Cisco offers a comprehensive line of wireless LAN products and technologies intended to provide continual access to data and other resources and to promote collaboration among workers, partners, vendors, and clients. Cisco's wireless product families include Cisco's Small Business, Aironet and Meraki lines of access points (APs), plus Cisco's Wireless Network Controller plug-ins and appliances. Progent's certified wireless consultants can help organizations of any size to utilize Cisco wireless technology to support the current model of BYOD computing by integrating their tethered and untethered networks to benefit from easy configuration, predictable performance, centralized management, uniform policy, high availability, and advanced protection.
The Cisco Unified Wireless architecture can scale to up to 18,000 wireless access points with full Layer 3 mobility across central or remote locations like enterprise headquarters, university auditoriums, branches, and telecommuter homes. Cisco's Wi-Fi access points and wireless controllers are components of Cisco's Unified Wireless Network and are designed to support the identical degree of protection, performance, and manageability for wireless LANs that companies expect in their wired networks. This architecture includes integrated mobility services such as IP voice, HD video, and safe guest access. Cisco's Unified Wireless Network technology allows companies to build wireless environments that improve the way they work and enhance output through a dynamic and collaborative workforce.
Progent's Cisco CCIE network infrastructure consultants can provide online or onsite expertise to help you to plan, deploy, manage, upgrade, and troubleshoot converged wired/wireless network infrastructure of all sizes and for any venue. In addition, Progent offers affordable online and onsite wireless site surveys to help you to plan and install a Wi-Fi network with customized wireless access point clustering optimized for your individual work area layout, building characteristics, and application workloads.
Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst Access Points (APs)
Cisco's Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst families of APs enable organizations to converge wired/wireless infrastructure to provide the coverage, capacity, performance, security compliance and ease of management required to support practically any scenario. Cisco's APs start at entry-level, single-band 802.11b/g/n devices with throughput of 300 Mbps for small businesses or home offices to 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) APs capable of handling hundreds of clients per access point and offering throughput in excess of 5 Gbps. Cisco's current line of APs can be combined or clustered to deliver the capacity to handle environments crowded with clients and with high usage rates of video-intense applications.
Cisco Small Business Series of Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Small Business Family of wireless access points are Linux-powered devices engineered as entry-level Wi-Fi APs for small offices. Many versions in the Cisco Small Business line of access points work with Cisco's Single Point Setup system, which makes it possible to configure, control and troubleshoot a group of access points from a single AP via a simple web browser interface. All models include Power over Ethernet and provide Quality of Service (QoS), rogue access point detection, and bridge mode for wirelessly connecting to a second Ethernet LAN.
The Cisco Small Business WAP121 Wireless-N Access Point is a wall-mountable, single-band 2.4GHz unit able to support 16 active 802.11n clients, has a 10/100 Ethernet interface, permits up to 4 access pointss and 40 active wireless clients per cluster, and can handle data rates of up to 300 Mbps. The Cisco WAP131 is a desktop dual-band 2.4/5 GHz 802.11a/b/g/n wireless access point that can support 16 active wireless clients on each radio for a total of up to 32 wireless clients, includes a Gigabit Ethernet port, and delivers sustained data rates of up to 300 Mbps per radio. The WAP131 does not allow AP clustering. Cisco's Small Business WAP150 is an entry-level Wave 1 dual-radio AC/n wireless access point that features a one Gbit Power over Ethernet (PoE) 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 devices. Cisco's WAP1501 allows 4 APs per cluster.
Cisco's Small Business WAP321 Wireless-N Access Point is a wallmount selectable-band (either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) 802.11n unit that can handle up to 80 wireless clients sharing an 8-device cluster. The WAP321 includes a 10/100/1000 Ethernet port and can deliver sustained throughput of 300 Mbps for the selected radio. The Cisco Small Business WAP351 is a dual-band 2.4/5 GHz 802.11n wireless access point with a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet interface and can support 32 active wireless clients on each radio for up to 64 active clients, and support throughput of 300 Mbps per radio. The WAP351 does not allow clustering. Cisco's Small Business WAP361 is a dual-radio 802.11ac wireless access point that features a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch, can support 32 clients on each radio, and delivers 867 Mbps throughput for 802.11ac clients and 300 Mbps performance for 802.11n devices. Cisco's WAP361 supports eight WAP361 access points for each cluster. Cisco's wall-mountable Small Business WAP371 Wireless-AC/N is a dual-radio AP that works with 802.11n as well as the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi specification. The WAP371 Wireless-AC/N has a Gigabit Ethernet port, can support up to 32 active clients per radio, and 8 access points for each cluster.
