Wi-Fi 7 presents a wealth of recent providers alternatives that transcend the routine wi-fi improve. Not too long ago, I assisted a neighborhood faculty, the place my youngsters attend, as they launched into a wi-fi community refresh initiative. As the primary faculty within the Catholic Diocese to improve, they sought to switch their outdated patchwork of Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5 gadgets from varied producers; this inconsistency in design, efficiency, and administration, is especially frequent in varied sectors like schooling, retail, and healthcare, and maybe an total pervasive drawback with getting old infrastructure that pre-dates Wi-Fi 6/6E and earlier installations.
The college’s major objective was simple, to determine a safe, dependable, and simple to handle community infrastructure able to supporting present and future calls for. To attain this, they invited proposals from varied native IT suppliers, together with resellers and Managed Service Suppliers (MSPs). As a Options Engineer within the IT business working for Cisco Methods, I discovered it intriguing that each one the answer proposals from the assorted distributors nonetheless centered round Wi-Fi 6E and older Wi-Fi 6 merchandise — a few of which might possible be introduced quickly for Finish-of-Life (EOL) or Finish-of-Sale (EOS)!
With Wi-Fi 7 getting into its major adoption section, I inspired the varsity to look past Wi-Fi 6/6E. It turned clear that data concerning Wi-Fi 7 was nonetheless trickling by way of the reseller and associate channels, and most weren’t properly versed on the newer Wi-Fi 7 options. This prompted me to compile a abstract of Cisco’s Wi-Fi 7 portfolio to focus on its transformative alternatives for finish prospects, resellers, and MSPs alike.
Specializing in the Key Takeaways concerning Cisco Wi-Fi 7
Cisco unveiled a complete suite of Wi-Fi 7 merchandise in November 2024 and adopted up with extra product bulletins in February 2025.
Key takeaways on Cisco’s Wi-Fi 7 product portfolio:
- Product Portfolio: Cisco launched a wide selection of Wi-Fi 7 merchandise, from extra entry-level Entry Factors (APs) to high-capacity, high-throughput fashions. These APs are perfect for supporting demanding purposes similar to Excessive-Definition Video Streaming, Augmented/Digital Actuality (AR/VR), Immersive Gaming and Leisure, and assist construct an infrastructure that optimizes the adoption of varied AI-related use instances.
- CW9176 – Enterprise Class, Excessive Density, Excessive Efficiency, Omni-directional, Indoor AP, with single 10 mGig succesful port, appropriate for places of work, typical buildings, and so forth.
- CW9176D – Enterprise Class, Excessive Density, Excessive Efficiency, Indoor AP with Directional Antenna, appropriate for auditoriums, warehouses, lengthy aisles/corridors, and/or areas with excessive ceilings.
- CW9178 – Mission Essential, Extremely Excessive Density, Excessive Efficiency, Omni-directional, Indoor AP, with twin 10 mGig succesful ports that may function in energetic/energetic for larger throughput or energetic/passive to attain excessive availability/redundancy functions.
-
- CW9172 – Reasonable Density, Omni-directional, Indoor AP, ultimate for retail, clinics, department places of work, or Multi Dwelling Items (MDUs) deployments like inns, pupil housing, residences, condominiums, and so forth.
-
- CW9172 – Reasonable Density, Omni-directional, Indoor AP, ultimate for retail, clinics, department places of work, or Multi Dwelling Items (MDUs) deployments like inns, pupil housing, residences, condominiums, and so forth.
- Unified {Hardware}: Cisco Wi-Fi 7 merchandise now characteristic a single Product ID (PID) per mannequin, significantly simplifying the quoting and ordering course of. There are not completely different PIDs/SKUs based mostly on regulatory domains or operation modes. All Cisco Wi-Fi 7 based mostly APs are designed for world use and might detect and function in both Meraki Dashboard or Catalyst (WLC) administration mode robotically. Customers also can swap between administration modes with no need to contact technical assist. These International Use Entry Factors provide environment friendly, good, and scalable operations with complete connectivity capabilities that embody Bluetooth, IoT, and geolocation capabilities.
- Unified Licensing: Cisco Wi-Fi 7 APs provide a streamlined expertise with unified licensing, supporting all administration modes with a single license. Accessible in two tiers—necessities and benefit—this technique simplifies the ordering course of. Necessities licensing offers elementary community operation options, whereas Benefit licensing superior performance enabled by way of the inclusion of Cisco Areas Benefit. This unified licensing method allows prospects to deploy networks utilizing the identical {hardware} throughout cloud, on-premises, or hybrid environments. Moreover, the Cisco Networking Subscription contains complete product assist, addressing each {hardware} and software program features.
- Energy: Except for the CW9172I mannequin, which helps DC enter as an possibility, all Cisco Wi-Fi 7 based mostly APs make the most of Energy Over Ethernet (PoE) as the ability supply. Whereas these APs require a minimum of 802.3at/PoE+ to perform, they ideally want 802.3bt/PoE++/UPoE to allow full AP performance.
