be installed quickly an offer a fast ROI.

Cisco Aironet 1300 Series outdoor access points/bridges can be implemented as stand-alone wireless access points, bridges, or workgroup bridges. These devices have a durable cover and offer high-speed, economical wireless interfaces between numerous stationary or mobile environments and users.

Cisco Aironet 1400 family bridges provide fast, dependable outdoor wireless bridging for line-of-sight applications. These devices include an all-weather cover that can hold up to severe outdoor environments and can operate within wide temperature ranges.

Legacy Cisco Wireless Network Controllers
Cisco Wireless Controllers centralize the management of wireless networks by streamlining the control of common technologies such as integrated IPS, fast RF management, automatic configuration, and N+1 redundancy. Cisco Wireless controllers work with lightweight access points to deliver enhanced performance and high-end management functions.

Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) offer the manageability, expandability, security, and resilience that network managers require to create secure, large-scale wireless environments, from satellite locations to small companies to headquarter campuses. Cisco's legacy WLCs can be configured together to provide accommodation for up to 2400 access points per roaming domain.

Cisco's WLCM or WLCM-E Wireless LAN Controller Module for IS Routers provides small-to mid-size businesses and large corporations an affordable way to implement and manage protected wireless networks at satellite locations. These products manage up to a dozen Aironet wireless access points and are supported on 2800/3800 Integrated Services Routers and 3700 Routers. (To learn concerning Progent's remote and on-premises consulting services for Cisco routers, see Cisco router deployment and troubleshooting support.)

How Progent's Engineers Can Assist Your Business with Cisco Wireless Devices
Progent can provide a Cisco-certified consultant to assist you to plan, deploy, maintain and troubleshoot a converged wired and wireless environment integrating a wide range of wireless devices that provide the identical protection, extensibility, and manageability you demand from your wired environment. Progent can assist you to maintain legacy wireless solutions from Cisco or migrate efficiently to current 802.11ax-compatible products. Progent's CISA and ISSAP security consultants can advise you about how to design security into your WLAN and your business operations. Progent's disaster recovery planning consultants and business continuity consultants can show you how to set up the HA technology incorporated into Cisco's wireless and wired products so your converged infrastructure delivers significant return on investment.

Progent’s Wireless Site Survey helps you to design and implement a robust WLAN optimized for your facilities, providing a Wi-Fi solution that provides seamless coverage, high performance and capacity, Quality of Service to accommodate IP voice and video, enterprise-class security and compliance, and simplified management. Progent's Wi-Fi Site Survey can be performed online to cut time and expense, or onsite to deal with more complex environments.

For a further discussion of Progent's wireless consulting services, see Progent's Wireless Consulting.

To learn more information concerning Progent's professional assistance for Cisco technology, pick a subject:

• Overview of Progent's Cisco Engineering Services
• Timely Online Support from a Cisco CCIE Consultant
• Cisco Firepower Firewalls: Integration and Management Services
• Cisco ASA 5500-X Firewall with Firepower Services: Configuration and Management Support
• ASA 5500 Series Firewall Upgrade. Migration Help
• Cisco PIX 500 Series Firewall Management Help
• Cisco Routers Consulting Expertise
• Aironet Wireless APs Engineering Services
• Cisco Small Business WiFi APs System Design Expertise
• Catalyst Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Access Points Planning, Configuration and Troubleshooting Services
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Consultants
• Meraki Wireless Access Points Design Expertise
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Integration and Troubleshooting
• Cisco VoIP Phones and IP Video Desktop Phones Consulting Services and Wireless IP Phone Solutions
• Cisco Jabber Integration Services
• Catalyst Switches Deployment Expertise
• Cisco Nexus Switches Consulting and Support Expertise
• Meraki MS Switches Consulting and Support Expertise
• Cisco VPN and Security Integration Services
• SIP and CUBE Infrastructure Solutions: SIP Trunks and CUBE Integration Expertise
• Infrastructure Design for Cisco-powered Data Centers
• Infrastructure Design Expertise for Service Providers
• Streamlined Management Technologies for Cisco-powered Infrastructure