Overview of Cisco's Aironet Line of Wireless APs
Cisco's top-selling Aironet family of Wi-Fi access points has developed in concert with Wi-Fi technology and has continually offered enhancements in speed, capacity, coverage, security, manageability and dependability. Modern Aironet Wave 2 Wi-Fi access points support up to 400 users each and can handle transfer rates in excess of 5 gigabits/sec. Networks of Aironet access points integrated with Cisco's Prime Infrastructure design model allow you to build multi-location wireless networks with up to 18,000 access points serving as many as 64,000 users, all under unified management. Progent's Cisco CCIE-certified Wi-Fi experts offer remote or onsite consulting and troubleshooting support to assist your organization to plan, install, upgrade, tune, manage and debug Aironet wireless environments of any size, inside or outside.
Progent's Cisco CCIE-certified Wi-Fi network consultants offer remote or onsite integration and troubleshooting support to assist your organization to design, configure, upgrade, tune, manage and debug Aironet wireless access point deployments of any scale or topology. Progent's Cisco Wi-Fi controller consultants can also help you to integrate your wireless ecosystem with your wired network infrastructure and cloud-hosted resources to create a seamless enterprise connectivity foundation that is simple to manage and scale. Progent also can provide affordable wireless site surveys to help you to determine the most efficient selection, location and configuration of Aironet Wi-Fi access points to accommodate your specific workplace layout, building structure, and expected network traffic.
Cisco Aironet Wave 2 Indoor Wireless Access Points
Cisco's Wave 2 Wireless APs feature significant enhancements over the initial generation of 802.11ac products, called Wave 1. Enhancements include up to 2.34 gigabits/sec rather than 1.3 Gbps in the 5 GHz band, multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) for transferring data to multiple devices simultaneously, better coverage and expandability, and the ability to use 160-MHz-wide channels and/or an additional spatial stream to improve performance and support more features. For concentrated Wi-Fi deployments, almost all Aironet Wave 2 wireless access points work with Cisco Mobility Express, which allows 50 to 100 APs to be configured quickly without the help of a Cisco wireless controller. Progent can help you to assess the business benefits of upgrading your Wave 1 or older Aironet wireless APs and can also assist you to design, deploy and administer a Wave 2 Aironet wireless access point network that adds maximum business value.
The Aironet 1810W Series Wi-Fi APs are compact Wave 2 wall-plate-mountable access points designed for deployment in hospitality venues such as hotels and cruise ships. The Cisco Aironet 1810W features Dual 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz transceivers and a Bluetooth radio, incorporates 2x2 MU-MIMO technology with two spatial streams, and supports a combined transfer rate of 867-Mbps and a maximum client count of 400. The Aironet 1810W comes with three local Gigabit Ethernet connections including one with PoE Out for supporting an appliance like an IP phone, printer or surveillance camera. Cisco's Aironet 1818 also includes a 10/100/1000BASE-T Power over Ethernet uplink port and a pass-through RJ-45 port. The Aironet 1810 OfficeExtend Series AP is a Wave 2 802.11ac device that includes a mounting cradle and is engineered to deliver secure wireless connectivity for telecommuters and small office employees. The Cisco Aironet 1810W Series OfficeExtend AP must be attached to a remote Wi-Fi network controller, which simplifies centralization of policies and eliminates the need for managing home or remote-office firewalls. Cisco's Aironet 1810 OfficeExtend Series offers the same performance and connections as the Aironet 1810W Wireless AP.
