Cisco Catalyst Access Point Solutions At-a-Glance
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Today’s work is hybrid. Hybrid work empowers people to work from home, the office, and anywhere in between, safely and securely at any time. When everyone and everything is connected, work is no longer a place we go, it’s what we do. But that means we depend on our networks more than ever.
The Cisco Catalyst access points offer intelligence, resiliency, integrated security, and the benefits of the new, high-efficiency Wi-Fi 6/6E (802.11ax) standard. Not only that, but these access points are ready for growing user expectations, IoT devices, and next-generation cloud-driven applications.
What does the Wi-Fi 6 standard offer?
● Higher capacity: Up to a fourfold increase over previous standards.
● Reduced latency: Deterministic and uplink resource scheduling.
● Power efficiency: one-third less power consumption on end devices.
● Greater IoT coverage: Your Internet of Things (IoT) devices can be further away from your access points.
● Improved interference mitigation: Provides a better Quality of Experience (QoE).
What does Wi-Fi 6E offer?
At its base, Wi-Fi 6E is simply an extension of Wi-Fi 6 into the 6-GHz spectrum. Since the spectrum is new and accepts only Wi-Fi 6E devices, it doesn’t have any of the old issues that are clogging up current networks.
If you’re asking, “Why Wi-Fi 6E?” consider these benefits:
● Capacity: The addition of more spectrum provides an increase in network speed. Wi-Fi 6E is important because it provides the additional bandwidth needed in the open space of the new spectrum. This gives you the ability to support a dense environment while keeping device performance running at a high level.
● Sustainability: As more and more organizations try to increase their sustainability and keep their carbon footprints to a minimum, the Catalyst Wi-Fi 6E access points can help you do just that. Especially when paired with Cisco Spaces, the Catalyst APs receive data on your organization’s environment. For example, when it comes to temperature, through the AP’s data gathering, it can deduce that the air conditioning is too cold in certain rooms. The temperature can be automatically adjusted so that it’s set to a climate that’s more temperate, saving money and, more importantly, energy.
● Reliability: The new greenfield spectrum allows the 6-GHz band to be dedicated for truly mission-critical applications that need lower latency and higher speed. With only Wi-Fi 6E devices on the network, the network speed improves. Wi-Fi 6E provides a new standard of reliability and predictability of connection that shortens the gap between wireless and wired connections.
● Security: WPA3 is mandatory for the Wi-Fi 6E network, providing greater network security than ever. And since only Wi-Fi 6 products will be using this network, there are no legacy security issues to deal with. With WPA3 and the 6-GHz spectrum, you are essentially starting on a newly paved road, without any of the old potholes and headaches that you once had to deal with.
Whether your network is large, medium, or small, Cisco has a Wi-Fi 6/6E access point ready to take care of your future needs. Our Wi-Fi 6 access points include:
Table 1. Cisco Catalyst access points
| Cisco APs |
Descriptions |
| Cisco Catalyst 9136 Series Access Points |
Perfect for large enterprise organizations, the Catalyst 9136 Series takes advantage of the 6-GHz band expansion to produce a network that is more reliable and secure. It also has higher throughput and capacity and less device interference. The Catalyst 9136 APs come with two 4x4 radios and one 8x8 radio, as well as built-in environmental sensors and a host of other features. |
| Cisco Catalyst 9166 and 91666D1 Series Access Points |
For mission-critical large and medium-sized organizations. Like the Catalyst 9136, the Catalyst 9166 and 9166D1 Series has an environmental sensor. The AP has a dedicated radio for Cisco CleanAir Pro and can be run with Cisco DNA Center or the Meraki dashboard and provides stellar performance and flexibility. By combining the power of Catalyst with the simplicity of Meraki, the Catalyst 9166 and 9166D1 Series Wi-Fi 6E access points give customers the flexibility of deploying their network on-premises or in the cloud. The Catalyst 9166D1 uses the same hardware and offers the same management flexibility as the Catalyst 9166 but makes use of a built-in directional antenna. The Catalyst 9166D1 Series Access Point is best suited for environments with high-ceilings such as auditoriums, warehouses, and other large open areas where Wi-Fi 6E coverage is required. |
| Cisco Catalyst 9164 Series Access Points |
Perfect for medium-sized and small organizations. The AP has a dedicated radio for Cisco CleanAir Pro and can be run with Cisco DNA Center or the Meraki dashboard. By combining the power of Catalyst with the simplicity of Meraki, the Catalyst 9164 Series Wi-Fi 6E access points give customers the flexibility of deploying their network on-premises or in the cloud. |
| Cisco Catalyst 9162 Series Access Points |
Great for small organizations. The AP has a dedicated radio for Cisco CleanAir Pro and can be run with Cisco DNA Center or the Meraki dashboard. It is the entry-level Cisco solution for Wi-Fi 6E access points. By combining the power of Catalyst with the simplicity of Meraki, the Catalyst 9162 Series Wi-Fi 6E access points give customers the flexibility of deploying their network on-premises or in the cloud. |
| Cisco Catalyst 9130 Series Access Points |
For large, mission-critical organizations, the Cisco Catalyst 9130 Series goes beyond the Wi-Fi 6 standard and employs resilient, secure, and intelligent features that expand the device ecosystem. With four radios, Flexible Radio Assignment, a programmable RF ASIC, integrated security, and more, your network will be equipped to deliver a superior wireless experience. The 9130 Series supports Intelligent Capture, which probes the network and provides Cisco DNA Center with deep analysis. |
| Cisco Catalyst 9120 Series Access Points |
Ideal for medium to large organizations, the Catalyst 9120 Series is Wi-Fi 6 certifiable and available with internal or external antennas. The access point offers four radios, 5 GHz, dual bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), and the Cisco RF ASIC, and is IoT-ready with BLE and Zigbee. The 9120 Series also comes with Flexible Radio Assignment and next-generation Cisco CleanAir. It supports Intelligent Capture, which probes the network and provides Cisco DNA Center with deep analysis. The software can track more than 240 anomalies and instantaneously review all packets on demand, emulating the onsite network administrator. |
| Cisco Catalyst 9115 Series Access Points |
Ideal for small to medium-sized organizations, the Catalyst 9115 Series is Wi-Fi 6-certifiable, employs three radios, 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz and BLE, and is available with either an internal or external antenna. |
| Cisco Catalyst 9105 Series Access Points |
Ideal for small to medium-sized organizations, the Catalyst 9105 Series is Wi-Fi 6-certifiable, employs three radios, 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz, and BLE, and is available in two distinct mounting options: the 9105i, a traditional ceiling-mounted AP, and the 9105w, a wall-mounted AP that is an excellent solution for multidwelling units such as residence halls and hospitality units. |
| Cisco Catalyst 9124 Series Access Points |
The Cisco Catalyst 9124 Series completes your campus’s Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) network. Connections don’t drop on a walk from one building to another, nor will the Wi-Fi attachment suffer when business bring you outside. And it’s perfect for outdoor IoT deployments. The Catalyst 9124 is as resilient, secure, and intelligent as the Catalyst 9100 indoor access points but in a rugged casing. |
| Cisco Catalyst 9104 Series Access Points |
The Cisco Catalyst 9104 Series Access Point is purpose-built for large venues and sports stadiums where broad, high-density wireless coverage is required. This integrated stadium antenna and access point makes use of the Cisco Catalyst 9130 Wi-Fi 6 platform and adds a built-in beam steerable antenna for customizable RF coverage patterns to support for the most demanding environments. |
Learn more about Cisco Catalyst access points.
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