MX65W Installation Guide
This document describes how to install and set up the MX65W security appliance. Additional reference documents are available online at: www.meraki.com/library/products.
MX65W Overview
The Meraki MX65W is an enterprise security appliance designed for distributed deployments that require remote administration. It is ideal for network administrators who demand both ease of deployment and a state-of-the-art feature set. This appliance provides the following new features:
- USB port, to support approved 3G/4G cards for failover to cellular networks.
- Support for eight LAN connections
- Support for two additional PoE+ LAN ports
- Wall screws and anchors for mounting drywall surface, either vertically or horizontally
Package contents
In addition to the MX65W, the following are provided.
The MX65W front panel
Status Indicator
The MX65W uses an LED to inform the user of the device's status. LED patterns and their meanings are described below.
|
LED Status |
Meaning |
|
Solid orange |
Power is applied but the appliance is not connected to the Meraki Dashboard |
| Alternating Colors | The appliance is attempting to connect to Meraki Dashboard |
|
Flashing White |
Firmware upgrade in progress |
|
Solid White |
Fully operational |
The MX65W back panel
Additional functions on the back panel are described below, from left to right.
| WAN / Internet ports | These two ports provide connectivity to the WAN. |
| LAN ports |
These 8 ports provide connectivity to computers, printers, access points, or Ethernet switches. A steady green LED indicates bidirectional connectivity, and flashing green indicates traffic. |
| PoE+ Ports |
These 2 LAN ports provide connectivity to computers, printers, access points, or Ethernet switches. Each port outputs up to 30W of PoE power. A steady green LED indicates bidirectional connectivity, and flashing green indicates traffic. |
| Power input | Designed for use only with the unit’s power supply. |
The MX65W side panel
Additional functions on the back panel are described below, from left to right.
|
Reset button |
Insert a paper clip if a reset is required.
|
|
USB port |
USB 2.0 for 3G/4G wireless cards. Traffic status is indicated by the USB LED. |
The MX65W bottom panel
Please note that the serial number is located on the product label at the bottom panel of MX65W
Safety and Warnings
These operations are to be taken with respect to all local laws. Please take the following into consideration for safe operation:
- Power off the unit before you begin. Read the installation instructions before connecting the system to the power source.
- Before you work on any equipment, be aware of the hazards involved with electrical circuitry and be familiar with standard practices for preventing accidents.
- Read the mounting instructions carefully before beginning installation. Failure to use the correct hardware or to follow the correct procedures could result in a hazardous situation to people and damage to the system.
- Please only power the device with the provided power cables to ensure regulatory compliance.
Mounting hardware
The supplied wall screws and anchors allow you to mount the appliance on a drywall surface, either vertically or horizontally. The distance between the holes you drill should be 5-1/8 inches (13 cm).
- For mounting on drywall, use a ¼-in drill bit, then insert the plastic and screw assemblies.
- For mounting on wood or a similar surface, use only the screws.
- Allow the heads of the screws to stick out far enough to be inserted securely into the back of the appliance.
Connecting to WAN
All Meraki MX devices must have an IP address. This section describes how to configure your local area network before you deploy it. A local management web service, running on the appliance, is accessed through a browser running on a client PC. This web service is used for configuring and monitoring basic ISP/WAN connectivity.
Pre-install Preparation
You should complete the following steps before going on-site to perform an installation.
Configure your Dashboard Network
The following is a brief overview only of the steps required to add an MX to your network. For detailed instructions about creating, configuring and managing Meraki networks, refer to the online documentation (documentation.meraki.com).
- Login to http://dashboard.meraki.com. If this is your first time, create a new account.
- Find the network to which you plan to add your MX or create a new network.
- Add your MX to your network. You will need your Meraki order number (found on your invoice) or the serial number of each MX, which looks like Qxxx-xxxx-xxxx, and is found on the bottom of the unit. You will also need your Enterprise license key, which you should have received via email.