Cisco's Aironet 1815 Series Wi-Fi access points are value-priced, low-profile Wave 2 devices intended for small and medium-size companies. The series includes four models which address distinct usage scenarios. The Cisco 1815i Wi-Fi access point has versatile alternatives for wall or ceiling mount. The Cisco 1815w wireless AP is a desktop unit. The Cisco 1815t wireless access point includes three Gigabit Ethernet ports to support telecommuters or users in a micro branch office; and the 1815m Wi-Fi AP offers extra transmission power for greater signal coverage. All products in the 1815 Wireless AP family feature dual radios (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and 2x2 multi-user MIMO technology with two spatial streams. All except the 1815t wireless AP can be administered with Cisco Mobility Express. Only the 1815t Wi-Fi AP works with OfficeExtend. Each 1815 Series Wi-Fi AP delivers a combined data rate of 1 Gbps and can handle up to 400 clients. All versions except the 1815t feature a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio, and only the 1815t includes a USB interface and has the option of Power over Ethernet (PoE) or AC/DC power.
The Aironet 1830 Series Wi-Fi access point is intended for small and mid-size wireless networks and includes 2.4/5 GHz radios, features 3x3 MU-MIMO with two spatial streams, includes a 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-4 interface with Power over Ethernet (PoE), delivers an aggregate data rate of up to 867-Mbps on the 5-Ghz radio, and can handle a maximum of 400 clients. Cisco's 1830 Series wireless access point also supports a Bluetooth Low Energy radio via a USB dongle. The Bluetooth radio can be used for navigation, proximity marketing, and asset tracking.
Cisco's Aironet 1850i wireless access point is intended for small and mid-sized businesses and features 4x4 MU-MIMO supporting up to four spatial streams (when in single-user MIMO mode, three in multiuser mode), includes a GE Power over Ethernet (PoE) interface, a GigE port for link aggregation, and an RJ-45 management console port. The Cisco Aironet 1850i Wi-Fi AP delivers a maximum aggregate dual-radio data transfer rate of 2.0 gigabits/sec and a max client count of 400. A Bluetooth radio can be attached to the 1850i Series Wi-Fi access point by using a USB dongle.
The Aironet 2800 Series Wi-Fi AP is intended for large companies and can maximize throughput by dynamically designating its dual radios as one 2.4 and one 5 GHz radio or as dual 5 GHz radios, delivering combined performance up to 5 Gbps. Cisco's Aironet 2800 Wi-Fi AP features 4x4 multi-user MIMO supporting three spatial streams and can serve as many as 400 users. A second antenna connector is included for challenging environments such as high-ceiling auditoriums, libraries and cafeterias. The 2800 wireless AP includes two GigE ports and an RJ-45 management console port. A BLE radio can be added by using a USB dongle.
The Aironet 3800 Wave 2 wireless access points are intended for high-density sites like large offices or warehouses. The Aironet 3800 has three antenna options. The Aironet 3800i has internal antennas, the 3800e has external ones, and the 3800p offers high-power external antennas to handle crowded indoor venues like sports arenas and convention centers. All 3800 series wireless APs support 4x4 multi-user MIMO with three spatial streams, and their dual radios can operate in 2.4-GHz/5-GHz mode or in Dual 5-GHz 802.11ac mode. Aggregate performance can be as high as 5.2 gigabits/sec in Dual 5-GHz mode. Cisco's Aironet 3800 wireless AP can serve up to 400 Wi-Fi users and includes two 100/1000/2500/5000 Multigigabit Ethernet ports, one 100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 auxiliary port, and an RJ-45 management console port.
The Cisco Aironet 4800 wireless AP, designed for large enterprises in need of high throughput and advanced security, is the top of the line of Cisco's Aironet family, incorporating dual 2.4/5 GHz or dual 5 GHz radios and 4x4 multi-user MIMO supporting three spatial streams. The 4800 wireless AP can support up to 400 Wi-Fi users. The device comes with two Multigigabit Ethernet ports, an RJ-45 management console interface, and a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio. By having a fourth radio, The Cisco 4800 Wi-Fi AP can assign core Aironet operations to more radios so they can run concurrently. These core functions include built-in Flexible Radio Assignment, Hyperlocation, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). The 4800 wireless AP's fourth internal radio adds advanced security and in-depth analytics for throughput and location. Having four radios also enables the two Wi-Fi radios with Flexible Radio Assignment to operate in 5 GHz client serving mode, supporting 5.2 Gbps (2 x 2.6 Gbps) Wi-Fi throughput and increasing client capacity.
