By Claus Hetting, WiFi NOW CEO & Chairman
This week Cisco launched its first two Wi-Fi 7 APs – dubbed 9176 and 9178 – but instead of focusing on all the well-known QoS and speed benefits of the new standard, Cisco is positioning the new APs as essential for evolving offices and venues into smart spaces, complete with AIOps and AI-based assurance as well as new and simpler licensing schemes. The new APs are powered by Qualcomm’s Networking Pro Wi-Fi 7 platform.
How will enterprises benefit from new Wi-Fi 7-based technology beyond feeds and speeds? This week Cisco launched its first two Wi-Fi 7 APs but instead of the usual references to faster and better Wi-Fi connectivity (which are of course always welcome) Cisco’s zooming in on delivering more compelling ‘digital experiences’ for workplaces and venues of all kinds.
The new Wi-Fi 7 APs are now more than anything enablers of Cisco’s impressive ‘Cisco Spaces’ framework, which packs nearly any wireless use case and value add you can think of into the connected workplace and venue experience (also don’t miss the promo video below). These include things like occupancy analysis, enhanced location services for wayfinding, connecting  a high-density network of sensors for environmental monitoring, asset tracking, and more.
For the first time the new APs come pre-integrated for Cisco Spaces with the software license included, Cisco says. For location services the APs feature BLE and – as far as we know for the first time – integrated Ultra Wide Band (UWB) radios for asset tracking applications. The APs also come with integrated GNSS/GPS antennas and geolocation capabilities.
Add to this AI operational capabilities in the form of support for AI-based radio resource management (read more here) and optimised digital maps for best AP and sensor placements. AI engines are also applied for end-to-end service assurance through the Cisco ThousandEyes management platform. The new APs self-configure and determine their own locations as soon as they’re plugged in, Cisco says in this blog by SVP and GM, Laurence Huang.
Under the hood the new APs continue to impress: The 9178 features four radios that can be configured for tri or quad radio operation (one 4×4 6-GHz radio, dual 4×4 5-GHz radios, and one 4×4 2.4-GHz radio) depending on RF environment and client demand. The 9176 can be configured in tri-radio modes for either 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz or 5GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz operation Cisco says. Both models feature band steering for directing 6 GHz-capable clients to appropriate bands as well as ‘intelligent capture’ probes to detect traffic anomalies and more.
To Cisco’s credit the company is downplaying (otherwise impressive) raw performance data so much that you have to scour the data sheets to discover speeds and feeds – but for the record here they are: The 9178 supports up to 24 Gbps peak PHY rate in quad-radio mode while the tri-radio 9176 delivers up to 23 or 18 Gbps depending on the selected band and channel configuration.
Cisco also says that its new APs are manageable on-prem or via the Cloud with the ability to switch seamlessly between both. This flexibility is enabled through Cisco’s unified networking subscription – a single license that covers Cisco’s entire Wi-Fi 7 solution, the company says. This means Cisco is effectively removing the last vestige of siloes between its Meraki and Catalyst Wi-Fi product lines.
Earlier this week Cisco released its Q1 earnings, which exceeded estimates at US$0.91 per share although the company also posted a fourth consecutive quarter of declining revenues. Unconfirmed sources suggest that the WLAN share of Cisco’s yearly revenues could be as high as $4 billion USD.
/Claus.
