PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Cisco Catalyst 9120AX
Cisco Catalyst 9120AX
★ 3.4 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 4x4:4 MU-MIMO
  • Aggregate Throughput: Up to 5.2 Gbps (Dual 5 GHz mode)
  • Radios (bands): 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz (supports Dual 5 GHz FRA)
  • Uplink Port Speed: 1x 100M/1G/2.5G Multigigabit (mGig)
  • Max Clients: 400 total (200 per radio)
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3at (PoE+) for full functionality

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Dedicated Cisco RF ASIC for advanced spectrum analysis and security; Flexible Radio Assignment (FRA) allows dual 5 GHz operation; Integrated 2.5 Gbps Multigigabit uplink prevents wired bottlenecks
  • ✘ Cons: High hardware cost and mandatory Cisco DNA subscription licensing; Requires PoE+ (802.3at) to operate all features at full performance; Significant configuration complexity compared to consumer or prosumer alternatives
  • Est. Price: $650 - $1,100

Compare Against

Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro
Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro
★ 4.8 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 6 (2x2 MIMO on 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz bands)
  • Aggregate Throughput: 9.3 Gbps
  • Radios (bands): Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz)
  • Uplink Port Speed: 2.5 GbE RJ45
  • Max Clients: 300+
  • PoE Requirement: PoE+ (802.3at)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Industry-leading Wi-Fi 7 value; 6 GHz support with 320 MHz channel width; 2.5 GbE uplink for high-speed backhaul; seamless UniFi ecosystem integration.
  • ✘ Cons: Requires PoE+ (won't run on standard PoE); limited to 2x2 MIMO per band; can run significantly warm during operation; 2.5 GbE port is a potential bottleneck for peak wireless speeds.
  • Est. Price: $189 - $215

Popular Comparisons

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