Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller Enterprise Deployment
We have a N + 1 deployment of Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller. We have over 8000 Cisco Access Points that are connected to the controller.
Overview
What is Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller?
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is a highly scalable, service-rich, resilient, and flexible platform. It provides centralized control, management, and troubleshooting for high-scale deployments in service provide, enterprise, and large campus deployments.
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What is Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller?
Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller Technical Details
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
|---|---|
| Mobile Application | No |
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Reviews
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November 27, 2023
Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller Enterprise Deployment
We have a N + 1 deployment of Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller. We have over 8000 Cisco Access Points that are connected to the controller.
- Comprehensive Radius integration
- Scalable Deployments
- Flexible Configuration
- Code upgrades while in redundancy mode is cumbersome
- Support of older access points is discontinued
- Keeping configurations between primary and secondary controllers is difficult
April 04, 2022
Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller Provides Uninterrupted and Fast Connectivity at [an] Economical Cost!
We are using Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller across the whole organization as a router for ensuring the best wireless connectivity among all departments and all cloud resources. It has resolved most of our networking and cloud connectivity issues. It has also eliminated our issues related to bandwidth and uptime. It is providing us uninterrupted connectivity to our databases and other cloud resources at faster speeds and [with] ultimate security. Overall, we found it a very economical solution.
- Faster access to the databases
- Faster access to cloud resources
- Very good uptime
- Bandwidth issues eradicated
- Uninterrupted connectivity
- Ultimate security
- Lacks in VPN protocols
February 18, 2022
Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller, built to last!
We use the 8540 Cisco Wireless Controller to manage our wireless access points throughout the campus. The controller makes it easy to manage the over 600 access points we have. the controller integrates with our Cisco prime infrastructure and allows us to easily see coverage and bandwidth problems. The scope of our wireless service covers all students faculty and staff including visitors when on campus for various events.
- Manages multiple access points.
- Easily push out WAP code updates.
- Easily deploy new SSIds.
- Easier to integrate with Cisco ACS.
- Redundant power supplies.
- Third party integrations.
October 22, 2021
Most Durable Network Provider
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Cisco Routers are considered the best Routers. [They] provide a lot in Routing & Throughput Services. I have used Cisco Routers for the configuration of Site to Site VPN for secure connection to our sub-branches, which provides a secure network over the organization. Also, it is used for providing DHCP options for access points and LAN users. Hence, it serves a secure connection and provides [the] best security on a network.
- Throughput of the interface is excellent.
- [It] supports multiple routing protocols.
- [It] provides good bandwidth.
- [It is] easy to configure.
- It provides [a] limited number of ports. For multiple networks, we need to add extra interface.
- [It is] costly compared to other similar products available in [the] market.
October 19, 2021
Robust and Reliable Networking Experience
We use Cisco routers in our projects mostly
because they’re known for better resource management over better wireless connectivity. [The] Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller provides control, management, and diagnosing under one roof for service providers and large project deployments. [The] Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller offers the pliability to support various deployment
modes in the same controller. Also, this can be a very economical solution as it provides
consecutive connectivity to network databases and other resources in the cloud efficiently
with more secure packets.
- Super scalability with the support [of] over 1000 access points and over 15000 clients
- Integrated services for application control and transparency and software-based segmentation with accuracy
- Ability to develop highly secure mobile server strategy and infrastructure with available services
- Implementation cost is high.
- [The] user interfaces seem old-fashioned and can be improved.
- Their Software Defined Networking approach is good, but slowly evolving.
October 12, 2021
A Pleasure to Use, as well as a Sound Decision!
Since its beginnings, the Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller has served as our router for wireless connectivity to the company's networks. We use it throughout the organization and have solved spare capacity and cloud connectivity concerns for critical components, such as servers and databases. Cisco [8540] Wireless Controller is the most comprehensive and it’s what I’ve been using. As compared with other manufacturer's products, it offers advanced functionality and integration. It comes with excellent documentation and is easy to understand. Even the oldest controllers can still support the latest APs. It works thanks to the Cisco infrastructure. It can deliver high performance when the Wi-Fi tuning is done correctly.