- Ethernet Cabling Necessities: Whereas present Class 5e cabling may be re-used, it comes with limitations. To completely harness the throughput capabilities of the Wi-Fi 7 APs, Class 6/6A or higher Ethernet cabling is advisable. Class 5e cabling helps a most throughput of 1 Gb as much as 100 meters. In distinction, Class 6 cabling can probably assist as much as 10 GbE, however solely as much as ~50 meters. For 10 GbE assist over the total 100-meter distance, Class 6A or higher cabling is required.
Alternatives that Wi-Fi 7 Brings for MSPs/Companions
Proposing a managed wi-fi service constructed round Wi-Fi 7 know-how for an MSP may be compelling for a number of causes:
- Chopping-Edge Expertise: Wi-Fi 7 represents the newest development in wi-fi know-how, providing larger transmission charges, decrease latency, and enhanced reliability. By offering a service based mostly on Wi-Fi 7, MSPs can place themselves as leaders in providing state-of-the-art options that meet the evolving wants of consumers. By adopting Wi-Fi 7, MSPs assist their prospects future-proof their networks, making certain they continue to be aggressive in a quickly altering technological panorama.
- Elevated Demand for Excessive-Efficiency Connectivity: With the rising reliance on bandwidth-intensive purposes similar to video collaboration, augmented actuality, and IoT, prospects are searching for sooner and extra dependable connectivity. Wi-Fi 7 allows these high-performance purposes, making managed Wi-Fi providers extra engaging to organizations seeking to improve their infrastructure.
- Consulting and Deployment: As prospects transition to Wi-Fi 7, MSPs have the chance for added income streams by providing consulting, deployment, and ongoing monitoring and administration providers. This contains community design, set up, upkeep, and optimization providers. MSPs also can present consulting providers to help companies in planning and implementing the transition to this new know-how, in addition to integrating it with associated infrastructure.
- Infrastructure Upgrades: This contains upgrading Ethernet cabling, in addition to the community switching infrastructure to assist the upper throughputs, in addition to the PoE/energy necessities of the APs. MSPs also can present extra superior monitoring/automation capabilities or present extra providers that make sure the purchasers’ infrastructure can assist the calls for required from fashionable use instances.
- Complete Service Providing: By leveraging Cisco’s Wi-Fi 7 portfolio, MSPs have the appropriate constructing blocks to create a strong and differentiated providers providing. Bundling Wi-Fi 7 with value-added providers similar to superior security measures, AI-enhanced administration instruments, and in-depth analytics can considerably improve a enterprise’s community efficiency and safety, offering a transparent aggressive edge. Think about these compelling providers add-on examples:
- Assurance and Monitoring Companies: Combine options like ThousandEyes to supply purchasers unparalleled visibility into their community efficiency. This allows fast identification and backbone of points, significantly bettering the general person expertise and making certain most operational effectivity.
- Enhanced Safety Companies: Make the most of Wi-Fi 7’s cutting-edge capabilities to combine refined safety options. MSPs can ship extra safety providers, together with real-time menace detection and response, alongside proactive community monitoring. This not solely protects consumer environments from evolving cyber threats but in addition reinforces belief in MSPs as safety companions.
- Scalability and Flexibility: Wi-Fi 7’s capacity to assist the next density of gadgets and extra advanced environments makes it ultimate for scalable options. MSPs can provide versatile managed providers that develop with their purchasers’ wants, from small companies to giant enterprises.
- Help for New Enterprise Functions: Wi-Fi 7 allows new enterprise purposes and providers, offering MSPs with alternatives to develop and assist revolutionary options tailor-made to particular business wants. MSPs can provide tailor-made options that assist new use instances, together with IoT, video collaboration, and/or augmented actuality.
- Complete Wi-fi/Wi-Fi Administration: The demand for built-in Wi-Fi methods that embody AI-enhanced automation and analytics creates a possibility for MSPs to supply complete administration providers that optimize wi-fi connectivity and improved person experiences.
By adopting managed wi-fi networking providers centered on Wi-Fi 7 know-how, MSPs are well-equipped to satisfy the rising demand for superior wi-fi options, thereby enriching their service choices and driving enterprise development.
Within the context of my story, the varsity took the steering to coronary heart and performed a radical analysis of their choices. Recognizing the transformative potential of leveraging cutting-edge know-how, they concluded {that a} Cisco-based Wi-Fi 7 deployment merely made extra sense. This selection not solely fulfilled their targets of building a safe, dependable, and easy-to-operate community, but in addition emerged because the extra sensible and total, more cost effective answer for the long term. The answer supplied a wonderful steadiness between present wants with future scalability, making certain longevity from their investments.
By adopting this extra forward-thinking technique, the varsity positioned itself on the forefront of technological development, setting an instance for different faculties within the district. Their method serves as a reference, illustrating the advantages of embracing new know-how to reinforce instructional environments. This transfer ensures they not solely meet the present calls for of digital studying but in addition prepared the ground in setting new requirements for instructional connectivity.
Register for the upcoming Managed Companies Voice of the Engineer session to study extra about Cisco’s revolutionary Wi-Fi 7 portfolio
Extra Assets:
Product Datasheets
Deployment Guides
{Hardware} Set up Information
We’d love to listen to what you suppose. Ask a Query, Remark Beneath, and Keep Linked with #CiscoPartners on social!
Cisco Companions Fb | @CiscoPartners X/Twitter | Cisco Companions LinkedIn
Share:
