Questions about Cisco for Small to Mid Size Biz

[T3X4S]

I am helping on putting together a quote for a company.  Currently, their office is a mess.  We are wanting to overhaul the whole thing and thought about some kind of managed switch w/ 24 or 48 port GigE.  Wondering if there is one with a built in wireless controller.  We are wanting to use (3) Cisco Aironet 2600 APs.

The company owns the building and subleases out the office to other businesses, which is where the managed switch is needed for VLANs.
We are needing to transmit 3-5 SSID overall.


I understand I am asking a lot, I just really am wondering if an all-in-1 solution (managed swith & wireless controller) exist.

We are wanting to keep the budget below $5000.


Thank You-

[+BudMan MVC]

So for the budget minded - I would look to the sg300 line.. Very reasonable prices - huge feature set, doesn't run the same ios that say a 3800 series. But I would be surprised if doesn't do everything you would need in the smb field. Can be managed by cli, ssh or telnet or even console cable - or very robust web gui as well.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/switches/small-business-300-series-managed-switches/index.html

Do you have only 1 computer area where the switch would go or do you need some in closets around the building?

They have a 28 and 52 port model - I have the 10 port in my house. Thinking about another one and running fiber between my "computer room and the living room" just for fun ;) They also have POE versions of these. 28 port runs around 400, poe 500. The 52 runs around 600, and then 700 for the POE model.

For your wireless, check out the unifi stuff. You could pick up a 3 pack of the AC for like 900, or 3 pack of the Pro's for 600ish.

http://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap/

Controller is software based, so run on any server they have on the location be it windows or linux. Or even run the controller in the cloud if you want. Need be you could run the controller on a raspberry pi (35$ computer) Or can run without the controller - but you would loose the reporting and or captive portal if you wanted to set that up. They support 4 SSID per band (radio) Each AP could run different SSID if need be, or all the same. So you can get most all of the features of a higher end wireless deployment for a fraction of the price. A cisco 2600 AP going to run you what 700-900$ for 1 of them.

You could clearly do a really nice setup for well under $5k - most likely even with your costs included ;)

[sc302 Veteran]

I have implemented about 20 SG300-52MP's at my current job with about 30 unifi pros (they don't support most routing protocols but you can static route them if needed).  The coverage is great, the capability is great, and the price can't be beat. 

 

If you really want cisco I have 10 N waps and a controller that I be willing to let go at about $4000.  But for that price you can get 20 waps from unifi with the controller software.

[+BudMan MVC]

@sc302 did you upgrade all those sg300 you have to 1.4.0.88? Or you still running 1.3.7.18?

And what you running on your unifi, you using 3.2.5, 3.2.1? or the 2.x line? Have you tried the 4.1.1 controller? A single controller line I like - but the 411 version is on old firmware for the AP.

[+John Teacake MVC]

Something like this but it might be too expensive....

 

http://www.ebuyer.com/393553-cisco-2504-wireless-controller-air-ct2504-15-k9?utm_source=google&utm_medium=products&gclid=CjwKEAjwtIShBRD08fKD1OWSik4SJAAuKLovYM6xhnG45FgQgZa0UPJgJuSJko9lZjcsocFApvZPFBoCi1Tw_wcB

 

Also if you have private tennants I seriously suggest you look at PVLAN's  Private VLANS.

 

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/tech/lan-switching/private-vlans-pvlans-promiscuous-isolated-community/index.html

[sc302 Veteran]

Yep on 1.4.0.88, had intern update all firmware on them :)

 

Unifi is 3.21, current stable release (upgrading is a bit of a pain being that I don't have it in the default directory that it wants to install in).  Using radius and I see that 3.2.5 is having some issues with it, I don't need to have user issues with radius.  Oh an I had some weird issues with pushing the firmware out from the server, I was able to manually push so it was no big deal.  Hardly what I would call an issue, an issue would have been if I couldn't do it or it was more than 10 steps.

 

Unifi supports private tenants/guests.  Has the ability of a guest portal to be able to charge for time on the internet. 

