Easy-to-manage Cloud Wifi Solution
The Cisco Meraki MR Series is a comprehensive line of wireless access points designed to meet various networking needs, from small offices to large enterprises and outdoor environments. This guide provides a detailed comparison of the MR series models, highlighting their key features, specifications, and ideal use cases. Whether you need high-efficiency, high-density, general-purpose, or basic wireless solutions, this guide will help you understand which MR series model best suits your specific requirements.
The MR series access points are renowned for their advanced capabilities, including Wi-Fi 6, 6E, and Wi-Fi 7 support, MU-MIMO, OFDMA, and robust security features. Additionally, ruggedized models are available for outdoor and industrial applications, ensuring reliable performance in harsh conditions.
Meraki access points are cloud-managed, offering robust security, intelligent RF optimization, and simplified scalability. With support for Wi-Fi 6, 6E, and now Wi-Fi 7, Meraki is future-ready for next-generation network experiences.
Below is a comparison guide for the main features and functionalities of different models within the Cisco Meraki MR series.
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) brings next-level wireless performance with up to 320 MHz channels, ultra-high throughput, and support for 4K-QAM. These models are ideal for organizations planning ahead for high-bandwidth applications, dense environments, and IoT innovation. They are also compatible with both Meraki cloud and Cisco Catalyst Center management platforms.
| Model | CW9176I / CW9176D1 | CW9178I | 9172H | 9172I |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usage | High-performance Wi-Fi 7 AP | Ultra-high-performance Wi-Fi 7 AP | Hospitality / Multi-dwelling units | Branch office, small/home office, SMB, retail |
| Radio Specification | Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, & 6 GHz) | Quad-radio (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 5 GHz, & 6 GHz) | Tri-radio: 2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz (all 2×2:2) | Tri-radio (2×2:2) or dual-radio (5 GHz 4×4) |
| Spatial streams | 12 SS (4×4:4 across 3 radios) | 16 SS (4×4:4 across 4 radios) | 6 SS | 6 SS |
| WIDS/WIPS | Tri-band | Tri-band | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth© Low Energy/ IoT Radio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Aggregate throughput | 18 Gbps | 24 Gbps | 9 Gbps | Up to 9 Gbps |
| Interface | 1x 10G multigigabit | 2x 10G multigigabit | 1x 2.5G uplink, 3x 1G LAN, 1x passthrough | 1x 2.5G uplink, 1x RJ45 console |
| USB 2.0 | ✓ (9W) | ✓ (9W) | No | ✓ |
| Management | Cloud-managed with Meraki cloud; managed on premises with Cisco Catalyst Center | Same as CW9176I | On premises or cloud | On premises or cloud |
| Power | 802.3at/bt PoE+ and UPoE compliant | 802.3at/bt PoE+ and UPoE compliant | 30W for full operation; 45W for PoE out | 30W for full operation; 45W for USB port |
| Performance Features | OFDMA, MU-MIMO, TWT, BSS coloring, UWB, 4K-QAM, up to 320 MHz channels, packet aggregation | Same as CW9176I plus higher throughput | Tri-radio, BLE IoT, scan radio, legacy bracket support | Tri/dual-radio, BLE + 802.15.4, scan radio, USB port |
| Dimensions | 9.54 in × 9.54 in × 2.08 in (242.3 mm x 242.25 mm x 52.8 mm) | 9.90 in × 9.90 in × 2.00 in (251.5 mm x 251.5 mm x 50.8 mm) | 5.00 in × 7.01 in × 0.98 in (127 mm x 178 mm x 25 mm) | 7.99 in × 7.99 in × 1.81 in (203 mm x 203 mm x 46 mm) |
| Weight | 3.44 lb (1.56 kg) (9176I), 3.37 lb (1.53 kg) (9176D1) | 4.12 lb (1.87 kg) | 1.31 lb (0.60 kg) | 1.94 lb (0.88 kg) |
| Feature | CW9162 | CW9164 | CW9166 | CW9166D1 | MR57 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usage | General purpose Wi-Fi 6E AP | High-performance Wi-Fi 6E AP | Ultra-high-performance Wi-Fi 6E AP | Ultra-high-performance Wi-Fi 6E AP with integrated directional antenna | Ultra-high- performance Wi-Fi 6E AP |
