PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Aruba (HPE) Aruba AP-655
Aruba (HPE) Aruba AP-655
★ 3.7 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) with 6 GHz support; backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 4x4:4 MU-MIMO with OFDMA per radio (tri-radio)
  • Aggregate Throughput: 7.8 Gbps combined (HPE rated across 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz radios)
  • Radios (bands): Tri-radio: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and dedicated 6 GHz
  • Uplink Port Speed: 2x multigig RJ-45 ports (100M/1G/2.5G/5G); dual 5 GbE with failover or aggregation
  • Max Clients: 512 concurrent clients; 16 SSIDs
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3bt Type 3 (PoE Class 4) recommended; 802.3at-only power is not supported for full operation; worst-case draw about 40.3 to 46.5 W

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Tri-radio design with a dedicated 6 GHz radio for Wi-Fi 6E capacity and reduced co-channel interference; 4x4:4 MU-MIMO with OFDMA on each radio supports high-density clients; Two multigig uplinks (up to 5 GbE) with failover or link aggregation avoid the 1 GbE backhaul bottleneck; Rated up to 7.8 Gbps aggregate throughput; Managed through Aruba Central with zero-touch provisioning and WPA3 security
  • ✘ Cons: Requires 802.3bt (PoE++) switch power for full operation, so older 802.3af/at switches are insufficient; Wi-Fi 6E is one generation behind Wi-Fi 7 gear; Higher price than dual-band Wi-Fi 6 APs, at roughly $1,450 to $2,195; Client limit of 512 can be a constraint in very dense venues; Spec figures vary across resellers and datasheet access was limited, so PoE class and throughput should be confirmed against HPE's official datasheet; Regional SKUs (US, RW, TAA, EG) differ in price and compliance
  • Est. Price: $1,450 - $2,195

Compare Against

Cisco Catalyst 9178i
Cisco Catalyst 9178i
★ 4.3 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 4x4 MU-MIMO per client-serving radio (4 spatial streams per radio)
  • Aggregate Throughput: 24 Gbps aggregate (concurrent 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz radios)
  • Radios (bands): 4 client-serving radios: tri-band 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz / 6 GHz with a 4th radio (quad-radio design)
  • Uplink Port Speed: 2x 10 Gbps mGig ports (multi-gigabit Ethernet)
  • Max Clients: 1200 (400 per radio)
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3bt (PoE++) required for full operation; 802.3at/af supports reduced functionality; draws approx. 30-52 W

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Wi-Fi 7 with tri-band 2.4/5/6 GHz and 4x4 MU-MIMO on every radio; 24 Gbps aggregate throughput for high-density environments; dual 10 Gbps mGig uplinks avoid a 1 Gbps bottleneck; rated for up to 1200 clients; supports 802.3bt PoE on the mGig ports with at/af fallback; manageable from Catalyst 9800 WLC/Catalyst Center or Meraki cloud depending on SKU
  • ✘ Cons: Requires 802.3bt PoE for full functionality, which raises switch and injector cost; needs Catalyst 9800 controller running IOS XE 17.15.2 or later for the Catalyst SKU; Wi-Fi 7 benefits need Wi-Fi 7 clients to be realized; list pricing varies widely by reseller and SKU (CFG vs Global vs RTG), and reseller spec figures differ in places; cloud-managed (Meraki) deployment requires separate licensing; premium cost compared with Wi-Fi 6E alternatives
  • Est. Price: $1,681 - $2,996

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