Been ages since I have done a blog but after finishing CCIE DC and moving myself to New Jersey USA I have been super busy.
Anyway I found something I really wanted to blog about which is the new Cisco 2700 Access Points. I love Wireless I find it super interesting.
The NSA Show (A great podcast that you should listen to) does a great job of going over the benefits of the new Cisco 2700 access point, which has First Customer Ship (FCS) in May.
Let's start with the basics.
The Cisco 2700 AP is the latest access point supporting 802.11ac. It has 3x4 spatial streams and a very good receive sensitivity. It is available as external/internal antenna design as you would expect.
Obviously 802.11ac has it's own advantages, but this new AP has several extra advantages over the 2600.
First of all is that this AP does support Cisco Cleanair, all the same Cisco Cleanair functionality available in the Cisco 3700 AP is available in this device.
This AP actually also comes with two ethernet ports, but NOT to meet speed requirements for 802.11ac because, as discussed by people much smarter than me: there is no need for more than a 1 gig link from the AP's because the Physical data rate is 1.3 but the actual throughput that can be pushed through 802.11ac is much less. The ethernet port is used so that devices such as printers etc can be easily bridged onto the wired network.
By far my favorite new feature of this AP is a single, unified software image. So no more will you have to remember to order the correct image: (Autonomous, Controller-based or mesh based) but instead you order one part, which comes as controlled based by default and if you need to move it to autonomous you simply plug into the console port and issue a single command. I am sure that you could also change it to autonomous via the CLI once it had actually booted if you wanted as well.
Cisco are offering a trade in program, 12 percent list price credit for replacing existing cisco access points (REGARDLESS of how old the access points are! Even 1140's etc!) and 18 percent off list price credit for replacing competitor access points.
All in all this is the CHEAPEST 802.11ac access point with 3 spatial streams out there. Go out and buy my friends!