The Cisco Small Business WAP561 802.11n Selectable Band AP features one Gigabit Ethernet interface and dual concurrent radios (2.4 and 5.0 GHz) that offer 450 Mbps performance for each radio, can handle 64 clients for each radio, and allow up to 16 APs per cluster. The Cisco WAP551 is similar to the WAP 561 but features a single selectable band. Cisco's Small Business WAP571 and WAP571E (the ruggedized outdoor model) are dual-radio Wireless-AC/N APs incorporating 2 x GE LAN interfaces with link aggregation (LAG), 3x3 MIMO, and as high as 1.9 Gigabit/sec throughput with 1300 Mbps on 802.11ac and 600 Mbps on 11n. Both units can handle 32 active WAN clients on each radio and 16 APs on each cluster.
Cisco's WAP581 Wireless-AC Wave 2 Access Point supports the 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5 standard and features 4x4 and 3x3 MU-MIMO technology to provide 2.8 Gbps throughput at 5 GHz and 600 Mbps on the 2.4-GHz radio for a total max throughput of 2.4 Gbps. The Small Business WAP581 has a fixed 2.5G Ethernet port and a 10/100/1000 Ethernet interface with 802.3at PoE. Cisco's WAP581 Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 access point supports as many as 200 connective users, up to 50 active users per radio, 16 access points per cluster, and 960 active client users for each cluster.
To learn more about Progent's consulting services for both current and older Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 series of WiFi APs, see Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 wireless APs consulting.
The Aironet Line of Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Aironet line of wireless access points has for years been the leading AP product. Aironet access points run the gamut from entry-level models to advanced units. The Aironet family cover multiple generations of models supporting the continually improving 11x standard. The current line of Aironet wireless access points work with Cisco's Unified Wireless Network software and include 802.11ac support, which offers triple the throughput as well as superior coverage and user density compared to the prior generation of devices. The current multi-band Aironet access points can support 802.11n at 2.4 GHz for clients that lack 802.11ac capability.
The oldest Aironet APs are legacy units that have come to end-of-life status and are no longer supported by Cisco. Progent continues to support the entire Aironet line of wireless access points and can assist your company to maintain your current Aironet wireless environment or move smoothly to the latest Aironet products. To find out more about Progent's support for current and legacy Cisco Aironet access points, refer to Cisco Aironet wireless access points consulting.
Cisco's Meraki Wireless Access Points
Cisco's portfolio of Meraki 2.4/5 GHz indoor wireless access points include budget-friendly models for small businesses to enterprise-class units that offer up to 5.9 Gigabit per second performance. Each Meraki indoor access point offers high-end capabilities such as self-configuring plug-and-play installation, in-depth protection, Bring-Your-Own-Device support, built-in traffic analysis, zero-touch web-based firmware updates, and centralized cloud-based management for multiple sites. Every Meraki indoor AP also incorporates dual high-power client-serving radios with enhanced reception plus a dedicated radio that provides (WIDS/WIPS) security for RF analysis and deep packet inspection at line rate.
Meraki outdoor access points are IP67 certified, built to withstand harsh outdoor conditions, and tested to resist dust, shock and humidity. Cisco's Meraki outdoor APs include a Gigabit Ethernet port and offer advanced features such as cloud-based management with network-wide control, 802.1X and native Active Directory integration, built-in antivirus scan, single-click guest access and isolation firewall, application-aware traffic shaping, plus auto-configuring mesh with MIMO and beamforming. For details about Progent's support for Cisco's Meraki access points and management tools, refer to Meraki access points consulting services.
Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Series Wi-Fi 6 and W-Fi 6E Access Points
Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Series 802.11ax wireless APs are designed for deployments ranging from home offices to crowded arenas. Catalyst 9100 access points are compliant with the 802.11ax specification, known as Wi-Fi 6, which in turn builds on the preceding 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) standard. Unlike 802.11ac, Wi-Fi 6 is designed to use both the 2.4-Ghz and 5-GHz radio bands. Headline enhancements supported by Catalyst 9100 Series access points include OFDMA scheduling for high density deployments, dual NAVs for better reliability, TWT for conserving power consumption in battery-powered endpoints, adaptive sensitivity thresholds for more efficient spectrum use, and dynamic fragmentation for reduced overhead. Cisco Catalyst 9100 802.11ax APs can run Cisco's EWC, handle up to 400 clients per radio, and run on Cisco IOS XE Software.
