Chassis Height	One rack-unit (1 RU)
Processor	Intel Icelake-D LCC (8-core, 2 GHz)
Maximum number of access points	500
Maximum number of clients	10000
Maximum throughput	Up to 10 Gbps
Maximum WLANs	4096
Maximum VLANs	4096
Maximum Site Tags	250
Maximum Flex APs per site	400
Maximum policy tags	4096
Maximum RF tags	250
Maximum RF profiles	500
Maximum policy profiles	4096
Maximum Flex profiles	250
Fixed uplinks	2x 1G/10G SFP+
Redundant power supply (Optional)	CW9800L-RPS=
	(Dual-input DC power sources to single adapter for power redundancy)
Maximum power consumption	90 W (with 4.5 W USB load)
Deployment modes	Centralized (local), Distributed Branch (Cisco FlexConnect®), SD-Access Wireless (fabric)
Width	8.5 in (216 mm)
Depth	9.24 in (235 mm)
Height	1.58 in (40 mm)
Weight	4.6 lb (2.1 kg)
1x RJ-45 console port	Console port for out-of-band management.
1x Micro USB console port	Console port for out-of-band management.
1x USB 3.0 port Type C	USB 3.0 port for plugging in external memory.
1x RJ-45 management port	Management port used for out-of-band management. Also known as the service port.
1x RJ-45 redundancy port	Redundancy port used for SSO.
2x SFP+ 10G fiber ports	Ports used for sending and receiving traffic between access points and controller, northbound traffic, in-band management traffic, and wireless client traffic. Must be connected to the switch.
Wireless	IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11d, WMM/802.11e, 802.11h, 802.11n, 802.11k, 802.11r, 802.11u, 802.11w, 802.11ac Wave1 and Wave2, 802.11ax, 802.11be
Wired, switching, and routing	IEEE 802.3 10BASE-T, IEEE 802.3u 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T, 1000BASE-SX, 1000-BASE-LH, IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging, IEEE 802.1AX Link Aggregation, 802.3ae
Data Standards Requests For Comments (RFCs)	●  RFC 768 User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
Security standards	●  RFC 791 IP
	●  RFC 2460 IPv6
	●  RFC 792 Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP)
	●  RFC 793 TCP
	●  RFC 826 Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)
	●  RFC 1122 Requirements for Internet Hosts
	●  RFC 1519 Classless Interdomain Routing (CIDR)
	●  RFC 1542 Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP)
	●  RFC 2131 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
	●  RFC 5415 Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) Protocol
	●  RFC 5416 CAPWAP Binding for 802.11
	●  IEEE 802.11i (WPA2, RSN)
	●  Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3)
	●  RFC 1321 MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm
	●  RFC 1851 Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP) Triple DES (3DES) Transform
	●  RFC 2104 HMAC: Keyed-Hashing for Message Authentication
	●  RFC 2246 TLS Protocol Version 1.0
	●  RFC 2401 Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol
	●  RFC 2403 HMAC-MD5-96 within ESP and AH
	●  RFC 2404 HMAC-SHA-1-96 within ESP and AH
	●  RFC 2405 ESP DES-CBC Cipher Algorithm with Explicit IV
	●  RFC 2407 Interpretation for Internet Security Association Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP)
	●  RFC 2408 ISAKMP
	●  RFC 2409 Internet Key Exchange (IKE)
	●  RFC 2451 ESP CBC-Mode Cipher Algorithms
	●  RFC 3280 Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Certificate and Certificate Revocation List (CRL) Profile
	●  RFC 4347 Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS)
	●  RFC 5246 TLS Protocol Version 1.2
	●  RFC 8446 TLS Protocol Version 1.3
Encryption	●  Advanced Encryption Standard (AES): Cipher Block Chaining (CBC), Counter with CBC-MAC (CCM), Counter with CBC Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP)
