CW9164 Datasheet

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High-Performance Wi-Fi 6E Wireless

Tri-band 802.11ax-compliant access point with separate radios dedicated to security, RF management, and Bluetooth® coupled with a USB port for added connectivity options.

CW9164

Flexible Deployment Options

With the flexibility to choose between cloud- and on-premises management, the Catalyst 9164 Series Access Point ensures network investment protection and unlocks the power of hybrid work. The Wi-Fi 6E-compliant access point takes advantage of the 6-GHz band expansion to produce a network that is more reliable and secure, with higher throughput, more capacity, and less device interference. The access points come with one 2x2:2 and two 4x4:4 radios and provide a host of cutting-edge features.

With the industry’s leading network architecture (Catalyst) joining the industry’s leading cloud IT platform (Meraki), this access point provides an unparalleled network experience. For organizations that need solutions to power hybrid work, and that allow their people to work anywhere at any given time with elevated, secure, and connected experiences, the Cisco Catalyst 9164 Series Access Points are the best choice.

Operational management is not static, as customers are able to change their network management whenever they want. If a network with Cisco Catalyst 9164 Series Access Points was originally an on-premises deployment, it can be changed to cloud-based management without the need to purchase and redistribute additional hardware.

Cisco Meraki Cloud Management

Pairing the Cisco Catalyst 9164 Series Access Points with the Meraki cloud platform gives organizations a unified IT experience for network monitoring and management. The Meraki dashboard provides an intuitive and interactive web interface connecting your network to the industry’s leading cloud IT platform.

Through the dashboard, Meraki provides sophisticated and scalable tools to automate network optimization, deploy policy and segmentation configurations across thousands of sites and devices, and manage a full-stack network from SD-WAN to Access to IoT technologies. The platform supports over 3.5 million active networks around the world.

Working together, the Catalyst 9164 Series and Cisco Meraki offer such features as:

● Cisco DNA Spaces

● Cisco Identity Services Engine

● Meraki Health intelligent optimization and assurance

● Meraki Vision, smart cameras, and sensors for network closet monitoring

Cisco DNA and Catalyst 9800 WLC support

Cisco Catalyst 9164 Series Access Points can also be paired with Catalyst 9800 WLC and Cisco DNA Center. Cisco DNA Center allows you to understand your network with real-time analytics, quickly detect and contain security threats, and easily provide network-wide consistency through automation and virtualization.

Working together, the Catalyst 9164 Series and Cisco DNA offer such features as:

● Cisco DNA Spaces

● Cisco Identity Services Engine

● Cisco DNA Analytics and Assurance along with Intelligence Capture (iCAP)

For information about Cisco DNA, refer to the Cisco DNA Solution Overview.

6 GHZ Radio Architecture

Tri-band configuration unlocks the use of the new spectrum in the 6GHz frequency range. This provides additional channels to increase throughput and reduce interference and noise from legacy devices. 6GHz support ensures that the CW9164 supports future technologies.

Designed for next-generation deployments in offices, schools, hospitals, retail shops, and hotels, the CW9164 offers high throughput, enterprise-grade security, and simple management.

The CW9164 provides a maximum of 7.49 Gbps* aggregate frame rate with concurrent 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6GHz radios. A dedicated fourth radio provides real-time WIDS/WIPS with automated RF optimization, and a fifth integrated IoT radio delivers Bluetooth scanning and beaconing.

With the combination of cloud management, high-performance hardware, multiple radios, and advanced software features, the CW9164 makes an outstanding platform for the most demanding of uses. This includes high-density deployments and bandwidth or performance-intensive applications like voice (Cisco WebEx) and high-definition video.

CW9164 and Meraki cloud management

Management of the CW9164 is through the Meraki cloud, with an intuitive browser-based interface that enables rapid deployment without time-consuming deployment complexity and time-consuming staging process. Since the CW9164 is self-configuring and managed over the web, it can be deployed at a remote location in a matter of minutes, even without on-site IT staff.

24x7 monitoring via the Meraki cloud delivers real-time alerts if the network encounters problems. Remote diagnostic tools enable immediate troubleshooting over the web so that distributed networks can be managed with a minimum of hassle.

