Cisco Expert Network Consulting and Support

Cisco offers a comprehensive catalog of wireless LAN products and technologies engineered to provide 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 lines of access points, as well as Cisco's Wireless LAN Controller modules and appliances. Progent's certified wireless consultants can help businesses of any size to deploy Cisco wireless solutions to accommodate the new model of BYOD computing by integrating their tethered and untethered ecosystems to achieve easy configuration, consistent and fast throughput, centralized management, uniform policy, high availability, and advanced security.

Cisco's Unified Wireless Network solution can scale to up to 18,000 access points with full Layer 3 connectivity at local or offsite locations such as business headquarters, university lecture halls, branch offices, and home offices. Cisco's 802.11x access points and wireless controllers are components of Cisco's Unified Wireless Network and are engineered to support the same degree of security, performance, and ease of management for wireless LANs that companies expect in their wired ecosystem. This technology includes integrated mobility services like IP voice, IP video, and safe guest connectivity. Cisco's Unified Wireless Network solution allows companies to create Wi-Fi ecosystems that improve the way they do business and improve output via a mobile and collaborative employee base.

Progent's Cisco CCIE network consulting services can provide remote or on-premises expertise to help your organization to design, configure, manage, expand, and repair converged wired/wireless networks of all sizes and for any environment. Also, Progent offers economical online and on-premises Wi-Fi site surveys to assist you to plan and deploy a wireless LAN with custom-designed wireless access point clusters optimized for your individual office layout, building structure, and application workloads.

Cisco Small Business, Aironet and Meraki Access Points
Cisco's Small Business, Aironet and Meraki lines of wireless access points enable organizations to converge wired and wireless networks to provide the coverage, density, throughput, security compliance and manageability required for virtually any scenario. These access points start at bare bones, single-band 802.11b/g/n units with data rates of 300 Mb designed for small businesses or telecommuters to dual-radio 802.11a/b/g/n/ac access points capable of supporting 200 or more wireless clients per access point and delivering throughput of up to 1.9 Gigabits per second. Cisco's latest selection of access points can be clustered to provide the scale to support wireless networks crowded with clients and with high usage rates of HD video applications.

Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Family of APs
Cisco's Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Family of access points are Linux-based units intended as entry-level Wi-Fi solutions for light workloads. Most models in the Cisco Small Business portfolio of wireless access points support Cisco's Single Point Setup system, which allows you to configure, manage and troubleshoot a cluster of wireless access points from one AP through a simple web browser tool. All of the versions include Power over Ethernet and feature Quality of Service (QoS), rogue AP awareness, and bridge mode for wirelessly connecting to another Ethernet LAN.

The Cisco Small Business WAP121 Wireless-N AP is a wallmount, single-radio 2.4GHz device able to support 16 802.11b/g/n clients, has a Fast Ethernet interface, allows up to 4 access pointss and 40 active wireless clients per cluster, and supports data rates of 300 Mbps. Cisco's WAP131 is a desktop dual-band 2.4/5 GHz 802.11a/b/g/n wireless access point able to handle 16 wireless clients per radio for up to 32 clients, includes a 10/100/1000 Ethernet interface, and can support sustained data rates of up to 300 Mbps for each radio. The WAP131 Wireless-N does not support clustering. The Cisco Small Business WAP150 is an entry-level Wave 1 dual-radio 802.11ac/n AP that includes a 1xGE Power over Ethernet port and can support 16 clients per radio with 867 Mbps performance for 802.11ac devices and 300 Mbps for 802.11n clients. Cisco's Small Business WAP150 supports 4 access points per cluster.

The Cisco Small Business WAP321 Wireless-N model is a wall-mountable single-band (either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) 802.11a/b/g/n device that can handle 80 active wireless clients sharing an 8-device cluster. The Cisco WAP321 features a 10/100/1000 Ethernet interface and can deliver a sustained data rate of 300 Mbps for the activated radio. The Cisco Small Business WAP351 is a dual-radio 2.4/5 GHz 802.11n wireless access point with a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch and can handle 32 wireless clients on each radio for a total of up to 64 clients, and support a sustained data rate of 300 Mbps for each radio. The WAP351 access point does not support clustering. Cisco's Small Business WAP361 is a dual-band 802.11ac AP that features 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 performance for 802.11n devices. The Cisco WAP361 supports 8 access points per cluster. Cisco's wallmount WAP371 Wireless-AC/N is a dual-radio device that supports 802.11n as well as the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. The WAP371 includes a GE port, can handle 32 active wireless clients on each radio, and 8 APs for each cluster.