- The installation and maintenance of the wireless network are straightforward and reliable.
- It can handle more than a thousand APs simultaneously without compromising network performance. Additionally, it allows us to have full control and flexibility over all access points.
- Many cloud connectivity issues have been addressed, including multi-protocol compatibility with security features.
- Wireless range should be extended and pricing should [possibly] be reconsidered for some organizations.
- Some complex configurations can be hard to get and set up without professional assistance.
- The location of the device can have a significant effect on the wireless signal. Some VPN solutions may be available by default.
October 11, 2021
Reliable Network Access for the System
The [Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller]s are being implemented and are used across
our organization. It has solved our problem of weak and slow internet. After
using Cisco Router, we are having fun with the fast speed network access [now that] it has become easy for us to perform our tasks. In short, it is a
perfect solution to address all the network-related business problems like
security.
- We can prioritize the traffic that is beneficial for us and limit unwanted traffic.
- The network [is] pretty reliable and, above all, the most secure.
- The routing protocols are easily managed and supported using Cisco.
- Documentation
- Pricing
- Prolonged installation time
October 07, 2021
Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller - Enhanced Network Performance
The IT department of our organization [has been] using [the] Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller since last year for providing wireless connectivity and resolution of networking issues among all departments in our organization. It is highly efficient to eliminate bandwidth-related issues and provides fast connectivity to our databases deployed on cloud infrastructure. It ensures network security and fast network speed. It is, overall, an economical solution against its latest and modern alternatives.
- [It provides] network security.
- [It provides] faster network speed.
- Price is economical against its modern alternatives.
- [It is] scalable to match the change in requirements.
- [It offers] excellent network performance.
- [It has] excellent connectivity to the cloud resources.
- Built-in VPN protocols are necessary but missing.
May 20, 2021
Cisco 8540 [Wireless Controller] Wifi Greatness
This product is currently being used by the Accounting department on campus. It's primarily used to address all of the department's connection needs. We can get more information for the required MAC Address of the users/clients on the current session. We can set it up based on our requirements and have our own restrictions and grant access for a particular MAC address or a user.
- Strong reliable connection
- User-friendly GUI
- Good overall cost of the device
- The Wireless Range could be wider.
- The positioning of the device has great effect on the wireless signal.
- It can be hard to setup.
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller has been used by our organization for many years as our main router for wireless connectivity of our employees' systems. It is used by the whole organization and efficiently solved the bandwidth issues and cloud connectivity of major accessories like servers, databases, etc. I had a great experience overall by using it, as I always had a fast connection even at the highest data traffic times.
- It uses the latest wifi 6 specifications, which include improved bandwidth.
- It has the capacity of more than a thousand APs at a time without degrading the network capabilities.
- It effectively solved many problems with cloud connectivity [and] no major notable issues in our system.
- [It doesn't] have built-in VPN protocols.
- [I would appreciate] per-device usage logs of particular applications.
May 04, 2021
[The] Best Routers Out There!
These routers are best in terms of security and network speed. This series of routers gives some of the best features, like high performance and high density. [They] provide excellent scalability and are also very good economically. They are designed and programmed in such a way that they won’t allow traffic from unwanted sources, like outsiders and cyber hackers.
- Connectivity speed
- Secure connection
- Efficient and effective
- Not easy to configure on your own
- [A] bit costly for small enterprises
- Sophisticated and complex to install
January 15, 2021
Give a boost to your business with this controller
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is one of the best things to get a good wireless experience on Windows, iOS, and Android. I have worked mostly on Windows for last four years and never experienced any compromise on speed for all the access points. This can be a more valuable way to monitor any access point and manage it. It has a leading position in the queue due to flexible RF settings. When we use the second-layer redundancy, we are unable to connect to a secondary wireless LAN controller over UI.
