Number of Wireless Lan Controllers (WLC)

[ciscobigcat]

Guys,

Is it too heavily overkill to deploy a 2504 with only 3 Cisco 3600 APs?

This is initially the plan and we do forsee deploying 2 or 3 more APs in the near future, but again currently we need 2 APs that will ne good enough for our area (small warehouse).

Thank you in advance                  

[Leo Laohoo]

Is it too heavily overkill to deploy a 2504 with only 3 Cisco 3600 APs?

If you have the budget, no.  If you have limited budget, then yes.

But the question is:  What kind of traffic are you expected to push that you need the more expensive 3600 compared to the 2600?

You can deploy 2600/3600 as autonomous. 

[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

Just to add... If I had a choice between using a WLC and going autonomous, I would get a WLC. There are so many pros in using a WLC and also the fact that a 2600/3600 running in autonomous doesn't give you all the features that a WLC allows.

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[Saurav Lodh]

If you have budget,  it is always a nice choice of going for a WLC , for easy administration of all access points from a single point. Moreover, you may need to add more APs to your floors in future, right  ?

[ciscobigcat]

Hi Saurav,

Yes there will be a need to add additional APs. So I guess what I am confirming here is that, if budget permits, then go ahead with a WLC for now even if we only initially have 2 APs because the WLCs gives you many advantages, from management perspective to actual features, correct?

[ciscobigcat]

I was reading about this too. Just quickly from top of your head, what are those main features I will be able to utilize with a WLC that I wont have with standalone?

We already have the 3600 APs and we purchased them because of the more features it brings and but mainly because this unit will be ready for the new standard as you will only need to purchase an add-on module (correct??)

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

We already have the 3600 APs and we purchased them because of the more features it brings and but mainly because this unit will be ready for the new standard as you will only need to purchase an add-on module (correct??)

If you are talking about 802.11ac then the 3600 with the 802.11ac is, by far, more expensive than the 3700.  3700 already has 802.11ac natively as compared to 3600 which requires an additional 802.11ac module.

Next, the 3600 is you have the 802.11ac module attached, requires a minimum of 20.0w PoE.

The 3700 also requires 20.0w PoE but if you have 15.4w than your will get lower MIMO and spatial streams.

If 802.3af PoE is the source of power, the access point will dynamically shift from 4x4 to 3x3 and come up under PoE.

If 802.3af PoE is the source of power, the access point with module will dynamically shift from 4x4 to 2x2 and come up under PoE.

[George Stefanick]

The big advantage of the wlc is uniformed management. You don't have to go into each ap and config. Go wlc when you can over autonomous ..

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[ciscobigcat]

Hi Leo,

These statements I just noticed concern me a little bit. Are you saying that if I power my 3600 APs with less watts from my PoE source, the APs won't be able to utilize all their potential/features?

bigcat

[Scott Fella]

Only if you plan on using one of the available modules for the 3602's does it require more power.

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[Leo Laohoo]

3600 can power up using 15.4w PoE, however, if you want to use the optional modules then you require 20.0w PoE. This is what I meant.

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