Cisco Network Consultants

Cisco has developed a comprehensive catalog of wireless networking devices and software tools intended to enable anywhere, anytime connections to information and other resources and to promote teamwork among workers, associates, vendors, and clients. Cisco's wireless product families include Cisco's Small Business, Aironet and Meraki lines of wireless access points, plus Cisco's Wireless LAN Controller modules and standalone devices. Progent's Cisco-certified wireless consulting experts can help businesses of any size to utilize Cisco wireless technology to accommodate the new paradigm of Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) computing by integrating their tethered and untethered ecosystems to achieve simplified deployment, predictable performance, centralized control, enterprise-wide policy enforcement, fault tolerance, and across-the-board protection.

The Cisco Unified Wireless architecture can scale to up to 18,000 APs with Layer 3 mobility at local or remote locations such as enterprise campuses, college auditoriums, branches, and telecommuter homes. Cisco's 802.11x APs and controllers are part of Cisco's Unified Wireless Network and are engineered to deliver the identical level of security, throughput, and manageability for wireless networks that businesses expect in their wired ecosystem. Cisco's architecture includes built-in mobile services like VoIP, HD video, and secure guest connectivity. Cisco's Unified Wireless solution enables organizations to build wireless ecosystems that improve the way they do business and enhance productivity via a dynamic and connected workforce.

Progent's Cisco CCIE network consultants offers online or onsite support to help you to plan, deploy, manage, upgrade, and repair converged wired and wireless networks of all sizes and for any venue. Also, Progent offers value-priced remote and on-premises Wi-Fi site surveys to assist your company to design and install a Wi-Fi network with custom-designed AP clustering optimized for your specific work area layout, building characteristics, and application workloads.

Cisco Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst lines of wireless access points enable businesses to converge wired/wireless networks to provide the coverage, density, performance, protection and manageability needed to support practically any environment. These APs range from bare bones, single-band 802.11b/g/n units with data rates of 300 Mbps designed for small businesses or home offices to 802.11ax access points suitable for supporting hundreds of clients per AP and delivering sustained data rates of more than 5 Gigabits per second. Cisco's current selection of access points can be clustered to deliver the scale to support wireless networks with high client density and with a high incidence of video-intense applications.

Small Business Family of Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Series of APs are Linux-powered units engineered as entry-level wireless solutions for small offices. Many versions in the Cisco Small Business portfolio of wireless access points work with Cisco's Single Point Setup system, which allows you to set up, control and repair a group of access points from a single device via a simple browser-based tool. All versions support POE and provide Quality of Service (QoS), rogue access point awareness, and bridging for wirelessly connecting to a second network.

Cisco's Small Business WAP121 AP is a wallmount, single-band 2.4GHz unit able to handle 16 802.11n clients, includes a 10/100 Ethernet port, allows up to 4 access pointss and 40 wireless clients in a cluster, and can handle data rates of up to 300 Mbps. Cisco's Small Business WAP131 is a desktop dual-radio 802.11n AP that can support 16 wireless clients on each radio for up to 32 wireless clients, includes a GE port, and delivers sustained data rates of 300 Mbps for each radio. The WAP131 does not support AP clustering. Cisco's Small Business WAP150 is a general-purpose dual-radio 802.11ac/n wireless access point that features a 1xGE Power over Ethernet (PoE) port and can handle 16 clients per radio with 867 Mbps performance for AC clients and 300 Mbps for 802.11n clients. The Cisco WAP1501 supports four access points per cluster.

The Cisco Small Business WAP321 Access Point is a wallmount selectable-band (2.4 or 5 GHz) 802.11n device that can handle up to 80 active wireless clients sharing an 8-device cluster. The WAP321 has a GE port and can deliver sustained throughput of 300 Mbps for the selected radio. The Cisco WAP351 is a dual-band 2.4/5 GHz 802.11a/b/g/n wireless access point that includes a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch and can support 32 active wireless clients on each radio for a total of up to 64 clients, and deliver a data rate of 300 Mbps for each radio. The WAP351 does not allow clustering. The Cisco Small Business WAP361 is a dual-band 2.4/5 GHz Wireless-AC/N access point that includes a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet LAN switch, can support 32 active WLAN clients on each radio, and offers 867 Mbps performance for wireless AC clients and 300 Mbps performance for 802.11n devices. The Cisco WAP361 allows 8 WAP361 access points for each cluster. Cisco's wallmount WAP371 Wireless-AC/N is a dual-radio device that supports 802.11n as well as the latest 802.11ac wireless networking specification. The WAP371 Wireless-AC/N has a Gigabit Ethernet port, can support as many as 32 active clients on each radio, and 8 access points per cluster.