The CW9164’s firmware is automatically kept up to date via the cloud. New features, bug fixes, and enhancements are delivered seamlessly over the web. This means no manual software updates to download or missing security patches to worry about.

Product Highlights

2x2:2 and 4x4:4 MU-MIMO 802.11ax compatible
7.49 Gbps tri-radio aggregate frame rate
24x7 real-time WIDS/WIPS and spectrum analytics via dedicated Scanning radio
Integrated Bluetooth Low Energy Beacon and scanning radio
1x 2.5 Gbps mGig Ethernet port
USB 2.0 host interface (Type A connector) with a 4.5W power budget

Enhanced transmit power and receive sensitivity
Full-time Wi-Fi location tracking via dedicated Scanning radio
Integrated enterprise security and guest access
Application-aware traffic shaping
Optimized for voice and video
Self-configuring, plug-and-play deployment
Sleek design blends into office environments

Features

Tri–radio aggregate frame rate of up to 7.49 Gbps*

A 6 GHz 4x4:4, 5 GHz 4x4:4, and 2.4 GHz 2x2:2 radio offer a combined tri–radio aggregate frame rate of 7.49 Gbps*. Technologies like transmit beamforming and enhanced receive sensitivity allow the CW9164 to support a higher client density than typical enterprise-class access points, resulting in better performance for more clients from each AP.

* Refers to maximum over-the-air data frame rate capability of the radio chipset, and may exceed data rates allowed by IEEE 802.11ax operation.

Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO)

With support for features of 802.11ax, the CW9164 offers DL and UL MU-MIMO and OFDMA for more efficient transmission to multiple clients. Especially suited to environments with numerous mobile devices, MU-MIMO and OFDMA enable multiple clients to receive data simultaneously. This increases the total network performance and improves the end-user experience.

IoT and Bluetooth Low Energy Radio

An integrated Bluetooth radio provides seamless deployment of Bluetooth Low Energy beacon functionality and effortless visibility of Bluetooth devices. The CW9164 enables the next generation of location-aware applications while future-proofing deployments, ensuring it’s ready for any new customer engagement strategies.

Automatic Cloud-Based RF Optimization

The CW9164’s sophisticated and automated RF optimization means that there is no need for the dedicated hardware and RF expertise typically required to tune a wireless network. The RF data collected by the dedicated fourth radio is continuously fed back to the Meraki cloud. This data is then used to automatically tune the channel selection, transmit power, and client connection settings for optimal performance under even the most challenging RF conditions.

Integrated Enterprise Security and Guest Access

The CW9164 features integrated, easy-to-use security technologies to provide secure connectivity for employees and guests alike. Advanced security features such as AES hardware-based encryption and Enterprise authentication with 802.1X and Active Directory integration provide wired-like security while still being easy to configure. CW9164 will also support 192-bit encryption along with WPA3 support for added security of the wireless network.

One-click guest isolation provides secure, Internet-only access for visitors. PCI compliance reports check network settings against PCI requirements to simplify secure retail deployments.

Dedicated scanning radio delivers 24x7 Air Marshal and RF analytics

There’s no need to choose between wireless security (AirMarshal), advanced RF analysis, and serving client data. A dedicated scanning radio means that all functions occur in real-time without impacting client traffic or AP throughput.

The CW9164’s dedicated tri-band scanning radio security radio continually monitors the environment, characterizing RF interference and containing wireless threats like rogue access points. Containment is only possible in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies as 6 GHz requires Protected Management Frames (PMF).

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) and Mobile Device Management (MDM) integration

Meraki Systems Manager natively integrates with the CW9164 to offer automatic, context-aware security. System Manager’s self-service enrollment helps to rapidly deploy MDM without installing additional equipment and then dynamically tie firewall and traffic shaping policies to client posture.

Application-Aware Traffic Shaping

The CW9164 includes an integrated layer 7 packet inspection, classification, and control engine, enabling the configuration of QoS policies based on traffic type, helping to prioritize mission-critical applications while setting limits on recreational traffic like peer-to-peer and video streaming. Policies can be implemented per network, SSID, user group, or individual user for maximum flexibility and control.