	●  Data Encryption Standard (DES): DES-CBC, 3DES
	●  Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS): RC4 128-bit and RSA 1024-and 2048-bit
	●  DTLS: AES-CBC
	●  IPsec: DES-CBC, 3DES, AES-CBC (Supported only for FIPS use cases)
Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA)	●  IEEE 802.1X
	●  RFC 2548 Microsoft Vendor-Specific RADIUS Attributes
	●  RFC 2716 Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)-TLS
	●  RFC 2865 RADIUS Authentication
	●  RFC 2866 RADIUS Accounting
	●  RFC 2867 RADIUS Tunnel Accounting
	●  RFC 2869 RADIUS Extensions
	●  RFC 3576 Dynamic Authorization Extensions to RADIUS
	●  RFC 5176 Dynamic Authorization Extensions to RADIUS
	●  RFC 3579 RADIUS Support for EAP
	●  RFC 3580 IEEE 802.1X RADIUS Guidelines
	●  RFC 3748 Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)
	●  Web-based authentication
	●  TACACS support for management users
Management	●  Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) v1, v2c, v3
	●  RFC 854 Telnet
	●  RFC 1155 Management Information for TCP/IP-based Internets
	●  RFC 1156 MIB
	●  RFC 1157 SNMP
	●  RFC 1213 SNMP MIB II
	●  RFC 1350 Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
	●  RFC 1643 Ethernet MIB
	●  RFC 2030 Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP)
	●  RFC 2616 HTTP
	●  RFC 2665 Ethernet-Like Interface Types MIB
	●  RFC 2674 Definitions of Managed Objects for Bridges with Traffic Classes, Multicast Filtering, and Virtual Extensions
	●  RFC 2819 Remote Monitoring (RMON) MIB
	●  RFC 2863 Interfaces Group MIB
	●  RFC 3164 Syslog
	●  RFC 3414 User-Based Security Model (USM) for SNMPv3
	●  RFC 3418 MIB for SNMP
	●  RFC 3636 Definitions of Managed Objects for IEEE 802.3 MAUs
	●  RFC 4741 Base NETCONF protocol
	●  RFC 4742 NETCONF over SSH
	●  RFC 6241 NETCONF
	●  RFC 6242 NETCONF over SSH
	●  RFC 5277 NETCONF event notifications
	●  RFC 5717 Partial Lock Remote Procedure Call
	●  RFC 6243 With-Defaults capability for NETCONF
	●  RFC 6020 YANG
	●  Cisco private MIBs
Management interfaces	●  Web-based: HTTP/HTTPS
	●  Command-line interface: Telnet, Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol, serial port
	●  SNMP
	●  NETCONF
Environmental conditions supported	Operating temperature:
	●  32° F to 104° F (0° C to 40° C)
	Storage temperature:
	●  –13° F to 158° F (–25° C to 70° C)
	Operating humidity:
	●  5%-95% RH non-condensing
	Storage humidity:
	●  0%-95% RH non-condensing
	Altitude:
	●  Operational altitude: 0 to 10,000 ft (3048 m) at 86° F/30° C
	●  Nonoperating altitude: TBD
	Electrical input:
	●  AC input frequency range: 50 to 60 Hz
	●  AC input voltage: 100 to 240 VAC
	Maximum power consumption:
	●  CW9800L max measured power = 90 W (with 4.5 W USB load)
	Maximum heat dissipation:
	●  CW9800L: 307.2 Btu/hr (with 4.5 W USB load)
	Sound power level measure:
	●  Normal up to 25.6C (78.8F):                   29.5 bBA
	●  Elevated 26 to 39C (79-102F):              37.4 dBA
	●  High 40-49C (104-122F):                      43.8 dBA
	●  Max 50C+ (122F+):                                  47.3 dBA
	Power adapter:
	●  Input power: 100 to 240 VAC; 50/60 Hz
Regulatory compliance	Safety:
	●  UL/CSA 60950-1
	●  IEC/EN 60950-1
	●  AS/NZS 60950.1
	●  CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60950-1
	EMC – Emissions:
	●  FCC 47CFR15
	●  AS/NZS CISPR 22
	●  CISPR 22
	●  EN55022/EN55032 (EMI-1)
	●  ICES-003
	●  VCCI
	●  KN 32 (EMI-2)
	●  CNS-13438
	EMC – Emissions:
	●  EN61000-3-2 Power Line Harmonics (EMI-3)
	●  EN61000-3-3 Voltage Changes, Fluctuations, and Flicker (EMI-3)

