Wireless

Wireless networking tutorials covering 802.11 standards, Wi-Fi 6/6E/7, RF fundamentals, WLAN design, roaming, security, and Cisco Catalyst 9800 wireless LAN controller configuration for enterprise Wi-Fi deployments.

45 posts

Wi-Fi 7 for Cisco Shops: Upgrade Now or Wait?

Wi-Fi 7 is shipping and Cisco has a full 802.11be AP lineup, but the real question is whether your environment, wiring, and refresh timing justify the spend now. A practical upgrade decision guide for wireless architects.

13 min read Apr 7, 2026

Wireless public

Backing Up, Restoring, and Upgrading the Cisco C9800

Backup, restore, and upgrade on the Cisco C9800 look simple until they are not. A full lifecycle walkthrough with Install mode, ISSU, SMU, N+1 rolling upgrades, and the gotchas that never fit on a GUI tooltip.

9 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

Cisco C9800 Fabric Mode and SD-Access Wireless Integration

In an SD-Access fabric, the Cisco C9800 stops being the wireless data-plane anchor. Client traffic rides the VXLAN overlay from fabric-enabled AP to edge switch. Here is how fabric-mode wireless actually works and why you would adopt it.

8 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

C9800 FlexConnect vs. Local Mode: How to Choose

Local mode and FlexConnect are the two fundamental ways a C9800 hands off client traffic, and the wrong choice shapes WAN use, failure behavior, VLANs, ACLs, and AAA. A per-site decision framework for wireless designers.

8 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

C9800 RF Design: Site Survey, Channel Planning, and Power Tuning

RF punishes shortcuts. Bad AP count, wrong channel plan, or a misjudged power envelope will haunt a wireless design for years. A practical Cisco C9800 RF design guide covering site survey, channel planning, and 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz power tuning.

9 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

Cisco C9800 Design Best Practices: The Definitive Guide

A working Cisco Catalyst 9800 deployment and a good one are very different things. This guide pulls together the design decisions that matter most, platform, HA, tags, RF, security, and upgrades, with the CLI to validate each.

11 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

C9800 NETCONF and RESTCONF: Automation and Programmability

The Cisco Catalyst 9800 supports model-driven programmability through NETCONF and RESTCONF. A practical guide to automating WLC configuration and retrieving operational data with YANG models on real wireless deployments.

8 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

C9800 Model-Driven Telemetry: Streaming Wireless Data with YANG and gRPC

Traditional polling consumes bandwidth and lags reality. Model-Driven Telemetry streams real-time wireless data from the C9800 using YANG and gRPC. A guide to MDT on the Catalyst 9800 for dashboards and operational insight.

9 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

C9800 CleanAir and Spectrum Intelligence Explained

Wi-Fi shares spectrum with Bluetooth, microwaves, cameras, and medical devices that do not follow 802.11 rules. CleanAir and Spectrum Intelligence give you visibility into what is actually breaking your C9800 deployment.

7 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

C9800 Rogue AP Detection, WIPS, and Client Exclusion

Rogue access points, evil twins, and client misuse can compromise a wireless network daily. A complete walkthrough of rogue detection, WIPS, and client exclusion on the Cisco Catalyst 9800 for production security teams.

10 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

C9800 Wireless Security Deep Dive: WPA3, iPSK, and Enhanced Open

WPA2 has protected enterprise Wi-Fi for two decades but modern attacks demand stronger cryptography. A deep dive on WPA3, iPSK, and Enhanced Open on the Cisco Catalyst 9800 for CCNP and CCIE level engineers.

13 min read Apr 6, 2026

Wireless public

Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E on the Cisco Catalyst 9800

Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E deliver airtime efficiency, density, and 6 GHz channels that change how enterprise wireless performs. A practical configuration and design guide for the Cisco Catalyst 9800 running 802.11ax.

12 min read Apr 6, 2026