Cisco Catalyst 9117AX User Manual

Data sheet

Cisco public

Cisco Catalyst 9117AX

Series Access Points

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Page 1 of 32

Contents

Resilient - steady performance in demanding environments	5
Secure infrastructure	5
Intelligence for proactive insights and analytics	6
Aesthetically redesigned for next-generation enterprise	6
Cisco DNA support	6
Product specifications	7
Licensing and software packaging	29
Managing licenses with Smart Accounts	29
Warranty information	31
Cisco environmental sustainability	32
Cisco Services	32
Cisco Capital	32

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Page 2 of 32

The Cisco® Catalyst® 9117AX Series Access Points are the next generation of enterprise access points. They are resilient, secure, and intelligent.

Figure 1.

Cisco Catalyst 9117AX Series

Hyperconnectivity with steady performance in demanding environments. Exponential growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and next-generation applications. Advanced persistent security threats. All of these require a wireless network that provides resiliency and superior connectivity, integrated security with advanced classification and containment, and hardware and software innovations to automate, secure, and simplify networks. Updating your wireless infrastructure to one that will meet these needs is paramount for today’s digital business. The new generation of Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points, with high-performance Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) capabilities and innovations in RF performance, security, and analytics, enables end-to-end digitization and helps accelerate the rollout of business services by delivering beyond Wi-Fi.

The Cisco Catalyst 9117AX Series Access Points deliver several features of Wi-Fi 6 while offering high data rates.

Key features:

●Wi-Fi 6 compatible

●Three radios: 2.4 GHz (4x4), 5 GHz (8x8), and BLE

●OFDMA and MU-MIMO

●Multigigabit support

●Internal antenna

●Available with optional embedded wireless controller

The Cisco Catalyst 9117AX Series Access Points support both Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and Multiuser Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), delivering more predictable performance for advanced applications and IoT. Additionally, with up to 5 Gbps with NBASE-T and IEEE 802.3bz Ethernet compatibility, the 9117AX Series can seamlessly offload network traffic without any bottlenecks. With Cisco’s

Multigigabit technology, you can use your existing Category 5e or 6 cabling to achieve speeds up to 5 Gbps, allowing for higher throughputs with minimum cost.

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With the 9117AX Series, you can secure remote workers or the micro-office. Any Cisco Aironet or Catalyst access point can function as an OfficeExtend access point (OEAP). With an OEAP, an employee at home or in a temporary micro-office will have access to the corporate SSID and the corporate network without the need to set up a VPN or have any advanced technical know-how.

Cisco User Defined Network, a feature available in Cisco DNA Center, allows IT to give end users control of their very own wireless network partition on a shared network. End users can then remotely and securely deploy their devices on this network. Perfect for university dormitories or extended hospital stays, Cisco User Defined Network grants both device security and control, allowing each user to choose who can connect to their network. (Available second half of calendar year 2020.)

The Wi-Fi 6 readiness dashboard is a new dashboard in the Assurance menu of Cisco DNA Center. It will look through the inventory of all devices on the network and verify device, software, and client compatibility with the new Wi-Fi 6 standard. After upgrading, advanced wireless analytics will indicate performance and capacity gains as a result of the Wi-Fi 6 deployment. This is an incredible tool that will help your team define where and how the wireless network should be upgraded. It will also give you insights into the access point distribution by protocol (802.11 ac/n/abg), wireless airtime efficiency by protocol, and granular performance metrics.

Table 1.	Features and benefits
Feature		Benefits
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)		The IEEE 802.11ax emerging standard, also known as High-Efficiency Wireless
		(HEW) or Wi-Fi 6, builds on 802.11ac. It will deliver a better experience in typical
		environments and more predictable performance for advanced applications such
		as 4K or 8K video, high-density, high-definition collaboration apps, all-wireless
		offices, and IoT. 802.11ax is designed to use both the 2.4-Ghz and 5-GHz bands,
		unlike the 802.11ac standard.
802.11ac Wave 2 support		Provides a connection rate of up to 3.5 Gbps—significantly higher than rates
		offered by today’s high-end 802.11ac access points.
OFDMA		OFDMA-based scheduling splits the bandwidth into smaller chunks called
		Resource Units (RUs), which can be allocated to individual clients only in the
		downlink direction to reduce overhead and latency.
MU-MIMO technology		Supporting eight spatial streams, MU-MIMO enables access points to split spatial
		streams between client devices, to maximize throughput.
Target wake time		A new power savings mode called Target Wake Time (TWT) allows the client to
		stay asleep and to wake up only at prescheduled (target) times to exchange data
		with the AP. This offers significant energy savings for battery-operated devices, up
		to 3x to 4x compared to 802.11n and 802.11ac.
Embedded Catalyst 9800 Wireless		The 9117AX Series Wi-Fi 6 access points are available with a built-in controller.
Controller		The Cisco Embedded Wireless Controller on Catalyst 9100 Access Points provides
		an easy-to-deploy and manage option that does not require a physical appliance.
		The control resides on the access point, so there is no added footprint or
		complexity. And, because it uses Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller
		code, it’s easy to migrate your network as your needs grow.
Multigigabit Ethernet support		Provides uplink speeds of 5 Gbps, in addition to 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps. All speeds
		are supported on Category 5e cabling for an industry first, as well as 10GBASE-T
		(IEEE 802.3bz) cabling.
Bluetooth 5.0		Integrated Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0 radio to enable IoT use cases such as
		location tracking and wayfinding.
© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.			Page 4 of 32

	Feature	Benefits
	Apple features	Apple and Cisco have partnered to create an optimal mobile experience for iOS
		devices on corporate networks based on Cisco technologies. Using new features
		in iOS 10, in combination with the latest software and hardware from Cisco,
		businesses can now more effectively use their network infrastructure to deliver an
		enhanced user experience across all business applications.
		At the center of the collaboration is a unique handshake between the Cisco WLAN
		and Apple devices. This handshake enables the Cisco WLAN to provide an optimal
		Wi-Fi roaming experience to Apple devices. Additionally, the Cisco WLAN trusts
		Apple devices and gives priority treatment for business-critical applications
		specified by the Apple device. This feature is also known as Fast Lane.

Note: Features available in a future releases: Cisco Mobility Express, Target Wake Time, BSS Coloring, Downlink OFDMA

Resilient - steady performance in demanding environments

Network infrastructure that upgrades to Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11ax, enables devices to get up to a 4x capacity boost to support the additional devices connected to the network as well as the data they generate. 802.11ax will offer Multigigabit performance, with seamless connectivity and higher throughput compared to the 802.11ac standard. This means you’ll see your network run more smoothly. With support for BSS coloring, the new standard eases highdensity environments by allowing simultaneous transmissions, ultimately increasing network capacity, customer interactions, and value-add services.

Wi-Fi 6, with better coordination of transit time to and from devices, will also bring about a reduction in latency and a greater reliability, allowing for hundreds of devices per access point. This allows for IoT devices to be reliably deployed at scale. And an overall improved user experience will be seen as well, as 802.11ax will improve the battery life of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices when compared to prior standards. For more details about 802.11ax, please check Cisco’s technical white paper on 802.11ax.

Secure infrastructure

Trustworthy systems built with Cisco Trust Anchor Technologies provide a highly secure foundation for Cisco products. With the Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points, these technologies enable hardware and software authenticity assurance for supply chain trust and strong mitigation against man-in-the-middle attacks that compromise software and firmware. Trust Anchor capabilities include:

●Image signing: Cryptographically signed images provide assurance that the firmware, BIOS, and other software are authentic and unmodified. As the system boots, the system’s software signatures are checked for integrity.

●Secure Boot: Cisco Secure Boot technology anchors the boot sequence chain of trust to immutable hardware, mitigating threats against a system’s foundational state and the software that is to be loaded, regardless of a user’s privilege level. It provides layered protection against the persistence of illicitly modified firmware.

●Cisco Trust Anchor module: A tamper-resistant, strong cryptographic, single-chip solution provides hardware authenticity assurance to uniquely identify the product so that its origin can be confirmed to Cisco. This provides assurance that the product is genuine.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

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Intelligence for proactive insights and analytics

With multi-RF support paramount for IoT devices and expanded ecosystem partnerships, the Cisco Catalyst 9100 portfolio provides unprecedented visibility from mobile devices on Cisco networks. Enabling digitization with Cisco DNA, the Cisco Catalyst 9100 portfolio offers further Cisco RF innovations for securing air with realtime telemetry, guided remediation, and optimization for Wi-Fi and IoT networks. The Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points can support advanced spectrum intelligence, device analytics, and network assurance.