Voice and video optimizations

Industry-standard QoS features are built-in and easy to configure. Wireless Multimedia (WMM) access categories, 802.1p, and DSCP standards support all ensure important applications get prioritized correctly, not only on the CW9164 but also on other network devices. Unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery (U-APSD) and Target Wait Time feature in 802.11ax clients ensure minimal battery drain on wireless VoIP phones.

Self-Configuring, Self-Maintaining, Always Up-To-Date

When plugged in, the CW9164 automatically connects to the Meraki cloud, downloads its configuration, and joins the appropriate network. Administrators can schedule automatic firmware upgrades for their Dashboard network seamlessly. This ensures the network is kept up-to-date with bug fixes, security updates, and new features.

Meraki Health

CW9164 will support all the latest and greatest analytics to provide AI/ML anomaly detection, server root cause analysis, wireless client scoring based on performance and connectivity metrics, and network benchmarking for networks of similar size and vertical. Along with these features, CW9164 will provide advanced location analytics via API and graphs in the dashboard to provide a clear picture of client density and their movement across the floor plan.

Choice of Management Mode

Cisco Catalyst 9164 series access points can be managed either on-premises with Catalyst 9800 wireless LAN controllers (WLC) or cloud-managed through the Meraki dashboard. Customers have the flexibility to deploy these access points in one management mode and migrate to the other in the future.

Specifications

Category	Specifications
Radios	2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n/ax client access radio 5 GHz 802.11a/n/ac/ax client access radio 6 GHz 802.11ax client access radio 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz tri-band Air Marshal WIDS/WIPS, spectrum analysis, and location analytics radio 2.4 GHz Bluetooth Low Energy radio with beacon and scanning support concurrent operation of all five radios
Antenna	Integrated omnidirectional antennas 2.4 GHz: Peak gain 3 dBi, internal antenna, omnidirectional in azimuth 5 GHz: Peak gain 5 dBi, internal antenna, omnidirectional in azimuth 6 GHz: Peak gain 4 dBi, internal antenna, omnidirectional in azimuth
802.11 ax compatible, 802.11ac Wave 2, and 802.11n Capabilities	UL/DL-OFDMA Target wait time (TWT) BSS coloring* SU-MIMO and DL MU-MIMO support Maximal ratio combining (MRC) 802.11ax beamforming 20 and 40 MHz* channels (802.11n) 20, 40, 80 MHz channels (802.11ac wave 2) 20, 40, 80, and 160 MHz channels (802.11ax) Note: *40MHz channels are supported only in 5 & 6 GHz bands. Up to 1024-QAM on 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands Packet aggregation - A-MPDU (transmit and receive), A-MSDU (transmit and receive)
Power	Power over Ethernet: 42.5 - 57V (PoE+ and UPoE compliant) DC power adapter (54V) Power requirement USB: Up to 30.5W (UPOE) Power requirement No USB: Up to 25W (PoE+) Power over Ethernet injector and DC adapter sold separately Actual power consumption may vary depending on the AP usage

Power Source	2.4 GHz radio	5 GHz radio	6 GHz radio	Link speed	USB	Maximum PoE power consumption
802.3bt (UPOE)	2x2	4x4	4x4	2.5 Gbps	Y (4.5W)	30.5W
802.3at (PoE+)	2x2	4x4	4x4	2.5 Gbps	N	25W
802.3af (PoE)	–	–	–	–	–	–
DC Power	2x2	4x4	4x4	2.5 Gbps	Y

It is recommended that you ensure that LLDP is enabled to allow proper power negotiation

