Whether your wireless controller needs are more on premises or you lean toward a software-based solution, Cisco has you covered.
- Simplify workflow by centralizing the configuration and management of your access points
- Optimize performance by improving network performance with automated failover and mitigation of radio interference
- Add flexibility by allowing you to choose between appliance-based on-premises solutions, private cloud or public cloud solutions
- Integrate security by uncovering threats and providing content filtering and security based on user ID and location
Learn more: The Newest Cisco Wireless Controllers Solutions
Compare the Main On-premises Wireless Controllers Features: Cat9800 vs. 3504 vs. 5520 vs. 8540
|
Catalyst 9800-CL |
Mobility Express |
Catalyst 9800 embedded |
Catalyst 9800-80 |
|||||
|
Key Features |
||||||||
|
Ideal for |
Multiple scale options with a single deployment package |
Small, midsize, or multisite branch |
Small campuses or distributed branches |
Small or midsize business |
Midsize to large enterprise |
Midsize to large enterprise |
Large enterprise and service provider |
Large enterprise and service provider |
|
Form factor |
Virtual machine software |
Controller function embedded on access points |
Installed on Cisco Catalyst 9300 switches |
Desktop |
1 RU appliance |
1 RU appliance |
2 RU appliance |
2 RU appliance |
|
Deployment Mode |
||||||||
|
FlexConnect |
Yes |
Central authentication, local switching |
No, only SDA |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Central mode (formerly local mode) |
Only private cloud |
- |
No, only SDA |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Mesh |
Yes |
- |
No, only SDA |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
FlexConnect + Mesh |
Yes |
In plan |
No, only SDA |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
OfficeExtend |
Yes |
- |
No, only SDA |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Scalability |
||||||||
|
Minimum access points |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Maximum access points |
6000 (local switching), 3000 (central switching) |
100 |
200 |
150 |
1500 |
2000 |
6000 |
6000 |
|
Maximum client support |
64,000 (local switching); 32,000 (central switching) |
2000 |
4000 |
3000 |
20000 |
24000 |
64000 |
64000 |
|
Maximum RF tag support |
6000 |
500 (AireOS 8.8) |
200 |
1500 |
25000 |
2000 |
50000 |
6000 |
|
Maximum throughput |
2 Gbps |
1 Gbps |
- |
4 Gbps |
20 Gbps |
40 Gbps |
40 Gbps |
80 Gbps |
|
Maximum access-point groups |
6000 policy tags, 6000 RF tags |
50 |
200 policy tags, 200 RF tags |
150 |
1500 |
2000 policy tags, 2000 RF tags |
6000 |
6000 policy tags, 6000 RF tags |
|
Maximum FlexConnect Groups |
6000 site tags |
1 |
- |
100 |
1500 |
2000 site tags |
2000 |
6000 site tags |
|
Maximum access points per group |
100 |
100 |
- |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
Maximum WLANs |
4096 |
16 |
64 |
512 |
512 |
4096 |
512 |
4096 |
|
Maximum VLANs |
4096 |
16 |
- |
4094 |
4094 |
4096 |
4094 |
4096 |
|
Platform Details |
||||||||
|
Interfaces or network I/O |
- |
- |
1 x 5 Gb (1/2.5/5-G speeds supported, restrictions on other ports while over 1G) |
2 x 10 GE |
4x1/10 GE |
4 x 1/10 GE |
8 x 1/10 GE |
|
|
Redundant power |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Yes (optional) |
Yes |
Yes (installed) |
Yes |
|
Redundant fans |
- |
Fanless |
- |
Fanless up to 30°C; built-in fan above 30°C |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Maximum power consumption |
- |
Up to 30W per AP depending on AP type |
- |
98W |
190W |
- 40.5 to -72 VDC with 48V DC PEM |
538W |
Maximum (DC): 750W |
|
Standard hardware warranty |
- |
Access Point Limited Lifetime Warranty |
- |
3 years |
3 years |
3 years |
3 years |
3 years |
|
Standard software warranty |
- |
90 days |
- |
90 days |
90 days |
90 days |
90 days |
90 days |
|
Features and Functionality |
||||||||
|
Access control lists (ACLs) |
Yes |
Yes |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Application Visibility and Control (AVC) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Bidirectional rate limiting |
Yes |
Yes (AireOS 8.7) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Bonjour gateway |
- |
Yes (AireOS 8.8) |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
- |
Yes |
- |
|
Cisco Compatible Extensions Call Admission Control (CAC)/Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cisco VideoStream |
Yes |
Yes (AireOS 8.8) |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Datagram Transfer Layer Security (DTLS) |
Yes |
Yes, for control |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Guest anchor |
Yes |
In plan |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Guest services (wired) |
- |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
- |
Yes |
|
|
Guest services (wireless) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
High Availability with AP SSO |
Yes - private cloud only |
No SSO, master election |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
High Availability with client SSO |
Yes - private cloud only |
No SSO |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Integrated wireless policy engine |
Yes - local profiling |
No SSO |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes - local profiling |
Yes |
Yes - local profiling |
|
Link Aggregation Group (LAG) |
- |
In plan |
N/A |
Yes, multigigabit port pegged at 1-G speed |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Mobility |
Yes |
L2 |
Yes |
L2 and L3 (no new mobility) |
L2 and L3 |
Yes |
L2 and L3 |
Yes |
|
QoS |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Radio Resource Management (RRM) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Workgroup Bridge |
Yes |
Yes (AireOS 8.8) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Government Certifications |
||||||||
|
FIPS |
Planned |
In plan |
Planned |
In plan |
In plan |
Planned |
In plan |
Planned |
|
Common criteria |
Planned |
In plan |
Planned |
In plan |
In plan |
Planned |
In plan |
Planned |
|
DISA Unified Capabilities Approved Product List |
Planned |
In plan |
Planned |
In plan |
In plan |
Planned |
In plan |
Planned |
|
USGv6 |
Planned |
In plan |
Planned |
In plan |
In plan |
Planned |
In plan |
Planned |
Learn More:
Compare the Newest Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
Cisco’s Wireless Solutions-Deployment Modes
Why Upgrade to Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?
More Resources: