Cisco Small Business AP541N-A-K9 Dual-Band Single Radio Wireless Access Point

Pros: 1. Web Interface - I usually balk at these. The web interface for this AP is very responsive and allows one to configure almost all of the available features.

2. Features - Client isolation, HTTP redirect, MAC filtering, SNMP, and you can send logs to a remote device. The access control options, mostly ip-based, are nice. Allowing for multiple SSIDs with VLAN isolation is great too.

3. Throughput - This AP has the fastest throughput I have seen in a device of its class.

Cons: 1. Command line interface - Disappointing to say the least. Both telnet and ssh access are enabled and you can only disable them through the CLI. For those familiar with other Cisco CLI products, this one will seem very foreign and clumsy.

2. An eight character limit on passwords - Really Cisco? You can do better than this!

3. Can't change the default "cisco" username - Same comment as above.

Other Thoughts: Overall I rate this device a 4/5 because of the shortcomings mentioned above. I only use 5GHz so the throughput may not be quite as good using the 2.4GHz bands, but it's a very stable AP with enough power features for anyone. I bought this AP because I was fed up with the "consumer" grade product out there. This has met, and in some cases, exceeded my expectations.

Pros: This is a solid box that does what it's designed to do. Selectable 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz. PoE is a great option on this level of device. Use the GUI for basic or advanced configuations and this device just plain works. Have not had to fiddle with this device, or reboot, for over a year. Well worth the cost to upgrade from a basic $30 retail store appliance we replaced in our school's office.

Clustering without the need for a separate management appliance is perfect option for budget-conscious environments.

Cons: No simultaneous dual-band operation. Range and penetration could be better. Signal penetrates our concrete block walls better than the $30 home WAP we replaced - but not by much.

Other Thoughts: This device will work if you take a few minutes to configure it properly. It's not a $50 homeowner-style device. Use the GUI and walk through the settings to ensure the configuration is appropriate for your environment.

Pros: Unit can be managed from a web G.U.I. just like all of Cisco's web-managed products. Setup must be done on a stand-alone computer until you can get the internal IP info changed. Also, able to save configuration. You can enable and disable a multitude of SSIDs. Beware, you MUST leave the Cisco SSID in the list of clients for the unit to work. But, the good news is, you don't have to broadcast the Cisco SSID. Unit has good range, up to 200 feet. We've mounted ours, rack style (no rack ears included, unfortunately, even though the screw holes are in the sides to accommodate rack ears) at the very top of the rack, with the top removed so the antennas can just poke up above it, and still we get decent range. I like the true diversity antenna system that allows you to articulate the phase angles of the RF so it doesn't matter how the receiving device is oriented, it still gets a good signal. I use a Canon wireless printer's signal quality utility to check signal strength.

Cons: Our first AP541N bit the dust from a nearby lightning strike. Like all of Cisco's consumer or small business products, they are a bit weak in this regard. I've lost a lot of Cisco routers and switches over the years due to nearby EMP pulses from lightning. I would think they would harden their products a bit better. Our power is protected through a master UPS, so power surging isn't the culprit. Other than this one flaw, the unit works well.

Other Thoughts: Best range of most of the WAPs I've been exposed to. The flat, boxy shape will fit in a 1RU rack space nicely. Good, solid signal, but will once in a blue moon will lose its config info, keep a BU copy on your HDD in case you need to re-program it. Otherwise a solid little unit, quietly inserts itself into your network as just a another device and gives consistent service.

Pros: see my last review

Cons: it does not do simultaneous dual band - its 5ghz or 2.5ghz - not both - at same time

Other Thoughts: an AP this pricey should have been simultaneous DB

Pros: -5Ghz A & N Bands
-Great Web GUI
-Lots of Control/Settings
-PoE

Cons: -Took a while for the firmware to reach a solid and useable revision
-Big and heavy
- Antenna connections are flimsy and strip easily

Other Thoughts: You better have a big spot to install it and forget trying to hide it or blend it into the room or decor!

it works great with cisco 7921 & 7925 wireless phones

but it did seem to lack great range i needed way more AP's than anticipated to cover an entire penthouse apartment (10+) for voice

also the wireless repeater or wifi bridge/wifi AP functions just dont work. It only works as an AP and when i have a wired connection into the LAN. Nothing works when i try to add it wirelessly, without a LAN cable

Pros: 5Ghz 802.11 N
Decent range and object penetration (walls and other obstructions.
1Gb/s interface RJ-45 port
The ability to add better dipole antenna's to it.
Can set up multiple Wi-Fi signals at different security level and wireless bands.