802.3af PoE is not supported

Interfaces	1x 100/1000/2.5G BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45) 1x DC power connector (8 mm, center positive) USB 2.0 at 4.5W Console - only available in DNA Management Mode Environmental interfaces - only available in DNA Management Mode
Mounting	All Cisco standard mounting hardware supported (AIR-AP-BRACKET-2 included) Desktop, ceiling, and wall-mount capable Ceiling tile rail (9/16 in, 15/16 in, or 1 ½ in flush or recessed rails), assorted cable junction boxes
Physical security	Kensington lock slot
Environment	Nonoperating (storage) temperature: -22°F to 158°F (-30°C to 70°C) Nonoperating (storage) altitude test: 25˚C (77°F) at 15,000 ft (4600 m) Operating temperature: 32°F to 122°F (0°C to 50°C) Operating humidity: 10% to 90% (non-condensing) Operating altitude test: 40˚C (104°F) at 9843 ft (3000 m)
Reliability	Mean time between failure (MTBF): 1,128,980 hrs at 77°F (25°C) operating temperature 289,596 hrs at 122°F (50°C) operating temperature
Physical Dimensions	9.5 in x 9.5 in x 2.2 in (241.3 mm x 241.3 mm x 56.9 mm) Weight: 3.54 lb (1.60 kg)
Security	Integrated layer 7 firewall with mobile device policy management Real time WIDS/WIPS with alerting and automatic rogue AP containment with Air Marshal Flexible guest access with device isolation VLAN tagging (802.1q) and tunneling with IPsec VPN PCI compliance reporting WPA2-PSK, WPA2-Enterprise, WPA3 - Personal, WPA3 - Enterprise, WPA3 - Enhanced Open (OWE) EAP Local authentication - EAP-TTLS/PAP, PEAP-GTC, EAP-TLS Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) and Mobile Device Management (MDM) integration Cisco ISE integration for guest access and BYOD posturing
Quality of Service	Advanced power save (U-APSD) WMM access categories with DSCP and 802.1p support Layer 7 application traffic identification and shaping
Mobility	PMK, OKC, and 802.11r for fast layer 2 roaming Distributed or centralized layer 3 roaming
Analytics	Embedded location analytics reporting and device tracking Global layer 7 traffic analytics reporting per network, device, and application
LED Indicators	One power/booting/firmware upgrade status
Regulatory	RoHS For additional country-specific regulatory information, please contact Meraki sales
Warranty	Indoor access point Limited Lifetime hardware warranty with advanced replacement included
Ordering Information	CW9164I-MR: Meraki CW9164I cloud-managed 802.11ax compatible AP MA-PWR-50WAC: Meraki AC adapter for MR series (power cable separate SKU) MA-INJ-6: Meraki multigigabit 802.3bt power over Ethernet injector (power cable separate SKU) Cisco AIR-PWRINJ-6 802.3at Cisco AIR-PWRINJ-7 802.3bt Power cord - MA-PWR-CORD-XX (XX = country code) should be ordered separately for the AC adapter and Ethernet injector Mounting bracket: AIR-AP-BRACKET-1 and AIR-AP-BRACKET-2(bundled) Meraki access point license required

Software features can be enabled via firmware updates

Compliance and Standards

Category	Standard
IEEE Standards	802.3 ab/bz 802.3 at/bt 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax 802.11d/h/i/k/r/u/v/w
Certifications	● Wi-Fi Alliance: Wi-Fi 6 (R2), Wi-Fi 6E, WPA3-R3, WPA3-Suite B, Enhanced Open Security ● Bluetooth SIG: Bluetooth Low Energy
Safety Approvals	CSA and CB 60950 and 62368 EN 60601 certified Conforms to UL 2043 (plenum rating)
Radio Approvals	FCC Part 15C 15E RSS-247 (Canada) EN 300 328 ( v2.1.1) EN 301 893 (v2.1.1) AS/NZS 4268 (Australia/NZ) NOM-121 (Mexico) NCC LP0002 (Taiwan) For additional country-specific regulatory information, please contact Meraki sales
EMI Approvals (Class B)	FCC Part 15B ICES-003 (Canada) EN 301 489-1-17 EN 55032 EN 55024 (Europe) CISPR 32 (Australia/NZ) VCCI (Japan)
Exposure Approvals	FCC Part 2 RSS-102 (Canada) EN 50385 EN 6231 EN 62479 (Europe) AS/NZS 2772 (Australia/NZ)

