Access Point IP Ratings?

[andrew-mccabe]

Cisco are regularly quoted as saying Aironet 1240/1250 series AP's are designed for challenging environments. What I want to know is what are the 1240/1250 series AP's IP ratings. Anyone?

[Leo Laohoo]

"challenging environments" means the physical environment.  The 1240/1250 as you can tell is built around an all-metal chassis to protect itself from the environment.  Sure it's not water proof or water resistant but it was designed to be sturdy.  This family of APs are designed for industrial use and designed to be deployed in wide open spaces such as theatres/cinemas, warehouse, hangars, etc.

[IngAndrew]

However... What is the IP rating of Cisco AP1242?

[andrew-mccabe]

"challenging" is ambiguous in context but to not publish/disclose the ratings required in order to completely design a solution fit-for-purpose puts Cisco at a disadvantage. To state that for example a 1240 is designed for warehouses, theatres etc is a little simplistic and we nor Cisco cannot contain the industry verticals in which to operate, again a disadvantage to Cisco.

Designing a solutioin for a vitreous manufacturing plant for example, where fine dust and water dictates the solution, you would want to know that the equipment you are investing in can cope with the environmental challenges in which it is dealt.

Anyway, I have done some digging and come up with the following. I believe this to be as accurate as can be.

• Most of Cisco APs for indoor and office use (AP1131, AP1142, AP1242, AP1250) are dust-proof, but not waterproof. In terms of IP rating, that would be around 40, or NEMA 1. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code for explanation on IP rating numbering.
  
  Outdoor products include Cisco Bridges (AP1300, AP1400) and mesh APs (1520 series):
• AP1520: IP 67 /NEMA 4X Datasheet: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps5679/ps8368/data_sheet_c78-532987.html
• BR1310: IP 56  /NEMA 4 Datasheet: https://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps5679/ps5861/product_data_sheet09186a00802252e1.html
• BR1410: IP 56  /NEMA 4 Datasheet: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps5679/ps5279/ps5285/product_data_sheet09186a008018495c.html

Antenna ratings are not published but environmental controls can be viewed on the datasheets.

https://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps7183/ps469/product_data_sheet09186a008022b11b_ps6521_Products_Data_Sheet.html

[Vinay Sharma]

Hi,

Please mark the Question as Answered if the provided information is correct and issue is fixed.

thanks,
Vinay

[andrew-mccabe]

Hi,

I cannot mark my own thread as correct.

Regards,

Andrew