The Cisco WAP561 802.11n Dual Radio AP includes a GE LAN interface and two radios (2.4 and 5.0 GHz) that offer 450 Mbps throughput for each radio, can handle 64 devices per radio, and allow up to 16 wireless access points for each cluster. The Cisco WAP551 is similar to the WAP 561 but has a single radio selectable band (2.4 or 5.0 GHz). The Cisco WAP571 and WAP571E (the weather-proof outdoor version) are dual-band 2.4/5 GHz Wireless-AC/N access points that feature two Gb Ethernet interfaces with link aggregation (LAG), and up to 1.9 Gigabit/sec throughput with 1300 Mbps on 11ac and 600 Mbps on 11n. Both wireless access points support 32 clients per radio and 16 APs on each cluster.

To find out more about Progent's consulting services for current and legacy Cisco Small Business family of wireless APs, see Cisco Small Business WiFi APs consulting services.

Cisco's Aironet Family of Access Points
The Aironet portfolio of indoor and outdoor wireless APs has consistently been the market leading AP product. Aironet APs run the gamut from entry-level devices to advanced APs. Cisco's Aironet line span multiple generations of models supporting the continually improving Wi-Fi specification. The current line of Aironet wireless access points support Cisco's Unified Wireless Network architecture and include 802.11ac technology, which delivers three times the throughput as well as superior range and user density compared to the previous generation of APs. Cisco's latest dual-frequency Aironet access points can support 802.11n at 2.4 GHz for client devices that do not have 802.11ac radios.

The oldest Aironet access points are legacy units that have reached end-of-sale status and are no longer fully supported by Cisco. Progent still offers support for the entire Aironet line of APs and can help you to maintain your existing Aironet Wi-Fi environment or upgrade smoothly to current Aironet technology. For more information about Progent's consulting services for both current and legacy Aironet access points, refer to Aironet APs system design and troubleshooting.

Cisco's Meraki Wireless Access Points
Cisco's family of Meraki dual-band indoor wireless access points range from value-priced models for small businesses to enterprise-class units supporting as high as 2.5 Gbit/sec performance. Every Meraki indoor wireless access point offers high-end features like self-configuring deployment, in-depth protection, Bring-Your-Own-Device support, extensive analytics, zero-touch over-the-web firmware updates, and centralized cloud management for multiple sites. Every Meraki indoor AP also incorporates dual powerful client-serving radios with enhanced receive sensitivity as well as a separate radio that offers (WIDS/WIPS) security for threat detection and deep packet inspection at line rate.

Cisco's Meraki outdoor access points are IP67 rated, designed to withstand harsh outdoor conditions, and able to resist dust particles, shock and humidity. Meraki outdoor access points include a 1 x Gbit Ethernet port and offer advanced features such as cloud management with multi-site visibility, 802.1X and native Active Directory integration, built-in antivirus scan (NAC), single-click guest access and guest isolation firewall, application-aware traffic shaping, plus auto-configuring mesh with beamforming. To find out more about Progent's support for Cisco's Meraki wireless access points and management, refer to Cisco's Meraki access points system design and troubleshooting.

Cisco Wave 2 802.11ax Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 Wi-Fi controllers allow realtime communication, configuration, management, analysis and troubleshooting for Cisco wireless devices and software services. Cisco has developed both hardware and software-based Wi-Fi controllers for unified administration of wireless networks, but WLANs with a large number of wireless APs are better served by physical Wi-Fi controllers. Current generation Wi-Fi controller appliances from Cisco deliver major advantages over Wave 1 and earlier models such as greater performance, simultaneous support for both 1G and 10G interfaces, improved application visibility and control (AVC), and hardened, integrated protection.

Cisco's 3504 Wireless Controller is a value-priced appliance available in a desktop enclosure and intended for smaller organizations. You can install the 3504 model in a centralized network architecture such as in lean branch and home-based offices managed over the wide-area network with FlexConnect, or in bridge installations where wiring is sparse. The 3504 wireless controller supports up to 150 access points and 3,000 users, delivers 4 Gbps throughput, and supports 4,096 VLANs. Cisco's 3504 WiFi controller features a multi-gigabit Ethernet port (up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet) and four 1-GB Ethernet connections. APs can be attached to the controller through two Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports. The 3504 Wi-Fi controller offers subsecond failover for APs and users, which allows high availability for applications. As with other Wave 2 wireless controllers from Cisco, the 3504 model has the integrated capability 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 for larger 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 access points and 20,000 users, offers 20 Gbps performance, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 model controller includes two 10 GE ports and incorporates SSD 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 wireless controller designed to support large enterprises, service providers, and large campuses. The 8540 Wireless controller can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures and can handle up to 6,000 APs and 64,000 users. The 8540 Wireless controller can deliver data rates up to 40 Gbps and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 8540 controller includes four 1-GB or 10GE ports and features SSD storage, dual power supplies, redundant fans, and subsecond failover.