Cisco Aironet Wave 1 802.11ac Indoor Wireless APs
The 802.11ac specification operates exclusively in the 5-GHz band, uses 80-MHz channels for higher performance, and allows Wi-Fi radios to utilize spectrum more efficiently, send data faster, and relinquish spectrum more rapidly than earlier standards. This improves performance, mitigation, scalability, and hand-offs for high-concentration wireless networks. Even though the 802.11ac specification was accepted at the start of 2014, Cisco designed transitional Aironet 802.11ac APs before then. These transitional products offer many of the key advantages of 802.11ac technology and Cisco has branded them Wave 1 APs. Cisco's Wave 1 dual-band Aironet access points include 2.4 GHz radios to accommodate earlier generation client devices.
Cisco's Aironet 1700 Series is an economical Wi-Fi access point that supports 802.11ac Wave 1 technology, features 3x3 multiple input-multiple output with two spatial streams, supports a maximum connection speed of 867 Mbps, and can serve up to 200 clients. The Cisco Aironet 2700 Series is a wall-mountable wireless access point intended for midsize or large organizations and is offered with four internal or external antennas. The Cisco 2700 Series Wi-Fi AP has a 3x4 MIMO radio design with three spatial streams, has a top connection rate of 1.3 Gbps, and supports 200 802.11ac clients and 128 802.11n clients. The Aironet 3700 Series Wi-Fi access points are wall-mountable units offered with an internal antenna, an external antenna, or in a special Aironet 3700p model with a narrow-beam-width, high-gain antenna. The 3700 Series wireless AP has a 4x4 MIMO radio design with three spatial streams and supports a top connection speed of 1.3 Gbps. The modular design of the 3700 Series Wi-Fi access point supports Cisco's Wireless Security add-on module and Cisco's 3G Small Cells module.
Cisco Aironet 802.11n Indoor Wi-Fi Access Point
The 802.11n standard made it practical for people to use Wi-Fi as their day-to-day LAN connection, delivering 390 Mbps data rates and single-user MIMO (multiple input multiple output) in the 2.4/5 GHz bands. Cisco continues to offer an extensive catalog of wireless access points powered by this widely used wireless standard. Progent offers remote and on-premises consulting and troubleshooting support for Cisco's current 802.11n wireless access points and for discontinued Aironet APs, and Progent's consultants can assist you to assess the value to your business of moving from your outdated AP infrastructure to the current generation of 802.11ac Wi-Fi access points.
The Aironet 700W Series Wi-Fi access point is an 802.11n unit intended for multi-dwelling sites like college dorms and can be mounted on a wall junction box. The dual-radio Aironet 700W has 2x2 MIMO and two spatial streams, can handle 100 wireless users, includes four 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet ports (one with PoE), and offers data rates as high as 300 Mbps. Cisco's Aironet 1600 Series is an entry-level wireless AP designed for small and midsize organizations and offers 802.11n 3x3 MIMO with two spatial streams, can support 128 Wi-Fi clients, and delivers data rates up to 300 Mbps. Cisco's Aironet 2600 Series Wi-Fi AP is designed for dense environments and includes 802.11n-based 3x4 MIMO with three spatial streams, supports 200 Wi-Fi clients, and delivers data rates up to 450 Mbps.
Cisco Aironet Outdoor and Industrial Wireless APs
The Cisco Aironet line of wireless access points includes Wave 2, Wave 1, and 802.11a/b/g/n devices designed to be installed in outdoor sites that can range from campuses and municipalities to harsh industrial sites like rail, mining, or oil. Progent can help you to select, configure and administer Cisco Aironet outdoor and industrial wireless access points to fit your functional needs and budget. Progent's security consultants can also assist your organization to define and enforce policies for your outdoor wireless infrastructure or test the security profile of your Aironet wireless access points.
