Cisco Aironet 1850 Series Quick reference guide

Cisco Aironet Series 1850 Access Point Deployment Guide
Channel Rail Adapters –Cisco Part Number AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER 5
Physical Hardware and Mounting Options of an AP 7
Wall Mounting the AP 11
Above the Ceiling Tiles 12
Stadium / Harsh Environments 14
Ethernet Cable Recommendation 15
Antenna Cable Recommendation 16
Access Point Spacing Recommendations 17
Installations in IDF Closets (Telecommunications or Other Electrical Equipment) 18
Installations Inside and Around Elevators 19
Understanding AP 1850 Powering Options 20
PoE Negotiation 21
Approved antennas and Radiation Patterns 23
Antennas for Outdoor Deployments 25
General Considerations –WLAN Best Practice Guidelines 35
802.11ac Wave-2 primer and the AP 1850 37
Clients Supporting 3 and 4 Spatial Streams 37
Understanding Channel Plans and Bonded Channels 38
Understanding Channels and How They Relate to the Client 40

802.11ac and Legacy Client Recommendations 42
802.11ac Devices on the Market 45
Variables Impacting Performance 46
A Quick Look at a Few Non-Optimal Installations 49
New features 55
Auxiliary Ethernet Port 55
USB Port 57
Understanding Multi-User MIMO 58
Checking the Access Point LEDs 61
Access Point Status LEDs 61
Ethernet Port LEDs 62
Q & A 63
References 64
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Revised: January 25, 2017,
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ChannelRailAdapters–CiscoPartNumberAIR-CHNL-ADAPTER
When mounting APs to ceiling channel rails, an optional channel adapter AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER is used. The channel adapter comes
in a two-pack and is attached to the ceiling grid clip.
Figure 1: Example of Channel Rails
Figure 2: AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER (left) Slides Onto the Rails
Figure 3: AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER Mounted to Rail Clip (left) and Finished Installation (right)
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Revised: January 25, 2017,
Physical Hardware and Mounting Options of an AP
Figure 4: AP 1850 Model port view
Ports are easily accessible. Mode button is recessed and requires a tool such as a paperclip to engage.
Note the vent holes below the ports, avoid using chemicals or solvents around the AP as the ingress of such materials have the potential
to cause damage to the device.

AP 1850 has similar physical dimensions as other Cisco APs but with a few differences in physical appearance, most of which are
cosmetic changes to distinguish the different models. The mounting options and bracket configurations are identical and interchangeable
between Cisco 1140, 1600, 1700, 1850, 2600, 2700, and 3700 series APs.
Figure 5: Mechanical Dimensions AP 1850
Figure 6: Mechanical Dimensions AP 1850
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Different installation options are available depending upon the requirements of the customer. Brackets are available from Cisco as
well as third-party companies. During the ordering process, the customer may choose one of two brackets (but not both). Each bracket
is a zero-dollar ($0) option at the time of configuration. If the customer does not choose a bracket, the selection default is
AIR-AP-BRACKET-1, which is the most popular for ceiling installations. The other choice is a universal bracket that carries part
number AIR-AP-BRACKET-2.
Figure 7: Access Point Bracket Choices
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If the AP needs to be mounted directly to a ceiling on the grid work, then AIR-AP-BRACKET-1 is flush mounted and has the lowest
profile. However, if the AP is mounted to an electrical box, other wiring fixture, inside a NEMA enclosure, or wall mounted, then
AIR-AP-BRACKET-2 is a better choice. The extra space in the bracket allows for wiring, and the extra holes line up with many
popular electrical boxes. When mounting the bracket to the ceiling grid work, some ceiling tiles are recessed. For this reason, two
different styles of ceiling clips, such as recessed and flush rails are available
Figure 8: Different Clips are Available for Attaching to Ceiling Grid Work
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