C8355-G2 – 4x10G SFP/SFP+ – 4x5G mGig UPOE+ – 120W PoE Budget with Upgrade PSU
Established Global IT Distributor
With over a decade of industry experience, we are a certified Cisco Partner delivering genuine enterprise networking hardware and trusted services to system integrators, ISPs, and enterprises worldwide.
C8355-G2 Description
The C8355-G2 is the fixed-platform member of the Cisco 8300 Series Secure Routers, built for large branch sites that terminate a high-throughput WAN without needing a chassis that accepts service modules. Cisco lays out its ports in three groups rather than as uplinks and downlinks: 2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ and 2 x 5G multigigabit RJ45 on the WAN side, 2 x 5G multigigabit RJ45 and 2 x 1G RJ45 as Flex ports that can face either direction, and 2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ on the LAN side. Four of the multigigabit ports are UPoE+ capable, but the router ships with a 110W AC external adapter that carries no PoE, so powering endpoints means ordering the 230W AC + PoE supply and its 120W budget. Forwarding runs at 38 Gbps, and the only module slot is a single PIM for cellular.
Quick Specs
|
Parameter |
Specification |
|---|---|
|
Product ID |
C8355-G2 |
|
WAN ports |
2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ and 2 x 5G mGig RJ45 with 2x UPoE+ |
|
Flex ports |
2 x 5G mGig RJ45 with 2x UPoE+ and 2 x 1G RJ45 |
|
LAN ports |
2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ |
|
Expansion slots |
None; cellular PIM only |
|
Cellular slot |
1 x PIM |
|
Power Supply (Default – Dual PSU) |
110W AC external adapter |
|
Power Supply (Upgrade options) |
230W AC + PoE |
|
Default PoE budget |
None; the default 110W AC adapter carries no PoE |
|
Maximum PoE budget with the 230W AC + PoE supply |
120W |
|
Forwarding throughput |
38 Gbps at 512 bytes |
|
DRAM |
16 GB, fixed |
|
Minimum software release |
Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1 |
Product Performance
Key Features
All four 5G multigigabit ports are UPoE+ capable, but the default 110W adapter carries no PoE at all, so the endpoint plan and the power supply line have to be settled together rather than treated as separate order decisions.
The two 10G SFP/SFP+ WAN ports are matched by two more on the LAN side, so a large branch can terminate a 10G circuit and hand off at 10G internally without consuming the multigigabit copper ports that carry PoE.
Two 5G multigigabit ports and two 1G RJ45 ports are documented as Flex rather than fixed WAN or LAN, so a site that gains a second circuit or an extra segment after install can re-face those ports without a hardware change.
Cisco states that only cellular modules are supported on this router, and the single PIM slot is its only module bay, so the NIM and SM modules that the rest of the 8300 line accepts cannot be added here at any point in the life of the box.
DRAM is 16 GB and fixed rather than upgradeable, so feature growth over the deployment life has to fit inside that figure, while storage can still move from the default 16 GB up to 32 GB, 600 GB or 2 TB at order time.
The operating range is 0 to 40 degrees C at sea level with no altitude derating table published, which is a narrower envelope than the rest of the 8300 line and rules the router out of high-altitude sites without site cooling data.
Application Scenarios
Deployed at branch sites that terminate a 10G circuit and hand traffic off internally at 10G, with the multigigabit copper ports serving the local access layer.
Installed where the single PIM slot carries a 5G or CAT7 LTE pluggable as a backup or primary path alongside the wired WAN ports.
Placed where branch cameras, access points or phones draw UPoE+ from the router itself, in sites that have ordered the 230W AC + PoE supply.