Cisco's Small Business WAP561 802.11n Dual Radio wireless access point includes a GE port and two radios that offer 450 Mbps throughput per radio, can handle 64 clients per radio, and allow up to 16 access points per cluster. Cisco's WAP551 is like the WAP 561 but has a single selectable band. Cisco's Small Business WAP571 and WAP571E (a weather-proof outdoor model) are dual-band 2.4/5 GHz Wireless-AC/N access points incorporating two Gb Ethernet interfaces with link aggregation, and up to 1.9 Gbps throughput with 1300 Mbps over 11ac and 600 Mbps on 11n. Both devices support 32 active WAN clients on each radio and 16 wireless access points on each cluster.

The Cisco WAP581 Wireless-AC Wave 2 Wireless Access Point supports the 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5 standard and features 4x4 and 3x3 MU-MIMO technology to deliver 2.8 Gbps data rates on the 5.0-Ghz radio and 0.6 Gbps at 2.4 GHz for an aggregate maximum data rate of 2.4 Gbps. The WAP581 includes an integrated 2.5G Ethernet port and a 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN interface with 802.3at PoE. Cisco's WAP581 Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 AP supports as many as 200 connective client users, up to 50 active users per radio, 16 access points for each cluster, and 960 active client users for each cluster.

To learn more about Progent's support for both current and older Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 series of WiFi access points, see Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 wireless access points consulting.

The Aironet Family of Wireless Access Points
The Aironet line of wireless access points has consistently been the market leading access point solution. Aironet APs run the gamut from value-priced entry-level devices to advanced APs. Cisco's Aironet family cover multiple generations of models compliant with the evolving 11x specification. Cisco's current line of Aironet access points support Cisco's Unified Wireless Network software and come with 802.11ac technology, which offers three times the performance plus greater range and density compared to the prior generation of devices. The latest dual-frequency Aironet APs continue to accommodate 802.11n at 2.4 GHz for client devices that lack 802.11ac capability.

The oldest Aironet access points are now outdated units that have come to end-of-sale status and are not fully supported by Cisco. Progent still offers support for the entire Aironet line of wireless access points and can assist your company to maintain your existing Aironet wireless system or upgrade cost effectively to current Aironet products. For details about Progent's consulting services for current and legacy Cisco Aironet wireless access points, refer to Aironet APs planning and support.

Meraki Wireless Access Points
Cisco's portfolio of Meraki dual-band indoor access points include value-priced devices for general use to enterprise-class units that offer up to 5.9 Gigabit per second performance. Every Meraki indoor wireless access point provides next-generation features such as plug-and-play deployment, in-depth security, BYOD support, built-in traffic analysis, zero-touch web-based updates, and centralized cloud-based management via an intuitive dashboard. Each Cisco Meraki indoor access point also incorporates two powerful radios with boosted reception plus a separate radio that offers intrusion detection and prevention system (WIDS/WIPS) security for RF analysis and deep packet inspection at line rate.

Meraki outdoor APs are IP67 certified, designed to operate in rugged outdoor conditions, and able to withstand dust particles, shock and humidity. Cisco's Meraki outdoor APs include a 1 x Gbit Ethernet port and deliver advanced capabilities such as cloud-based management with network-wide visibility, 802.1X and native Active Directory integration, built-in antivirus scan, single-click secure guest access and isolation firewall, Layer 7 traffic shaping, plus auto-configuring mesh with MIMO. To find out more about Progent's support for Meraki wireless access points and management tools, refer to Cisco's Meraki APs system design and troubleshooting.

Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Line of 802.11ax Access Points
Cisco's Catalyst 9100 family of Wi-Fi 6 access points are designed for deployments ranging from home offices to crowded convention centers. Cisco Catalyst 9100 APs are based on the 802.11ax specification, referred to as Wi-Fi 6, which is an evolution of the previous 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) standard. As an improvement to 802.11ac, Wi-Fi 6 is designed to utilize 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 dependability, TWT for reduced power usage in battery-dependent endpoints, adaptive power and sensitivity thresholds for more efficient spectrum utilization, and dynamic fragmentation for reduced overhead. All Cisco Catalyst 9100 Series 802.11ax APs support Cisco's Embedded Wireless Controller, accommodate up to 200 clients per radio, and are powered by Cisco IOS XE Software. To find out more about Progent's support for Catalyst 9100 Family of Wireless Access Points, see 802.11ax access points solution planning, deployment, and debugging services.