[+BudMan MVC]

private vlans are supported on the sg300 line.. It a full feature set.. Been only playing with this line for a short time, but I have not come across anything missing ;)

edit: @sc302 -- there are quite a few fixes in the 3.2.5 line, while it is not in stable yet. Considered beta -- they really need to address their versions. The whole thing of calling 3.2.1 rapid was confusing, etc. I agree if your going to have a rapid line - great, but then they came out with 3.2.5 in beta, etc.

And this idea of closed alpha is pissing me off ;) I don't have a problem signing a NDA, etc. I have the perfect setup to test alpha code with, and have no issue with rolling back, etc. Closed Alpha is ok for a GAME that you want to charge people money to get and play.. But something like this - why would you not what your code out to as many people as possible to play with before you release it beta, etc.

[sc302 Veteran]

try to do eigrp or bgp on the sg300 or any other routing protocols.  That is what it is missing.

 

extensive research on this made me choose 2960-xr's as the main switches for the closets and sg300's as add on switches if I need more ports.

 

As far as unifi goes, I can't mess with stability too much in a production environment.  You at home can very easily...you can even blow it up.  I did have to send one of my ap's in for a RMA, dealing with them was very easy.  1 out of about 40, not bad. 

[+BudMan MVC]

To the eigrp or bgp - for a "smb" the need of those are rare.. But sure if you needed routing protocols you would prob want a true router to handle that or a better suited L3 switch. While the sg300 does have a layer 3 mode, its not going to be a catalyst class ;) The 2960-xr cost you a bunch more than top highest end sg300 that is for sure ;)

[sc302 Veteran]

it sure did.  but it has what we wanted (I actually wanted quite a bit more, 10Gig between closets and a built in wireless controller but the price was too high).   I really wanted a 4500 series catalyst for each closet, but 5 figure numbers for switches were shot down.  figure I have a mid business of 3-500 users with 8 closets and a remote location. 

 

btw, a cisco switch with a built in wireless controller blows your 5000 limit to hell.  It is about 10k just for the switch, the waps are about 5-600 each if you don't go AC. 

 

I would seriously consider Ubiquiti or Meraki to keep costs down with a sg300 series PoE switch. Also, FWIW, Ubiquiti is getting into PoE switches at a attractive price

http://www.ubnt.com/unifi-switching-routing/unifi-switch/?utm_source=Ubiquiti+Newsletter+Subscribers&utm_campaign=6d2ef4880f-UniFi_Switch_Newsletter_09_17_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1c1b02cb37-6d2ef4880f-238338857

[T3X4S]

Thanks alot to everyone.

[farmeunit]

 

I would seriously consider Ubiquiti or Meraki to keep costs down with a sg300 series PoE switch. Also, FWIW, Ubiquiti is getting into PoE switches at a attractive price

http://www.ubnt.com/unifi-switching-routing/unifi-switch/?utm_source=Ubiquiti+Newsletter+Subscribers&utm_campaign=6d2ef4880f-UniFi_Switch_Newsletter_09_17_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1c1b02cb37-6d2ef4880f-238338857

We're running all Meraki switching and wireless.  Love the ease of use, but the switching does get expensive.  I've used the Ubiquiti APs before and love them for what they can do, though.

 

Question about the Ubiquiti switches... Has anyone been able to get one?  And where?  I have two on order through Steakwave, but taking forever.  I think they had the 24-port model in, but not the 48 that I want.

[Praetor]

i'm used to Cisco 1600 lines, they are great, work really well with a controller and are really stable but the high price + implementation is the disadvantage; the GUI on those Cisco's is a pile of crap, i mean there are options that you can only enable with CLI, they don't even show up under the GUI. It's like playing a game in the 90's and trying to enable cheats, but for accessing those you must pass some certifications.

 

having said that you must throw some numbers in here: the number of clients (devices) you will have or excepted to have, number of clients (devices) per AP, etc.

[sc302 Veteran]

We're running all Meraki switching and wireless.  Love the ease of use, but the switching does get expensive.  I've used the Ubiquiti APs before and love them for what they can do, though.

 

Question about the Ubiquiti switches... Has anyone been able to get one?  And where?  I have two on order through Steakwave, but taking forever.  I think they had the 24-port model in, but not the 48 that I want.

I think they just rebadged their switches to be unifi from edge.  Not 100% on that though, either way it is a new product line from them so it may be a bit.