Clarification re new Catalyst APs for use in the UK (ROW or still ETSI

[steve.blunt]

Hi can some one please clarify the following:

1. For new Catalyst APs for use with 9800 WLC, for the UK should these still be ordered as E domain or RoW?

2. For Catalyst APs for management by the Meraki Dashboard, again should these be RoW/E or is this not important as they will be reimaged when onboarded to the Dashboard?

3. For older but still orderable APs (Cisco Refurb) 28/3800 do we still order the E domain SKU?

4. Is the reason for the ROW two fold, UK leaving EU and to ensure that new 6 Ghz APs with higher power (external antenna when available) can be assigned the specific country power levels?

Many thanks

[Leo Laohoo]

Not all AP models support ROW.  

Newly-released models, like the Catalyst 9124, 9162, 9164, 9166 9136 will support ROW.  Anything older than the Catalyst 9k, like the 1800/2800/3800/4800 (and older), will still support the old scheme.

[Rich R · Accepted solution]

1. As per @Leo Laohoo 's answer it only applies to the new APs - the old ones are still -E
2. There's a single SKU for Meraki version (although the Cisco version can be converted to Meraki) eg: CW9164I-MR: Meraki CW9164I cloud-managed 802.11ax compatible AP
https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/MR_Overview_and_Specifications/CW9164_Datasheet#Specifications
3. As per (1)
4. I think it's mostly about simplification for Cisco and for us. Having so many different hardware models is a logistical nightmare for Cisco and they have enough trouble with supply chain problems already so this will help them out with stock management and make life easier for us.  UK leaving EU just means it's now ROW not EU because standards may diverge.  They could still apply country specific power levels before anyway even within -E regulatory domain, if they wanted to.  Now they simply have per country power tables applied according to configuration.  You define the AP country in the AP join profile now.

[JPavonM]

Correct me if I'm wrong but, isn't -E supposed to stands for ETSI not EU?

If that is the case, UK is following ETSI so using -E APs in the UK should be correct. Then after configuring proper country code in the WLC to GB, the APs will ovey the transmission power thresholds mandate by OFCOM.

[Rich R]

What -E does or doesn't stand for is a moot point now.  Like it or not, Cisco now classifies UK as ROW not E which means country code GB will only work with a ROW AP.
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/catalyst-9800-series-wireless-controllers/217734-connect-and-join-a-row-domain-access-po.html