| Radio specification | Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, & 6 GHz) | Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, & 6 GHz) | Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, & 6 GHz) | Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, & 6 GHz) | Tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, & 6 GHz) |
| Spatial streams | 2x 2:2 MU-MIMO | 2x 2:2 MU-MIMO (2.4 GHz), 4x 4:4 MU-MIMO (5 GHz & 6 GHz) | 4x 4:4 MU-MIMO | 4x 4:4 MU-MIMO | 4x 4:4 MU-MIMO |
| WIDS/WIPS | Tri-band | Tri-band | Tri-band | Tri-band | Tri-band |
| Bluetooth© Low Energy/ IoT Radio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Aggregate throughput | 3.9 Gbps | 7.49 Gbps | 7.78 Gbps | 7.78 Gbps | 7.78 Gbps |
| Interface | One multigigabit 2.5G | One multigigabit 2.5G | One multigigabit 5G | One multigigabit 5G | One multigigabit 5G |
| Power consumption | 4.5 W | 4.5 W | 4.5 W | 4.5 W | 9.0 W |
| Management | Cloud-managed with Meraki cloud; managed on premises with Cisco Catalyst Center | Cloud-managed with Meraki cloud; managed on premises with Cisco Catalyst Center | Cloud-managed with Meraki cloud; managed on premises with Cisco Catalyst Center | Cloud-managed with Meraki cloud; managed on premises with Cisco Catalyst Center | Cloud-managed with Meraki cloud |
| Power supply | 802.3at/bt PoE+ and UPoE compliant or DC power adapter | 802.3at/bt PoE+ and UPoE compliant or DC power adapter | 802.3at/bt PoE+ and UPoE compliant or DC power adapter | 802.3at/bt PoE+ and UPoE compliant or DC power adapter | 802.3at/bt PoE+ and UPoE compliant or DC power adapter |
| Dimensions | 7.8 in x 7.8 in x 1.7 in (200mm x 200mm x 43mm) | 9.5 in x 9.5 in x 2.2 in (241.3 mm x 241.3 mm x 56.9 mm) | 9.5 in x 9.5 in x 2.2 in (241.3 mm x 241.3 mm x 56.9 mm) | 9.5 in x 9.5 in x 2.28 in (241.3 mm x 241.3 mm x 57.9 mm) | 260 mm x 260 mm x 56 mm, including desk-mount feet or mount plate |
| Weight | 2.05 lb (0.93 kg) | 3.54 lb (1.60 kg) | 3.54 lb (1.60 kg) | 3.50 lb (1.59 kg) | 3.75 lb (1.7 kg) |
| Model | MR28 | MR36 | MR36H | MR44 | MR46 / MR46E | MR56 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usage | Entry-level Wi-Fi 6 AP for basic, medium-density deployments | Entry-level high-performance AP | In-room hotel/dorm AP | Medium-density AP with security scanning | High-density/focused coverage AP with ext. antenna option (MR46E) | Ultra-high-density/performance deployments |
| Radio specification | 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz 802.11ax, 1x Bluetooth® radio | 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz 802.11ax, 1x WIDS/WIPS, 1x Bluetooth® radio | 802.11b/g/n + 802.11a/n/ac, WIDS/WIPS, Bluetooth® | 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz 802.11ax, WIDS/WIPS, Bluetooth® | 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz 802.11ax, WIDS/WIPS, Bluetooth® | 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz 802.11ax, WIDS/WIPS, Bluetooth® |
| Max Data Rate | 1.5 Gbps | 1.7 Gbps | 1.3 Gbps | 3.0 Gbps | 3.5 Gbps | 5.9 Gbps |
| Spatial Streams | 2×2 MU-MIMO | 2×2 MU-MIMO | 2×2 MU-MIMO | 2×2 + 4×4 MU-MIMO | 4×4 MU-MIMO | 8×8 MU-MIMO |
| Interface | 1x 1G Ethernet | 1x 1G Ethernet | 1x 1G passthrough + 1x 1G PoE | 2x 1G LAN, 1x 2.5G multigig | 1x 2.5G multigig (MR46), Removable antenna (MR46E) | 1x 5G multigig |
| Power | 802.3af PoE or AC adapter | 802.3af PoE or DC adapter | 802.3at with 802.3af PoE out | 802.3af/at PoE or DC | 802.3at PoE or DC | 802.3at PoE or DC |
| Performance Features | MU-MIMO + OFDMA, U-APSD, WMM, Hardware-accelerated encryption, band steering | MU-MIMO + OFDMA, 160 MHz channels, WMM, HW encryption, band steering | MU-MIMO + OFDMA, WMM, HW encryption, band steering | UL/DL MU-MIMO + OFDMA, 160 MHz, WMM, HW encryption, band steering encryption | 160 MHz, UL/DL MU-MIMO, WMM, HW encryption, band steering | UL/DL MU-MIMO + OFDMA, 160 MHz, WMM, HW encryption, band steering |
