Cisco wireless controller comparison
CW9800H1 vs CW9800M
CW9800H1 doubles the AP, client and throughput limits of CW9800M in 1RU, with twice the 10G and 25G port counts. It also supports dual AC or DC power configurations, while the medium controller uses AC and needs an optional second supply for redundancy.
2models compared
31specs published for every model
11confirmed differences
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At a glance
Key specifications
Capacity, connectivity and performance at a glance.
| Specification | CW9800H1 | CW9800M |
|---|---|---|
Maximum Access PointsDifferent |
6,000 | 3,000 |
Maximum ClientsDifferent |
64,000 | 32,000 |
Maximum ThroughputDifferent |
100 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 |
8 x 1/10G SFP+; 4 x 25G SFP28 | 4 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 25G SFP28 |
Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | CW9800H1 | CW9800M |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco Catalyst CW9800H1 Wireless Controller | Cisco Catalyst CW9800M Wireless Controller |
| Scale and performance | ||
| Maximum Access Points | 6,000 | 3,000 |
| Maximum Clients | 64,000 | 32,000 |
| Maximum Throughput | 100 Gbps | 50 Gbps |
| Maximum Site Tags | 6,000 | 3,000 |
| 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 | 4 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 25G SFP28 |
| 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 | Single 750 W AC power supply |
| Power Redundancy | 1+1 with dual AC or DC power supplies | 1+1 with an optional second AC power supply |
| Maximum Power Consumption | 500 W | 350 W |
| Heat Dissipation | 1,706 BTU/h | 1,194 BTU/h |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Form Factor | 1RU | 1RU |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 43.9 × 444.5 × 504.7 mm | 43.9 × 439.4 × 467.4 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 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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