Cisco wireless controller comparison
CW9800L vs CW9800M
CW9800L is a half-width controller rated for 500 APs and 10 Gbps; CW9800M is full-width with 3,000-AP capacity, 50 Gbps and 25G uplinks. The smaller platform has fewer site tags but a higher listed FlexConnect AP limit per site.
2models compared
30specs published for every model
20confirmed differences
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At a glance
Key specifications
Capacity, connectivity and performance at a glance.
| Specification | CW9800L | CW9800M |
|---|---|---|
Maximum Access PointsDifferent |
500 | 3,000 |
Maximum ClientsDifferent |
10,000 | 32,000 |
Maximum ThroughputDifferent |
10 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 SupportDifferent |
From its first release (Cisco IOS XE 17.18.2), 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 |
2 x 1/10G SFP+ | 4 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 25G SFP28 |
Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | CW9800L | CW9800M |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco CW9800L Wireless Controller | Cisco Catalyst CW9800M Wireless Controller |
| Scale and performance | ||
| Maximum Access Points | 500 | 3,000 |
| Maximum Clients | 10,000 | 32,000 |
| Maximum Throughput | 10 Gbps | 50 Gbps |
| Maximum Site Tags | 250 | 3,000 |
| Maximum FlexConnect APs per Site | 400 | 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 its first release (Cisco IOS XE 17.18.2), 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 17.18.2 | 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 | 2 x 1/10G SFP+ | 4 x 1/10G SFP+; 2 x 25G SFP28 |
| HA Redundancy Ports | 1 x RJ-45 | 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 | 1 x USB 3.0 Type-C | 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 | Not published by Cisco | Supported |
| Default Power Supply | 110 W external AC adapter (C9800-AC-110W) | Single 750 W AC power supply |
| Power Redundancy | Optional CW9800L-RPS= redundant power kit | 1+1 with an optional second AC power supply |
| Maximum Power Consumption | 90 WMeasured with a 4.5 W USB load. | 350 W |
| Heat Dissipation | 307.2 BTU/h | 1,194 BTU/h |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Form Factor | 1RU, half-widthTwo units fit on the CW9800L-RMNT 1RU shelf when neither uses the redundant power supply. | 1RU |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 40.2 × 216 × 234.7 mm | 43.9 × 439.4 × 467.4 mm |
| Weight | 2.1 kg | 9.3 kg |
| Operating Temperature | 0 to 40 °C | 0 to 40 °C; 0 to 50 °C short term |
| Operating Humidity | 5% to 95% | 10% to 90%; 5% to 90% short term |
| Operating Altitude | Up to 3,048 m (10,000 ft)Rated at 30 °C. | Up to 3,000 m (10,000 ft) |
| Warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty |
Specifications from Cisco CW9800L 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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