| Dimensions | 7.95″ x 4.88″ x 1.02″ (20.2 x 12.4 x 2.58 cm) | 9.84″ x 4.72″ x 1.42″ (25 x 12 x 3.6 cm) | 6.1″ x 4.3″ x 0.9″ (15.5 x 11.0 x 2.3 cm) | 12.05″ x 5.06″ x 1.74″ (30.6 x 12.84 x 4.43 cm) | 12.05″ x 5.06″ x 1.74″ (MR46) / 9.84″ x 4.72″ x 1.42″ (MR46E) | 12.83″ x 5.54″ x 1.76″ (32.6 x 14.08 x 4.47 cm) |
| Weight | 9.6 oz (272 g) | 17.35 oz (0.5 kg) | 17.35 oz (0.5 kg) | 26.07 oz (0.74 kg) | 28.21 oz (0.8 kg) (MR46) 29.98 oz (0.85 kg) (MR46E) | 35.27 oz (1.0 kg) |
| Feature | MR76 | MR78 | MR86 | CW9163E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usage | Rugged/outdoor high-performance Wi-Fi 6 wireless for outdoor campuses, industrial, point-to-point links, and outdoor location services. | Rugged/outdoor entry-level Wi-Fi 6 wireless for medium density, basic outdoor deployments. | Rugged/outdoor highest-performance Wi-Fi 6 with multigigabit for tough RF and high-density environments | Outdoor high-performance on-prem or cloud- managed Wi-Fi 6E access point for small and medium density deployments. |
| Radio specification | 1x 802.11b/g/n/ax 1x 802.11a/n/ac/ax | 1x 802.11b/g/n/ax 1x 802.11a/n/ac/ax 1x Bluetooth radio 1.5 Gbits/sec max rate 2×2:2 MU-MIMO and OFDMA with beamforming | 1x 802.11b/g/n/ax 1x 802.11a/n/ac/ax 1x WIDS/WIPS 1x Bluetooth® radio 3.0 Gbit/sec max rate 4x 4:4 MU-MIMO and OFDMA with beamforming | 1× 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n/ax 1× 5 GHz 802.11a/n/ac/ax 1× 6 GHz 802.11ax 1× 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz tri-band Air Marshal WIDS/WIPS, spectrum analysis, & location analytics radio 1× 2.4 GHz Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio 3.9 Gbits/sec max rate 2×2:2 MU-MIMO and OFDMA with beamforming |
| Interface | 1× Gigabit Ethernet port 4x External N-type connectors (antennas sold separately) | 1× Gigabit Ethernet port | 1x 2.5 Gbps multigigabit Ethernet port 4x External N-type connectors (antennas sold separately) | 1x 2.5 Gbps multigibit Ethernet port 4x External N-type connectors (Omni and directional antennas sold separately) RP-SMA Active GPS/GNSS Antenna Connector |
| Power | 802.3af PoE | 802.3af PoE | 802.3af PoE | 802.3af POE and 802.3at UPOE or DC power adapter |
| Physical design | Rugged industrial design Water and dust sealed (IP67 rated) Vibration and shock tested | Rugged industrial design Water and dust sealed (IP67 rated) Vibration and shock tested | Rugged industrial design Water and dust sealed (IP67 rated) Vibration and shock tested | Weatherized outdoor design Water and dust sealed (IP67 rated) Vibration and shock tested |
| Performance Features | Third radio dedicated to security and RF management Priority voice, power save (802.11e/WMM) Hardware-accelerated encryption Band steering Bluetooth Low Energy radio for beacon and scanning | Internal antenna Priority voice, power save (802.11e/WMM) Hardware-accelerated encryption Band steering Bluetooth Low Energy radio for beacon and scanning | Third radio dedicated to security and RF management Priority voice, power save (802.11e/WMM) Hardware-accelerated encryption Band steering High-density support Bluetooth Low Energy radio for beacon and scanning | Scanning radio dedicated to security and RF management Built-in GPS Deploy on-premises or in the cloud Bluetooth Low Energy radio for beacon and scanning |
| Dimensions | 11.81 in x 6.02 in x 2.16 in (30.0 cm x 15.3 cm x 5.5 cm) | 9.65 in x 4.53 in x 1.18 inch (24.5 cm x 11.5 cm x 3.0 cm) | 11.81 in x 6.02 in x 2.16 in (30.0 cm x 15.3 cm x 5.5 cm) | 9.64 x 9.64 x 2.5 in. (24.5 cm x 24.5 cm x 6.35 cm) |
| Weight | 47.27 oz (1.34 kg) | 15.87 oz (0.45 kg) | 52.91 oz (1.5 kg) | 52.8 oz (1.50 kg) |
Wi-Fi 6 compatible models include the MR36, MR36H, MR44, MR46E, MR56, MR76, and MR86.
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