Cisco 9800 Series 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers
Catalyst 9800 line of Wi-Fi 6-compatible wireless controller appliances help you automate and manage advanced wireless networks that support 802.11ax access points. The 802.11ax standard, referred to as Wi-Fi 6, improves on previous generation 802.11ac (referred to as Wi-Fi 5) devices by providing lower latency and more predictable performance, allowing higher client density, providing greater protection, saving energy for battery-powered handheld devices, and offering more versatility for supporting the latest kinds of IoT endpoints. Catalyst 9800 Series Wi-Fi controllers include always-on availability with transparent software upgrades, live fixes, and the ability to add APs without downtime. Advanced cybersecurity technologies include Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA), image signing, and Cisco Software-Defined Access. Streaming telemetry allows you to monitor and analyze infrastructure and client health.

All controllers 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 network management tools. Cisco's Catalyst 9800 Series wireless network controllers can support Cisco Aironet Wi-Fi 5 Wave 1 and Wave 2 wireless APs concurrently with Catalyst 9100 Wi-Fi 6 access points. For details about Progent's consulting services for Cisco 9800 Series 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers, see Cisco Catalyst 9800 family of Wi-Fi 6 wireless controllers solution planning, configuration, and debugging consulting.

Cisco Wi-Fi 5 802.11ac Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers enable realtime data exchange, configuration, control, monitoring and troubleshooting for Cisco Wi-Fi appliances and services. Cisco has developed both hardware and software-based wireless controllers for unified administration of wireless environments, but WLANs with many wireless APs are better served by hardware-based Wi-Fi controllers. Wave 2 Wi-Fi controller devices from Cisco offer major advantages in comparison to Wave 1 and older products including higher throughput, concurrent support for both 1G and 10G Ethernet, improved application visibility and control, and hardened, integrated protection.

Cisco's 3504 Wireless Controller is a value-priced appliance available in a desktop body and intended for smaller organizations. You can use the 3504 in a centralized network environment such as in small branch and remote offices managed over the WAN via FlexConnect, or in mesh installations where Ethernet cabling is sparse. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller can handle up to 150 APs and 3,000 users, delivers 4 Gbps performance, and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 3504 WiFi controller includes a Cisco Multigigabit port and four 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports. Access points can be connected directly to the WiFi controller through two PoE ports. The 3504 wireless controller offers subsecond failover for APs and clients, which provides nonstop availability for applications. As with other current Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers available from Cisco, the 3504 model has the integrated ability to communicate with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 WiFi controllers.

The Cisco 5520 WiFi Controller, available in a 1RU form factor, is intended to support larger enterprises and campus networks and can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh deployments. The 5520 wireless controller supports as many as 1,500 wireless APs and 20,000 clients, offers 20 Gbps throughput, and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 model controller includes two 10 GE ports and features solid-state storage, backup fans, optional dual power supplies, and subsecond failover for high availability.

Cisco's 8540 Wireless Controller, available in a 2 rack unit (RU) package, is a high-end WiFi controller intended to support enterprises, service providers, and large campuses. The 8540 WiFi controller can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures and supports up to 6,000 wireless APs and 64,000 clients. The 8540 Wireless controller offers throughput up to 40 Gbps and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 8340 includes four 1-GB or 10GE interfaces and features solid-state storage, backup power supplies, redundant fans, and rapid failover.

Wave 1 Cisco WiFi LAN Controllers
Cisco wireless network controllers cut the effort and expense required to deploy, manage, and operate Wi-Fi networks by offering single-point control of tasks such as setting up wireless access points, enforcing single-point policies throughout converged wired and wireless networks, supporting enterprise-wide Quality of Service for IP voice and HD video, monitoring and optimizing system health, implementing intrusion prevention capabilities to guard against unauthorized access and DDoS attacks, and handling IPv6 clients. Cisco has designed wireless network controllers for businesses of any size and can provide standalone desktop controllers, modular plug-in wireless controllers for Cisco routers and Catalyst switches, and switches with integrated wireless controllers.

Cisco's Wave 1 wireless controllers incorporate Cisco CleanAir tools to minimize signal interference and produce self-optimizing wireless networks for top 802.11n and 802.11ac performance and protection. Built-in Bonjour Gateways enable discovery across WLAN, LAN and WAN for Apple applications. For high availability (HA), Cisco wireless controllers allow wireless access point and client stateful failover by enabling a standby HA wireless controller to synch with a primary wireless controller for access point license tabulation, CAPWAP keys, and access point CAPWAP state. In case the primary wireless controller fails, thousands of access points and clients can failover at subsecond speeds to the backup wireless network controller.

