Cisco Aironet 1600 Series Quick reference guide

Cisco Systems, Inc.
www.cisco.com
Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access
Point Deployment Guide

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Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access Point Deployment Guide
Abstract
Abstract
This document covers the theory of operation and installation for Cisco 2600 and 3600 Series Access
Points (APs), as part of a Cisco wireless LAN (WLAN) solution. Subjects include:
• AP 1600, 2600, and 3600
• Differences between the AP 3600 and the AP 3500
• Differences between the AP 3600 and the AP 2600
• Introduction of the AP 1600 and AP feature comparison
• Hardware details, mounting options, bracket choices, and installation considerations
• Antenna options, radiation patterns, and external antenna deployments
• Spatial streams and MCS rates
• ClientLink 2.0 and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
• Site survey considerations
• Inappropriate installations, Q&As, and useful URLs
Audience
This document is intended for trained and experienced technical personnel familiar with the existing
Cisco Wireless Networking Group (WNG) product line and features.
Revision History
Table of Contents
• Revision History
• Cisco Aironet Series Access Points
• Cisco Aironet Series Access Points
– Internal and External Antennas
– 3600 Series
• Feature Modules for the 3600 Series
Document Number: EDCS-1188900
(replaces
EDCS-1130881)
Document Author: Frederick Niehaus
(fredn)
Author's Organization: WNG (WNBU) TME
Document Date / Version: 12/12/12 version 3.0

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Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access Point Deployment Guide
Table of Contents
– Comparison of the 3600 and 3500 Series
– Comparison of the 3600 and 2600 Series
– Introduction to the 1600 Series
• Key Features
• Cisco CleanAir Express
– Comparison of Indoor Access Points
• Hardware and Mounting Options
– Brackets and Clips
– Channel Rail Adapters
– Installation in Ceiling Tiles
– Installation on Walls
– Color
• Unique Installations
– Clean Rooms
– Above Ceiling Tiles
– Stadium and Harsh Environments
– Areas with High Vibration
– Warehouse and Factory
• Ethernet Cable Recommendation
• Antenna Cable Recommendation
• Access Point Spacing Recommendations
– IDF Closets (Telecommunications or Other Electrical Equipment)
– Very High Altitudes
– Common or Distributed Antenna System (DAS)
– Elevators
• External Antenna Options and Patterns
– AP 1600/2600 and AP 3600e
– AP 3600i, AP 2600i, and AP 1600i
• External Antenna Deployments
• 802.11n, Spatial Streams, and Beamforming
– Clients That Support Three Spatial Streams
– Beamforming in ClientLink 1.0 and 2.0
• Site Survey Considerations
• General Guidelines
• Examples of Improper Installations
• Questions and Answers
• Useful URLs

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Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access Point Deployment Guide
Cisco Aironet Series Access Points
Cisco Aironet Series Access Points
Cisco Aironet 3600, 2600, 1600, and 600 Series Access Points (APs) provide highly secure and reliable
wireless connections for both indoor and outdoor environments. Figure 1 illustrates the product
portfolio, which ranges from the entry-level 600 Series for basic connectivity to the 3600 Series for
best-in-class performance.
Figure 1 Access Point Portfolio Placement
Internal and External Antennas
The 3600, 2600, and 1600 Series offer models with internal or external antennas. Figure 2, Figure 3, and
Figure 4
describe the internal and external antenna models for each series.
• APs with internal antennas have an “i” (for example, AP 3600i) in the model number. They have
captured antennas, which are part of the housing and not removable, and are designed for indoor
enterprise installations where office aesthetics are a primary concern.
• APs with external antennas have an “e” (for example, AP 3600e) in the model number. They are
more rugged and are designed for industrial use in locations such as hospitals, factories, warehouses,
and other locations where there is a need for external antennas or extended operating temperatures.
The external antenna models also support mounting inside NEMA enclosures for use in the most
demanding environments.

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Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access Point Deployment Guide
Cisco Aironet Series Access Points
Figure 2 AP 3600 Models and Eco-Packs
Figure 3 AP 2600 Models and Eco-Packs

