The Cisco® Catalyst® 9120AX Series Access Points are the next generation of enterprise
access points. They are resilient, secure, and intelligent.
Figure 1.
Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series
We are more dependent on our wireless networks than ever before. Additional devices connect to the network
every year and the Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series Access Points will provide a seamless experience anywhere
for everyone. Going beyond the Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) standard, the 9120AX Series provides integrated security,
resiliency, and operational flexibility as well as increased network intelligence.
Extending Cisco’s intent-based network and perfect for networks of all sizes, the Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series
scales to the growing demands of IoT while fully supporting the latest innovations and new technologies. Not
only that, but the 9120AX Series is the leader in performance, security, and analytics.
The Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series Access Points, paired with Cisco DNA, are enterprise-class products that
will address your current and future needs. These access points are the first step in updating your network so
that you can take better advantage of all of the features and benefits that Wi-Fi 6 provides.
Key features:
●
Four radios: 5 GHz (4x4) flexible radio with 2.4 or 5 GHz (4x4), unified RF engine and 802.15.4 for IoT 01
●
OFDMA and MU-MIMO
●
Multigigabit support
●
Internal or external antenna and also external antenna for professional installations
●
Available with optional embedded wireless controller
Future feature support:
●
IoT ready (BLE, Zigbee, and other multiprotocol 802.15.4 devices)**
The IEEE 802.11ax emerging standard, also known as High-Efficiency-Wireless (HEW) or WiFi 6, builds on 802.11ac. It delivers a better experience in typical environments with more
predictable performance for advanced applications such as 4K or 8K video, high-density,
high-definition collaboration apps, all-wireless offices, and IoT. Wi-Fi 6 is designed to use
both the 2.4-Ghz and 5-GHz bands, unlike the 802.11ac standard.
Cisco RF ASIC
Cisco RF ASIC is a fully integrated software-defined radio (SDR) that can perform advanced
RF spectrum analysis and delivers features like Cisco CleanAir®, Wireless Intrusion Prevention
System (wIPS), Fast Locate,* and DFS detection.
(*Future)
Uplink/downlink OFDMA
OFDMA-based scheduling splits the bandwidth into smaller chunks called Resource Units
(RUs), which can be allocated to individual clients in both the downlink and uplink directions
to reduce overhead and latency.
MU-MIMO technology
Supporting four spatial streams, MU-MIMO enables access points to split spatial streams
between client devices, to maximize throughput.
The Cisco Catalyst 9120AX 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 2.5 Gbps with NBASE-T and IEEE 802.3bz Ethernet
compatibility, the 9120AX 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 2.5 Gbps,
allowing for higher throughputs with minimum cost. And with different antenna choices, you’re able to decide
which option works best for you.
With the 9120AX 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.
Spatial reuse (also known as Basic Service Set [BSS] coloring) allows the access points and
their clients to differentiate between BSSs, thus permitting more simultaneous transmissions.
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 access point.
This offers significant energy savings for battery-operated devices, up to 3x to 4x compared
to 802.11n and 802.11ac.
Intelligent Capture
Intelligent Capture probes the network and provides Cisco DNA Center with deep analysis.
The software can track over 240 anomalies and instantaneously review all packets on
demand, emulating the onsite network administrator. Intelligent Capture allows for more
informed decisions on your wireless networks.
Flexible Radio Assignment
Allows the access points to intelligently determine the operating mode of serving radios
based on the RF environment. The access points can operate in the following modes:
● 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz mode: One radio will serve clients in 2.4-GHz mode, while the other serves
clients in 5-GHz mode.
● Dual 5-GHz mode: Both radios inside the access point operate on the 5-GHz band, maximizing the
benefits of Wi-Fi 6 and increasing client device capacity.
Dual 5-GHz radio support
Enables both radios to operate in 5-GHz client serving mode, allowing an industry-leading
5.2 Gbps (2 x 2.6 Gbps) over-the-air speeds while increasing client capacity.
Smart antenna connector
An intelligent second physical antenna connector is included on 9120AX Series access
points with an external antenna. This connector provides advanced network design flexibility
for high-density and large open-area environments such as auditoriums, convention centers,
libraries, cafeterias, and arenas/stadiums, allowing two sets of antennas to be connected
and active on a single access point.
Cisco Embedded Wireless
Controller
The 9120AX Series Wi-Fi 6 access points is available with a built-in 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 code, it’s easy to migrate your network as your needs grow.
Multigigabit Ethernet
support
Provides uplink speeds of 2.5 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
Integrated Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5 radio to enable IoT use cases such as location
tracking and wayfinding.
Container support for
applications
Enables edge computing capabilities for IoT applications on the host access point.