Context and Comparisons

802.11ax, 802.11ac Wave 2, and 802.11n Capabilities

MR44	MR46	MR56	CW9164
DL-OFDMA, UL-OFDMA, TWT support, BSS coloring	DL-OFDMA, UL-OFDMA, TWT support, BSS coloring	DL-OFDMA, UL-OFDMA, TWT support, BSS coloring	DL-OFDMA, UL-OFDMA, TWT support, BSS coloring
2.4 GHz: 2x2 multiple input, multiple-output (MIMO) with two spatial streams 5 GHz: 4x4 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) with four spatial streams	2:4GHz: 4x4 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) with four spatial streams 5 GHz: 4x4 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) with four spatial streams	2.4 GHz: 4x4 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) with four spatial streams 5 GHz: 8x8 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) with eight spatial streams	2.4 GHz 2x2 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) with two spatial streams 5 GHz: 4x4 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) with four spatial streams 6 GHz: 4x4 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) with four spatial streams
Maximal ratio combining (MRC) & beamforming	Maximal ratio combining (MRC) & beamforming	Maximal ratio combining (MRC) & beamforming	Maximal ratio combining (MRC) & beamforming
SU-MIMO, UL MU-MIMO and DL MU-MIMO support	SU-MIMO, UL MU-MIMO and DL MU-MIMO support	SU-MIMO, UL MU-MIMO and DL MU-MIMO support	SU-MIMO, UL MU-MIMO and DL MU-MIMO support
20 and 40 MHz* channels (802.11n); 20, 40, and 80 MHz channels (802.11ac Wave 2); 20, 40 and 80 MHz channels (802.11ax)	20 and 40 MHz* channels (802.11n); 20, 40, and 80 MHz channels (802.11ac Wave 2); 20, 40 and 80 MHz channels (802.11ax)	20 and 40 MHz* channels (802.11n); 20, 40, and 80 MHz channels (802.11ac Wave 2); 20, 40 and 80 MHz channels (802.11ax)	20 and 40 MHz* channels (802.11n); 20, 40, and 80 MHz channels (802.11ac wave 2); 20, 40, 80, and 160 MHz channels (802.11ax)
Note: *40MHz channels are supported only in 5 & 6 GHz bands.
Up to 1024-QAM on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands	Up to 1024-QAM on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands	Up to 1024-QAM on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands	Up to 1024-QAM on all three - 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands
Packet aggregation	Packet aggregation	Packet aggregation	Packet aggregation

Power

MR44	MR46	MR56	CW9164
Power over Ethernet: 42.5 - 57V (802.3at) or 37 - 57V (802.3af) - low power mode **	Power over Ethernet: 42.5 - 57V (802.3at compliant)	Power over Ethernet: 42.5 - 57V (802.3at compliant)	Power over Ethernet: 42.5 - 57V (802.3at compliant)
Alternative: 12V DC input	Alternative: 12V DC input	Alternative: 12V DC input	Alternative: 54V DC input
Power consumption: 30W max (802.3at) or 15W max (802.3af) - low power mode **	Power consumption: 30W max (802.3at required)	Power consumption: 30W max (802.3at required)	Power consumption: 30.5W with USB support and 25W without USB support
Power over Ethernet injector and DC adapter sold separately	Power over Ethernet injector and DC adapter sold separately	Power over Ethernet injector and DC adapter sold separately	Power over Ethernet injector and DC adapter sold separately

** features can be enabled via future firmware updates

Interfaces

MR44	MR46	MR56	CW9164
1x 100/1000/2.5G BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45)	1x 100/1000/2.5G BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45)	1x 100/1000/2.5G/5G BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45)	1x 100/1000/2.5G BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45)
1x DC power connector (5.5 mm x 2.5 mm, center positive)	1x DC power connector (5.5 mm x 2.5 mm, center positive)	1x DC power connector (5.5 mm x 2.5 mm, center positive)	1x DC power connector (8 mm, center positive)

Physical Dimensions

MR44	MR46	MR56	CW9164
12.05 in × 5.06 in × 1.74 in (306.0 mm × 12.8.4 mm × 44.3 mm), not including mount plate	12.05 in × 5.06 in × 1.74 in (306.0 mm × 12.8.4 mm × 44.3 mm), not including mount plate	12.83 in x 5.54 in x 1.76 in (326.0 mm x 140.79 mm x 44.7 mm), not including mount plate	9.5 in x 9.5 in x 2.2 in (241.3 mm x 241.3 mm x 56.9 mm), not including mount plate
Weight: 26.07 oz (0.739 kg)	Weight: 1.76 lbs (0.800 kg)	Weight: 2.2 lbs (1 kg)	Weight: 3.54 lbs (1.60kg)

Signal Coverage Pattern

Client Serving Radios

6 GHz Radio

5 GHz Radio

2.4 GHz Radio