Cisco's Wireless Module for ISR G2 Routers with UCS-E offers basic 802.11n and 802.11ac support for Cisco 2900 and 3900 routers deployed by smaller businesses and satellite offices. This affordable and scalable solution can support from five to 200 access points and up to 6000 wireless clients. (For information concerning Progent's online and on-premises consulting services for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router deployment and management services.)

Cisco Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU form-factor switches intended for small to mid-size businesses and branches and features a built-in wireless LAN controller with the ability to handle 40 Gb of wireless capacity per switch and up to 25 wireless access points and 1000 clients per switch or stack. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU rackmount switches intended for mid-size and large organizations and feature a built-in wireless LAN controller supporting 40 Gb of wireless capacity on each switch and support for 50 wireless access points and 2000 wireless clients. The Wireless Services Module2 (WiSM2) is a plug-in blade for Catalyst 6500 Series switches with an integrated wireless controller designed for mid-to-large size businesses and able to deliver 20 Gbps throughput and able to handle 1000 APs and as many as 15,000 wireless clients. (For information about Progent's consulting services for Cisco switches, see Cisco switches deployment and troubleshooting consulting.)

Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controllers are entry-level desktop devices that streamline the provisioning and management of Wi-Fi LANs for small and midsize businesses and branch offices. The Cisco 2500 wireless network controller supports 5 to 75 wireless access points and up to 1000 clients and offers throughput of 1 Gbps.

The Cisco 5500 Series Wireless Controller is an expandable 1RU unit intended for mid-to-large sized enterprises and campus environments and can support 500 wireless access points and 7,000 wireless clients while providing 8 Gbps throughput. Cisco's 5760 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU device intended for mid-to-large campus environments with the ability to manage up to 1000 access points and 12,000 clients and providing performance of 60 Gbps to accommodate high wireless client densities and high usage of video-intensive applications.

Cisco's Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller is designed to manage massive collections of wireless remote sites from one location, avoiding the requirement for a Wi-Fi controller at each remote site. The 1RU Flex 7500 appliance lets you build a private cloud to configure, monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot as many as 6000 APs and up to 64,000 clients while supporting 1 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 8500 Wireless Controller is a 1RU rackmount appliance engineered to manage wireless environments for large campuses or for service providers and can scale to handle up to 6000 access points and 64,000 clients while delivering 10 Gbps throughput.

To learn more about Cisco wireless controllers, visit Cisco wireless controllers consulting services.

Legacy Cisco APs, Bridges and Wireless Controllers Supported by Progent
The introduction of the IEEE 802.11ac standard for Wi-Fi virtually rendered obsolete the earlier generations of Wi-Fi products for environments that have high densities of clients and high usage of HD video applications. Even for businesses who do not need the performance of 802.11ac, a large number of Cisco wireless devices have arrived at end-of-sale or end-of-support status, which can present significant service and compliance issues. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants offer online and on-premises support services for a broad array of earlier-generation Cisco wireless products. Progent can in addition help companies to assess the potential ROI for updating legacy wireless technology and can assist in planning and executing affordable, non-disruptive upgrades. The following are a sample of Cisco older-generation Wi-Fi products that Progent's consultants still support.

Legacy Cisco Aironet APs
Cisco Aironet 1000/1130AG family access points are intended for offices and similar locations which have minimal environmental instability. These access points have built-in antennas that offer dependable omnidirectional coverage profiles. The Cisco 1130G Series WAP is offered for restricted domains that do not permit 802.11a transmission.

Aironet 1230AG/1240AG Series wireless access points are intended for more difficult RF situations like factories and warehouses or above suspended ceilings which typically require adjustable external antennas and durable enclosures. The 1240G family product is available for restricted locations that do not allow 802.11a transmission.

Cisco Aironet 1500 Series lightweight outdoor mesh access points deliver an affordable, scalable, protected outdoor wireless mechanism for enterprise campuses and for public sites that require connectivity for portable devices.

Legacy Cisco Wireless LAN Bridges
Cisco Aironet wireless LAN bridges offer a high-speed and feature-rich solution for connecting multiple LANs in a metro situation or public access network. Cisco wireless LAN bridges provide a flexible, easy-to-use solution that satisfies the protection requirements of public networking professionals. These devices support both PTP and PTMP configurations with good range and support for data rates as high as 54 Mbps.