Cons: Some what tricky to setup, better have two NIC's in your computer as this device is loged into via IP address.

Other Thoughts: Set-up could be more user friendly.

EVGA fourm member

Pros: First off you should know what you are getting. If you just need a standalone wireless network, you should look elsewhere.

- It can cluster. This is a huge feature in and of itself. I was looking for a clustering AP setup a year ago, and almost bought a setup that cost 4 or 5 time the cost. Things like management and wireless handoff are big pluses in my book.

Cons: the range is not spectacular.

It is still a work in progress. There have been bugs with it. however Cisco seems to be continuing to work on it, since they are actively releasing software updates.

It sounds like a dual radio version is coming out. In the admin guide they reference a dual radio version of the AP. I would prefer to have this version for speed reasons.

you cannot change the login username

documentation is not as readily available as cisco's enterprise level components.

Pros: Well built on the outside.

Cons: It brings back horrible memories of lost hostnames, configurations, dropped connections, broken WDS bridges (simple point-to-point), wireless speeds so slow I haven't seen anything like it since 802.11b :( Cisco forums are full of problems, no solutions, software upgrades aren't addressing issues. I'm pretty sure Cisco has moved on from this fiasco to solve issues for newer, more lucrative products.

Other Thoughts: Newegg took them back after a month because I was so displeased.

Manufacturer Response:

Hi Magny-Cours,

Sorry to hear about your experience with the AP541N. There is newer firmware available that resolves some of the issues you reported, which is available here: http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/release.html?mdfid=282790482&flowid=6790&softwareid=282804210&release=2.0.0&relind=AVAILABLE&rellifecycle=&reltype=latest.

We’re sorry you weren’t able to find the help you were looking for in the Small Business Support Community (http://www.cisco.com/go/smallbizsupport). Did you try contacting support (http://www.cisco.com/go/smallbizhelp) to resolve any of the issues you experienced?

Thank you for your feedback!

Diana
Cisco Small Business Team

Pros: Setup and firmware upgrade was straight forward if you know what you're doing. Radius is working too. I clustered 3 and they worked perfect with better coverage than the old Linksys g with high gain antenna. Well built, but make sure you update the firmware. 1.9.2 is running over two weeks without an issue or dropped packet. It's a good choice for a small business who doesn't want to spend alot for wireless n. I'll update if things go bad.

Cons: None so far, but there are some bugs in the advanced features if you google this product.

Other Thoughts: Warrenty is lifetime according to Cisco site, but I'm not sure how that will work with newegg.

Manufacturer Response:

Hi ITguy,

Thank you for your positive feedback!
If you need further assistance feel free to visit the Small Business Support Community at http://www.cisco.com/go/smallbizsupport

Diana
Cisco Small Business Team

Pros: Great Steel Casing.

Cons: Flakey, poor range, too big (this thing is huge) disconnects users after a period of time. constant reboots even after 1.9 firmware upgrade. After power outages, it simply stops working. I'm working on it right now and can't get it up and running for more than 5 minutes before disconnecting again. Just way too much maintenance for a lackluster product.

Other Thoughts: I've also purchased cisco 1100 ap's for another customer which are right around the same price as these, and I can honestly say that those puppies have been up and running without a hitch for over 2 years. One reason is that they were manufactured for medium to big companies. I got caught up in the looks of the AP541N but I can honestly say I have no idea who this was manufactured for. It would be a joke in a large busy office let alone a small office. Do yourself a favor and buy a $50 linksys. It's much more reliable and the distance is better. I see no redeeming qualities with this product. I think Cisco was trying to bridge the home market with the business market and failed miserably in their attempt. Don't buy!

Manufacturer Response:

Hi LouDawg,
Thank you for your comments! We’d need to know more about your configuration and environment to offer a resolution. Did you try contacting support (http://www.cisco.com/go/smallbizhelp) or check the Small Business Support Community (http://www.cisco.com/go/smallbizsupport) for assistance?

There is a newer firmware version available for download here: http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/release.html?mdfid=282790482&flowid=6790&softwareid=282804210&release=2.0.0&relind=AVAILABLE&rellifecycle=&reltype=latest. We recommend installing the most recent firmware update to ensure the device is running the latest software.

DIana
Cisco Small Business Team