Wave 1 Cisco WiFi Network Controllers
Cisco wireless network controllers reduce the time and expense required to configure, manage, and troubleshoot wireless networks by centralizing control of functions like setting up access points, enforcing consistent policies across converged wired and wireless networks, supporting enterprise-wide QoS for IP voice and HD video, tracking and optimizing network health, implementing intrusion prevention capabilities to defend against unauthorized access and DDoS threats, and managing IPv6 and dual-stack clients. Cisco has developed wireless LAN controllers for businesses of all sizes and offers desktop or rackmount controllers, modular plug-in controllers for Cisco ISR routers and switches, and Catalyst switches with built-in wireless network controllers.

Cisco's Wave 1 wireless LAN controllers incorporate Cisco CleanAir technology to avoid signal interference and create self-healing wireless LANs for maximum 802.11n and 802.11ac throughput and protection. Built-in Apple Bonjour Gateways enable discovery and policy throughout WLAN, LAN and WAN for Apple applications. For fault tolerance, Cisco wireless network controllers allow wireless access point and client stateful switchover by enabling a standby HA wireless controller to synch with a main wireless controller for AP license tabulation, CAPWAP keys, and AP CAPWAP state. If the main wireless controller fails, thousands of access points and wireless clients can switchover in less than a second to the secondary wireless 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 routers used by smaller organizations and branch offices. This affordable and scalable solution can support up to 200 APs and up to 6000 clients. (To find out concerning Progent's remote and on-premises consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router deployment and management support.)

Cisco Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU form-factor switches intended for SMBs and branch offices and come with a built-in wireless LAN controller with the ability to support 40 Gb of wireless throughput for each switch and up to 25 access points and 1000 clients on each switch. Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU rackmount switches designed for midsize and large organizations and feature a built-in wireless network controller with 40 Gb of wireless throughput per switch and the ability to handle up to 50 APs and 2000 wireless clients. The WiSM2 is an add-in blade for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches with a built-in wireless controller designed for mid-to-large size enterprises and capable of 20 Gbps throughput and able to handle 1000 wireless access points and as many as 15,000 clients. (To learn concerning Progent's support for Cisco switches, refer to Catalyst switches configuration and management support.)

Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controllers are value-priced desktop units that simplify the provisioning and operation of wireless LANs for small to medium-sized enterprises and branches. The 2500 Series wireless LAN controller can handle from five to 75 wireless access points and up to 1000 wireless clients and can deliver sustained performance of up to 1 Gbps.

The Cisco 5500 Wireless Controller is a scalable 1RU unit designed for mid-to-large sized businesses and campuses and can manage up to 500 wireless access points and 7,000 wireless clients while delivering 8 Gbps performance. The Cisco 5760 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU device designed for mid-to-large campus environments with the ability to manage 1000 APs and 12,000 wireless clients and providing performance of 60 Gbps to accommodate high wireless client densities and high usage of media-rich applications.

Cisco's Flex 7500 Wireless Controller is intended to manage thousands of wireless branches from one datacenter, eliminating the need for a wireless controller at every branch. The 1RU rackmount Flex 7500 lets you establish a private cloud to deploy, monitor, maintain, and repair up to 6000 access points and up to 64,000 wireless clients while handling 1 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU rackmount device engineered to monitor and control Wi-Fi networks for very large campuses or service providers and can be expanded to support 6000 access points and up to 64,000 clients while offering 10 Gbps performance.

To learn more about Cisco wireless controllers, see Cisco Wi-Fi controllers consulting services.

Legacy Cisco Access Points, Bridges and Controllers Supported by Progent
The 802.11ac specification for Wi-Fi effectively rendered obsolete all earlier releases of Wi-Fi products for many venues that have 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 Wi-Fi, many of Cisco wireless devices have arrived at end-of-life status, which can represent serious service and compliance issues. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants provide online and on-premises support services for a wide array of earlier-generation wireless products from Cisco. Progent can in addition assist companies to evaluate the potential ROI for updating legacy wireless technology and can help in planning and carrying out affordable, non-disruptive migrations. The following are a sample of Cisco legacy Wi-Fi devices that Progent's consulting experts continue to support.

Legacy Cisco Aironet APs
Aironet 1000 or 1130AG family wireless access points are ideal for conventional workplaces and similar venues which have minimal environmental variability. These products have built-in antennas that provide predictable radio range profiles. The 1130G Series access point is available for controlled domains that do not permit 5GHz operation.

Aironet 1230AG/1240AG Series access points are designed for more difficult RF situations such as factories and warehouses or above ceiling structures which commonly call for adjustable external antennas and durable enclosures. The Cisco 1240G Series device is available for regulatory locations that do not permit 802.11a/5GHz operation.

Aironet 1500 family lightweight outside mesh APs provide an affordable, scalable, secure outdoor wireless technology for enterprise campuses and for public venues that require connectivity for mobile devices.

