Mounting Business 240AC Access Points to Network Boxes

[ShadesJeff]

Hi,

We have single-gang network boxes (also known as low voltage boxes and the same dimensions as single-gang electrical boxes) installed in our ceiling with plug-terminated CAT 6 cables available at those locations.  Our previous access points, from a competitor, had a bracket that mounted directly to the network boxes.  Our pre-purchase review of the Mounting and Grounding guide suggested we would be able to maintain the same style of installation for the new Business 240AC access points:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/access_point/csbap/CBW_Admin/Admin/en_US/b_Cisco_AP_Admin_Guide.html

However, upon receiving our access points and trying to install them last night, we realized the pictures in the guide are not representative of reality and there appears no obvious way to use to successfully mount the access point bracket to the network box and then lock the access point to the bracket.  We took a quick look at the Cisco AIR-AP-BRACKET-2 (the so-called "universal bracket") but it appears to be designed for access points with four keyhole slots as opposed to the two keyhole slots on the 200 series access points.

Is there a trick to mounting these access points successfully to the network box or will these access points need to be returned?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Nagaraja Thanthry]

Hello,

Thank you for bringing this to our notice. We are taking steps to address the documentation and will publish the updated documentation soon. In the interim, if you need any help, please feel free to reach out to our support team.

Thanks,

Cisco Support Team

[ShadesJeff]

I appreciate you updating the documentation, but would like to understand if there is a way to mount these access points directly to a network box? Is there a separate bracket that is (or soon will be) available for the mounting?

Or is there no way to mount these access points to a network box? If so, I will need to return them and find an alternate solution.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Sango]

@Nagaraja Thanthry 

I too am experiencing this issue as I gotten an 240AC yesterday.  The supplied mount covers the single mount gang box such that it does not allow a network cable through.

Is there a universal mount for this or Cisco has to make/correct one which accommodates room for a network cable to go through?

[Sango]

@ShadesJeff @Nagaraja Thanthry 

After trying various method of unable to being able to use the mount to the electrical box, I ended up using 3M Command Medium Picture Hanging Strips, to mount my AP to the ceiling covering the the electrical box itself.  Since there was little clearance provided using the strip, I also purchased a Belden CAT6 coupler and a Monoprice flat CAT6 cable (0.5 ft), to connect to the pre-wired CAT6 cable inside the box to make the connection to the AP.

Cisco should redesign or revise the mount to make it compatible with the electrical box.

[tyshawn76]

Good job Sango.. Lets us know how this works out longterm for your install.