Comparison Of The 3600 And 2600 Series - Cisco Aironet 1600 Deployment Manual

Cisco Aironet Access Point Deployment Guide
Note: Beamforming to a 3SS client requires n+1 radio frequency (RF) design. To accomplish this,
the AP 3600 has an additional radio per band, which improves client performance by using Cisco
ClientLink 2.0.
The AP 3500e has separate antennas for each band, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, and does not support 3SS
technology, since it has only two transceivers (transmitter/receiver) and one extra receiver per band
enabling operation up to two spatial streams.
Unlike the AP 3500, the newer AP 3600 design supports an optional, add‐on feature module. The
bottom of the AP 3600 has openings to support the feature module, as shown in Figure 8. The openings,
while fully sealed, permit the module to have access to the top of the AP, which allows the module
antennas (if present) to fully function. The unit includes a positive snap "spring loaded BB" so the
installer can feel a positive lock when the AP is fully engaged in the bracket.
Figure 8: Bottom View of the AP 3600 with Support for a Feature Module
Comparison of the 3600 and 2600 Series
The AP 3600 has a modular design that offers future protection with optional .11ac and security
modules. The AP 2600 does not support optional modules. However, the AP 2600 does have a slightly
higher antenna gain in the 2.4 GHz band.
The AP3600 and the AP2600 are the same size, but it is easy to identify each one by noting whether the
Cisco logo has an embossed frame (AP 3600) or not (AP 2600). (See Figure 9.)
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