Aesthetically redesigned for next-generation enterprise

The Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points are built from the ground up, with a new aerodynamic look and smooth finish, integrating RF excellence and next-generation technologies to provide a best-in-class wireless experience without compromise. While packing several high-performance features, the hardware is redesigned to deliver higher efficiencies in a more compact form factor to make visually appealing Wi-Fi deployments commonplace.

Cisco DNA support

Pairing the Cisco Catalyst 9117AX Series Access Points with the Cisco Digital Network Architecture

(Cisco DNA) allows for a total network transformation. Cisco DNA allows you to truly understand your network with real-time analytics, quickly detect and contain security threats, and easily provide networkwide consistency through automation and virtualization.

Cisco DNA with Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) is the network fabric that powers business. It is an open and extensible, software-driven architecture that accelerates and simplifies your enterprise network operations. The programmable architecture frees your IT staff from time-consuming, repetitive network configuration tasks so they can focus instead on innovation that positively transforms your business. By decoupling network functions from the hardware, you can build and manage your entire wired and wireless network from a single user interface. SD-Access enables policy-based automation from edge to cloud with foundational capabilities. These include:

●Simplified device deployment

●Unified management of wired and wireless networks

●Network virtualization and segmentation

●Group-based policies

●Context-based analytics

The Cisco Catalyst 9117AX Series Access Points support Software-Defined Access, Cisco’s leading enterprise architecture.

Working together, the Cisco Catalyst 9117AX Series and Cisco DNA offer such features as:

●Cisco DNA Spaces

●Cisco Identity Services Engine

●Cisco DNA Analytics and Assurance

●And much more

The result? Your network stays relevant, becomes digital ready, and is the lifeblood of your organization.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Page 6 of 32

Product specifications

Table 2. Specifications

	Item	Specification
	Part numbers	Cisco Catalyst 9117AXI Access Point: Indoor environments, with internal antennas
		● C9117AXI-x: Cisco Catalyst 9117AX
		Cisco Catalyst 9117AXI Access Point: Indoor environments, with internal antennas, with embedded
		wireless controller
		● C9117AXI-EWC-x: Cisco Catalyst 9117AX
		Regulatory domains: (x = regulatory domain)
		Customers are responsible for verifying approval for use in their individual countries. To verify approval
		and to identify the regulatory domain that corresponds to a particular country, visit
		https://www.cisco.com/go/aironet/compliance.
		Not all regulatory domains have been approved. As they are approved, the part numbers will be
		available on the Global Price List.
		Cisco Wireless LAN Services
		● AS-WLAN-CNSLT: Cisco Wireless LAN Network Planning and Design Service
		● AS-WLAN-CNSLT: Cisco Wireless LAN 802.11n Migration Service
		● AS-WLAN-CNSLT: Cisco Wireless LAN Performance and Security Assessment Service
	Software	● Cisco Unified Wireless Network Software Release 8.9 or later
		● Cisco IOS® XE Software Release 16.11 or later
	Supported	● Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
	wireless LAN	● Cisco 3500, 5520, and 8540 Series Wireless Controllers, and Cisco Virtual Wireless Controller
	controllers
	802.11n version	● 8x8 MIMO with four spatial streams for 5-GHz band
	2.0 (and related)	● 4x4 MIMO with four spatial streams for 2.4-GHz band
	capabilities	● Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC)
		● 20and 40-MHz channels
		● PHY data rates up to 600 Mbps (40 MHz with 5 GHz)
		● Packet aggregation: A-MPDU (transmit and receive), A-MSDU (transmit and receive)
		● Cyclic Shift Diversity (CSD) support
	802.11ac	● 8x8 downlink MU-MIMO with eight spatial streams
		● MRC
		● 802.11ac beamforming
		● 20-, 40-, 80, and 160-MHz channels
		● PHY data rates up to 3.5 Gbps at 5 GHz
		● Packet aggregation: A-MPDU (transmit and receive), A-MSDU (transmit and receive)
		● CSD support
		● 160 MHz support only on 4-spatial stream

