Item: Cisco Aironet 2800 Series Access Points (discontinued)
Rating: 5
Author: Charles Lund

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We expanded wireless coverage in our 84 buildings by increasing our AP count from @300 to @1300. The original design was simply for coverage, while our new design is for coverage and density of users, along with bandwidth needs. Most of our APs are either 2802s or 3802s. We also have a stack of 2 C9800-40 controllers, running in HA, to manage the APs.

Pros and Cons

They are rock solid in terms of reliability (we rarely have to replace them).
They are easily managed from the controller. It's easy to push new settings out, like RF profiles, etc...
They are fairly easy to install using the included mounting brackets.
They seem to be compatible with pretty much everything, although occasionally we will have roaming issues with Apple devices.

The price point is too high, but that can be said of all Cisco devices. Depending on the company, other less expensive brands like Aruba or Ruckus might be appealing.
Some of the OSs have been glitchy. Usually these are fixed or upgraded quickly though.
They are very heavy, so caution must be used when installing them onto weak surfaces.

Return on Investment

Full wireless coverage to all users and guaranteed performance.
Wireless is king, so these have helped us keep up with the demand.
We have been able to adapt to new requirements like increased security, IoT, BYOD, etc...

Alternatives Considered

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers, Cisco Aironet 3800 Series Access Points, Cisco Aironet 1500 Series Access Points (discontinued) and Cisco DNA Center

We are a Cisco shop and have been very happy with Cisco, so purchasing these APs was a natural choice for us. We are also an educational institution, and Cisco offers us amazing pricing.

Key Insights

Do you think Cisco Aironet 2800 Series Access Points (discontinued) delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco Aironet 2800 Series Access Points (discontinued)'s feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco Aironet 2800 Series Access Points (discontinued) live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Cisco Aironet 2800 Series Access Points (discontinued) go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Cisco Aironet 2800 Series Access Points (discontinued) again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Cisco DNA Center, Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers, Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series Switches, Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), Cisco Firepower 4100 Series, Cisco Umbrella, Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches

Likelihood to Recommend

These are great for an enterprise environment, especially where APs will see each other and dynamic channel adjustment would be beneficial. The reason for the mediocre grade is that they are old technology, and will probably be end-of-life soon. They are not WiFi6 compaticle, and Cisco now has newer models available.

Aironet 2800 series APs

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Aironet and Catalyst Access Points