Cisco wireless controller comparison
CW9800H1 vs CW9800H2
CW9800H1 and CW9800H2 share 6,000-AP, 64,000-client and 100 Gbps ratings. Both have eight 10G-capable SFP+ ports; the high-speed group differs between four 25G SFP28 ports and two 40G QSFP ports.
2models compared
31specs published for every model
2confirmed differences
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At a glance
Key specifications
Capacity, connectivity and performance at a glance.
| Specification | CW9800H1 | CW9800H2 |
|---|---|---|
Maximum Access PointsSame |
6,000 | 6,000 |
Maximum ClientsSame |
64,000 | 64,000 |
Maximum ThroughputSame |
100 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 |
8 x 1/10G SFP+; 4 x 25G SFP28 | 8 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 40G QSFP |
Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | CW9800H1 | CW9800H2 |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 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 | 100 Gbps | 100 Gbps |
| Maximum Site Tags | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Maximum FlexConnect APs per Site | 300 | 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 GHz | 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 17.14.1 | 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 | 8 x 1/10G SFP+; 4 x 25G SFP28 | 8 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 40G QSFP |
| HA Redundancy Ports | 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. | 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 micro-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 750 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 | 500 W | 500 W |
| Heat Dissipation | 1,706 BTU/h | 1,706 BTU/h |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Form Factor | 1RU | 1RU |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 43.9 × 444.5 × 504.7 mm | 43.9 × 444.5 × 504.7 mm |
| Weight | 9.3 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 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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