Legacy Cisco Aironet Wireless Bridges
Cisco wireless bridges offer a high-speed and multi-featured technology for connecting multiple LANs in a metropolitan area or public access environment. Cisco Aironet bridges provide a versatile, easy-to-use solution that satisfies the protection needs of WAN professionals. They handle both point-to-point and P2MP implementations with good coverage and the ability to handle traffic rates up to 54 Mbps.

Cisco wireless LAN bridges offer data rates significantly higher than E1/T1 connections for much lower cost, avoiding the necessity of costly leased lines when connecting different offices. Since bridges require no recurring charges, the expenses saved on leased-line bills rapidly pay for the startup equipment costs. Self-installed private lines and even leased lines utilizing copper or optical cable often result in high startup expenses when they are impeded by obstacles such as highways, railroads, or lakes and rivers. Cisco wireless LAN bridges can be installed quickly with a fast return on investment.

Cisco Aironet 1300 Series outdoor access points/bridges can be deployed as independent access points, wireless bridges, or workgroup bridges. These appliances have a ruggedized cover and provide fast, economical wireless connectivity between numerous stationary or mobile networks and clients.

Aironet 1400 family bridges provide high-speed, dependable outdoor bridging for LOS environments. They are housed in a ruggedized cover that is optimized for severe outdoor environments and function in broad temperature ranges.

Legacy Cisco Wireless Controllers
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers centralize the management of wireless networks by simplifying the control of common technologies such as intrusion prevention, real-time RF management, automatic deployment, and N+1 redundancy. Wireless LAN controllers operate with lightweight wireless access points to offer enhanced throughput and advanced control capabilities.

Cisco WLAN Controllers (WLCs) offer the manageability, scalability, security, and reliability that IT managers require to create safe, enterprise-scale wireless environments, from satellite locations to small businesses to headquarter campuses. Cisco's legacy WLCs can be clustered to offer support for up to 2400 WAPs per roaming domain.

The Cisco WLCM or WLCM-E Wireless LAN Controller Module for Integrated Services (IS) Routers provides small-to mid-size businesses and enterprises an affordable way to deploy and control protected WLANs at satellite offices. These wireless controllers supervise up to 12 Cisco wireless access points and are installable in 2800/3800 Series IS Routers and 3700 Integrated Services Routers. (To learn concerning Progent's remote and onsite support for Cisco routers, see Cisco router configuration and management consulting.)

How Progent Can Help Your Company with Cisco Wireless Devices
Progent can provide access to a Cisco-certified consultant to assist you to plan, deploy, manage and repair a converged wired and wireless ecosystem incorporating a wide array of wireless devices that offer the same protection, scalability, and manageability you demand from a wired environment. Progent can assist you to manage early-generation wireless products from Cisco or upgrade efficiently to current 802.11ac-comaptible products. Progent's CISM and CISSP security professionals can advise you about how to build security into your wireless network and into your business processes. Progent's disaster recovery consultants and business continuity consultants can assist you to configure the HA technology incorporated into Cisco's wired/wireless products so your converged infrastructure provides non-stop return on investment.

Progent’s Wi-Fi Site Survey helps you to plan and deploy a robust WLAN optimized for your environment, offering a Wi-Fi solution that delivers comprehensive coverage, high performance and capacity, QoS features to handle IP voice and video, enterprise-class security, and easy management. Progent's Wireless Site Survey can be performed online to reduce time and costs, or onsite for more challenging environments.

For a more in-depth look at Progent's wireless integration capabilities, visit Progent's Wireless LAN Support.

To find out more details about Progent's professional support for Cisco networking products, choose a subject:

• Introduction to Progent's Cisco Expertise
• Fast and Affordable Online Support from a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Consultant
• Cisco Firepower Series Firewalls: Configuration and Troubleshooting Support
• ASA 5500-X Firewall with Cisco Firepower Services: Consulting and Management Expertise
• ASA 5500 Series Firewall Engineering Expertise
• PIX Firewall Troubleshooting Assistance
• Cisco Routers Engineering Expertise
• Cisco Aironet Wireless APs Consulting Help
• Cisco Small Business Wireless Access Points Engineering Support
• Cisco Wireless Controllers Consulting
• Cisco Meraki APs Deployment Services
• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM or Unified CM) and Cisco CallManager Consulting and Troubleshooting
• Cisco Voice over IP (VoIP) Phones and IP Video Phones Consulting and Wireless IP Phone Solutions
• Cisco Jabber and Management Services
• Cisco Catalyst Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Nexus Switches Configuration and Maintenance Expertise
• Meraki Switches Support and Troubleshooting Expertise
• Cisco VPN Setup and Troubleshooting Expertise
• SIP and CUBE Integration Solutions: SIP PSTN Trunks and Cisco CUBE Integration Consulting
• Design Solutions for Cisco-powered Datacenters
• Network Design Expertise for ISPs
• Streamlined Network Management Strategies for Cisco-powered Infrastructure