Cisco's Aironet 1530 Series outdoor 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi access points are Wave 1 dual-radio, carrier-grade units offered in an IP67-compliant body resistant to dust, humidity, vibration and temperature extremes. The wireless APs have a GbE connection and a Gigabit Ethernet WAN uplink interface and support performance of up to 300 Mbps. The Cisco Aironet 1530I incorporates built-in antennas and has 3x3:2 MIMO (multiple input multiple output) technology with three spatial streams on the 2.4 GHz radio and 2x3 MIMO with two spatial streams on the 5GHz radio. The Cisco Aironet 1530E outdoor Wi-Fi access point supports 2x2 MIMO and two spatial streams on both radios and includes software-configurable dual- or single-band external antennas.
The Cisco Aironet 1540 Series outdoor Wi-Fi AP is a Wave 2 device that supports performance as high as 867-Mbps on the 5 GHz radio. This allows an aggregate dual-radio data rate of 1.1 Gbps. The 1540 Wi-Fi access point includes 2x2 MU-MIMO and allows two spatial streams. For small to midsize networks with a maximum of 50 wireless access points, you can use Cisco Mobility Express Solution for rapid and easy configuration without requiring a Cisco wireless Wi-Fi controller appliance. Among Cisco's smallest footprint outdoor Wi-Fi APs with built-in antennas, the 1540 is offered with either a directional or a semi-omni directional antenna, giving you flexibility in selecting antenna patterns to match different usage scenarios.
Cisco's Aironet 1552S outdoor/industrial Wi-Fi AP is designed for dangerous environments such as chemical plants and has a built-in ISA100-compliant backbone router to interface with wireless sensor networks, offering an complete solution for Wi-Fi client support and connectivity to sensor devices. The Cisco Aironet 1552WU comes in a Class 1 Div 2/Zone 2 hazardous location-compliant enclosure, supports 2:3 MIMO and two spatial streams, supports data rates of up to 300 Mbps, and provides a GE port, a 10/100/1000 BaseT interface, and a fiber Small-Form-Factor Pluggable uplink port. The Cisco Aironet 1552WU wireless access point is designed for hazardous environments and includes an integrated WirelessHART gateway for connecting wirelessly with industrial sensor equipment. The Cisco Aironet 1552WU Wi-Fi access point is packaged in a hazardous location-certified enclosure, supports 2:3 MIMO and two spatial streams, supports performance as high as 300 Mbps, and offers Gigabit Ethernet and 10/100/1000 BaseT uplink options.
Cisco Aironet 1562 series outdoor wireless access points are offered with three antenna choices to match different usage scenarios. The high-performance 1562I Wi-Fi AP has internal omnidirectional antennas for common venues such as a school campus. The 1562E includes high-power external omni antennas for sites such as outdoor warehouses or shopping malls where customers can configure the needed coverage. The Aironet 1562D wireless AP has a built-in directional antenna suitable for high-density venues or for environments that require wireless point-to-point bridging such as parks or stadiums. All three 1562 versions can handle a maximum of 400 clients, offer 48 VDC and PoE power, and feature fiber Small-Form-Factor Pluggable (SP) optics and cable modem backhaul. The 1562E and 1562D units feature 2x2 MU-MIMO with 2 spatial streams and support data rates of up to 867 Mbps. The 1562I has 3x3 MU-MIMO with 3 spatial streams and delivers data rates of up to 1,300 Mbps.
The Cisco Aironet 1570 Series is a carrier-class Wi-Fi access point that was at one time the fastest performing outdoor wireless AP on the market. The 1570 comes with internal or external antennas, supports 4x4 MIMO with three spatial streams, delivers data rates of up to 1.3 Gbps, and has Fiber/SFP, GE, and Cable Modem uplink interfaces. Models include the Aironet 1572EAC that has an external antenna with AC-power, the Aironet 1572IC which includes integrated antennas with cable modem, and the Aironet 1572EC which includes an external antenna with cable modem.