Product Comparison
|
Parameter |
C8355-G2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Platform type |
Fixed platform, 1 RU |
Modular platform, 1 RU |
Desktop |
|
WAN ports |
2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ and 2 x 5G mGig RJ45 (2x UPoE+) |
2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ and 4 x 2.5G mGig RJ45 (2x UPoE+) |
2x 1/10 GE SFP+ and 2x 2.5 GE mGig RJ-45 (2x UPOE+) |
|
Flex ports |
2 x 5G mGig RJ45 (2x UPoE+) and 2 x 1G RJ45 |
Not present on this platform |
2x 2.5 GE mGig RJ-45 (2x PoE+) |
|
LAN ports |
2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ |
Not present on this platform |
4x 2.5 GE mGig RJ-45 |
|
Expansion slots |
No NIM or SM bay |
1 x NIM and 1 x SM |
No NIM or SM bay |
|
Cellular slot |
1 x PIM |
1 x PIM |
1 x PIM |
|
Power Supply (Default – Dual PSU) |
110W AC external adapter |
400W AC internal FRU |
66W AC external adapter |
|
Power Supply (Upgrade options) |
230W AC + PoE |
760W AC + PoE; 500W DC |
230W AC for PoE |
|
Default PoE budget |
None; the default supply carries no PoE |
None; the default supply carries no PoE |
None; the default supply carries no PoE |
|
Maximum PoE budget with the PoE supply |
120W with the 230W AC + PoE supply |
360W with the 760W AC + PoE supply |
120W with the 230W AC for PoE supply |
|
Forwarding throughput |
38 Gbps |
38 Gbps |
19 Gbps |
|
SD-WAN throughput |
8.7 Gbps |
12 Gbps |
4 Gbps |
|
Threat protection throughput |
3.9 Gbps |
7 Gbps |
2.4 Gbps |
|
DRAM |
16 GB, fixed |
16 GB, upgradeable to 32 GB |
16 GB |
|
Chassis weight |
9.25 lbs |
14.3 lbs |
7 lbs |
|
Minimum software release |
Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1 |
Cisco IOS XE 17.15.3 |
Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1 |
- C8355-G2 and C8375-E-G2 forward at the same 38 Gbps, so raw routing capacity is not what separates them. The split is expansion and PoE headroom: C8375-E-G2 adds 1 NIM and 1 SM slot and a 360W PoE budget on its 760W supply, while C8355-G2 has no module bay beyond cellular and tops out at a 120W budget, which is the right trade only when the port layout on the faceplate is the final one.
- Where C8355-G2 pulls ahead of C8375-E-G2 is the faceplate itself. It carries 2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ on the LAN side and four Flex and 1G ports that C8375-E-G2 does not have at all, so a site needing 10G in both directions gets it natively here, while on C8375-E-G2 the same layout has to be bought as a NIM.
- Dropping to C8235-G2 halves forwarding to 19 Gbps and moves the box to a desktop form factor at 7 lbs, but keeps the same 120W PoE budget and the same 16 GB of DRAM. A branch that needs UPoE+ and cellular but not the 38 Gbps tier gets the same power envelope for less capacity, and C8355-G2 only earns its place once the WAN circuit actually exceeds what 19 Gbps covers.
- For deciding which SKU to order, settle whether a service module will ever be required first, because that single answer moves the order to C8375-E-G2 and cannot be revisited later; then size forwarding against the circuit to separate C8355-G2 from C8235-G2. PoE budget does not break the tie between C8355-G2 and C8235-G2, since both stop at 120W.
Selection Guide
1. When The Faceplate Is Already The Final Layout
C8355-G2 has no NIM or SM bay, so every port it will ever have is fitted at purchase; a design that may need serial, DSL, async or a switch module later has to start on C8375-E-G2, because no adapter or carrier card retrofits a module slot onto this chassis.
2. The 120W Ceiling Against Four UPoE+ Ports
Four ports are UPoE+ capable but the upgrade supply carries a 120W budget, so the four ports cannot all draw full UPoE+ at once; a site planning more than roughly one full-power endpoint plus headroom should size against 120W rather than against the port count.
3. The PoE Supply Is A Separate Line Item
The default configuration is a 110W AC external adapter with no PoE, so the 230W AC + PoE supply is what makes the UPoE+ ports usable; leaving it off the order produces a working router whose powered ports stay dark until a second order lands.