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	Item	Specification
	802.11ax	● 8x8 MIMO with eight spatial streams for 5-GHz band
		● 4x4 MIMO with four spatial streams for 2.4-GHz band
		● Downlink OFDMA
		● TWT
		● MRC
		● 802.11ax beamforming
		● 20-, 40-, 80, and 160-MHz channels
		● PHY data rates up to 5 Gbps at 5 GHz
		● Packet aggregation: A-MPDU (transmit and receive), A-MSDU (transmit and receive)
		● CSD support
	Integrated	● 2.4 GHz, peak gain 4 dBi, internal antenna, omnidirectional in azimuth
	antenna	● 5 GHz, peak gain 6 dBi, internal antenna, omnidirectional in azimuth
	Interfaces	● 1x 100, 1000, 2500, 5000 Multigigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) – IEEE 802.3bz
		● Management console port (RJ-45)
		● USB 2.0 with up to 4.5W (enabled via future software)
	Indicators	● Status LED indicates boot loader status, association status, operating status, boot loader warnings, and boot
		loader errors
	Dimensions	● Access point (without mounting bracket and mounting features): 8.70 x 8.70 x 1.94 in. (22 x 22 x 4.93 cm)
	(W x L x H)	● Access point (without mounting bracket): 8.70 x 8.70 x 2.19 in. (22 x 22 x 5.56 cm)
	Weight	● 3.02 lb (1.4 kg)
	Input power	● 802.3at Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+), 802.3bt Cisco Universal PoE (Cisco UPOE+, Cisco UPOE®)
	requirements	● Cisco power injector, AIR-PWRINJ6=
		● 802.3af PoE
		● Cisco power injector, AIR-PWRINJ5= (Note: This injector supports only 802.3af)
		Note: When 802.3af PoE is the source of power, both 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz radios will be reduced to
		2x2 and Ethernet downgraded to 2.5 Gbps; in addition, the USB port will be off.
	Power draw	802.3bt Cisco UPOE+ Cisco UPOE Full Feature
		Power	Power type	2.4-GHz	5-GHz	Link speed	USB	LLDP
		source		radio	radio
		802.3bt	PoE	4x4	8x8	5 Gbps	Y	28.9W
		Cisco
		UPOE+,
		Cisco
		UPOE
		802.3at Full Feature*
		Power	Power type	2.4-GHz	5-GHz	Link speed	USB	LLDP
		source		radio	radio
		802.3at	PoE	4x4	8x8	5 Gbps	N	25.4W
		802.3af Reduced Feature
© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.								Page 8 of 32

Item

Specification

Power

Power type

2.4-GHz

5-GHz

Link speed

USB

LLDP

source

radio

radio

802.3af

PoE

2x2

2x2

2.5 Gbps

N

13.5W

* USB port can be enabled, but the 5-GHz radio will be reduced to 4x4.

Environmental

● Nonoperating (storage) temperature: -22° to 158°F (-30° to 70°C)

● Nonoperating (storage) altitude test: 25˚C, 15,000 ft.

● Operating temperature: 32° to 122°F (0° to 50°C)

● Operating humidity: 10% to 90% (noncondensing)

● Operating altitude test: 40˚C, 9843 ft.

System memory

● 2048 MB DRAM

● 1024 MB flash

DFS

● 802.11 Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS)

Warranty

Limited lifetime hardware warranty

Available

2.4 GHz

5 GHz

transmit power

● 23 dBm (200 mW)

● 26 dBm (400 mW)

settings

● 20 dBm (100 mW)

● 23 dBm (200 mW)

● 17 dBm (50 mW)

● 20 dBm (100 mW)

● 14 dBm (25 mW)

● 17 dBm (50 mW)

● 11 dBm (12.5 mW)

● 14 dBm (25 mW)

● 8 dBm (6.25 mW)

● 11 dBm (12.5 mW)

● 5 dBm (3.13 mW)

● 8 dBm (6.25 mW)

● 2 dBm (1.56 mW)

● 5 dBm (3.13 mW)

● -1 dBm (0.78 mW)

● 2 dBm (1.56 mW)