The Aironet Industrial Wireless 3700 (IW3700) Series is the first industrial/outdoor wireless access point to provide 4x4 MIMO technology with three spatial streams plus beamforming. The Aironet Wave 1 IW3700 wireless access point has a hardened IP67-rated enclosure, incorporates a dual-band radio compatible with 802.11ac (5 GHz) and 802.11n (2.4 GHz) specifications, provides aggregate data speeds of up to 1.3 Gbps, and serves up to 200 users.
Legacy Cisco Aironet Wireless APs Supported by Progent
The remarkable improvements in Wi-Fi speed and density enabled by 802.11ac technology, combined with the increase in mobile users using high-bandwidth apps with streaming video, has rendered earlier generations of Wi-Fi infrastructure products out of date. Even though many companies run Wi-Fi workloads that are well served by legacy 802.11n networks, the fact that end-of-life Wi-Fi infrastructure appliances such as access points have reached, or are about to reach, end-of-support status can have important consequences for security, the ongoing availability of technical support, and the challenge of downstream expansion.
Progent's Cisco-certified wireless solutions experts offer a full range of consulting services to help businesses of any size manage and support their legacy Aironet environment, evaluate the potential benefits for moving to the newest generation of Aironet access points, and design a budget-friendly plan to migrate smoothly to a unified Wi-Fi environment that provides the speed. performance, security, manageability and reliability required of a modern Wi-Fi ecosystem. Examples of legacy Aironet APs for which Progent can provide online and on-premises expertise include:
Aironet 1000/1130AG family access points are intended for offices and other locations which have minimal environmental variability. These access points include integrated antennas that offer predictable omnidirectional coverage patterns. The Cisco Aironet 1130G family WAP is engineered for controlled domains that do not allow 5GHz transmission.
Aironet 1230AG or 1240AG family APs are intended for more difficult radio frequency situations like factories and warehouses or above ceiling structures which commonly call for flexible external antennas and rugged metal cases. The 1240G Series access point is designed for regulatory locations that do not permit 802.11a/5GHz transmission.
Cisco Aironet 1500 lightweight outdoor mesh APs provide an affordable, scalable, secure outdoor wireless technology for campus areas and for public sites that require connectivity for portable devices.
The Cisco Aironet 600 OfficeExtend Series wireless access point is an 802.11n unit intended for home workers. The Cisco Aironet 600 wireless AP includes a dual 2.4/5 GHz radio, uses 2x3 MIMO technology with two spatial streams, supports a maximum of 15 wireless users, and delivers data rates as high as 300 Mbps.
How Progent Can Help You with Aironet Wi-Fi Access Points
Progent can provide cost-effective remote or onsite support from a Cisco-certified CCIE network infrastructure consultant to assist your organization to design, install, manage, optimize, upgrade or repair a Wi-Fi network that incorporates Cisco's Aironet wireless APs. Progent can assist you maintain legacy Aironet APs or migrate smoothly to Cisco's current generation of Wave 2 Wi-Fi access points based on 802.11ac technology. Progent's certified Cisco Wi-Fi controller consultants can assist you to see whether your wireless network calls for Cisco wireless controller hardware or can be configured and maintained with software-based tools like Cisco Mobility Express.
Progent's online and onsite wireless site surveys can assist your organization to identify the most efficient selection and placement of Aironet wireless APs to handle your user volume, offer the coverage you require, and keep up with your critical workloads. Progent's network security experts can assist your organization to plan, implement and validate a compliant security strategy that includes policy enforcement, remote network and endpoint monitoring, and centralized management. Progent's disaster preparedness consultants and business continuity planning consultants can assist your organization to incorporate availability and recoverability into your Cisco product deployments to optimize the uptime of your seamless wired/wireless infrastructure.
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