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 release: Target Wake Time, BSS coloring, Uplink/downlink OFDMA,
Cisco Intelligent Capture
Resilient - steady performance in demanding environments
Network infrastructure that upgrades to Wi-Fi 6 enables devices to get up to a 4x capacity boost to support the
additional devices connected to the network as well as the data that they generate. Wi-Fi 6 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 high-density environments by allowing simultaneous transmissions, ultimately increasing
network capacity, customer interactions, and value-add services. BSS coloring allows the limited channels in
the 2.4 GHz band to have better spectral reuse, benefiting IoT and 2.4-GHz clients.
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 Wi-Fi 6 will
improve the battery life of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices when compared to prior
standards. For more details about Wi-Fi 6, please see Cisco’s technical white paper on Wi-Fi 6.
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.
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 9120AX Series Access Points with 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 9120AX Series Access Points support Software-Defined Access, Cisco’s leading enterprise
architecture.
Working together, the Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series and Cisco DNA offer such features as:
●
Cisco DNA Spaces
●
Cisco Identity Services Engine
●
Cisco DNA Analytics and Assurance
The result? Your network stays relevant, becomes digital ready, and is the lifeblood of your organization.
Cisco Catalyst 9120AXP Access Point: Indoor, professional installations
● C9120AXP-x: Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series
Cisco Catalyst 9120AXI Access Point: Indoor environments, with internal antennas, with
embedded wireless controller
● C9120AXI-EWC-x: Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series
Cisco Catalyst 9120AXE Access Point: Indoor, challenging environments, with external antennas,
with embedded wireless controller
● C9120AXE-EWC-x: Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series
Cisco Catalyst 9120AXP Access Point: Indoor, professional installations, with embedded wireless
controller
● C9120AXP-EWC-x: Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series
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.x or later
● Cisco IOS
®
XE Software Release 16.11 with AP Device Pack, or later
Supported
wireless LAN
controllers
● Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
● Cisco 3500, 5520, and 8540 Series Wireless Controllers and Cisco Virtual Wireless Controller
● 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.
Note: When the ambient operating temperature exceeds 40°C, the access point will shift from 4x4 to
2x2 on both the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz radios, uplink Ethernet will downgrade to 1 Gigabit Ethernet;
however, the USB interface will remain enabled
Cisco Catalyst 9120AXE and 9120AXP
● Nonoperating (storage) temperature: -22° to 158°F (-30° to 70°C)
● Nonoperating (storage) altitude test: 25˚C, 15,000 ft.
● Operating temperature: -4° to 122°F (-20° to 50°C)
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 number
of
nonoverlapping
channels
2.4 GHz
● 802.11b/g:
◦ 20 MHz: 3
● 802.11n:
◦ 20 MHz: 3
● 802.11ax:
◦ 20MHz:3
5 GHz
● 802.11a:
◦ 20 MHz: 26 FCC, 16 EU
● 802.11n:
◦ 20 MHz: 26 FCC, 16 EU
◦ 40 MHz: 12 FCC, 7 EU
● 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.
The Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points require mandatory Smart Licensing. This provides ease of use for Cisco
DNA license management, consumption, and tracking. The access points use packaging that includes vastly
simplified base network packages (Network Essentials and Network Advantage) and term-based software
packages (Cisco DNA Essentials, Cisco DNA Advantage) as add-ons. The Cisco DNA packages, in addition to
on-box capabilities, also unlock additional functionality in Cisco DNA Center, enabling controller-based
software-defined automation and assurance in your network.
The Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points can support three types of Cisco DNA licenses: Cisco DNA Essentials,
Cisco DNA Advantage, and Cisco DNA Premier. The Cisco DNA licenses provide Cisco innovations on the
access point. The Cisco DNA license also includes the Network Essentials and Network Advantage licensing
options, which cover wireless fundamentals such as 802.1X authentication, quality of service (QoS), and Plug
and Play (PnP); telemetry and visibility; and single sign-on (SSO), as well as security controls. These Network
Essentials and Network Advantage components are perpetual and valid for the life of the access point. Cisco
DNA subscription licenses have to be purchased for a 3-, 5-, or 7-year subscription term. However, upon
expiration of the Cisco DNA license, the Cisco DNA features will expire, whereas the Network Essentials and
Network Advantage features will remain.
Note that it is not required to deploy Cisco DNA Center just to use one of the above packages. Refer to
739601.pdf for additional details about the Essentials and Advantage packages.
For information about feature support, please refer to the Cisco Catalyst 9100 Release Notes.
Managing licenses with Smart Accounts
Creating Smart Accounts by using the Cisco Smart Software Manager (SSM) enables you to order devices and
licensing packages and also manage your software licenses from a centralized website. You can set up the
Smart Account to receive daily email alerts and to be notified of expiring add-on licenses that you want to
renew. A Smart Account is mandatory for Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points. For more information on Smart
Accounts, refer to https://www.cisco.com/go/smartaccounts.
In order to connect any access points to the controller, Cisco DNA software subscriptions are required. To be
entitled to connect to a Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller, the access point requires a Cisco DNA
subscription license.
Determining license requirements for access points connecting to Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
The APs connecting to Catalyst 9800 have new and simplified software subscription packages.
They can support three tiers of Cisco DNA software: Cisco DNA Essentials, Cisco DNA Advantage or Cisco DNA
Premier.
Cisco DNA software subscriptions provide Cisco innovations on the AP. They also include perpetual Network
Essentials and Network Advantage licensing options which cover wireless fundamentals such as 802.1x
authentication, QoS, PnP etc, telemetry and visibility, SSO, as well as security controls.
Cisco DNA subscription software has to be purchased for a 3-, 5-, or 7-year subscription term. However. upon
expiry, Cisco DNA features will expire, whereas Network Essentials and Network Advantage features
will remain.
For the full feature list of Cisco DNA Software, including the perpetual Network Essentials and Network
Advantage, please see the feature matrix: https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/products/software/dna-
Smart Licensing (SL) simplifies and adds flexibility to licensing. It is:
◦ Simple: Procure, deploy, and manage licenses easily. Devices self-register, removing the need for
Product Activation Keys (PAKs).
◦ Flexible: Pool license entitlements in a single account. Move licenses freely through the network,
wherever you need them.
◦ Smart: Manage your license deployments with real-time visibility into ownership and consumption.
●
Specific License Reservation (SLR) is a feature used in highly secure networks. It provides a method for
customers to deploy a software license on a device (product instance) without communicating usage
information to Cisco. There is no communication with Cisco or a satellite. The licenses are reserved for
every controller. It is node-based licensing.
Four levels of license are supported on the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers. The controllers
can be configured to function at any one of the four levels:
●
Cisco DNA Essentials: At this level the Cisco DNA Essentials feature set will be supported.
●
Cisco DNA Advantage: At this level the Cisco DNA Advantage feature set will be supported.
●
NE: At this level the Network Essentials feature set will be supported.
●
NA: At this level the Network Advantage feature set will be supported.
Cisco DNA Premier is a bundle with ISE licenses and Cisco DNA Spaces Extend. It is inclusive of Cisco DNA
Advantage, so at this level the Cisco DNA Advantage feature set will be supported. For customers who
purchase Cisco DNA Essentials, Network Essentials will be supported and will continue to function even after
term expiration. And for customers who purchase Cisco DNA Advantage or Cisco DNA Premier, Network
Advantage will be supported and will continue to function even after term expiration.
Initial bootup of the controller will be at the Cisco DNA Advantage level.
For questions, contact the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers Licensing mailer group at ask-
catalyst9800licensing
Warranty information
The Cisco Catalyst 9120AX Series Access Points come with a limited lifetime warranty that provides full
warranty coverage of the hardware for as long as the original end user continues to own or use the product.
The warranty includes 10-day advance hardware replacement and ensures that software media are defect-free
for 90 days. For more details, visit https://www.cisco.com/go/warranty.
Information on product material content laws and regulations
Materials
Information on electronic waste laws and regulations, including products, batteries,
and packaging
WEEE compliance
Sustainability inquiries
Contact:
csr_inquiries@cisco.com
Cisco environmental sustainability
Information about Cisco’s environmental sustainability policies and initiatives for our products, solutions,
operations, and extended operations or supply chain is provided in the “Environment Sustainability” section of
Cisco’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report.
Reference links to information about key environmental sustainability topics (mentioned in the “Environment
Sustainability” section of the CSR Report) are provided in Table 3.
Table 3.Links to sustainability information
Cisco makes the packaging data available for informational purposes only. It may not reflect the most current
legal developments, and Cisco does not represent, warrant, or guarantee that it is complete, accurate, or up to
date. This information is subject to change without notice.
Cisco Services
With Cisco Services, you can achieve infrastructure excellence faster with less risk. From initial WLAN readiness
assessment to implementation, full solution support and in-depth training, our services for the Cisco Catalyst
9120AX Series Access Points provide expert guidance to help you successfully plan, deploy, manage, and
support your new access points. With unmatched networking expertise, best practices, and innovative tools,
Cisco Services can help you reduce overall upgrade, refresh, and migration costs as you introduce new
hardware, software, and protocols into the network. With a comprehensive lifecycle of services, Cisco experts
will help you minimize disruption and improve operational efficiency to extract maximum value from your Cisco
DNA ready infrastructure.
Cisco Capital
Flexible payment solutions to help you achieve your objectives
Cisco Capital makes it easier to get the right technology to achieve your objectives, enable business
transformation and help you stay competitive. We can help you reduce the total cost of ownership, conserve
capital, and accelerate growth. In more than 100 countries, our flexible payment solutions can help you acquire
hardware, software, services and complementary third-party equipment in easy, predictable payments.