Cisco offers an extensive line of wireless networking products and technologies designed to provide anywhere, anytime access to information and resources and to facilitate collaboration among colleagues, partners, and clients. Cisco's wireless product portfolio includes the Small Business, Aironet and Meraki lines of wireless access points (APs) plus Cisco's standalone and modular Wireless LAN Controllers. Cisco's wireless solutions can help organizations of any size support the new paradigm of Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) by converging their wired and wireless networks to achieve simplified deployment, uniformly high-performance, centralized management, consistent policy enforcement, and across-the-board security.
Cisco's Unified Wireless Network architecture can scale to as many as 18,000 access points with full Layer 3 mobility across central or remote locations such as enterprise campuses, college lecture halls, branch offices, and home offices. Cisco's Wi-Fi access points and wireless controllers are components of Cisco's Unified Wireless Network and are designed to support the same level of security, performance, and ease of management for wireless LANs that companies expect in their wired infrastructure. This includes integrated mobility services such as VoIP, HD IP video, and secure guest connectivity. Cisco's Unified Wireless Network technology allows companies to create wireless ecosystems that streamline the way they do business and improve productivity through a mobile and connected workforce.
Progent's Cisco-certified wireless networking consultants can provide online or onsite expertise to help you design, deploy, manage, expand, upgrade, and troubleshoot converged wired/wireless networks of any size and for any venue. Progent also offers affordable online and onsite wireless site surveys to help you design and install a Wi-Fi network with custom-designed access point clustering optimized for your specific office layout, building structure, and application workloads.
Cisco Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst Wi-Fi Access Points
Cisco's Small Business, Aironet, Meraki and Catalyst families of wireless access points (APs) allow you to converge wired and wireless networks to provide the coverage, density, performance, security and manageability needed to support virtually any environment. These wireless access points range from entry-level, single-band 802.11b/g/n devices with data rates of 300 Mbps for very small businesses or home offices to dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac APs capable of supporting 200 or more clients per access point and offering sustained data rates of up to 5.9 Gbps. Cisco's current line of APs can be clustered to provide the scale to support environments with high client density and high usage rates of HD video applications.
Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Series Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Small Business 100, 300 and 500 series wireless access points are Linux-based devices designed as entry-level 802.11n Wi-Fi solutions for small offices. Many models in the Cisco Small Business family of wireless access points support Cisco's Single Point Setup technology, which makes it possible to configure, manage and troubleshoot a cluster of access points from a single device via a simple browser-based interface. All models support Power over Ethernet (POE) and feature QoS, rogue access point detection, and bridge mode for wirelessly connecting to a second Ethernet network. For more information about Progent's consulting expertise for Cisco Small Business 100, 300 and 500 Series Wi-Fi access points, refer to Cisco Small Business 100/300/500 Series planning and integration consulting.
Cisco's Aironet Family of Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Aironet family of indoor and outdoor wireless access points has for years been the top-selling AP solution. Aironet APs range from value-priced entry-level models to enterprise-class APs. The Aironet line span several generations of devices supporting the evolving 802.11x Wi-Fi standard. The latest Aironet APs support Cisco's Unified Wireless Network software and incorporate 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology, which offers triple the performance as well as greater range and user density compared to the previous generation of devices. Cisco's current dual-band Aironet APs continue to support 802.11n at 2.4 GHz to accommodate clients not compatible with 802.11ac.
The oldest Aironet APs are legacy devices that have reached end of life status and are no longer fully supported by Cisco. Progent continues to support the entire Aironet family of wireless access points and can help you manage and troubleshoot your current Aironet Wi-Fi environment or upgrade efficiently to the latest Aironet technology. For details about Progent's support for both current and legacy Cisco Aironet wireless access points, see Cisco Aironet Access Point consulting services.
Cisco's Meraki Wireless Access Points
Cisco's family of Meraki dual-band 2.4/5 GHz indoor access points range from value-priced models for general use to enterprise-class devices that offer up to 5.9 Gbit/sec performance. All Meraki indoor access points feature next-generation capabilities such as self-configuring plug-and-play deployment, advanced security, BYOD support, built-in analytics, automatic over-the-web updates, and centralized cloud management for multiple sites. Each Meraki access point also includes two high-power client-serving radios with enhanced receive sensitivity plus a dedicated intrusion detection and prevention system (WIDS/WIPS) security radio that provides RF analysis and deep packet inspection at line rate.
