New Wi-Fi 7 AP 9172 chipset

[ESSANGK]

Everyone, I am aware that the higher end Wi-Fi 7 AP modes have Qualcomm chipset. Any idea what chipset does the new Wi-Fi 7 AP 9172 have? 

[Leo Laohoo]

As far as I am aware, all 917x (including the soon-to-be-announced 9174 & premium model, 9179) comes with Qualcomm chipset.  

[eglinsky2012]

I was hoping the FCC documents might reveal that information -

9172H: https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/UDX-600215010

9172i: https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/UDX-600214010

A quick search of a few of the available documents for the 9172H didn't yield any results. I think the chipset is normally only revealedi n the "internal pictures" document, which is currently in short term confidentiality phase (at least for the 9172H) and therefore not yet posted.

...Better yet, maybe someone here has connections who can provide that info! I'm curious, too, though I have no plans of buying them any time soon as they require at least 17.17 code, which is a short-lived release. I'd wait to deploy them until an MD/gold star release of say 17.18.x is released, which will be several more months at least.

[Leo Laohoo]

If the client happens to be a "whale", the 917x can be made to work with 17.15.X (and earlier) as long as WNBU authorizes the release of the APDP.  And I have seen this happen twice already in IOS-XE (9130 & 9124).

[eglinsky2012]

Ah right, I had forgotten about APDP. And I should have specified, the required software is different for 9172i vs 9172H:

Software

Cisco Wireless 9172I – Cisco IOS XE Software Release 17.15.2b or later Cisco Wireless 9172H – Cisco IOS XE Software Release 17.17.1 or later

So if one is looking at the 9172i, I'm told that 17.15.3 is slated to become the gold star release within the next several weeks, so that should be a safe bet. As for 9172H, I'd wait for a gold star/MD 17.18.x release before deploying.

It's tough to decide between return on investment/longevity in buying the latest model vs. buying the previous 9105 model to be able to deploy soon and remain on stable code. Even if this particular model's software is still new, I hate to jeopardize all the other models with a short-lived/early development release just to make this one work, but I digress.

[Leo Laohoo]

Personally, I have a different approach (sans "gold star"):  X.X.4 (and later). 

For instance, I am going to consider 17.15.X or 17.18.X when 17.15.4 (and later) or 17.18.4 (and later) are released even without a "gold star" because I know for a fact, it will not be long (after the files are released) that they will become "gold star" anyway.  

[Rich R · Accepted solution]

I can confirm that 9172i is Qualcomm too:
Radio FW version : QC_IMAGE_VERSION_STRING=WLAN.WBE.1.1.r8-00069-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-19

17.15.2b was only an interim release for 9172i - they did say everyone should move to 17.15.3 when it was released. We needed 17.15.3 for another fix anyway.

Funny how APDP was a major selling point for 9800 but they've been so reluctant to use them!

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Rich R wrote:
Funny how APDP was a major selling point for 9800 but they've been so reluctant to use them!

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Exactly!