- Wireless management
- You can upgrade different modes within the same controller
- Interface is user friendly
- This is quite expensive
- Most of the time if errors occur, it gives very few details about them
January 10, 2021
Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is a beast!
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is being used to monitor and access APs within the network and office. It's monitored and maintained by the IT department but we have guest networks that users connect to. So any issues go through IT. It makes management a whole lot easier.
- Monitoring
- Security
- Deployment
- Cost
- Implementation
- Setup
December 21, 2020
One fantastic wireless controller for the enterprise--Cisco 8540
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is high speed controller for networking mostly for large organizations.With flex connect, it is used with access points for many big groups in our organization. Its highly secure wireless and guest access is very secure. Its interface is very easy to adapt and is very secure. It allows for deploying multiple access points, which is a great pro for a WLAN.
- Supports a large number of access points that help us quickly manage Cisco configurable points and resolve technical issues.
- We can have a Cisco-supported WAN with maximum customization in its configuration; if the connection for the servers is down, it would not be too much trouble to navigate the system controller.
- It supports smart networks, which is also an excellent quality of this wireless controller.
- We have multiple units--one is active and others are for backup. We are able to control entire wireless network without any interruptions. Everything is implemented automatically and optimally.
- Code quality is a bit hit and miss. This will be great for a while, then things will be bad for a while, then we'll do it again. The UI of the controller works, but could do with a refresh, and I would like to see some improvement on layout and organization.
- The constant code/firmware upgrades and the QA of new code could be better.
- Maybe the compatibility with old Cisco Access Points could be improved, but it's normal in all kinds of deployments.
December 18, 2020
Cisco 8540 WLAN Controller is a good option to manage your network
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller to centrally manage a WiFi network for a Smart City project in Portugal. It is being used by our research lab to measure mobility statistics and other parameters, besides providing free network access to the population in the area where the project was deployed (in a coastal region).
- Easy to setup and deploy the wireless network.
- Full control and customization of all Access Points.
- Security features and multi-protocol support.
- Price can be a little bit overwhelming for some organizations.
- Some advanced configurations are not easy to grasp without support.
- There could be some VPN solutions embedded by default.
December 17, 2020
Perfect wireless solution for campus
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is one of the best for high-scale network deployments. We use the Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller on our company grounds for various needs as our enterprise network architecture involves both end-users (employees) and IoT devices. While employees need wireless access with their laptops, the logistics department requires wireless access for their handheld inventory devices to keep track of in and out inventory. Consequently, the Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is used across the whole company.
The initial deployment process is quick and easily adaptable to current architecture with its programmability functions. Flexible on centralized architecture for defining guest access to temporary network members. Finally, Cisco name makes us feel more secure as it is the sector leader in the network infrastructure market.
- Guest access deployment is useful--in particular, to keep non-members out of the main network backbone while you still give guests access flexibility.
- Increased end-point visibility--It is vital for the cyber-sec team with its centralized rule pushing and log records across the whole wireless backbone.
- Device classification and user groups. Company-owned desktops and laptops, handheld logistics devices (IoT), and employee-owned devices are all easily managed with specific network rules and policies.
- Cisco DNA support--allows us to easily manage the network devices.
- Scalable up to thousands of end-point devices with no performance lost.
- Initial warranty term could be more extensive.
December 15, 2020
Reliable solution if you have a lot of APs
We use the Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller at the organization level for wireless connectivity and data control. It is an exceptional tool with a lot of benefits and fits our needs well, as we have a large number of employees and APs to distribute and manage bandwidth among. Our Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller always perfectly achieves KPIs of benchmarked data distribution at high speeds with controllable bandwidth and 99.99% uptime.
- High-speed data transfers
- Large number of APs
- Best wireless control for large organizations
- Support application control
- Costly solution.
- New and advanced products have been introduced by Cisco, so it is a little old now.