Cisco's Meraki outdoor access points are IP67 rated, designed to operate in harsh outdoor environments, and tested for dust, shock, vibration and moisture. Meraki outdoor access points include a Gigabit Ethernet port and offer advanced features that include cloud management with network-wide visibility and control, 802.1X and native Active Directory integration, built-in antivirus scan (NAC), 1-click secure guest access and guest isolation firewall, application-aware traffic shaping, plus self-configuring mesh with MIMO and beamforming. For more information about Progent's consulting services for Cisco Meraki access points and management tools, refer to Cisco Meraki Access Point consulting services.
Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Family of Wireless APs
Cisco's Catalyst 9100 line of Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax APs are intended for environments ranging from telecommuter homes to high-density enterprise campuses. Cisco Catalyst 9100 APs are based on the 802.11ax specification, referred to as Wi-Fi 6, which is an evolution of the preceding 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) specification. Unlike 802.11ac, Wi-Fi 6 is designed to utilize both the 2.4-Ghz and 5-GHz radio bands. Headline enhancements incorporated in Catalyst 9100 Series APs include MU-MIMO support for uplink traffic, dual NAVs for better dependability, Target Wake Time for reduced power consumption in battery-powered endpoints, adaptive power thresholds for more efficient spectrum utilization, and dynamic fragmentation for reduced overhead. All Cisco Catalyst 9100 wireless access points support Cisco's EWC, accommodate up to 200 client users per radio, and run on Cisco IOS XE Software. For more information about Progent's support for Cisco's Catalyst 9100 Family of Wi-Fi 6 Access Points, see Wi-Fi 6 APs solution planning, deployment, and troubleshooting consulting.
Cisco 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6-compatible wireless LAN controllers allow you to automate and manage advanced wireless environments that support 802.11ax Wi-Fi access points. The 802.11ax standard, aka Wi-Fi 6, improves on prior generation 802.11ac (referred to as Wi-Fi 5) devices by providing lower latency and more reliable performance, supporting higher client density, providing greater protection, saving energy for battery-dependent handheld devices, and allowing more versatility for supporting the latest kinds of Internet-of-Things (IoT) endpoints. Catalyst 9800 line Wi-Fi controllers feature always-on availability with seamless software updates, live patching, and the ability to connect additional access points without disruption of service. Enhanced cybersecurity technologies include Cisco Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (WIPS), image signing, and Software-Defined Access. Streaming telemetry allows you to track and understand infrastructure and endpoint health.
All appliances in the Catalyst 9800 family are powered by Cisco's IOS XE Software and operate with Cisco's DNA Center (DNAC) or Cisco Prime Infrastructure management tools. Cisco's Catalyst 9800 Series wireless network controllers can support Cisco Aironet 802.11ac Wave 1 and Wave 2 Wi-Fi access points as well as Catalyst 9100 Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi access points. For details about Progent's support for Cisco 9800 Series Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Controllers, see Catalyst 9800 family of Wi-Fi 6 wireless LAN controllers system planning, configuration, and troubleshooting consulting.
Cisco Wave 2 802.11ac Wireless Network Controllers
Cisco Wave 2 wireless controllers allow realtime communication, configuration, administration, analysis and debugging for Cisco Wi-Fi appliances and services. Cisco has developed both physical and software-based Wi-Fi controllers for centralized administration of wireless networks, but systems with a large number of wireless APs are better served by hardware-based Wi-Fi controllers. Current generation Wi-Fi controller devices from Cisco deliver major advantages in comparison to Wave 1 and older models such as higher throughput, concurrent support for both 1G and 10G interfaces, enhanced application visibility and control, and advanced, integrated protection.
Cisco's 3504 WiFi Controller is a value-priced device with a desktop enclosure and intended for small and medium-sized organizations. You can use the 3504 in a centralized network architecture such as in lean branch and remote offices administered across the wide-area network with FlexConnect, or in mesh deployments where Ethernet cabling is limited. The 3504 wireless controller can handle as many as 150 wireless APs and 3,000 clients, delivers 4 Gbps performance, and supports 4,096 VLANs. Cisco's 3504 WiFi controller includes a multi-gigabit Ethernet port and four 1-Gigabit Ethernet ports. Access points can be attached directly to the WiFi controller via two Power over Ethernet ports. The 3504 wireless controller offers subsecond failover for APs and users, which provides uninterrupted availability for applications. Like other current Wave 2 wireless controllers available from Cisco, the 3504 model has the integrated ability to work with Cisco Prime Infrastructure, Cisco Mobility Services Engine, and Cisco 5520 and 8540 wireless controllers.
Cisco's 5520 WiFi Controller, available in a 1 rack unit package, is intended for midsize to large enterprises and campus networks and can be used in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures. The 5520 Wi-Fi controller supports as many as 1,500 APs and 20,000 clients, offers 20 Gbps throughput, and supports up to 4,096 VLANs. The 5520 model controller features two 10 GE ports and incorporates SSD storage, backup fans, optional backup power supplies, and subsecond failover for high availability.
