topic Re: Outdoor WIFI 6E access points in Wireless

Outdoor WIFI 6E access points

carl_townshend — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:08:31 GMT

Hi Guys

I am looking for WIFI 6E access points for a new installation, we may need some patch/sector antennas where we have certain coverage required.

We use Meraki and so I am looking at the CW9164 indoor AP and for outdoor I am looking at the CW9163E AP, the only thing is I can see that only an omni antenna is available and other antennas are not supported.

What options for outdoor WIFI 6E Meraki / Catalyst access points with support for the specific antennas do I have?

Many thanks

Re: Outdoor WIFI 6E access points

pieterh — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:47:55 GMT

after reading: Cisco Aironet and Catalyst Antennas and Accessories Reference Guide - Cisco
and Cisco Catalyst Wireless 9163E Access Point Hardware Installation and Deployment Guide - Hardware Features [Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points] - Cisco

I guess at this time the omni antenna is the only TREE-band (2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz) antenna available
this may limit the choice in Cisco antenna's (at the current time)
you can mount 4 identical antennae on any of the ports 1-4.

but the antenna ports itself are NOT three-band ! so you may select other dual-band antenna's and connect them to the respective port(s)


1	Port B Supports 6-GHz band	4	Port C Supports 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands, Non-SIA
2	Port A Supports 6-GHz band, SIA	5	Port 5 L1/L5 Band
3	Port D Supports 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands, SIA

Re: Outdoor WIFI 6E access points

Rich R — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 18:00:27 GMT

Remember outdoor use at standard power for 6GHz is currently not allowed pending certification/approval of AFC services and solutions in the various regulatory domains - FCC likely very soon. So antenna will probably come after that.

Re: Outdoor WIFI 6E access points

Haydn Andrews — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 21:08:42 GMT

Until the regulatory bodies have completed certification of AFC then 6GHz wont have external antennas.

Currently Cisco only has one 6GHz capable antenna, although its disabled by software at the moment being the omni CW-ANT-O1-NS-00.

There are 3rd party 6GHz antennas, but currently they all look to be omni directional as well, and the same rules will apply they cant use the 6GHz until the regulatory body approves 6GHz with external antennas.

Your current choices are:

Install WIFI 6 APs or wait for the regulatory bodies to approve external antennas for 6GHz, then the directional antennas will come. But if im a betting man, you will also need to upgrade the WLC software version to use them

Re: Outdoor WIFI 6E access points

Rich R — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 23:01:01 GMT

Agreed I'm sure it will require software updates.