Deployment questions AP541N

[m.junghage]

I was contacted by a client who runs a hotel with several smaller buildings spread across 1,5 km radius. They want to be able to provide wifi coverage for thier customers staying at the hotel and also for the employees. I've previously worked with the WLC series to offer these functions and now I noticed that the AP541N offers this functionality for far less money.

I'm thinking of using 5-8 AP541N to cover the areas needed with wifi and linking the units with the existing fibercable that runs between the buildings.

Questions:

1. Is clustering the answer to the customers needs?

2. Do I need Cisco switches to connect the AP:s or will any brand do? (i.e Do I need to replace the customer existing switches)

3. Larger hotels prints out a timebased passkey to customers, is there a such a feature available in any Cisco solution?

Best regards

Markus

[Glenn Quesenberry]

I can't provide you with a definitive yes or no answer to your question on whether or not the AP541N Clustering AP is the right solution for your oppty.  Just don't have enough details about it.  However what I can say is that the AP541N does not provide a time-based pw function, the higher-end Cisco wireless solutions with a wireless controller do however.  Also the maximum number of AP541N APs you can cluster is 10.  Also you don't necessarily need to have Cisco switches but if you are going to power them via PoE you will need to ensure whatever PoE switch you use is 802.3af compliant.  However if you implement the AP541N APs with the Cisco Small Business ESW switches you can use the same configuration/discovery tool for both the APs & switches; Cisco Configuration Assistant (CCA).