- Go to the map / floor plan view and place each MX on the map by clicking and dragging it to the location where you plan to mount it.
Check and Set Firmware
To ensure your MX performs optimally immediately following installation, it is recommended that you facilitate a firmware upgrade prior to mounting your MX.
- Attach your MX to power and a wired Internet connection.
- The MX will turn on and the power LED will glow solid orange.
- If the unit requires an upgrade, the power LED will begin blinking white until the upgrade is complete, at which point the LED will turn solid white. You should allow at least a few minutes for the firmware upgrade to complete, depending on the speed of your internet connection.
Check and Configure Upstream Firewall Settings
If an upstream firewall is already 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 on the firewall configuration page in your dashboard.
Setting up a static IP address
To ensure that the client PC is redirected to the local web service in the following step, you must disable all other network services (ex: wi-fi) on your client machine.
Do the following to configure basic connectivity and other networking parameters:
- Using a client machine such as a laptop, connect to one of the LAN ports of the MX.
- Using a browser on the client machine, access the appliance's built-in web service by browsing to http://setup.meraki.com. (You do not have to be connected to the Internet to reach this address)
- Click Uplink configuration under the Local status tab. The default credentials use the device serial number as the username, with a blank password field.
- Choose Static for the IP Assignment option.
- Enter the IP address, subnet mask, default gateway IP and DNS server information.
Setting up a DHCP IP address
By default all MX devices are configured to DHCP from upstream WAN / ISP servers. Simply plug the MX's WAN / Internet port to your upstream circuit and wait a few minutes for the unit to negotiate a DHCP address.
When the WAN connection is fully enabled, Internet LED 1 will turn green.
Additional settings
Please note that all these settings below are accessible only via the local management console.
Setting VLANs
If your WAN uplink is on a trunk port, choose VLAN tagging > Use VLAN tagging and enter the appropriate value for VLAN ID for your network.
Setting up secondary WAN interface (dual WAN) 
The MX65W comes with two dedicated Internet ports, which are both configured through the Uplink configuration under the Local status tab.
Setting PPPoE
PPPoE authentication may be required if you are connecting MX device to a DSL circuit. You need to know your authentication option and credentials (supplied by your ISP) in order to complete these steps.
- Choose Connection Type > PPPoE.
- Select your Authentication option.
- If you select Use authentication, enter appropriate values for Username and Password.
Web proxy settings
These settings take effect if the MX device has to fall back to using HTTP to contact the Cloud Controller. By default, web proxy is disabled. To enable web proxy, do the following:
- Choose Web proxy > Yes.
- Enter values as appropriate for Hostname or IP and Port.
- If you require authentication, choose Authentication > Use authentication, and enter appropriate values for Username and Password.
To apply all configuration settings to the appliance, be sure to click Save Settings at the bottom of the page.
Configuring physical link settings
To configure physical link settings on the Ethernet ports, click Local status > Ethernet configuration. You can enable half duplex, full duplex, and autonegotiation, as well as set 10- or 100-Mbps data rates.
Warranty
MX Warranty coverage periods are as follows:
| Product | Warranty Period | Warranty Information |
|---|---|---|
| MX65W | Lifetime | Full lifetime hardware warranty with next-day advanced replacement included. |
| MX65 Accessories | 1 Year |
The following are considered accessories: SFP Modules, all mounting kits and stands, interface modules, additional power cords |
Additional warranty information can be found on the Return Policy and Requesting a RMA page of the Cisco Meraki website.
If your Cisco Meraki device fails and the problem cannot be resolved by troubleshooting, contact support to address the issue. Once support determines that the device is in a failed state, they can process an RMA and send out a replacement device free of charge. In most circumstances, the RMA will include a pre-paid shipping label so the faulty equipment can be returned.
In order to initiate a hardware replacement for non-functioning hardware that is under warranty, you must have access to the original packaging the hardware was shipped in. The original hardware packaging includes device serial number and order information, and may be required for return shipping.