Cisco Catalyst 9800 and CW9800 wireless controllers

Which Cisco controller for how many access points

Scale and throughput are Cisco's data-sheet figures (checked 8 Nov 2026):

The 9800-40 and 9800-80 appear for reference only: Cisco's notice EOL15034 set 31 Dec 2025 as their last order date, with support until 31 Dec 2030 (see the lifecycle box below). Cisco also lists Campus Gateways (CW9800H1-MCG and CW9800L-MCG), which it says "Scale up to 50,000 client devices and 5000 access points with a single device"; the CW9800H1-MCG is in the table below, and the CW9800L-MCG part number is confirmed at quote.

Cisco controllers models and part numbers

Press Add next to a part number to put it in your basket. Where a subscription or support option goes with the hardware, you choose it in the same step and it goes into your basket with the hardware. Part numbers come from the vendor; we confirm each line, quantity and term when we quote.

C9800 or CW9800?

Cisco positions the CW9800L as offering "double the capacity compared to the base C9800-L", with support for Wi-Fi 5 Wave 2, Wi-Fi 6/6E and Wi-Fi 7 access points. For a new site of up to 500 APs it is the natural choice; the 9800-L remains a good fit where 250 APs is plenty or where copper uplinks suit the comms room. Larger campuses move up to the CW9800M or CW9800H. All of them are on Cisco's supported list for Cisco Networking Subscription.

Licences: per access point, not per controller

Cisco's CW9800M data sheet: "No licenses are required to boot up a CW9800 wireless controller. However, to connect any access points to the controller, either a Cisco DNA software subscription or Cisco Networking subscription is required." The 9800-L data sheet says the same for DNA subscriptions.

So the licence goes in with each access point: Cisco Wireless Essentials or Advantage (LIC-CW-E/A) for Wi-Fi 7 APs, or a Cisco DNA wireless term licence (AIR-DNA-E or AIR-DNA-A, 3, 5 or 7 years) for Wi-Fi 6 and 6E APs in on-premises mode. Our basket adds the right one when you add an AP; see Cisco Wi-Fi 7 access points and Cisco access points.

The one controller licence you may want is the 9800-L Performance licence (LIC-C9800L-PERF), which takes the 9800-L from 250 to 500 APs. The virtual Catalyst 9800-CL controller is software; it is on softwarelicensing.uk (opens in a new tab). To use Smart Licensing, Cisco says "you must first set up a Smart Account on Cisco License Central"; we can set one up or link yours as part of the quote.

Options, power and rack mounting

Codes and descriptions from Cisco's price list (8 Nov 2026), all orderable; Cisco's ordering guide (Table 27) lists the 750W AC and 950W DC supplies and the rear rack mount kit as the CW9800M, H1 and H2 options, and the price list gives the C8500-4PT-KIT= an end-of-sale date of 31 Jan 2027:

Fibre and copper modules for the controller uplinks are on Cisco SFP transceivers.

High availability and management

Most designs pair two controllers so access points fail over if one stops; we size the pair, and any second power supply, at quote. For campus-wide automation and assurance across switches and wireless, add Cisco Catalyst Center.

If you prefer cloud management, the same Cisco Wi-Fi 7 access points can run in the Meraki dashboard: see cloud managed Wi-Fi (opens in a new tab) on our sister store.

Replacing a 9800-40, 9800-80 or older controller

Cisco's notice EOL15034 set 31 Dec 2025 as the last order date for the 9800-40 and 9800-80, with support until 31 Dec 2030. Its replacement table names the CW9800M for the 9800-40 (C9800-40-K9) and the CW9800H1 and CW9800H2 for the 9800-80 (C9800-80-K9). Cisco's Embedded Wireless Controller ran on Wi-Fi 6 access points that reach their last order date on 31 Dec 2026, so a CW9800L is the usual step up for small sites. Send us your current model and AP count and we will map the replacement.

How to order

How ordering works. Press Add next to a part number and it goes into your basket; where the hardware needs a subscription or support term, you pick it in the same step. Add mounts, injectors and accessories, then View basket and Request a quote. We check every line, quantity and term against your site and come back with a personalised quote by email. Nothing is charged online. We can also design, supply, stage, install and configure the wireless network as a project, with the scope confirmed at quote (see network installation).

Lifecycle and replacements

Dates are the vendor's published end-of-sale and support dates. We can quote current replacements and plan the swap.

Vendor sources

• Cisco wireless ordering guide, Tables 26-28 (opens in a new tab)
• Cisco Catalyst CW9800M data sheet (updated 22 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
• Cisco CW9800L data sheet (updated 10 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab)
• Cisco Catalyst 9800-L data sheet (updated 20 Jul 2026) (opens in a new tab)
• EOL15034 C9800-40/-80 end-of-sale (updated 25 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab)
• Networking Subscription data sheet: supported WLCs C9800-80-K9, C9800-40-K9, C9800-L-C-K9, C9800-L-F-K9, C9800-CL, CW9800H1, CW9800H2, CW9800M, CW9800L; Campus Gateways CW9800H1-MCG, CW9800L-MCG (opens in a new tab)