Cisco Aironet wireless LAN bridges deliver throughput several times higher than E1/T1 links for far less cost, doing away with the need for costly leased lines when linking different offices. Because bridges carry no recurring charges, the expenses saved on connection bills rapidly cover the initial equipment investment. Self-installed private lines and in some cases leased lines utilizing metal or optical cable can result in high up-front expenses when they are separated by obstacles such as freeways, train tracks, or lakes and rivers. Cisco wireless LAN bridges can be installed quickly an offer a fast return on investment.

Cisco Aironet 1300 outdoor access points/bridges can be implemented as independent access points, wireless bridges, or wireless group bridges. These devices have a tough cover and offer fast, affordable wireless interfaces between multiple stationary or mobile environments and users.

Cisco 1400 wireless bridges provide high-speed, reliable outdoor connections for LOS environments. They are housed in an all-weather enclosure that is optimized for severe outside conditions and operate within broad temperature ranges.

Legacy Cisco Wireless Network Controllers
Cisco WLAN Controllers centralize the management of wireless networks by streamlining the handling of common technologies such as integrated IPS, real-time RF control, zero touch deployment, and full N+1 redundancy. Cisco WLAN controllers work with small wireless access points to deliver superior performance and high-end administration functions.

Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers offer the manageability, scalability, protection, and dependability that system managers need to create safe, large-scale wireless solutions, from satellite locations to small companies to main campuses. Cisco's first-generation WLCs can be clustered to offer accommodation for up to 2400 WAPs per roaming domain.

Cisco's WLCM or WLCM-E Module for IS Routers provides small-to medium businesses (SMBs) and large corporations a cost effective solution to deploy and control secure WLANs at satellite offices. These controllers manage up to 12 Cisco Aironet access points and are installable in 2800/3800 Series Routers and Cisco 3700 Series IS Routers. (For information concerning Progent's remote and onsite consulting services for Cisco routers, see Cisco router configuration and troubleshooting consulting.)

How Progent's Consultants Can Help Your Business with Cisco Wireless Products
Progent can provide a Cisco-certified CCIE consultant to help your business to plan, install, manage and troubleshoot a converged wired/wireless infrastructure incorporating a wide range of wireless technologies that offer the identical security, expandability, and ease of management you demand from your wired environment. Progent can help you to support early-generation Wi-Fi products from Cisco or migrate efficiently to the latest 802.11ax-compatible products. Progent's CISM and CISSP security consultants can show you how to design security into your wireless network and your company's operations. Progent's disaster recovery consultants and business continuity planners can assist you to deploy the high availability technology built into Cisco's wired/wireless products so your converged network provides continuing return on investment.

Progent’s Wi-Fi Site Survey assists you to plan and implement a robust wireless network customized for your environment, offering a wireless ecosystem that provides comprehensive coverage, high speed and density, Quality of Service to accommodate IP video, advanced security and compliance, and easy management. Progent's Wireless Site Survey can be delivered remotely to reduce time and expense, or on premises for more difficult situations.

For a further look at Progent's wireless consulting services, see Progent's Wireless Consulting.

To learn additional details concerning Progent's consulting support for Cisco networking products, select a topic:

• Introduction to Progent's Cisco Network Support
• Fast Remote Support from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Network Engineer
• Cisco Firepower Firewalls: Configuration and Management Support
• ASA 5500-X Series Firewall with Cisco Firepower Services: Configuration and Management Support
• Cisco ASA 5500 Firewalls Integration Assistance
• Cisco PIX 500 Series Firewall Management Services
• Cisco Routers Engineering Expertise
• Aironet APs Consulting Services
• Cisco Small Business WiFi Access Points Engineering Support
• Cisco Catalyst 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 Wireless APs Solution Design, Configuration and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco WiFi Controllers Consulting
• Cisco Meraki Wireless APs Consulting Services
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Configuration and Troubleshooting
• Cisco Voice over IP Phones and IP Video Desktop Phones Consulting and Wireless VoIP Phone Configuration
• Cisco Jabber Deployment Services
• Catalyst Switches Deployment Expertise
• Cisco Nexus Switches Deployment Services
• Meraki MS Switches Consulting and Support Services
• Cisco VPN Integration Help
• SIP and CUBE Infrastructure Solutions: SIP Trunking and CUBE Integration Expertise
• Infrastructure Design for Cisco-based Datacenters and Colocation Centers
• Network Design Services for Service Providers
• Streamlined Management Strategies for Cisco Infrastructure