The subsequent frontier of connectivity
Throughout each trade, networks are underneath stress. AI functions are consuming exponentially extra bandwidth than conventional workloads. System density is surging and experiences more and more rely on dependable, real-time wi-fi efficiency.
As organizations embrace hybrid work, clever buildings, and linked operations, wi-fi networks should now deal with unprecedented bandwidth, latency, and safety calls for.
However AI is greater than a problem—it’s a chance. From safer autonomous factories to smarter hospitals and immersive digital campuses, AI-driven innovation is dependent upon quick, reliable information exchanges. To comprehend these alternatives, organizations want networks which can be clever, safe, and scalable.
The newest Cisco wi-fi improvements ship precisely that. IDC not too long ago named Cisco a Chief within the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Enterprise Wi-fi LAN 2025 Vendor Evaluation—recognition that displays our dedication to outline what enterprise-grade connectivity appears to be like like at the moment. I’m excited to share how our latest developments—constructed on three pillars: scalable gadgets prepared for AI, AgenticOps for operational simplicity, and safety fused into the community—prolong that management even additional.
Scalable gadgets prepared for AI
The Cisco Wi-Fi 7 portfolio delivers complete protection for each operational want by way of a full vary of superior entry factors and infrastructure options. It supplies scalable, dependable connectivity throughout hospitality, schooling, enterprise campuses, and high-density venues akin to stadiums. Constructed on a basis of steady innovation, Cisco continues to lift the bar for wi-fi efficiency and scale with versatile administration choices spanning cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployments.
We’re now extending this portfolio with new, versatile choices engineered for low- to medium-density environments:
- Cisco Wi-fi 9171 Sequence Entry Factors: Offering the flexibleness, intelligence, safety, and full efficiency of Wi-Fi 7 with out the price or complexity of high-density infrastructure; designed for low-density environments like school rooms, retail areas, and small- to mid-sized companies.
- Cisco Wi-fi 9174 Sequence Entry Factors: Delivering high-speed, dependable connectivity for contemporary functions that may’t tolerate downtime; designed for demanding environments like healthcare amenities, hospitality, manufacturing flooring, and huge workplace campuses. This enterprise-grade entry level affords tri-band help (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) with each built-in omnidirectional and exterior antenna connector fashions, permitting the CW9174E to adapt to distinctive protection eventualities and help mission-critical wi-fi wants.
- Cisco Catalyst 9800-L Wi-fi Controller: Enabling enterprises in regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and authorities to modernize their wi-fi infrastructure whereas assembly stringent safety certifications and compliance necessities. This sturdy and scalable controller platform delivers the safe, dependable wi-fi infrastructure that’s important for important enterprise capabilities, seamlessly integrating with Cisco’s broader networking and safety ecosystem with out compromising efficiency.
Complementing these gadgets is the Cisco Campus Gateway, not too long ago acknowledged with the Wi-fi Broadband Alliance Wi-Fi Community Know-how Award 2025. This enterprise-class, cloud-native resolution delivers real-time management and active-active stateful load balancing to make sure seamless roaming at scale—supporting as much as 50,000 shoppers and 5000 entry factors with cloud administration, with out requiring community redesign.
This unified infrastructure empowers enterprises to satisfy evolving connectivity wants with seamless, high-performance, and safe wi-fi experiences constructed to deal with AI’s distinctive calls for.
AgenticOps for operational simplicity
Cisco is redefining wi-fi assurance—simplifying radio frequency (RF) and shopper administration, accelerating troubleshooting, and delivering on the promise of AgenticOps. These improvements give IT groups larger visibility and management, permitting them to proactively detect points, cut back imply time to decision, (MTTR) and maintain customers linked with confidence.
Options like Cisco AI-Enhanced Radio Useful resource Administration (AI-RRM), which mechanically optimizes radio efficiency, and Cisco Clever Packet Seize, which supplies real-time visibility and actionable insights right down to the packet stage—maintain networks acting at their greatest.
Constructing on these foundations, we’re introducing new capabilities that additional streamline operations and proactively preserve wi-fi well being:
- Roaming well being insights: Determine and show roaming points on the community and placement stage to speed up troubleshooting. This characteristic simplifies visibility into shopper roaming conduct, offering actionable information that reduces MTTR.
- Shopper analytics with Zebra integration: Achieve native visibility into Zebra gadgets with out requiring further shopper software program. Zebra joins Apple, Intel, and Samsung in partnering with Cisco to simplify shopper administration by displaying tendencies and insights on the system and driver stage. As an illustration, in a warehouse setting, community admins can leverage this to trace Zebra handheld scanners—together with driver and serial quantity info—to shortly troubleshoot connectivity points.
- Lively testing (at the moment in beta): Allow on-demand and scheduled assessments on the entry level to proactively establish community points. Powered by ThousandEyes, lively testing allows community admins to simply pinpoint the place points happen—anyplace from the entry level to the cloud. For instance, a college campus can run lively assessments with the entry level performing as a shopper system, serving to to detect and resolve community bottlenecks earlier than college students expertise connectivity issues throughout peak hours.
Collectively, these capabilities cut back guide effort, save time, and guarantee constant, dependable experiences throughout each cloud and on-premises deployments.
Safety fused into the community
Safety is foundational to every thing we construct. Cisco goes past conventional safety measures by integrating it deeply into the community. This contains securing app entry for customers, issues, and brokers by way of options like Cisco Identification Companies Engine (ISE), safe entry service edge (SASE), and adaptive coverage enforcement. Community entry is protected with superior wi-fi intrusion prevention techniques (aWIPS) and Air Marshal, whereas community connectivity is safeguarded utilizing WPA3, MACSec, and IPsec protocols.
Units themselves are secured with options akin to Cisco Safe Boot (PDF) and Cisco Stay Defend. This holistic, multi-layered strategy means safety is intrinsic, not an add-on. Each element, from system to software, works collectively to guard information, forestall threats, and allow organizations to confidently scale wi-fi entry in an more and more complicated, AI-driven setting.
Connectivity constructed for tomorrow
These improvements place Cisco on the forefront of wi-fi expertise, delivering scalable, clever, and safe options that empower clients to thrive in an more and more linked world.
Thanks on your continued belief in Cisco as we construct the way forward for wi-fi collectively.
Extra assets:
See why IDC named Cisco a Chief in Enterprise WLAN
