The Cisco Aironet 1250
Series is a component of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network, which can scale up
to 18,000 access points with full Layer 3 mobility across central or remote
locations on the enterprise campus, in branch offices, and at remote sites. The
Cisco Unified Wireless Network is the industry's most flexible, resilient, and
scalable architecture, delivering secure access to mobility services and
applications and offering the lowest total cost of ownership and investment
protection by integrating seamlessly with the existing wired network.
There
are several general questions to help you figure out what Cisco Aironet 1250
Series Access Point is.
Q: What
is the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point?
A: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access
Point is the first enterprise-class access point to support the IEEE 802.11n
draft 2.0 standard. With its modular design, the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series
Access Point supports current and future wireless technologies, ensuring
investment protection. With both 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz 802.11n draft 2.0 standard
radio modules, the access point delivers total data rates of up to 600 Mbps,
meeting the performance requirements of the most demanding applications.
Integrated MIMO technology provides more reliable coverage and greater
throughput for both existing 802.11a/b/g clients and new 802.11n clients in even
the most challenging wireless environments. Users can now rely on wireless
networks to give them a similar experience to wired networks, providing them
with mobile access to high-bandwidth data, voice, and video applications
regardless of their location.
Q: How
does the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point fit in the Cisco WLAN product
portfolio?
A: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access
Point Series is a critical component of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network
solution and can be deployed in either standalone (autonomous) or unified
(light weight) mode. The full breadth of Cisco unified wireless features and
mobility services is only available when deployed in lightweight mode with a
wireless LAN controller, and the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) management
solution. The unified feature set represents the most comprehensive set of
capabilities in the industry, including guest access, wireless intrusion
detection and intrusion prevention, voice-ready services, scalable Layer 3
mobility, and location services. When configured with LWAPP, the Cisco Aironet
1250 Series can automatically detect the best-available Cisco Wireless LAN
Controller and download appropriate policies and configuration information with
no manual intervention. Access points deployed in standalone mode have a subset
of capabilities suitable for basic enterprise deployments. Access points
deployed in standalone mode may later be upgraded in the field to lightweight
mode, thereby providing customers a smooth path to benefit from the complete
set of unified features.
Q: What
are the major benefits of the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series?
A: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series has the
following benefits:
RF
Leadership: The Aironet 1250 Series is the
industry’s first enterprise draft 11n AP. The Aironet 1250 Series supports
physical layer (PHY) data rates up to 300 Mbps per radio, a greater than
five-fold increase over the performance of 802.11a/g networks. Integrated MIMO
technology improves coverage, reduces dead spots, and augments overall client throughput.
Integrated RF management capabilities increase system capacity, improve system
performance, perform automated self-healing to compensate for RF dead zones and
access point failures, and provide a comprehensive way to manage spectrum. Combined, these capabilities enhance
reliability and throughput to provide a better overall end-user experience for
users relying on the wireless network for business functions.
Investment
protection: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series is a
powerful, modular and upgradeable platform that provides support for the IEEE
802.11n draft 2.0 standard today. Platform modularity ensures a smooth
migration path to emerging higher-performance wireless technologies and future
advanced services.
Extensive
Interoperability: The Aironet 1250 Series Access
Point has undergone extensive interoperability testing to ensure simple, secure
interoperability with other 802.11 devices. It is the first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
802.11n draft 2.0 access point, has earned the Intel Connect with Centrino certification,
and has undergone extensive testing in 802.11n plug fests.
Enterprise-class
security: The Cisco Secure Wireless solution
provides a comprehensive approach to wireless security to help ensure the
integrity of sensitive corporate information Cisco’s wireless security solution
supports:
●Standards-based authentication and encryption including support for
802.11i, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), WPA2, and numerous Extensible
Authentication Protocol (EAP) types. These certifications support IEEE 802.1X
for user-based authentication, Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) for WPA
encryption, and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for WPA2 encryption.
●Integration with the Cisco Secure Wireless solution, providing the
industry’s first integrated wired and wireless security solution.
●Industry-leading wireless intrusion prevention system (IPS):
◦ Detects and suppresses rogue access
points
◦ Mitigates sophisticated passive and
active WLAN attacks
◦ Supports management frame protection
(MFP) for day-zero intrusion detection
Management
and deployment flexibility: The Cisco Aironet
Series access points are key components of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network,
a comprehensive solution that delivers an integrated, end-to-end wired and
wireless network. Using the radio and network management features of the Cisco
Unified Wireless Network for simplified deployment, the access points extend
the security, scalability, reliability, ease of deployment, and manageability
available in wired networks to the wireless LAN.
Q: What
are the key similarities between the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series and the Cisco
Aironet 1240AG Series?
