Description
General purpose industrial / outdoor 802.11ac Wave 2 wireless
The Cisco Meraki MR74 is a four-radio, cloud-managed 2×2 MIMO 802.11ac Wave 2 access point. Designed for general purpose, next-generation deployments in harsh outdoor locations and industrial indoor conditions, the MR74 offers performance, enterprise-grade security, and intuitive management. The MR74 delivers a maximum 1.3 Gbps* aggregate frame rate with concurrent 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios. A dedicated third radio provides real-time WIDS/WIPS with automated RF optimization. A fourth radio delivers seamless Bluetooth Low Energy
(BLE) scanning and Beaconing. The combination of cloud management, 802.11ac, full-time RF environment scanning, and an integrated Bluetooth Low Energy radio delivers the high throughput, reliability, and flexibility required by the most demanding business applications like voice an
MR74 and Meraki cloud management: a powerful combination
The MR74 is managed through the Meraki cloud, an intuitive browser-based interface that enables rapid deployment across multiple sites without the need for time-consuming training or costly certifications. Since the MR74 is self-configuring and managed over the web, it can be deployed at a remote location in a matter of minutes, even without on-site IT staff. 24×7 monitoring via the Meraki cloud delivers real-time alerts if the network encounters problems. Remote diagnostics tools enable immediate troubleshooting so that distributed networks can be managed with a minimum of hassle. The MR74’s firmware is always kept up to date from the cloud. New features, bug fixes, and enhancements are delivered seamlessly over the web, meaning no manual software updates to download or missing security patches to worry about.
Product Highlights
- Ideal for outdoor and industrial indoor environments
- 2×2:2 802.11ac, 1.3 Gbps aggregate dual-band data rate
- 24×7 real-time WIPS/WIDS and spectrum analytics via dedicated third radio
- Integrated Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Beaconing and scanning radio
- Forms point-to-point links with optional sector antennas
- Self-healing, zero-configuration mesh
- Integrated enterprise security and guest access
- Application-aware traffic shaping
- Self-configuring, plug-and-play deployment
Antennas
Choose the antenna based on the install location and designed area of coverage. The datasheet includes a list of certified antennas. These are listed for sale on the product page.
3rd party antennas may be used but it is the responsibility of the end customer/partner to ensure operation is within regulatory compliance.
All dual-band 2×2:2 outdoor APs (such as the MR74 and MR76) have two sets of mount points: the top two are for the 2.4GHz radio, the bottom two are for the 5GHz radio.
(The dual-band 4×4:4 outdoor APs (such as the MR84 and MR86) have both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios diplexed onto each antenna port, thus dual-band antennas should be paired with those APs.)
The model of the antenna denotes whether it should be connected to the 2.4GHz or 5GHz mount points, or if it supports both. Supported bands are also color-coded on the antenna’s base, where green denotes 2.4GHz support, blue denotes 5GHz support, and both indicates that the antenna is dual-band.
Sector/patch antennas have two connectors. Both of these connectors must be attached to the same radio, a single sector/patch antenna should not be attached to both the top and bottom of the access point
Connecting dual band antenna to single band port will only grant that band. Likewise if you connected the dual band omni antennas to all ports, you would only get 2.4 on top and 5 on the bottom.
Therefore the best choices for the MR74 are:
- Omnidirectional MA-ANT-20 top & bottom
- 2.4GHz Sector Antenna top MA-ANT-23
- 5GHz Sector Antenna bottom MA-ANT-21
Antenna selection
The MR74 features single band antenna ports thus single band antennas should be paired with the AP.
Meraki offers a number of antenna options for the MR74 access point. Below is a highlight of the different antenna types and their applications. It is always best practice to consult with a Cisco SE or Partner in to select the best antenna for the unique design.
Omni Directional
Omni directional antennas are best for pole mounts applications and for mesh networks. Use omni directional antennas when designing to cover 360 degrees around the Access Point.
Sector Antenna
Sector antennas are ideal for building mounts as they target the signal away from the interior spaces of the building and focus the energy to the larger outdoor space. This antenna is ideal for exterior building use but may also be used for some mesh network designs.
Patch Antenna
Patch antennas are ideal for Access points mounted on a high ceiling and is intended to cover a large space. This antenna is ideal for warehouses.
Stadium Patch Antenna
A stadium patch antenna is ideal for a high density AP deign with expected high user per sqft. Examples of this are in stadiums where 1 AP is designed to cover a section and a event center where there is high user per sqft.
