Entry Level Cloud Managed Outdoor Wi-Fi 6 Access Point

The Cisco Meraki MR78 is a Dual-band, 802.11ax, 2x2:2, cloud managed entry level outdoor Access Point. Designed for basic, medium-density deployments, the MR78 provides enterprise grade security and simple management in a ruggedized IP67-rated form factor. 

The MR78 provides a maximum of 1.5 Gbps* aggregate frame rate with concurrent 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios. 

With the combination of cloud management, high performance hardware, multiple radios, and advanced software features, enterprise-grade security, the MR78 makes an outstanding platform to provide reliable Wi-Fi for small business and home office networks that want reliable and secure wireless connectivity.

MR78 and Meraki Cloud Management

Management of the MR78 is performed through the Meraki cloud, with an intuitive browser-based interface that enables rapid deployment without time-consuming training or costly certifications. Because the MR78 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.

24x7 monitoring via the Meraki cloud delivers real-time alerts if a network encounters problems. Remote diagnostic tools enable immediate troubleshooting over the web so that distributed networks can be managed with a minimum of hassle.

The MR78’s firmware is automatically kept up to date via the cloud. New features, security fixes, and enhancements are delivered seamlessly over the web. This means no manual software updates to download or missing security patches to worry about.

Product Highlights

- 2x2:2 MU-MIMO 802.11ax 

- 1.5* Gbps dual-radio aggregate frame rate

- Enhanced transmit power and receive sensitivity

- Integrated enterprise security and guest access

- Application-aware traffic shaping

- Optimized for voice and video

- Self-configuring, plug-and-play deployment

Features

Dual–radio aggregate frame rate of up to 1.5 Gbps*

5 GHz 2x2:2 radio and 2.4 GHz 2x2:2 radio offer a combined dual–radio aggregate frame rate of 1.5 Gbps*, with up to 1,201 Mbps in the 5 GHz band and 286 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. Technologies like transmit beamforming and enhanced receive sensitivity allow the MR78 to support a higher client density than typical enterprise-class access points, resulting in better performance for more clients, from each AP.

* Refers to maximum over-the-air data frame rate capability of the radio chipset, and may exceed data rates allowed by IEEE 802.11ax operation.

Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO)

With support for features of 802.11ax, the MR78 offers MU-MIMO and UL/DL OFDMA for more efficient transmission to multiple clients. Especially suited to environments with numerous mobile devices, MU-MIMO enables multiple clients to receive data simultaneously. This increases the total network performance and improves the end-user experience.

Automatic cloud-based RF optimization

The MR78’s sophisticated and automated RF optimization means that there is no need for the dedicated hardware and RF expertise typically required to tune a wireless network. Collected RF data is continuously fed back to the Meraki cloud. This data is then used to automatically tune the channel selection, transmit power, and client connection settings for optimal performance under even the most challenging RF conditions.

Integrated enterprise security and guest access

The MR78 features integrated, easy-to-use security technologies to provide secure connectivity for employees and guests alike. Advanced security features such as AES hardware-based encryption and Enterprise authentication with 802.1X and Active Directory integration provide wired-like security while still being easy to configure. One-click guest isolation provides secure, Internet-only access for visitors. PCI compliance reports check network settings against PCI requirements to simplify secure retail deployments.

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) & Mobile Device Management (MDM) integration

Meraki Systems Manager natively integrates with the MR78 to offer automatic, context-aware security. Systems Manager’s self-service enrollment helps to rapidly deploy MDM without installing additional equipment, and then dynamically tie firewall and traffic shaping policies to client posture.

Application-aware traffic shaping                       

The MR78 includes an integrated layer 7 packet inspection, classification, and control engine, enabling the configuration of QoS policies based on traffic type, helping to prioritize mission-critical applications while setting limits on recreational traffic like peer-to-peer and video streaming. Policies can be implemented per network, per SSID, per user group, or per individual user for maximum flexibility and control.

Voice and video optimizations

Industry standard QoS features are built-in and easy to configure. Wireless MultiMedia (WMM) access categories, 802.1p, and DSCP standards all ensure important applications get prioritized correctly, not only on the MR78 but on other devices in the network. Unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery (U-APSD) and new Target Wait Time features in 802.11ax clients ensure minimal battery drain on wireless VoIP phones.

Self-configuring, self-maintaining, always up-to-date

When plugged in, the MR78 automatically connects to the Meraki cloud, downloads its configuration, and joins the appropriate network. If new firmware is required, this is retrieved by the AP and updated automatically. This ensures the network is kept up-to-date with bug fixes, security updates, and new features.

Advanced analytics

Drilling down into the details of network usage provides highly granular traffic analytics. Visibility into the physical world can be enhanced with journey tracking through location analytics. Visitor numbers, dwell time, repeat visit rates, and track trends can all be easily monitored in the dashboard and deeper analysis is enabled with raw data available via simple APIs.

Bluetooth Low Energy Beacon and scanning radio

An integrated fourth Bluetooth radio provides seamless deployment of BLE Beacon functionality and effortless visibility of Bluetooth devices.