4. Software Floor Is Higher Than Its Own Series Sibling
C8355-G2 starts at Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1 and Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager 20.18.1, while C8375-E-G2 starts at 17.15.3 and 20.15.3; an estate standardised on a 17.15 train can adopt C8375-E-G2 immediately but has to qualify a newer image before this model enters service.
5. Cellular Pluggable Is Chosen By Region
The single PIM slot takes P-5GS6-R16SA-GL for 5G SA globally, or the CAT7 LTE pluggables split by region as P-LTEA7-NA, P-LTEA7-EAL and P-LTEA7-JP, so the cellular line item is decided by where the branch sits rather than by the router model.
PoE Power Planning
|
Planning Item |
Value or Check |
|---|---|
|
PoE on the default supply |
None; the default 110W AC external adapter carries no PoE budget |
|
PoE budget with the upgrade supply |
120W with the 230W AC + PoE power supply |
|
UPoE+ capable ports |
4 multigigabit ports, 2 on the WAN side and 2 on the Flex side |
|
Device count check |
Confirm total endpoint draw across the four UPoE+ ports against the 120W budget, since the budget is well below four ports at full UPoE+ |
|
Power supply line item |
Confirm the 230W AC + PoE supply is on the order whenever any port must deliver power |
|
Dual supply input |
Confirm both power supply inputs are cabled if the site requires supply redundancy |
Ordering Checklist
|
Check Item |
What to Confirm |
Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
|
PoE power supply |
Confirm the 230W AC + PoE supply is on the order when any endpoint draws power from the router. |
The default 110W adapter has no PoE budget, so the UPoE+ ports stay unpowered until that supply arrives. |
|
Software image floor |
Confirm the target image is Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1 or later and the manager is Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager 20.18.1 or later. |
Staging on an earlier train leaves the router unsupported even though the hardware is installed. |
|
Cellular pluggable region |
Confirm the PIM matches the deployment region, choosing P-5GS6-R16SA-GL, P-LTEA7-NA, P-LTEA7-EAL or P-LTEA7-JP. |
A pluggable outside its documented region will not attach to the local carrier bands. |
|
Storage capacity |
Confirm whether the default 16 GB is sufficient or whether 32 GB, 600 GB or 2 TB is required. |
Storage is fixed at order time and DRAM is not upgradeable, so undersizing cannot be corrected in place. |
|
Site altitude and ambient |
Confirm the site stays inside 0 to 40 degrees C at sea level. |
Cisco publishes no altitude derating table for this model, so a high-altitude site needs separate thermal confirmation. |
|
Rack depth |
Confirm the rack clears 11.49 in. of chassis depth plus cabling. |
The 1 RU chassis is shallower than the modular sibling, and a plan sized for the deeper body wastes rack planning. |
Optional Add-ons
|
Add-on |
Description |
|---|---|
|
P-5GS6-R16SA-GL |
5G Sub-6 GHz Pluggable, 5G SA Global. |
|
P-LTEA7-NA |
CAT7 LTE Advanced Pluggable, North America. |
|
P-LTEA7-EAL |
CAT7 LTE Advanced Pluggable, EMEA, APAC and LATAM. |
|
P-LTEA7-JP |
CAT7 LTE Advanced Pluggable, Japan. |
Specifications
| Parameter | Specification | Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product ID | C8355-G2 | Platform type | Fixed platform, 1 RU |
| Series | Cisco 8300 Series Secure Routers | WAN ports | 2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ and 2 x 5G mGig RJ45 with 2x UPoE+ |
| Flex ports | 2 x 5G mGig RJ45 with 2x UPoE+ and 2 x 1G RJ45 | LAN Ports | 2 x 10G SFP/SFP+ |
| Expansion Slots | No NIM or SM bay; cellular PIM only | Cellular Slot | 1 x PIM |
| Management Port | 1 x RJ45 out-of-band management | Console port | 1 x RJ45 and 1 x Micro-USB |
| Storage interface | USB 3.0 Type C | Asset tag | RFID |
| DRAM | 16 GB, fixed | Storage | 16 GB default, with 32 GB, 600 GB and 2 TB options |
| Power Supply (Default – Dual PSU) | 110W AC external adapter | Power Supply (Upgrade options) | 230W AC + PoE |
| Default PoE budget | None; the default 110W AC adapter carries no PoE | Maximum PoE budget with the 230W AC + PoE supply | 120W |
| Typical Power Consumption | 45W with the default supply and no modules | Input voltage | AC: 85 to 264 VAC |
| Forwarding (512B) | 38 Gbps | IPsec (512B) | 20 Gbps |
| SD-WAN (512B) | 8.7 Gbps | Threat Protection (EMIX) | 3.9 Gbps |
| SD-WAN measurement basis | IPsec, QoS, Deep Packet Inspection and Flexible NetFlow enabled | Threat Protection measurement basis | 100% DIA-NAT, NGFW, IPS, URLF and AMP enabled |
| IPv4/IPv6 routes | 2M | IPsec tunnels | 3500 |
| IPv4 ACLs | 4000 | IPv4 ACEs | 20K |
| NAT Sessions | 1.5M | VRFs | 4000 |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 1.73 in x 17.5 in x 11.49 in | Rack Units (RU) | 1 RU |
| Chassis weight | 9.25 lbs | Operating temperature | 0 to 40 degrees C (32 to 104 degrees F) at sea level |
| Storage temperature | -40 to 70 degrees C (-40 to 158 degrees F) | Minimum device OS | Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1 |
| Minimum SD-WAN Manager release | Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager 20.18.1 | Supported modules | Cellular PIM only: P-5GS6-R16SA-GL, P-LTEA7-NA, P-LTEA7-EAL, P-LTEA7-JP |
Get More Information
Need pricing, stock, or shipping details for the C8355-G2 ? Layer23-Switch can help you check current availability, lead time, and delivery options for this. Send us the part number, quantity, and destination country via live chat or email sales@layer23-switch.com for a fast quotation.
Quality Certifications
Customer Reviews
Questions & Answers
-
Can C8355-G2 use the NIM and SM cards supported by C8375-E-G2?
-
How are the four C8355-G2 optical 10G ports assigned?
-
What power supply enables PoE on C8355-G2?
-
Can all four C8355-G2 UPOE+ ports each supply the full 120W budget?
-
Is C8355-G2 as fast as C8375-E-G2 for SD-WAN and security?
-
Can C8355-G2 DRAM be upgraded to 32 GB?
-
Which module adds 5G backup to C8355-G2?
-
How much rack depth does C8355-G2 need compared with C8375-E-G2?
Warranty
Layer23-Switch.com offers genuine, high-quality ICT products at competitive wholesale prices—ensuring exceptional value without compromising quality.
All items are brand new, original, and factory-sealed.
Upon request, each unit can be fully tested and verified by a Cisco CCIE-certified engineer to ensure perfect working condition before shipment.
Our Cisco CCIE-certified experts provide free professional support via phone, email, online chat, or remote login—helping you deploy and troubleshoot with confidence.
If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you may request an exchange or full refund. Our customer service team will guide you through the return process quickly and smoothly. Visit Return Policy page for more information.
We support multiple secure payment and logistics options, backed by industry-leading verification:
Visit How to Pay page for more information
Extended, Worry-Free Warranty Coverage Factory New Sealed Enterprise Hardware:
· 3 Years Factory New Sealed
Visit Warranty Policy page for more information
Verify, plan, and comparewith confidence
Use practical tools to check device details, review lifecyclemilestones, and compare hardware before you buy.
Standard Services
Personalized Service, Superior Product Maintenance for Ultimate Satisfaction.
- Projects and Technical Support
- Easy Purchasing Supply
- Product Lifecycle Protection
- Exclusive F3 Team Support
Customized Support for Your Needs with CCIE, HCIE, HPE ASE, etc.