CW9800L Cisco Catalyst CW9800L Wireless Controller Overview

The CW9800L Cisco Catalyst CW9800L Wireless Controller is a next-generation wireless LAN controller designed for enterprises that require secure, scalable, and cloud-managed wireless networking. Built on Cisco’s Catalyst 9800 platform, the CW9800L Wireless Controller delivers high performance, simplified operations, and robust security while supporting modern Wi-Fi environments.Designed specifically for small to mid-size enterprise deployments, branch offices, and distributed networks, the CW9800L combines enterprise-grade reliability with a compact and cost-effective hardware footprint. Its tight integration with Cisco IOS XE ensures consistency, programmability, and long-term investment protection.

---

Designed for Modern Enterprise Wireless Networks

The CW9800L Wireless Controller is engineered to meet the evolving demands of high-density wireless networks. It supports the latest Cisco access points and provides centralized control, monitoring, and policy enforcement across the wireless infrastructure.With a focus on automation and visibility, the CW9800L enables IT teams to deploy, manage, and troubleshoot wireless networks efficiently. Its architecture is ideal for organizations transitioning to cloud-based management while retaining on-premises control and compliance.

---

Key Features of the CW9800L Wireless Controller

Enterprise-Grade Performance

The CW9800L is built to handle enterprise traffic loads with reliability and consistency. It supports thousands of clients and access points while maintaining low latency and stable performance across the network.

Advanced Security Capabilities

Security is embedded at every layer of the CW9800L Wireless Controller. It supports advanced encryption standards, role-based access control, secure guest access, and integration with enterprise authentication systems to protect sensitive data and users.

Simplified Network Operations

With Cisco IOS XE at its core, the CW9800L delivers a unified operating system across wired and wireless networks. This reduces operational complexity and allows administrators to apply consistent policies, automation scripts, and monitoring tools.

High Availability and Resilience

The CW9800L Wireless Controller supports redundancy and failover capabilities to ensure uninterrupted wireless services. This makes it suitable for mission-critical business environments where uptime is essential.

---

CW9800L Hardware Specifications

The hardware design of the CW9800L focuses on efficiency, reliability, and space optimization, making it ideal for data centers, wiring closets, and branch locations.

CW9800L Dimensions

Its dimensions are 1.58 x 8.5 x 9.24 inches. It is compact and rack-friendly, allowing seamless installation in standard 19-inch racks. Its streamlined form factor makes it suitable for environments with limited space while maintaining enterprise-grade performance.

CW9800L Weight

It weighs 4.6 lbs which is optimized for easy handling and installation. Its lightweight design simplifies rack mounting and reduces deployment effort, especially in distributed or remote locations.

Physical and Environmental Specifications

The controller is designed to operate reliably in enterprise environments with support for standard temperature ranges, efficient airflow, and low power consumption. These characteristics contribute to reduced operational costs and long-term durability.

---

Performance and Capacity Highlights

The CW9800L Wireless Controller is designed to scale with growing wireless demands. It supports a large number of access points and client devices, making it suitable for expanding organizations.Its architecture enables seamless roaming, fast authentication, and consistent user experiences across the network. This ensures optimal performance for applications such as video conferencing, cloud services, and real-time collaboration tools.

---

Deployment and Setup

CW9800L Installation Guide Overview

The CW9800L Installation Guide outlines a straightforward deployment process that minimizes setup time. The controller supports flexible installation options, including rack mounting and integration into existing network infrastructures.Initial setup includes power configuration, network connectivity, and access point registration. Once deployed, administrators can quickly apply policies, configure SSIDs, and monitor network performance through a centralized interface.The installation guide also provides best practices for redundancy, scalability, and security configuration to ensure optimal long-term operation.

---

Management and Monitoring

The wireless controller offers comprehensive management capabilities designed to simplify day-to-day operations. Administrators gain full visibility into network health, client behavior, and access point performance.Real-time analytics and telemetry allow proactive troubleshooting and faster issue resolution. This reduces downtime and enhances user satisfaction across the wireless network.

---

CW9800L Datasheet Highlights

The CW9800L Datasheet emphasizes the controller’s balance of performance, scalability, and cost efficiency. Key highlights include enterprise-grade security, support for modern wireless standards, and seamless integration with Cisco’s broader networking ecosystem.According to the datasheet, the controller is optimized for organizations seeking a reliable wireless solution without the complexity of larger, data-center-focused controllers.

---

Use Cases for the CW9800L Wireless Controller

The controller is ideal for a wide range of enterprise environments, including corporate offices, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and retail locations.Its scalable design makes it suitable for growing businesses, while its advanced security and management features support organizations with strict compliance and performance requirements.

---

Why Choose the CW9800L Cisco Catalyst Wireless Controller

The controller stands out as a cost-effective yet powerful wireless controller that delivers enterprise-class features in a compact form factor. It provides long-term value through software consistency, robust security, and simplified operations.Organizations choosing this controller benefit from reduced operational overhead, improved network visibility, and a reliable foundation for future wireless expansion.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CW9800L Wireless Controller used for? The CW9800L Wireless Controller is used to centrally manage, secure, and monitor Cisco wireless access points in enterprise and branch office environments.Where can I find details about CW9800L Dimensions and Weight? Information about its dimensions and weight is provided in official product documentation and helps with planning rack space and installation requirements.Is the CW9800L suitable for small and mid-size enterprises? Yes, it is specifically designed for small to mid-size enterprises and distributed networks that require enterprise-grade wireless capabilities.Does the CW9800L support future wireless standards? It is built on Cisco IOS XE and is designed to support evolving wireless technologies through software updates and compatibility with modern access points.What information is included in the CW9800L Datasheet? The datasheet includes performance metrics, supported features, hardware specifications, scalability details, and environmental characteristics of the controller.