Cisco's Catalyst 9160 Series Wi-Fi 6E APs are the first Cisco APs to offer the option to be managed either on-premises with Cisco DNA Center or from the cloud using Meraki Dashboard management tools. This allows organizations to move to cloud-based or hybrid deployments on their own timetable. All Cisco's Catalyst 916x access points comply with the a/b/g/n/ac/ax and 6E wireless specifications and fully support the 6-GHz band. Each device has 5 radios and supports as many as 400 clients per radio. Each model also comes with a dedicated radio for Cisco CleanAir Pro for mitigating interference, includes a USB 2.0 port, and supports Bluetooth BLE. Cisco's entry-level Catalyst 9162 Series AP is suited for small organizations, incorporates three 2x2 radios, and includes 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G mGig Ethernet connectivity.
Cisco's Catalyst 9163E Wi-Fi 6E access point is intended to withstand harsh outside venues such as campus environments or stadiums. The 9163E includes three client serving 2x2 radios, one IoT radio, and a tri-band scanning radio. Interfaces include 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G mGig Ethernet, a management console port (RJ-45), 4x N-Type Wi-Fi antenna connectors, and a GPS/GNSS antenna connector. The AP works with Omnidirectional Dipole Self-Identifying Antennas. The Catalyst 9164 Series access point is suited for small and mid-size organizations, includes one 2x2 radio and two 4x4 radios, and offers 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G mGig Ethernet. The Catalyst 9166 Series Wi-Fi access point is meant for large and mid-sized enterprises, incorporates three 4x4 radios, and features 1x 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G mGig Ethernet connectivity. The 9166 also has environmental sensors to detect air quality, temperature, and humidity. To find out more about Progent's support for Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Series Wi-Fi 6/6E Access Points, see Wi-Fi 6/6E 802.11ax access points system planning, deployment, and debugging consulting.
Cisco 9800 Series 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers
Catalyst 9800 family of Wi-Fi 6-supported wireless LAN controller appliances help you manage modern wireless networks that support 802.11ax wireless APs. 802.11ax, popularly known as Wi-Fi 6, improves on prior generation 802.11ac (called Wi-Fi 5) appliances by providing less latency and more predictable performance, supporting higher client density, providing enhanced security, saving energy for battery-powered handheld devices, and offering more versatility for supporting new types of Internet-of-Things (IoT) endpoints. Cisco's Catalyst 9800 family wireless controllers feature high availability with transparent software upgrades, live fixes, and the ability to add wireless APs with zero downtime. Advanced cybersecurity technologies include Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA), image signing, and Cisco Software-Defined Access. Streaming telemetry permits you to track 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 or with Cisco Prime Infrastructure network management platforms. Catalyst 9800 wireless network controllers can manage Cisco Aironet Wi-Fi 5 Wave 1 and Wave 2 Wi-Fi access points concurrently with Catalyst 9100 Wi-Fi 6 wireless APs. To find out more about Progent's consulting services for Cisco 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers, refer to Catalyst 9800 family of Wi-Fi 6 wireless LAN controller appliances solution planning, deployment, and troubleshooting services.
Cisco Wave 2 802.11ac Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers enable realtime data exchange, deployment, management, monitoring and debugging for Cisco wireless appliances and software services. Cisco offers both hardware and software-based Wi-Fi controllers for unified management of WiFi networks, but networks with a large number of Wi-Fi APs are better served by hardware-based wireless controllers. New wireless controller devices from Cisco offer significant advantages in comparison to Wave 1 and earlier products including greater performance, simultaneous support for 1G and 10G interfaces, enhanced application visibility and control, and advanced, integrated security.
The Cisco 3504 WiFi Controller is an entry-level appliance available in a desktop enclosure and designed for small and medium-sized organizations. You can use the 3504 model in a centralized WLAN architecture such as in lean branch and home-based offices managed across the WAN via FlexConnect, or in bridge deployments where Ethernet cabling is sparse. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller supports as many as 150 APs and 3,000 clients, delivers 4 Gbps performance, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 3504 WiFi controller includes a multi-gigabit Ethernet interface and four 1-Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. APs can be attached directly to the WiFi controller via two Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports. The 3504 wireless controller offers subsecond failover for access points and users, which allows high availability for apps. As with other 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 WiFi Controller, available in a 1RU enclosure, is intended for midsize to large organizations and campus environments and can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments. The 5520 Wi-Fi controller can handle up to 1,500 access points and 20,000 clients, delivers 20 Gbps throughput, and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 model controller features two 10 GE interfaces and features solid-state storage, backup fans, optional redundant power supplies, and rapid failover for high availability.
