Primary Device
Cisco Catalyst CW9174
★ 3.7 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
- Spatial Streams (MIMO): 10 (2x2:2 @ 2.4GHz, 4x4:4 @ 5GHz, 4x4:4 @ 6GHz)
- Aggregate Throughput: 17.5 Gbps
- Radios (bands): Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz) + Dedicated Scanning + IoT
- Uplink Port Speed: 1x 100M/1G/2.5G/5G Multigigabit
- Max Clients: 768 (256 per radio)
- Poe Requirement: 802.3at (PoE+) or 802.3bt (UPOE)
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Next-generation Wi-Fi 7 support with 320 MHz channels for extreme throughput; Penta-radio architecture with dedicated AI/ML scanning and IoT radios; Unified management allows switching between Catalyst Center (on-prem) and Meraki Dashboard (cloud).
- ✘ Cons: Significant initial hardware investment and ongoing subscription licensing (DNA/Meraki) costs; Requires high-power PoE++ or UPOE for full feature set and performance; Overkill for standard office environments without high-density 6GHz clients.
- Est. Price: $1,100 - $1,300
Compare Against
Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro Wall
★ 5.0 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
- Spatial Streams (MIMO): 6 total (2x2 MIMO on 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands)
- Aggregate Throughput: 10.7 Gbps
- Radios (bands): Tri-band (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz)
- Uplink Port Speed: 2.5 GbE RJ45
- Max Clients: 300+
- PoE Requirement: PoE+ (802.3at)
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Supports the full Wi-Fi 7 standard including the 6 GHz band for low-latency performance; Massive 10.7 Gbps aggregate throughput; 2.5 GbE uplink prevents bottlenecking; Slim, aesthetically pleasing wall-mount design with optional table stand.
- ✘ Cons: Lacks the integrated Ethernet switch/passthrough ports found on previous 'In-Wall' models; Requires PoE+ power due to higher 22W max consumption; Runs noticeably warm during operation.
- Est. Price: $199 - $229