PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Cisco Catalyst 9136
Cisco Catalyst 9136
★ 3.2 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 2.4GHz: 4x4, 5GHz: 8x8, 6GHz: 4x4
  • Aggregate Throughput: 10.2 Gbps
  • Radios (bands): Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz)
  • Uplink Port Speed: Dual 5 Gbps mGig
  • Max Clients: 1,200 (400 per radio)
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3bt (UPOE+) or dual 802.3at (47.3W)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Industry-first Wi-Fi 6E support with 6 GHz band; massive 10.2 Gbps aggregate capacity; dual mGig ports for redundancy; built-in environmental sensors (Air Quality, Temp, Humidity).
  • ✘ Cons: High entry price and recurring DNA licensing costs; heavy power draw requiring PoE++ (802.3bt); large physical footprint.
  • Est. Price: $2,050 - $3,660

Compare Against

Ubiquiti U7 Pro
Ubiquiti U7 Pro
★ 4.9 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)
  • Aggregate Throughput: 9.3 Gbps (5.8 Gbps 6GHz, 4.3 Gbps 5GHz, 688 Mbps 2.4GHz)
  • Radios (bands): Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6 GHz)
  • Uplink Port Speed: 2.5 GbE RJ45
  • Max Clients: 300+
  • PoE Requirement: PoE+ (802.3at)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: WiFi 7 support with 6 GHz band and 320 MHz channels; 2.5 GbE uplink prevents bottlenecks; Exceptional value-to-performance ratio; Seamless UniFi ecosystem integration.
  • ✘ Cons: Only 2x2 MIMO on 5 GHz band (reduction from U6 Pro's 4x4); Requires higher power PoE+; Includes an internal cooling fan which may concern some users for long-term reliability.
  • Est. Price: $189 - $210

Popular Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst 9136 vs Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro Max Cisco Catalyst 9136 vs Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro Wall Cisco Catalyst 9136 vs Ubiquiti U7 Pro Max Cisco Catalyst 9136 vs Ubiquiti U7 Pro Cisco Catalyst 9136 vs Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro