Cisco wireless controller comparison
C9800-80-K9 vs CW9800H2
C9800-80-K9 and CW9800H2 retain 6,000-access-point and 64,000-client limits. The newer 1RU controller has two fixed 40G QSFP ports instead of a modular uplink bay, along with a higher throughput rating and lower maximum system power.
2models compared
31specs published for every model
14confirmed differences
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At a glance
Key specifications
Capacity, connectivity and performance at a glance.
| Specification | C9800-80-K9 | CW9800H2 |
|---|---|---|
Maximum Access PointsSame |
6,000 | 6,000 |
Maximum ClientsSame |
64,000 | 64,000 |
Maximum ThroughputDifferent |
80 Gbps | 100 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 |
6 x 10G SFP+; 2 x 1/10G SFP+ | 8 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 40G QSFP |
Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | C9800-80-K9 | CW9800H2 |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco Catalyst 9800-80 Wireless Controller | Cisco Catalyst CW9800H2 Wireless Controller |
| Scale and performance | ||
| Maximum Access Points | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Maximum Clients | 64,000 | 64,000 |
| Maximum Throughput | 80 Gbps | 100 Gbps |
| Maximum Site Tags | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| 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 | 6 x 10G SFP+; 2 x 1/10G SFP+Ports Te0/0/6 and Te0/0/7 also take 1G SFPs; the other six run at 10G only. | 8 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 40G QSFP |
| Modular Uplinks | Optional module: 18 x 1G SFP, 10 x 10G SFP+, 1 x 40G QSFP, 2 x 40G QSFP or 1 x 100GC9800-18X1GE, C9800-10X10GE, C9800-1X40GE, C9800-2X40GE or C9800-1X100GE; like the controller, the modules are no longer sold. | Not applicable |
| 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 | Dual 1,100 W AC or 950 W DC power supplies | Dual 750 W AC or 950 W DC power supplies |
| Power Redundancy | 1+1 with dual AC or DC power supplies | 1+1 with dual AC or DC power supplies |
| Maximum Power Consumption | 600 WWith uplink modules installed. | 500 W |
| Heat Dissipation | 2,047 BTU/h | 1,706 BTU/h |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Form Factor | 2RU | 1RU |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 88.1 × 439.4 × 520.7 mm | 43.9 × 444.5 × 504.7 mm |
| Weight | 14.29 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 9800-80 Wireless Controller Data Sheet and Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 and CW9800H2 Wireless Controllers 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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