The Cisco Meraki MR34 is a dual-band enterprise class 802.11ac cloud-managed access point. Designed for high capacity and high density, the MR34 meets the needs of the most demanding environments, and also includes the first ever cloud-managed third radio dedicated to optimizing the RF environment and securing the airwaves.
The MR34 package contains the following:
Mount cradle including built-in level tool
Your Meraki MR34 has the following features:
The mount cradle has the following features:
The MR34 features multiple options for physically securing the access point after installation:
The MR34 features a Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port that accepts 802.3at and 802.3af power (labeled “Eth0, PoE”). This port should be used for uplink to your WAN connection.
The MR34 access point can be powered using either the Meraki AC Adapter, PoE Injector (both sold separately), or a third-party PoE switch.
If the button is pressed and held for at least five seconds and then released, the MR34 will reboot and be restored to its original factory settings by deleting all configuration information stored on the unit.
Your MR34 is equipped with a multi-color LED light on the front of the unit to convey information about system functionality and performance:
The MR34 may be operated in “Run Dark” mode for additional security and to reduce the visibility of the access point. In this mode, the LED will not be illuminated. This mode may be enabled through Meraki dashboard.
You should complete the following steps before going on-site to perform an installation.
The following is a brief overview only of the steps required to add an MR34 to your network. For detailed instructions about creating, configuring and managing Meraki wireless networks, refer to the online documentation (documentation.meraki.com/mr).
To ensure your MR34 performs optimally immediately following installation, it is recommended that you facilitate a firmware upgrade prior to mounting your MR34.
* If the unit requires an upgrade, the LED will begin blinking orange until the upgrade is complete, at which point the LED will turn solid green or blue. You should allow at least a few minutes for the firmware upgrade to complete, depending on the speed of your internet connection.
If a firewall is in place, it must allow outgoing connections on particular ports to particular IP addresses. The most current list of outbound ports and IP addresses for your particular organization can be found here.
All gateway MR34s (MR34s with Ethernet connections to the LAN) must be assigned routable IP addresses. These IP addresses can be dynamically assigned via DHCP or statically assigned.
When using DHCP, the DHCP server should be configured to assign a static IP address for each MAC address belonging to a Meraki AP. Other features of the wireless network, such as 802.1X authentication, may rely on the property that the APs have static IP addresses.
Static IPs are assigned using the local web server on each AP. The following procedure describes how to set the static IP:
Instead of associating to each Meraki AP individually to configure static IP addresses, an administrator can assign static IP addresses on the upstream DHCP server. Through “DHCP reservations,” IP addresses are “reserved” for the MAC addresses of the Meraki APs. Please consult the documentation for the DHCP server to configure DHCP reservations.
You will need the following tools to perform an installation:
You will need the following hardware to perform an installation:
A good mounting location is important to getting the best performance out of your MR34 access point. Keep the following in mind:
For most mounting scenarios, the MR34 mount cradle provides a quick, simple, and flexible means of mounting your device. The installation should be done in two steps. First, install the mount cradle to your selected location. Then, attach the MR34 to the mount cradle.
The MR34 mount cradle can be used to install your access point in a wide range of scenarios: wall or solid ceiling, below a drop ceiling, on various electrical junction boxes.
The mount cradle contains a variety of hole patterns that are customized for each installation scenario. The mounting template (included inbox with mount cradle) should be used to drill holes for wall mounts and also to identify the correct hole patterns in the mount cradle that should be used for each type of mount. The included mount cradle template shows the hole patterns that should be used for each type of mount.
Using included wall anchors and screws, attach the mount cradle to your mounting wall or ceiling. It is recommended that the MR34 be mounted to a wall or solid ceiling using the mount cradle for physical security reasons.
To mount your MR34 on a drop ceiling T-rail, use the included drop ceiling mounting accessory kit. The accessory kit can be used to mount to most 9/16”, 15/16” or 1 ½” T-rails. The kit contains:
Tip: Pre-assemble rubber spacers and screws to the mount cradle. The mount cradle can then be held with one hand while the other hand holds a screwdriver. If mounting your MR34 to a dropped ceiling, skip to the "Power the MR34" section.
The MR34 can be mounted to a 4” square cable junction box, a 3.5 or 4” round cable junction box, or various U.S. and European outlet boxes (mounting screws are not included).
Using appropriate mounting hardware for your specific type of junction box, attach the mount cradle to the junction box.
If mounting to an electrical junction box, feed the Ethernet cable through the cable access hole in the mount cradle. If mounting to a wall or ceiling, the Ethernet cable will feed from behind the MR34.
1. Plug the power cord into the MR34 and the other end into a wall outlet.
2. Plug an Ethernet cable that is connected to an active Ethernet connection into the Eth0 port on the MR34.
1. Plug the power cord into the PoE Injector and the other end into wall power.
2. Plug an Ethernet cable that is connected to an active Ethernet connection into the “IN“ port on the injector.
3. Route Ethernet cable from the “OUT“ port on the injector to the Eth0 port in the cable bay of the MR34.
Route Ethernet cable from a port on an active 802.3at PoE switch to the Eth0 port in the bay of the MR34. The MR34 is Gigabit Ethernet-capable. To maximize device performance, a Gigabit-capable switch should be used.
Meraki switches are 802.3at compatible and will power the MR34 by default, using LLDP negotiating. When using Cisco switches, an extra step may be required to configure the Cisco switch to use LLDP to communicate with the Meraki MR34; see the following article for more details: https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Other_Topics/Low_Power_Mode_on_Cisco_Switches
The MR34 will function in low power mode when powered by a 802.3af power source. While in low power mode, the MR34 will disable its Air Marshal radio as well as two out of three transmit streams on the 2.4 Ghz band. Despite being in low power mode, the device can still supply full 802.11ac capabilities. For more information on low power mode please see the following article for more details: https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Monitoring_and_Reporting/MR34_low_power_mode
(This section applies to wall and/or solid ceiling, drop ceiling or electrical junction box mount
where you have already installed the mount cradle.)
The MR34 attaches to the mount cradle with two tabs on the cradle that insert into the MR34, and is secured to the cradle using one screw.
To attach the MR34 to the mount cradle properly, line up the top edge of the AP with the top tab of the mount cradle. Since the cradle is already mounted to the wall, guide the MR34 towards the top tab and insert the top tab into the MR34’s slot.
Then adjust the MR34 to guide the MR34’s bottom slot into the cradle’s bottom tab until it clicks into place. Once in place, the MR34 should be secured to the cradle by using one of the included screws in the cradle’s bottom tab.
To release the MR34 from the mount cradle, first remove the security screw that secures the MR34 to the cradle’s bottom tab. While holding the MR34 with one hand, press the cradle’s bottom tab upwards, releasing the MR34 from the bottom of the cradle. Then remove the MR34 from the cradle’s top tab.
The MR34 can be placed on a desk or shelf resting on the non-scratch rubber feet. The mount cradle is not necessary for a desk or shelf installation.
Depending on your mounting environment, you may want to secure the MR34 to its mount location. Your MR34 can be secured in several ways. If the MR34 has been installed using the mount cradle, it should be secured via security screw (Torx security screws are included) and/or Kensington lock. If the mount cradle was not used, the MR34 can still be secured using a Kensington lock.
Install the security screw in the lower mount cradle tab.
Attach a Kensington lock cable to the access point at the hard point on the side of the device.
Attach the other end of the cable to a secure location, such as a pipe or building fixture.
Reference the MR Product Page for additional information and troubleshooting tips.