● -4 dBm (0.4 mW)

● -1 dBm (0.78 mW)

● -6 dBm (0.25 mW)

● -4 dBm (0.4 mW)

Frequency band

A (A regulatory domain):

I (I regulatory domain):

and 20-MHz

● 2.412 to 2.462 GHz; 11 channels

● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels

operating

channels

● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels

● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels

● 5.500 to 5.700 GHz; 8 channels

K (K regulatory domain):

(excludes 5.600 to 5.640 GHz)

● 5.745 to 5.825 GHz; 5 channels

● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels

B (B regulatory domain):

● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels

● 5.500 to 5.620 GHz; 7 channels

● 2.412 to 2.462 GHz; 11 channels

● 5.745 to 5.805 GHz; 4 channels

● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels

N (N regulatory domain):

● 5.500 to 5.700 GHz; 11 channels

● 5.745 to 5.865 GHz; 7 channels

● 2.412 to 2.462 GHz; 11 channels

C (C regulatory domain):

● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels

● 5.745 to 5.825 GHz; 5 channels

● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels

Q (Q regulatory domain):

● 5.745 to 5.825 GHz; 5 channels

D (D regulatory domain):

● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels

● 2.412 to 2.462 GHz; 11 channels

● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels

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Page 9 of 32

	Item	Specification
		● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels		● 5.500 to 5.700 GHz; 11 channels
		● 5.745 to 5.825 GHz; 5 channels		R (R regulatory domain):
		E (E regulatory domain):		● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels
		● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels		● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels
		● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels		● 5.660 to 5,825 GHz; 8 channels (excludes 5.700 to 5.745 GHz)
		● 5.500 to 5.700 GHz; 8 channels		S (S regulatory domain):
		(excludes 5.600 to 5.640 GHz)		● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels
		F (F regulatory domain):		● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels
		● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels		● 5.500 to 5.700 GHz; 11 channels
		● 5.250 to 5.350 GHz; 4 channels		● 5.745 to 5.825 GHz; 5 channels
		● 5.725 to 5.825 GHz; 4 channels		T (T regulatory domain):
		G (G regulatory domain):		● 2.412 to 2.462 GHz; 11 channels
		● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels		● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels
		● 5.745 to 5.865 GHz; 7 channels		● 5.500 to 5.700 GHz; 12 channels
		H (H regulatory domain):		● 5.745 to 5.825 GHz; 5 channels
		● 2.412 to 2.472 GHz; 13 channels		Z (Z regulatory domain):
		● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels		● 2.412 to 2.462 GHz; 11 channels
		● 5.745 to 5.825 GHz; 5 channels		● 5.180 to 5.320 GHz; 8 channels
				● 5.500 to 5.700 GHz; 8 channels (excludes 5.600 to 5.640 GHz)
				● 5.745 to 5.825 GHz; 5 channels
	Note: Customers are responsible for verifying approval for use in their individual countries. To verify approval and to
	identify the regulatory domain that corresponds to a particular country, visit
	https://www.cisco.com/go/aironet/compliance.
	Maximum	2.4 GHz		5 GHz
	number of	● 802.11b/g:		● 802.11a:
	nonoverlapping
	channels	◦	20 MHz: 3	◦	20 MHz: 26 FCC, 16 EU
		● 802.11n:		● 802.11n:
		◦	20 MHz: 3	◦	20 MHz: 26 FCC, 16 EU
		● 802.11ac/ax:		◦	40 MHz: 12 FCC, 7 EU
		◦	20 MHz: 3	● 802.11ac/ax:
				◦	20 MHz: 26 FCC, 16 EU
				◦	40 MHz: 12 FCC, 7 EU
				◦	80 MHz: 5 FCC, 3 EU
				◦	160 MHz 2 FCC, 1 EU
	Note: This varies by regulatory domain. Refer to the product documentation for specific details for each regulatory domain.
	Compliance	● Safety:
	standards	◦	IEC 60950-1
		◦	EN 60950-1
		◦	AS/NZS 60950.1
		◦	UL 60950-1
		◦	CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60950-1
		◦	UL 2043
		◦	Class III equipment
		● Emissions:
		◦	CISPR 32 (rev. 2015)
© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.					Page 10 of 32