Primary Device
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
Compare Against
Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro Wall
★ 3.9 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
- Spatial Streams (MIMO): 6 total (2x2 per band on 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz)
- Aggregate Throughput: 5.7 Gbps
- Radios (bands): Tri-band: 2.4 GHz (2x2), 5 GHz (2x2), 6 GHz (2x2)
- Uplink Port Speed: 1x 2.5 GbE
- Max Clients: 300+
- PoE Requirement: 802.3at PoE+ (44-57 V DC, about 22 W max)
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 with 2x2 on each band; 2.5 GbE uplink gives more wired headroom than 1 GbE models; Rated for 300+ clients; Runs on standard 802.3at PoE+, so no proprietary power supply is needed; Managed centrally through the UniFi controller; Wall-mount form factor suits offices and homes
- ✘ Cons: Single 2.5 GbE uplink caps wired throughput; Only 2x2 MU-MIMO per band, not 4x4; Rated coverage of about 140 m² (1,500 ft²) limits use in large open spaces; Reviewers report modest Wi-Fi 7 performance compared with premium APs; Full management requires a UniFi controller or UniFi OS
- Est. Price: $218 - $408