Cisco's 8540 Wireless Controller, offered in a 2 rack unit package, is a high-end wireless controller intended to support large enterprises, service providers, and large campuses. The 8540 WiFi controller can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments and supports as many as 6,000 APs and 64,000 client users. The 8540 Wireless controller offers data rates as high as 40 Gbps and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 8540 controller comes with four 1-GB or 10GE interfaces and features SSD storage, dual power supplies, redundant fans, and rapid failover.
Wave 1 Cisco Wireless Network Controllers
Cisco wireless controllers cut the time and expense needed to deploy, monitor, and operate wireless networks by centralizing control of functions like provisioning access points, enforcing consistent policies across converged wired/wireless networks, supporting enterprise-wide Quality of Service for voice and video, monitoring and optimizing system health, implementing intrusion prevention capabilities to guard against cyber break-ins and Distributed Denial of Service attacks, and handling IPv6 and dual-stack clients. Cisco has developed wireless network controllers for businesses of any size and can provide standalone desktop controllers, modular plug-in wireless controllers for Cisco ISR routers and switches, and Catalyst switches with built-in wireless controllers.
Cisco's Wave 1 wireless controllers incorporate Cisco CleanAir tools to minimize signal interference and create self-optimizing wireless LANs for maximum 802.11n and 802.11ac throughput and security. Built-in Bonjour Gateways allow discovery, advertisement and policy throughout the enterprise for Apple-based applications. For high availability (HA), Cisco wireless controllers allow AP and client stateful failover by permitting a backup HA controller to synchronize with a primary wireless controller for AP license tabulation, CAPWAP state and roaming keys, and access point CAPWAP state. In case the primary wireless controller fails, thousands of access points and clients can switchover at subsecond speeds to the backup wireless network controller.
Cisco's Wireless Controller Module for ISR Routers with UCS-E offers entry-level 802.11n and 802.11ac support for 2900 and 3900 routers used by smaller organizations and branch offices. This affordable and expandable solution can support up to 200 access points and as many as 6000 wireless clients. (For information about Progent's remote and on-premises consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router configuration and troubleshooting support.)
Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU form-factor switches designed for SMBs and branch offices and have an integrated wireless network controller with the ability to handle up to 40 Gb of wireless capacity per switch and 25 wireless access points and 1000 wireless clients per switch. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU rackmount switches intended for midsize businesses and large enterprises and include an integrated wireless controller with up to 40 Gb of wireless throughput on each switch and support for 50 APs and up to 2000 wireless clients. The Wireless Services Module2 is an add-in blade for Catalyst 6500 Series switches that include an integrated wireless controller intended for mid-to-large size businesses and capable of 20 Gbps throughput and with support for 1000 APs and up to 15,000 wireless clients. (To find out concerning Progent's online and onsite consulting support for Cisco switches, refer to Cisco switches deployment and troubleshooting consulting.)
Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controllers are economical desktop units that streamline the deployment and operation of Wi-Fi LANs for small and midsize businesses and branches. The Cisco 2500 Series wireless LAN controller can handle 5 to 75 wireless access points and up to 1000 wireless clients and offers throughput of 1 Gbps.
The Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller is a scalable 1RU unit intended for medium-sized to large businesses and campus environments and can support 500 APs and 7,000 clients while providing 8 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 5760 Wireless Controller is a 1RU device designed for mid-to-large campuses with support for 1000 wireless access points and 12,000 wireless clients and delivering throughput of 60 Gbps to handle high wireless client densities and high amounts of media-rich applications.
The Cisco Flex 7500 Wireless Controller is intended to manage thousands of wireless remote sites from a single location, eliminating the need for a wireless controller at each branch. The 1RU Flex 7500 allows you to establish a private cloud to deploy, track, manage, and troubleshoot as many as 6000 APs and 64,000 clients while supporting 1 Gbps throughput. Cisco's 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU rackmount appliance designed to manage Wi-Fi environments for very large campuses or service providers and can scale to support 6000 APs and up to 64,000 clients while delivering 10 Gbps performance.
To learn more about Cisco wireless controllers, go to Cisco Wi-Fi controllers consulting and integration.
Legacy Cisco Access Points, LAN Bridges and Wi-Fi Controllers Supported by Progent
The 802.11ac specification for Wi-Fi largely rendered obsolete the prior releases of Wi-Fi products for many venues that support high densities of clients and high incidence of HD video software applications. Even for businesses who do not require the bandwidth efficiency of 802.11ac, many of Cisco wireless devices have reached end-of-life status, which can present significant service and compliance problems. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants offer online and onsite support for a wide array of earlier-generation wireless products from Cisco. Progent can in addition assist organizations to assess the financial justification for upgrading up-of-date wireless technology and can help in planning and carrying out affordable, non-disruptive migrations. Below are a sample of Cisco older-generation Wi-Fi devices that Progent's consultants still support.
