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In places like dorms or other buildings with multiple residents, shared Wi-Fi networks often don't provide the same level of ease and security as a home network. On a shared network, as a user, it’s not always easy to find and restrict access to your wireless devices. Other residents can take control of your devices because there aren’t any secure, segmented personal networks. This leads to a frustrating user experience, which inevitably results in calls to the IT help desk or a string of support tickets for the IT team to troubleshoot connectivity with individual users.
Cisco® User Defined Network Plus is a simplified, optimized solution specifically designed to give users and IT an easily deployed, managed, and monitored way to securely segment wireless networks in buildings with shared network resources. In collaboration with Cisco exclusive partner Splash Access, Cisco simplified the registration process for the User Defined Network Plus solution. A cloud-based web portal enables users to register devices easily and securely on the network, benefiting both users and IT. When User Defined Network Plus is deployed, users have their own personal network, just like at home, and IT staff spend less time and resources on troubleshooting and correcting resident connectivity issues.
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series
Cisco Catalyst™ 9800 Series Wireless Controllers provide enforcement of User Defined Network Plus policies. Cisco User Defined Network Plus is supported with central switching mode on the Catalyst 9800-80, 9800-40, 9800-L and 9800-CL controllers.
Cisco User Defined Network Plus is supported on Cisco IOS® XE Release 17.13.1 or above.
Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points and Cisco Aironet 802.11ac Wave 2 access points
Cisco User Defined Network Plus is supported on Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points and Cisco Aironet® 1800, 2800, 3800, and 4800 Series Access Points.
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Cisco ISE provides a point of authentication and authorization for end users to connect to the network. Cisco User Defined Network Plus is supported on ISE 3.1 Patch 4 or above.
Splash Access
Splash Access is an exclusive Cisco partner that also supplies the registration web portal for the Cisco User Defined Networking Plus solution. Splash Access is an essential part of the User Defined Network Plus solution. For licenses and to request a quote for Splash Access visit https://www.splashaccess.com/udn-request/.
Cisco Catalyst Center
Cisco Catalyst Center is an optional component of the User Defined Network Plus solution that gives IT staff the ability to monitor user devices registered to any User Defined Network. Administrators can decide where and when they want to enable the solution and which SSIDs to use. Cisco User Defined Network Plus is supported on Cisco Catalyst Center 2.3.5.5 and above.
Cisco User Defined Network Plus scale varies depending on the deployment options of the Catalyst 9800 Series controller.
Table 1. Scale of Catalyst 9800 Series wireless controllers
| Model |
Scale |
| Cisco Catalyst 9800-80 |
Up to 64,000 unique User Defined Networks per controller |
| Cisco Catalyst 9800-40 |
Up to 32,000 unique User Defined Networks per controller |
| Cisco Catalyst 9800-L |
Up to 5000 unique User Defined Networks per controller |
| Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL |
Up to 10,000, 32,000, or 64,000 unique User Defined Networks per controller |
Overall, User Defined Network Plus networks are supported across multiple controllers, depending on the deployment scenario.
Cisco’s User Defined Network Plus solution requires Cisco DNA Advantage licenses with ISE and licenses for Splash Access. Cisco DNA and ISE licenses can be purchased a la carte or in a Cisco DNA Expansion Pack. For Splash Access licenses, create an account at https://www.splashaccess.com/udn-request/.
To order and enable the Cisco User Defined Network Plus solution, please refer to the ordering guides for the respective components.
Catalyst 9800, Catalyst 9100, or Aironet Wave 2 access points
Catalyst Wireless Ordering Guide.
Identity Services Engine
Cisco Catalyst Center
Catalyst Center Ordering Guide.
Splash Access demo and license request
To deploy the Cisco User Defined Network Plus solution, please refer to the solution’s deployment guide available at this link.