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Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access Point Deployment Guide
Cisco Aironet Series Access Points
Figure 4 AP 1600 Models and Eco-Packs
3600 Series
The Cisco 3600 Series Access Point (AP 3600) targets customers who require support for
mission-critical applications. The AP 3600 embodies ClientLink 2.0, an innovative antenna technology
comprising four transmit radios and four receive radios called 4X4 Multiple Input Multiple Output
(MIMO) and three spatial stream (3SS) beamforming, together referenced as 4x4:3. ClientLink 2.0
permits speeds up to 450 Mbps via additional Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) data rates 16-23,
while still maintaining IEEE 802.3af (15.4 Watt) Power over Ethernet (PoE) compliance. See the section
on "802.11n, Spatial Streams, and Beamforming" for more on spatial streams.
Feature Modules for the 3600 Series
The WSSI (Wireless Security and Spread Spectrum Intelligence) module adds new functionalty to the
AP 3600 to protect customer investment. This optional, add-on module provides a dedicated monitor
radio to scan the full spectrum, not just the channel on which the AP operates. It offloads complete
monitoring and security services to the monitor module, including CleanAir, WIDS/WIPS,
Context-Aware Location, Rogue Detection, and Radio Resource Management (RRM). The WSSI
module allows for full spectrum analysis on all channels on both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. It avoids the
need to deploy a separate, dedicated overlay network for full spectrum monitoring and eliminates the
need for an extra cable pull and additional infrastructure costs.
The second available module provides 802.11ac (wave-1) functionality to the AP 3600. This radio
module operates at 5GHz and allows the AP 3600 to fully support 802.11a/n along with 802.11ac clients.
(Wave-1) functionality supports a 1.3 Gbps PHY / ~1 Gbps MAC (throughput) using three spatial
streams, 80 MHz, 256 QAM. It also supports Explicit Beamforming per the 802.11ac standard. Use of
the radio module may require a local power supply, Cisco power injector, .3at PoE+, or use of the Cisco
Enhanced PoE because the module may draw power greater than 15.4W.
Note Cisco Enhanced PoE was created by Cisco and is the forerunner to 802.3at PoE+.

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Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access Point Deployment Guide
Cisco Aironet Series Access Points
Feature modules slide into the bottom of AP 3600, as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5 Back View of the AP 3600 with Feature Module
Note Please refer to the Installing the Module section of the Installing the Cisco Aironet 3600 Series Access
Point 802.11ac Radio Module guide for more details.
Comparison of the 3600 and 3500 Series
The AP 3600i (internal antenna model) and the Cisco 3500 Series Access Point (AP 3500) are almost
identical in physical appearance. To easily distinguish them, note that the LED for the AP 3500 is square,
while the AP 3600i has an LED that is slightly larger and more oval. (See Figure 6.)
Figure 6 LED Appearance in the AP 3600i and the AP 3500

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Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access Point Deployment Guide
Cisco Aironet Series Access Points
From a side view, the AP 3600i is slightly thicker (2.11”) than the AP 3500 (1.84”), as shown in Figure 7.
The thicker size allows for additional radio support and printed circuit board area, as well as feature
modules for future capabilities. While the AP 3600i has a little more depth, it is completely backward
compatible with the mounting brackets for the existing Cisco Aironet 1040 Series Access Point (AP
1040), 1140 Series Access Point (AP 1140), 1260 Series Access Point (AP 1260), and the AP 3500.
Figure 7 Side View of the AP 3600i and the AP 3500
The external antenna models (the AP 3600e and the AP 3500e) differ in appearance because the AP
3600e has fewer antenna connector ports, primarily due to the dual-band antenna system.
The AP 3600e has combined all the antenna ports (dual-band) so that each antenna port can transmit
simultaneously on each band; if the antenna ports were not combined, this would have required eight
antennas. The AP 3600 has four transceivers (transmitter/receiver) radio ports per band for a total of
eight transceivers, four in each band. This additional radio per band permits beamforming to 3SS clients
using ClientLink 2.0 to improve the overall performance of all 802.11n clients with one, two, and three
spatial streams.
Note Beamforming to a 3SS client requires n+1 radio frequency (RF) design. To accomplish this, the AP 3600
has an additional radio per band, which improves client performance by using Cisco ClientLink 2.0.
The AP 3500e has separate antennas for each band, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, and does not support 3SS
technology, since it has only two transceivers (transmitter/receiver) and one extra receiver per band
enabling operation up to two spatial streams.
Unlike the AP 3500, the newer AP 3600 design supports an optional, add-on feature module. The bottom
of the AP 3600 has openings to support the feature module, as shown in Figure 8. The openings, while
fully sealed, permit the module to have access to the top of the AP, which allows the module antennas
(if present) to fully function. The unit includes a positive snap “spring loaded BB” so the installer can
feel a positive lock when the AP is fully engaged in the bracket.

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Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access Point Deployment Guide
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Figure 8 Bottom View of the AP 3600 with Support for a Feature Module
Comparison of the 3600 and 2600 Series
The AP 3600 has a modular design that offers future protection with optional .11ac and security
modules. The AP 2600 does not support optional modules. However, the AP 2600 does have a slightly
higher antenna gain in the 2.4 GHz band.
The AP3600 and the AP2600 are the same size, but it is easy to identify each one by noting whether the
Cisco logo has an embossed frame (AP 3600) or not (AP 2600). (See Figure 9.)

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Cisco Aironet 1600/2600/3600 Series Access Point Deployment Guide
Cisco Aironet Series Access Points
Figure 9 Front View of the AP2600 and the AP 3600