Primary Device
Cisco Catalyst 9136I
★ 3.4 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Wi-Fi Standard: 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6E), including 6 GHz band
- Spatial Streams (MIMO): 4x4 on 2.4 GHz; 8x8 on 5 GHz; 4x4 on 6 GHz (with 802.3bt power). Under 802.3at: 2x2 / 4x4 / 2x2
- Aggregate Throughput: Up to 10.2 Gbps aggregate PHY data rate (radio PHY, not achievable client throughput)
- Radios (bands): 3 radios: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, plus dedicated Bluetooth/BLE
- Uplink Port Speed: 2x multigigabit RJ-45 ports (100M/1G/2.5G/5G); combined link aggregation capped at 5 Gbps
- Max Clients: 400 per radio and 1,200 per AP (per Cisco deployment guide; not stated on datasheet)
- PoE Requirement: 802.3bt (UPOE) for full performance, 47.3 W max; 802.3at (PoE+) supported at 24.4 W with reduced radio config; 802.3af for staging only with radios off
- Dimensions (W x L x H): 9.9 x 9.9 x 2.2 in (25.1 x 25.1 x 5.6 cm), excluding mounting brackets
- Form Factor: Indoor ceiling/wall-mount access point with internal antennas
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E with dedicated 6 GHz radio; High aggregate PHY rate of up to 10.2 Gbps; Two multigigabit uplinks (2.5G/5G) for higher wired throughput; 8x8 on 5 GHz radio with 802.3bt power; Dual-PoE port redundancy (one active, one standby); Integrated Bluetooth for IoT and location services; Supports 400 clients per radio and 1,200 per AP; Managed through Cisco Catalyst/IOS-XE wireless controllers and Cisco DNA tooling
- ✘ Cons: Wired uplink throughput capped at 5 Gbps even with both ports aggregated; Full performance requires 802.3bt (UPOE) power, which many switches may not provide; Thermal downgrade above 40 C ambient (5 GHz drops to 4x4, uplinks drop to 1G); Max client and throughput numbers are PHY or deployment-guide figures, not datasheet guarantees; Higher cost than Wi-Fi 6 entry-level APs, with reseller prices varying widely; Requires Cisco wireless controller infrastructure for full management features
- Est. Price: $1,966 - $3,010
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