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MIMO upgrade for Aironet 1200 series?

sorvarit
Level 1
Level 1

Is there any chance we see any MIMO upgrade for Aironet 1200 series? The AP has already two antennas connected to a replaceable mini-pci radio. This would be very appealing instead of swapping to new APs then Cisco implement this new technology in their enterprise products. In a environmental issue this would be good. Why ship boxy cardboxes with bulky hardware around the globe if we could avoid it?

7 Replies 7

j-block
Level 4
Level 4

software upgrades fail when you use the web-browser interface to install Cisco IOS Release 12.3(4)JA on 1200 series access points. The image size exceeds the access point's 4-MB restriction for software upgrades. Use TFTP to upgrade your 1200

series access point to this release. Install the .tar file on your TFTP server and use the following command,

AP# archive download-sw /force-reload /overwrite tftp://ip-address/image-name

russ.michel
Level 1
Level 1

While I have no knowledge of Cisco's plans, it is probable that the 1200 series APs would be upgradeable to 802.11n & MIMO, IMHO. It won't likely be by using the mini-PCI slot (used for b/g radios). The expansion slot currently used for 802.11a radios would be the likely means of doing a .11n upgrade. If Cisco does it this way, the mini-PCI b/g radio would probably be automatically disabled if IOS detects a .11n module, since the EWC proposal for .11n includes full b/g backward compatibility. The .11n module would have it's own antenna connectors, I'd think.

Accoridng to our cisco rep, 802.11n is not finalize yet but I'm sure they would trash the 1200 to buy a new one. I guess that the cisco way of doing things. It would be really nice if the 1200's would be upgradable.

croeske2728
Level 1
Level 1

I wouldn't be sure on a chassis replacement. If you are running the 1200/1231 chassis, it has the standard mini-pci, and a future expansion slot. Of course that assumes that existing arcitechture in the chassis can support the new circuitry.

FYI, I can almost guarantee the 1231 won't support it, due to memory limitations. The 1231s are not even supporting the latest features with LWAPP code on them. Also keep in mind that Cisco could not get away with upgrading 1231s and not 1242s, since they have been pushing people to move to 1242s now.

Similarly, the 1242s are not upgradable (they would have to be taken apart just to get to the innards).

I think it is safe to say we have not yet seen a Cisco AP that will provide those capabilities. Sorry to dissapoint you.

-Eric

brhedlun
Level 1
Level 1

There are no plans to equip 1231 or 1242 APs with 11n radios. Future 11n support will be in a new platform.

Having said that, keep in mind 802.11n is NOT a ratified IEEE standard. The IEEE committee has pushed back ratification to 2008 with possibility of slipping to 2009. Don't expect Cisco to market and sell pre-standard 11n equipment as it is very likely the standard will change several times before ratification. I would advise against making any investment in so called "draft 11n" equipment as it will be quickly obsoleted.

Brad

Thanks for the reply Brad. I was not clear if I could say for sure due to NDA. After I saw your post I confirmed that I was able to say. You are correct, that no existing equipment will see any upgrades, including 1231s, 1242s, and 1131s.

I agree also that N is a long way away. I am currently deploying a huge wireless network, and we know that not only would N be a new set of equipment, but also a whole new site survey. Since it is years away from being a reality in the enterprise, I am not even tracking it right now, except for possible home use.

-Eric

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