Cisco wireless controller comparison
C9800-40-K9 vs CW9800M
C9800-40-K9 and CW9800M both support up to 32,000 clients in 1RU. The newer controller increases access-point capacity from 2,000 to 3,000, adds two 25G ports and raises the published throughput and FlexConnect per-site limits.
2models compared
31specs published for every model
13confirmed differences
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At a glance
Key specifications
Capacity, connectivity and performance at a glance.
| Specification | C9800-40-K9 | CW9800M |
|---|---|---|
Maximum Access PointsDifferent |
2,000 | 3,000 |
Maximum ClientsSame |
32,000 | 32,000 |
Maximum ThroughputDifferent |
40 Gbps | 50 Gbps |
Wi-Fi Standards and BandsSame |
Wi-Fi 5 Wave 2, Wi-Fi 6/6E and Wi-Fi 7 APs; 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz | Wi-Fi 5 Wave 2, Wi-Fi 6/6E and Wi-Fi 7 APs; 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz |
Wi-Fi 7 SupportSame |
From Cisco IOS XE 17.15.2, with Multi-Link Operation and 320 MHz channels in 6 GHz | From Cisco IOS XE 17.15.2, with Multi-Link Operation and 320 MHz channels in 6 GHz |
Uplink PortsDifferent |
4 x 1/10G SFP+ | 4 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 25G SFP28 |
Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | C9800-40-K9 | CW9800M |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco Catalyst 9800-40 Wireless Controller | Cisco Catalyst CW9800M Wireless Controller |
| Scale and performance | ||
| Maximum Access Points | 2,000 | 3,000 |
| Maximum Clients | 32,000 | 32,000 |
| Maximum Throughput | 40 Gbps | 50 Gbps |
| Maximum Site Tags | 2,000 | 3,000 |
| Maximum FlexConnect APs per Site | 100 | 300 |
| Maximum WLANs | 4,096 | 4,096 |
| Maximum VLANs | 4,096 | 4,096 |
| Wi-Fi and software | ||
| Wi-Fi Standards and Bands | Wi-Fi 5 Wave 2, Wi-Fi 6/6E and Wi-Fi 7 APs; 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E) access points need Cisco IOS XE 17.7.1 or later. | Wi-Fi 5 Wave 2, Wi-Fi 6/6E and Wi-Fi 7 APs; 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz |
| Wi-Fi 7 Support | From Cisco IOS XE 17.15.2, with Multi-Link Operation and 320 MHz channels in 6 GHzWi-Fi 7 WLANs need WPA3; from Cisco IOS XE 17.15.3 a WLAN that does not meet the Wi-Fi 7 requirements runs as 802.11ax. Each access point model has its own minimum release. | From Cisco IOS XE 17.15.2, with Multi-Link Operation and 320 MHz channels in 6 GHzWi-Fi 7 WLANs need WPA3; from Cisco IOS XE 17.15.3 a WLAN that does not meet the Wi-Fi 7 requirements runs as 802.11ax. Each access point model has its own minimum release. |
| Operating System | Cisco IOS XE | Cisco IOS XE |
| Minimum Software Release | Cisco IOS XE 16.10.1 | Cisco IOS XE 17.14.1 |
| Deployment Modes | Centralized, FlexConnect and fabric (SD-Access) | Centralized, FlexConnect and fabric (SD-Access) |
| Ports and interfaces | ||
| Uplink Ports | 4 x 1/10G SFP+ | 4 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 25G SFP28 |
| HA Redundancy Ports | 1 x RJ-45; 1 x 1G SFPSFP redundancy port optics: GLC-LH-SMD or GLC-SX-MMD. | 1 x RJ-45; 1 x 1/10G SFPSFP redundancy port optics: GLC-SX-MMD, GLC-LH-SMD, SFP-10G-SR, SFP-10G-SR-S, SFP-10G-LR or SFP-10G-LR-S. |
| Management Ports | 1 x RJ-45 service port | 1 x RJ-45 service port |
| Console Ports | 1 x RJ-45 console; 1 x mini-USB console | 1 x RJ-45 console; 1 x micro-USB console |
| USB Ports | 2 x USB 3.0 | 2 x USB 3.0 |
| High availability and power | ||
| Stateful Switchover (SSO) | Supported (1:1 active-standby) | Supported (1:1 active-standby) |
| N+1 Redundancy | Supported | Supported |
| Default Power Supply | Single 750 W AC power supply | Single 750 W AC power supply |
| Power Redundancy | 1+1 with an optional second AC power supply | 1+1 with an optional second AC power supply |
| Maximum Power Consumption | 381 W | 350 W |
| Heat Dissipation | 1,300 BTU/h | 1,194 BTU/h |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Form Factor | 1RU | 1RU |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 43.7 × 439.4 × 495.3 mm | 43.9 × 439.4 × 467.4 mm |
| Weight | 10.34 kg | 9.3 kg |
| Operating Temperature | 0 to 40 °C; 0 to 50 °C short term | 0 to 40 °C; 0 to 50 °C short term |
| Operating Humidity | 10% to 90%; 5% to 90% short term | 10% to 90%; 5% to 90% short term |
| Operating Altitude | Up to 3,000 m (10,000 ft) | Up to 3,000 m (10,000 ft) |
| Warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty |
Specifications from Cisco Catalyst 9800-40 Wireless Controller Data Sheet and Cisco Catalyst CW9800M Wireless Controller Data Sheet (checked 2026-10-11).
“Not published by Cisco” and “Not listed” indicate that a confirmed direct comparison is unavailable. These rows are not counted as confirmed differences.
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