A: Both series are designed for challenging
RF environments such as factories, warehouses, and large retail establishments
that require the antenna versatility associated with connectorized antennas, a
rugged metal enclosure, and a broad operating temperature range.
Q: What
are the key differences between the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series and the Cisco
Aironet 1240AG Series?
A: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series is the
only Cisco access point designed to support the IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0
standard. It supports 10/100/1000 Ethernet and was specifically engineered to
support the power, throughput, and mechanical requirements of MIMO and 802.11n.
The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series is a modular, dual-band access point with a
choice of 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 radio modules. The platform
modularity ensures a smooth migration path to emerging higher-performance
wireless technologies, including the final 802.11n standard. The Cisco Aironet
1240AG Series is a fixed-configuration access point and the 802.11a/b/g radios
cannot be upgraded. The Cisco 1250 Series has 32 MB of flash memory and 64 MB
of DRAM, while the Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series has 16 MB of flash memory and 32
MB of DRAM.
Q: Will
the Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series become obsolete due to the introduction of the
Cisco Aironet 1250 Series?
A: No. The Cisco 1240 Series provides a
lower-cost rugged indoor 802.11a/b/g alternative for customers who do not
require an access point that supports the IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 standard.
Cisco
Aironet 1250 Series Detailed Questions
Q: What
are the powering options for the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series? Is the Cisco
Aironet 1250 Series 802.3af-compliant?
A: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access
Point may be powered by a Cisco Ethernet switch, a power injector, or a local
power supply.
The Aironet 1250 Series Access Point with
one RM1252 radio module installed requires 12.95W, which is within the 802.3af
Power over Ethernet standard. Any Cisco
switch supporting 802.3af may be used to power the Aironet 1250 Series Access
Point with one RM1252 radio module installed.
Beginning late 2007, Cisco will enable
auto-negotiating, single-port power for the Aironet 1250 Series access point on
leading switches across the Catalyst portfolio. This unique, integrated
solution provides the full power requirements for dual radio modules and
eliminates the need to run an additional cabling drop or insert a separate
power injector.
The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point
may also be powered remotely using a Cisco Aironet Power Injector (AIR-PWRINJ4)
or locally using a power supply (AIR-PWR-SPLY1).
Q: Can
the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series be powered using both the DC input (that is,
external AC power supply) and PoE? If both are used, do they load share? Or is
it one or the other?
A: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access
Point can be powered by either PoE or the DC input. If the Cisco Aironet 1250
Series Access Point powers up over PoE (using either an 802.3af or a high-power
injector), then that is the power source. If the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series is
plugged into a DC power source, the access point resets and the unit is run
from the DC jack and does not go through 802.3af discovery so the Ethernet port
will not have power.
Q: Will
third-party Power over Ethernet mid-span devices be able to consistently power
the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series?
A: No interoperability testing has been
done with third-party Power over Ethernet mid-span devices.
Q: What
antenna options are available for the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series?
A: Several new antennas were specifically
designed for the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series. To support the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz
IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 radio modules with MIMO technology, new 2.4-GHz and
5-GHz ceiling omnidirectional antennas were developed. Each enclosure contains
three antenna elements in a single white flush mount enclosure, providing an
aesthetically pleasing option for installation in drop-ceiling office environments.
Also available are new 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz straight dipole antennas in gray to
match the accent colors of the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series access point. Table 1
contains a list of the new antennas being introduced with the Cisco Aironet
1250 Series. Note that Cisco Aironet
1250 Series access points are certified for operation only with Cisco Aironet
antennas; to ensure regulatory compliance, select Cisco Aironet antennas for
use with Cisco 1250 Series Access Points.
For more information on antenna options,
visit:
Table:
2.4-GHz and 5-GHz Non-articulating Dipole Antennas
Q: Will
the articulating dipole antennas work with the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series?
A: Yes. These antennas are also supported
for operation with the Access Point 1250 series.
Q: Is
the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series UL 2043 plenum rated?
A: Yes. UL 2043 is a standard specified by
Underwriters Laboratories. In the United States, most municipal building codes
require certain UL certifications for equipment used in buildings.
Municipalities often specify UL 2043 certification for equipment used in the
plenum air spaces. Municipalities also define what they consider to be plenum
air space. In some U.S. municipalities, the plenum air space includes only the
area above a suspended ceiling.
In others, the area below the suspended
ceiling may also be considered the plenum area.
Q: What
client devices are compatible with the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series?
A: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series is
interoperable with any 802.11n draft 2.0, 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g
Wi-Fi-certified clients. Cisco has also conducted extensive testing to ensure
interoperability with enterprise-class 802.11n draft 2.0 clients from leading
manufacturers such as Intel and other major silicon vendors. Cisco has also
completed Intel’s Connect with Centrino compatibility testing program to help
ensure high performance and complete interoperability between our respective
next-generation 802.11n draft 2.0 solutions.
