Has anybody here tested the new Mobility Express from Cisco?

[Marc Abaya]

It's a fairly new product and the cost is almost half if compared to buying a full-blown WLC. Any experience working with it? I'm planning to use it for our new office.

[Philip D'Ath]

Take a Cisco 2504 WLC.  Strip out all the controls and advanced options.  Then remove all the below features, and you have the new mobility express solution.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/release/notes/crn81mr2.html#pgfId-1321954

Features Not Supported on Cisco Aironet 1830 and 1850 APs

• Cisco Virtual Wireless Controller
• Mesh mode
• Flex mode
• Monitor mode
• Sniffer mode
• Workgroup Bridge (WGB) mode
• OfficeExtend mode
• Enhanced Local Mode (ELM)
• Integrated BLE
• Basic spectrum analysis
• USB-based Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device support
• Cisco CleanAir
• Cisco Wireless ClientLink 3.0
• Rogue Location Discovery Protocol (RLDP)
• Cisco Compatible eXtensions (CCX) Specification
• 802.1x supplicant for AP authentication on the wired port
• Static WEP key for TKIP or CKIP
• Dynamic Transmit Power Control (DTPC)
• Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) and Common Criteria
• 40-MHz Rogue detection
• Native IPv6
• Telnet

[Marc Abaya]

Thanks for the link. I am looking at this bundle model, which includes a scaled-down WLC 2504 I believe:

AIR-AP1702i-x-WLC*

I'm assuming the above limitations still apply for the Bundle option. But in terms of performance and reliability, is it worth taking the risk?

[Philip D'Ath]

The 1702 bundle with the WLC is a far better solution in my book.  You get a full 2504 controller - and the controller can do all of those things above (to the best of my knowledge).

I thought you were referring to the new mobility express access points controllers, the 1830 and 1850.

[Marc Abaya]

Thanks. I've been trying to google this but cannot find a comparison of this 2504 (that's part of the Express Bundle) vs. a full-blown WLC 2504. It's odd that Cisco will sell this Express Bundle at almost 6x less the price if the features are the same.

[Philip D'Ath]

That bundle you quoted includes a full blown Cisco 2504 WLC.

[Marc Abaya]

Thanks. I've been trying to google this but cannot find a comparison of this 2504 (that's part of the Express Bundle) vs. a full-blown WLC 2504. It's odd that Cisco will sell this Express Bundle at almost 6x less the price if the features are almost the same.