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller, available in a 2 rack unit form factor, is a high-end wireless controller designed to support large enterprises, service providers, and large campuses. The 8540 WiFi controller can be run in centralized, distributed, and mesh architectures and can handle as many as 6,000 access points and 64,000 client users. The 8540 Wireless controller can deliver data rates up to 40 Gbps and supports 4,096 VLANs. The 8540 controller comes with four 1-GB or 10GE ports and features solid-state storage, dual power supplies, redundant fans, and subsecond failover.
Wave 1 Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco wireless network controllers cut the effort and cost required to deploy, manage, and troubleshoot wireless networks by offering single-point control of functions such as setting up APs, enforcing consistent policies across converged wired/wireless LANs, supporting enterprise-wide QoS for IP voice and video, monitoring and troubleshooting system health, implementing wireless intrusion prevention system (wIPS) tools to defend against cyber break-ins and Distributed Denial of Service attacks, and managing IPv6 clients. Cisco has designed wireless network controllers for businesses of any size and can provide desktop or rackmount appliances, modular add-on wireless controllers for Cisco routers and Catalyst switches, and Catalyst switches with built-in wireless controllers.
Cisco's Wave 1 WiFi LAN controllers include Cisco CleanAir tools to minimize signal interference and produce self-healing and self-optimizing wireless LANs for maximum 802.11n and 802.11ac throughput and security. Integrated Bonjour Gateways enable discovery, advertisement and policy throughout WLAN, LAN and WAN for Apple-based applications. For high availability (HA), Cisco wireless LAN controllers support access point and client stateful failover by enabling a standby HA controller to synch with a primary controller for access point license count, CAPWAP keys, and AP CAPWAP state. In case the primary controller stops working, thousands of APs and clients can switchover at subsecond speeds to the secondary controller.
Cisco's Wireless Controller Module for ISR Routers with UCS-E provides basic 802.11n and 802.11ac support for 2900 and 3900 routers deployed by smaller businesses and branch offices. This affordable and scalable module can support up to 200 access points and up to 6000 clients. (For information about Progent's online and on-premises consulting support services for Cisco routers, refer to Cisco router configuration and troubleshooting consulting.)
Catalyst 3650 Series are 1RU form-factor switches intended for small to mid-size businesses and branches and have an integrated wireless network controller with the capability to handle 40 Gb of wireless throughput per switch and 25 access points and 1000 wireless clients on each switch. Catalyst 3850 Series are 1RU switches intended for midsize and large organizations and include an integrated wireless network controller with 40 Gb of wireless capacity per switch and the ability to handle 50 wireless access points and up to 2000 clients. The Wireless Services Module2 is an add-in blade for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches with an integrated wireless LAN controller designed for mid-to-large size businesses and able to deliver 20 Gbps performance and with support for up to 1000 APs and 15,000 clients. (To learn about Progent's consulting services for Cisco Catalyst switches, refer to Cisco switches deployment and troubleshooting support.)
Cisco 2500 Wireless Controllers are value-priced desktop units that streamline the provisioning and operation of Wi-Fi LANs for SMBs and branch offices. The Cisco 2500 Series wireless controller supports from five to 75 wireless access points and 1000 wireless clients and offers sustained performance of up to 1 Gbps.
Cisco's 5500 Wireless Controller is a scalable 1RU appliance designed for mid-to-large sized enterprises and campuses and can manage up to 500 access points and 7,000 wireless clients while delivering 8 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 5760 Wireless Controller is a 1RU device designed for mid-to-large campuses with the ability to manage up to 1000 access points and 12,000 clients and delivering performance of 60 Gbps to handle high wireless client densities and high usage of media-rich mobile applications.
Cisco's Flex 7500 Series Wireless Controller is designed to manage thousands of wireless remote sites from one datacenter, avoiding the need for a wireless controller at each branch. The 1RU Flex 7500 allows you to establish a private cloud to configure, monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot up to 6000 wireless access points and 64,000 wireless clients while supporting 1 Gbps throughput. The Cisco 8500 Series Wireless Controller is a 1RU appliance engineered to manage Wi-Fi networks for very large campuses or for service providers and can scale to handle up to 6000 access points and 64,000 clients while offering 10 Gbps throughput.
To find out more about Cisco WiFi controllers, see Cisco wireless controllers consulting and integration.