In addition, Cisco clients and third-party
Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX) clients enjoy the enhanced wireless security
and mobility capabilities provided by the Cisco Unified Wireless Network
solution.
Q: Will
the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series support the Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phone 7921?
A: Yes. The Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phone
7921 is Wi-Fi-compliant and will interoperate with any Wi-Fi-compliant access
point, including the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series. The 802.11n standard ensures
backwards compatibility for 802.11a/b/g devices.
Q: What
is the coverage model of the Aironet 1250 Series with 802.11n draft 2.0 radio
modules compared to existing IEEE 802.11a/b/g access points?
A: If you plan to replace your existing
IEEE 802.11a/b/g access points with the AP1250, you can simply replace them one
for one and experience enhanced wireless performance.
Q: Will
my current WLAN controllers support the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series and 802.11n ?
A: All currently shipping WLAN controllers
support the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series. These include:
●Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Modules for Integrated Services
Routers
●Cisco 2100 Series Wireless LAN Controller
●Cisco Catalyst 3750G Integrated Wireless LAN Controller
●Cisco 4400 Series Wireless LAN Controller
●Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Wireless Services Module
Q: What
considerations do I need to take into account when designing my controller
infrastructure?
A: With a wide range of WLAN controllers to
choose from, flexible controller deployment options, and ‘n+1’ controller
scalability, Cisco’s Unified Wireless Network is designed to support both a
gradual migration to 802.11n as well as an immediate large scale 802.11n
deployment. This scale-as-you-grow flexibility is an ideal solution for
customers looking for a flexible, customized solution for their pervasive wireless
deployments. As customers migrate from
802.11a/b/g deployment to 802.11n, no major redesign or re-architecture is
needed for most customer deployments.
Q: Does
the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series support bridging and backhaul functions, in
addition to its access point function?
A: Yes. When operating in the standalone
(autonomous) mode, the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series supports link role
flexibility, providing both access point and bridge functions through
configuration of each radio as an access point, repeater, root bridge, non-root
bridge, or workgroup bridge (Table 2). This array of configuration flexibility
enables the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series to address applications including basic
wireless LAN coverage, wireless LAN coverage with wireless backhaul, and more
traditional bridging applications.
Table
2: Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Deployment Options Overview
Q: Does
the Aironet 1250 Series support dynamic frequency selection (DFS) to provide
access to the channels in the UNII-2 and UNII-2 Extended bands?
A: Yes. The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series
supports a very robust DFS algorithm, enabling the effective use of the UNII-2
and UNII-2 Extended bands in the United States, Europe, and other countries
around the world. This is especially important for 802.11n deployments, where
the additional channels can be leveraged to support a greater number of 40-MHz
wide channels.
Q: Will
the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 radio modules support
40-MHz channel widths in both the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands?
A: Yes. Although 40-MHz channel widths are
supported in the 2.4 GHz band, Cisco does not recommend using it because of the
restricted amount of available spectrum; only one non-overlapping 40-MHz
channel can be supported by the entire band. The 5-GHz band is much better
suited to the use of 40-MHz channel widths.
Q: Which
802.11n packet aggregation modes will the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series IEEE
802.11n draft 2.0 radio modules support?
A: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series IEEE
802.11n draft 2.0 radio modules support both A-MPDU and A-MSDU packet
aggregation modes. These modes are supported for both transmit and receive
functions.
Q: Will
the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 radio modules support
802.11n legacy beam forming?
A: Yes. The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series IEEE
802.11n draft 2.0 radio module hardware supports legacy beam forming. Legacy
beam forming uses an Open Loop mechanism to determine the coefficients
necessary for forming a beam in the direction of the client. This feature will
be enabled in a future software release.
Q: What
accessories are available for the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series?
A: Additional accessories that can be
ordered for the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series include:
●2.4-GHz and 5-GHz antennas
●Cisco Aironet Power Injector (AIR-PWRINJ4)
●Cisco Aironet Power Supply (AIR-PWR-SPLY1)
●Console Cable (AIR-CONCAB1200)
●1250 Series Ceiling, Wall Mount Bracket kit; Spare
(AIR-AP1250MNTGKIT=)
Q: What
is the warranty for the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Points?
A: Cisco Aironet 1250 Series access points
come with the standard Cisco 90-day limited warranty for hardware and software,
as described at
Q: What
is the procedure for upgrading radios in the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access
Points once future technologies become available?
A: The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series was
designed as a modular and upgradable access point platform. When new radio
modules become available, the old radio module may easily be removed and
replaced in the field.
NOTE: Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access
Point Data Sheet
802.11n
Q: What
is IEEE 802.11n?