December 15, 2020
Great Solution for larger businesses!
We have been using Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller for a few months now for our employee's systems. Overall we think it is a solid product with a very fast connection. We are using this in the whole organization and this effectively solved many problems with our cloud connectivity with no major notable issues in the system.
- Full control of access points.
- Ease of managing Wireless Networks
- Great experience for users
- Simple set up
- Customizable
- A bit pricy
- Don't have built-in VPN protocols
December 15, 2020
Not a lot of products will give you this level of usability and solid build quality
Cisco 8540 Wireless Controllers are being used in our organization to tie in all our wireless Cisco gear and our many different wireless networks into an easy-to-manage, and easy-to-use centralized management system. It solves the problem of having several separate systems to manage directly.
- Nicely made hardware
- Large but strong rails that can keep up with the weight
- Redundant power supplies and fans for great backup
- Still trying to get the hang of Cisco Smart Licensing
- Could be easier to configure the initial controller setup (a better wizard?)
- Not sure its going to be in everyone's network budget
December 10, 2020
Secure, efficient, and reliable --> Best in class in my opinion
We are using our Cisco router across our WAN for authentication and encryption. We are also using it to segment our network to protect our customers' and employees' data. We are also it to monitor real-time threats to constantly gather intelligence to lessen the chance of both internal and external attacks.
- We were quite impressed how easy it was to initially setup although if you want to configure anything more complex, you will probably need to get a vendor involved like we did.
- After initial setup, we created VPN sessions for numerous corporate clients.
- We have been impressed with how the router has provided speed to our users.
- One of the few downsides is the higher price point.
- Like I already mentioned, you will probably need to get a third party vendor involved to get a more complex structure setup depending on how big of an organization you are.
December 09, 2020
Ideal for larger settings
We are an outsourced IT company so we have multiple clients. We have about 3-4 of our clients that have Cisco 8540 Wireless Controllers and use other Cisco products as well. These clients use them companywide. One client in particular needed to have very solid wireless capabilities and when they upgraded to this model, they saw a much better experience.
- Wireless capabilities
- The security is very good
- The integration to everything else is convenient for us as the IT professionals and for their organization.
- Definitely need to have some guidance in learning the product
- Configuration can be a little rough the first few times through, would definitely recommend professional installation and configuration
December 08, 2020
A good wireless solution!
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is key to managing all of our different access points. I like that we have full control of the access points as well. I have not noticed any outages yet and our users have not reported any issues. For remote workers, a dependable wireless controller like this is key.
- Full control of access points.
- Very customizable Wi-Fi.
- Features are plentiful.
- Pricy.
December 07, 2020
8540 Ways to love a Contoller
We have about 300 AP's i use throughout our facility. Along with managing our wireless network access points, it has become a reliable piece of equipment that suites the needs of our team and scope of word.
- Setup was simple enough, if your have basic networking skills
- Swapping AP lines and running new drops from those AP's is simple.
- Multiple deployed modes in the same controller if needed.
- Design itself is clunky
- Having to configure POE as opposed to it just being on
- Cost was a little high
December 07, 2020
You know what you get from Cisco, but you pay for it
We use the Cisco 8450 Wireless Controller to manage and monitor all the Wireless Access Point across the offices. This is up to 50 AP's across two wireless controllers.
- Managing Wireless Networks
- Preventing Rogue APs
- Segregating Wireless Networks
- Expensive
- Cumbersome to manage
November 20, 2019
The best of the best wireless solutions from Cisco
It is an amazing product by Cisco with high performance.
- It uses the protocols 802.11BGN/AC/AX with technology 6.0.
- The roaming solutions are amazing, a great experience for users, on Mac and Windows.
- No need for infrastructure replacement; it is robust for this solution.
- It is the best solution wireless for on-premise, with controller.
- The education is only functional with some methods of authentication.
- I can use the solution with restricted bandwidth Internet.