Legacy Cisco Wireless Bridges and Controllers Supported by Progent
The introduction of the 802.11ac standard for Wi-Fi effectively obsolesced previous generations of Wi-Fi products for many environments that require high densities of clients and high usage of HD video applications. Even for organizations who do not require the bandwidth efficiency of 802.11ac, many Cisco wireless products have reached end-of-sale or end-of-support status, which can present serious maintenance and compliance issues. Progent's Cisco-certified consultants provide online and onsite support for a broad array of earlier-generation Cisco wireless products. Progent can also help organizations evaluate the business case for updating legacy wireless technology and can help plan and execute cost-effective, non-disruptive upgrades. Below are a sample of legacy wireless products from Cisco supported by Progent.
Legacy Cisco Aironet Wireless Bridges
Cisco wireless LAN bridges provide a high-speed and multi-featured technology for integrating numerous LANs in a metropolitan situation or public access environment. Cisco Aironet wireless LAN bridges provide a versatile, manageable technology that satisfies the security requirements of wide-area networking specialists. These devices support both PTP and P2MP configurations with excellent range and support for traffic throughput up to 54 Mbps.
Cisco Aironet wireless bridges deliver data rates substantially faster than E1/T1 connections for far less cost, doing away with the requirement for costly leased lines when linking different buildings. Since bridges carry no recurring costs, the expenses saved on connection services rapidly pay for the startup equipment costs. Self-installed private lines and even leased lines made of metal or fiber-optic cable often require considerable up-front costs if they are impeded by barriers like highways, train tracks, or lakes and rivers. Cisco wireless bridges can be deployed rapidly with a fast return on investment.
Aironet 1300 family outdoor access points/bridges can be deployed as independent wireless access points, wireless bridges, or wireless group bridges. These appliances have a ruggedized cover and provide high-speed, economical wireless interfaces between numerous fixed or mobile environments and users.
Cisco Aironet 1400 wireless bridges provide high-performance, reliable outdoor connections for LOS applications. These devices are housed in a durable cover that is optimized for harsh outside environments and function within extended temperature ranges.
Legacy Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco's WLCM or WLCM-E Wireless LAN Controller Module for Integrated Services (IS) Routers offers small-to medium businesses and large corporations an affordable solution to implement and control secure WLANs at satellite offices. These devices manage as many as 12 Aironet lightweight access points and are installable in 2800/3800 Integrated Services Routers and 3700 Integrated Services Routers.
The Cisco 2106 Wireless LAN Controller operates together with Cisco Aironet lightweight access points and Cisco's Wireless Control System (WCS) to provide centralized wireless network functions. Cisco's 2106 Series WLC handles as many as six Cisco Aironet lightweight wireless access points, making it an affordable alternative for multi-controller architectures common for enterprise satellite office installations. The Cisco 2106 Series Wireless LAN Controller may also be used for single device solutions for small and midsize company environments. The Cisco 2106 WLC includes eight Ethernet ports, two of which can provide power directly to Aironet lightweight APs.
Cisco's 4400 Series WLC offers centralized wireless LAN features for mid-size to enterprise environments. The Cisco 4400 Series Wireless LAN Controller operates in conjunction with Aironet lightweight wireless access points, the Cisco Wireless Control System, and the Cisco Wireless Location Appliance to support business-critical wireless data, voice, and video applications. Cisco's 4400 WLC offers real-time communication between Cisco lightweight APs and other wireless controllers to deliver centralized security policies, intrusion prevention system functions, outstanding RF control, quality of service (QoS), and mobility.
How Progent's Consultants Can Help Your Company with Cisco Wireless Technology
Progent can provide a certified CCIE or Cisco Certified Network Professional to help you design, deploy, manage and troubleshoot a converged wired/wireless ecosystem that integrates a wide range of wireless products that offer the same security, scale, manageability and performance you demand from your wired technology. Progent can help you maintain legacy Wi-Fi solutions or upgrade efficiently to the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology. Progent's CISA, CISM, CISSP, GIAC, and ISSAP security consultants can show you how to build protection into your wireless network and into your business processes. In addition, Progent's disaster recovery consultants and business continuity planners can help you configure the high availability (HA) technology incorporated into Cisco's wireless and wired products so your converged network provides non-stop business value.
Progent's Wi-Fi Site Survey helps you plan and deploy a robust WLAN customized for your facilities, providing a wireless solution that delivers seamless coverage, high performance and capacity, QoS features to support voice and video IP, enterprise-class security, and easy management. Progent's Wireless Site Survey services can be performed online to save time and cut costs, or on premises for more challenging environments.
For a further discussion of Progent's wireless integration and troubleshooting services, see Progent's Wireless Network Consulting.
Contact Progent about Consulting Services for Cisco Wireless Solutions
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