A: IEEE 802.11n is a new wireless standard
designed to deliver an approximate five-fold increase over 802.11a/g network
performance. 802.11n uses MIMO technology to increase the reliability and
predictability of the wireless network by optimizing the effects of multipath
propagation. The standard allows operation in both the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz
frequencies, and is backward-compatible with existing 802.11a/b/g networks. The
Wi-Fi Alliance has begun certification of 802.11n products adhering to the draft
2.0 standard. This certification will ensure interoperability between access
points and devices.
Q: What
is the status of the Draft 802.11n version 2.0 standard?
A: The IEEE 802.11n working group has
passed letter ballot, and this is what is known as 802.11 Draft 2.0.
Subsequently, the Wi-Fi Alliance commenced compatibility testing in June 2007
to ensure interoperability of products adhering to the 802.11n draft 2.0
standard. The Cisco Aironet 1250 Series Access Point was selected as the
reference platform for the Wi-Fi Alliance test bed. All products receiving
Wi-Fi Alliance draft 2.0 certification must be tested with the Cisco Aironet
1250 Series Access Point. Further information can be found here Error!
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Q: What
is the status of the final 802.11n standard?
A: The final standard is expected to be
ratified in Sep 2008 but this date may change as the working group continues
its work. The current IEEE timeline for
802.11n ratification may be found at http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/11/Reports/802.11_Timelines.htm.
Q: When
will the final 802.11n solution from Cisco be available?
A: Cisco works closely with and monitors
all relevant IEEE standards, including 802.11n. Shortly after 802.11n
ratification occurs, Cisco plans to deliver solutions that are compliant with
the final 802.11n standard.
Q: Will
Cisco guarantee that the Cisco Aironet 1250 Series can be upgraded to support
the final 802.11n standard?
A: Cisco cannot guarantee that the current
Cisco Aironet 1250 IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 standard radio modules can be
software-upgraded to support the final 802.11n standard. However, the
modularity of the Cisco Aironet 1250 helps ensure that should the final 802.11n
standard require a hardware modification, the impact will be limited to just
the radio modules, and will not require a change to the access point. The Cisco
Aironet 1250 Series radio modules are field-upgradeable and easy to change.
Q: What
is multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology?
A: Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO)
technology uses advanced signal processing with multiple antennas to improve
the throughput, reliability and predictability of the wireless LAN.
By operating with multiple transmitters and
receivers, MIMO-based access points can take advantage of the effects of
multipath propagation to decrease packet retries and improve the fidelity of
the wireless network. The benefits of MIMO technology extend to 802.11a/b/g
clients in the form of improved reliability and predictability of the network.
More consistent throughput and improved reliability will provide a better
overall end-user experience for high-bandwidth data, voice, and video
applications.
Q: How
is it possible to increase the typical throughput for 802.11a/b/g and 802.11n
clients with MIMO, when the data rates for the clients are fixed by the 802.11
standard?
A: Access points and clients equipped with
MIMO smart antenna technology are able to receive signals more reliably over
greater distances than those with standard diversity antennas. This means that
802.11 data rates extend further from the access point using MIMO than with a
standard diversity access point. For example, a client operating at a specific
distance from an access point with standard diversity may be experiencing data
rates of 36 Mbps, as compared to sustaining 54 Mbps when connecting to an
access point with MIMO.
Q: What
about my investment in 802.11a/b/g?
A: 802.11a and 802.11g each offer a 54-Mbps
data rate, supporting a broad range of applications, including voice and video.
With the relative under-utilization of these frequencies, especially the 5-GHz
band, and the large installed base of 802.11a/b/g clients, most enterprises
should anticipate their investments in business-class 802.11a/b/g access points
to have many years of service. Additionally, the 802.11n standard requires
backward compatibility with existing 802.11a/b/g infrastructure. Cisco expects
802.11a/b/g and 802.11n technologies to coexist for a long time.
Q: Do
Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) work with 802.11n?
A: MIMO technology relies extensively on
multiple transmitters and multiple receivers to attain the throughput,
reliability, and predictability benefits of 802.11n. The current generation of
DAS systems only support a single transmit/receive chain per access point.
Therefore, the throughput, reliability, and predictability benefits of 802.11n
will be lost when used in conjunction with a DAS.
Q: What
are the differences in performance between a 2x3 and a 3x3 MIMO implementation?
A: Theoretical calculations show that a 3x3
radio will have slightly better performance over a 2x3 radio. However, in our
real world performance testing we have not seen any significant performance
differences between 2x3 and 3x3 implementations. Note that the current generation of both 2x3
and 3x3 802.11n silicon supports up to 2 spatial streams, so there is no
throughput advantage for a 3x3 implementation.