Legacy Cisco Aironet APs
Aironet 1000/1130AG family APs are designed for conventional workplaces and other venues which have little environmental instability. These devices have built-in antennas that offer predictable omnidirectional coverage patterns. The Aironet 1130G family access point is designed for restricted locations that do not allow 802.11a/5GHz transmission.
Aironet 1230AG/1240AG family wireless access points are intended for more difficult RF situations like manufacturing plants and warehouses or above suspended ceilings which commonly call for adjustable protruding antennas and rugged metal enclosures. The Cisco Aironet 1240G Series AP is intended for restricted locations that do not permit 5GHz operation.
Aironet 1500 Series lightweight outside mesh LAN access points offer a cost-effective, expandable, protected outdoor Wi-Fi technology for campus areas and for public venues that require access for portable devices.
Legacy Cisco Wireless LAN Bridges
Cisco Aironet wireless LAN bridges offer a high-speed and feature-rich solution for integrating numerous local area networks in a metro area or public wireless network. Cisco Aironet bridges provide a versatile, easy-to-use solution that satisfies the protection needs of WAN professionals. These devices support both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint deployments with good range and the ability to handle traffic throughput up to 54 Mbps.
Cisco wireless bridges offer throughput several times faster than E1/T1 connections for much lower cost, avoiding the necessity of expensive leased lines when linking separate buildings. Since wireless bridges require no ongoing charges, the expenses saved on connection services quickly cover the initial equipment costs. Self-installed private lines and even leased lines made of metal or fiber-optic cable can require considerable startup costs when they are impeded by barriers such as freeways, railroads, or bodies of water. Cisco wireless LAN bridges can be deployed rapidly with a fast return on investment.
Aironet 1300 Series outdoor wireless access points/bridges can be implemented as independent wireless access points, bridges, or wireless group bridges. These appliances have a durable cover and offer fast, affordable wireless connectivity between numerous fixed or mobile environments and clients.
Cisco Aironet 1400 family bridges offer high-performance, reliable outdoor bridging for line-of-sight (LOS) environments. These devices are housed in a durable cover that can withstand harsh outdoor environments and can function in wide temperature ranges.
Legacy Cisco Wireless Controllers
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers provide single-point management of WLANs by streamlining the handling of common technologies such as integrated IPS, fast RF control, automatic deployment, and full N+1 redundancy. Wireless LAN controllers operate with small access points to offer enhanced performance and high-end administration capabilities.
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) offer the manageability, expandability, security, and resilience that IT managers need to create secure, enterprise-scale wireless environments, from branch offices to small companies to main campuses. Cisco's legacy Wireless Controllers can be clustered to offer accommodation for up to 2400 access points for each roaming domain.
The Cisco WLCM or WLCM-E Wireless LAN Controller Module for Integrated Services Routers offers small-to mid-size businesses and large corporations an affordable solution to deploy and manage secure WLANs at branch locations. These wireless controllers manage up to a dozen Cisco APs and are installable in 2800/3800 Routers and 3700 Routers. (To learn about Progent's remote and on-premises support for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router configuration and management services.)
How Progent's Engineers Can Help You with Cisco Wireless Solutions
Progent can provide access to a Cisco-certified consulting professional to help you to plan, install, maintain and repair a converged wired and wireless environment incorporating a broad array of wireless technologies that offer the identical protection, expandability, and manageability you expect from a wired network. Progent can help you to support early-generation Wi-Fi solutions from Cisco or migrate seamlessly to current 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 technology. Progent's CISM and CISSP security consultants can show you how to design security into your wireless network and into your business operations. Progent's disaster recovery planning consultants and business continuity planners can assist you to deploy the high availability technology built into Cisco's wireless and wired products so your converged infrastructure provides non-stop return on investment.
Progent's Wi-Fi Site Survey assists you to design and deploy a state-of-the-art wireless network customized for your environment, providing a Wi-Fi solution that delivers seamless coverage, high speed and density, Quality of Service features to accommodate IP video, advanced security and compliance, and simplified management. Progent's Wireless Site Survey can be performed online to cut time and expense, or onsite for more complex environments.
For a more in-depth look at Progent's wireless integration services, visit Progent's Wireless LAN Consulting.
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