Cisco CW9178I-ROW Wireless 9178I Wi-Fi 7 Tri-Band 4x4 Indoor Access Point

Next-Generation Wi-Fi 7 Enterprise Connectivity

The Cisco CW9178I is a high-end enterprise Wi-Fi 7 indoor access point designed for high-density wireless environments, demanding applications and next-generation AI-enabled enterprise networks. It combines advanced Wi-Fi 7 capabilities with integrated IoT, location and wireless scanning technologies.

The CW9178I uses a flexible multi-radio architecture supporting 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz client-serving radios. It can operate in either Tri-Radio or Quad-Radio mode, with Tri-Radio as the default configuration. In Quad-Radio mode, the access point can provide additional 5 GHz capacity for high-density deployments.

Key Features

Advanced Wi-Fi 7 Performance

The CW9178I is designed to deliver predictable, high-capacity wireless connectivity for enterprise applications including high-density client access, cloud applications, AI workloads, augmented reality, virtual reality, high-quality video and other bandwidth-intensive services.

• IEEE 802.11be / Wi-Fi 7 support
• 4x4:4 MU-MIMO on client-serving radios
• Four spatial streams per serving radio
• Up to 320 MHz channel width on 6 GHz
• Up to 160 MHz channel width on 5 GHz
• 4096-QAM modulation
• Multi-Link Operation (MLO)
• Uplink and downlink OFDMA
• Preamble puncturing
• Multi Resource Units
• Compressed Block Acknowledgment supporting up to 512 MPDUs
• Target Wake Time (TWT)
• BSS Coloring
• WPA3 security support

Flexible Tri-Radio and Quad-Radio Operation

Cisco CW9178I provides flexible radio assignment to optimize wireless capacity according to deployment requirements. The access point contains four client-serving radio slots covering 2.4 GHz, two 5 GHz radios and 6 GHz.

In Tri-Radio mode, the AP can operate with 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz radios and provide up to 18 Gbps PHY. A 5 GHz / 5 GHz / 6 GHz configuration can provide up to 23 Gbps PHY. In Quad-Radio mode, all four serving radios operate simultaneously, providing up to 24 Gbps PHY.

Dual 10G Multigigabit Ethernet

The CW9178I includes two 100M/1000M/2.5G/5G/10G Multigigabit RJ-45 Ethernet ports. These interfaces provide high-speed wired backhaul for Wi-Fi 7 traffic and can also support power and connectivity redundancy.

With Cisco UPOE, the AP can operate with two 10G Ethernet links while maintaining full high-performance radio operation and USB functionality. This makes the CW9178I suitable for high-capacity enterprise switching environments.

Integrated IoT, GNSS and UWB Capabilities

The CW9178I goes beyond conventional wireless access by integrating dedicated technologies for IoT and location services. An integrated GNSS/GPS module provides positioning capabilities, while UWB supports advanced location-aware applications.

• Dedicated 2.4 GHz IoT radio
• Integrated GNSS/GPS module
• External GNSS antenna connection capability
• Integrated UWB functionality
• Bluetooth Low Energy support
• Application hosting capabilities
• Dedicated scanning/AUX radio
• Advanced RF visibility through Cisco CleanAir Pro

Enterprise Wireless Management

The Cisco CW9178I is a unified access point designed for flexible deployment across Cisco Catalyst and cloud-managed environments. It can be managed through Cisco Catalyst wireless infrastructure or Cisco Meraki cloud-based deployments.

• Cisco IOS XE 17.15.2 or later
• Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller support
• Cisco Catalyst Center integration
• Cisco Spaces support for location and IoT services
• Cisco Identity Services Engine integration
• Meraki cloud-based deployment support
• Centralized wireless monitoring and management

Power and Installation

The Cisco CW9178I is powered through Power over Ethernet and supports 802.3bt Cisco Universal PoE (UPOE), 802.3at PoE+ and 802.3af PoE for staging. Full-performance operation with two 10G Ethernet links and USB is available with 802.3bt UPOE.

Enterprise Applications

The CW9178I is suitable for high-density enterprise environments where organizations require high wireless capacity, low latency, reliable connectivity and integrated location and IoT capabilities. Typical applications include corporate campuses, offices, universities, hospitals, retail environments, hospitality venues, smart buildings and other demanding indoor deployments.

Global Use Product Architecture

Regulatory operation, permitted channels and transmit-power limits are dependent on the deployment country and applicable local regulations. Country-specific regulatory requirements should be verified before installation.

Why Choose Cisco CW9178I?

The Cisco Wireless CW9178I combines advanced Wi-Fi 7 performance with flexible tri-radio and quad-radio operation, dual 10G Multigigabit Ethernet, integrated GNSS/GPS, UWB, dedicated IoT functionality and intelligent RF scanning. Its high-capacity architecture is designed to support the growing bandwidth and connectivity requirements of modern enterprise networks.

• Advanced Cisco Wi-Fi 7 enterprise access point
• Tri-Radio and Quad-Radio operating modes
• Up to 24 Gbps PHY capability
• Dual 10G Multigigabit Ethernet interfaces
• 4x4:4 client-serving radio architecture
• 320 MHz 6 GHz channel support
• 4096-QAM and Multi-Link Operation
• Integrated GNSS/GPS and UWB
• Dedicated IoT and scanning capabilities
• Cisco Catalyst and Meraki deployment flexibility
• Designed for high-density enterprise wireless environments