How To Guides

The ultimate Meraki Access Point buying guide for businesses

Choosing the right Cisco-Meraki access point for your retail or restaurant business can be challenging and costly. Learn about the different MR options.

Here at GoGoGuest, we're big fans of the Cisco-Meraki MR line of wireless network access point. Why? We have over 8 years of experience deploying the hardware with our guest intelligence software solutions.

In our years of experience using it, we've found it to be the easiest and most reliable cloud managed wireless access point to deploy, manage and support for businesses of all sizes and geographic location.

In this article, you'll learn:

About the different types of Meraki access points for specific deployment scenarios
The features we love about Meraki access points
Learn about the key considerations you need to make when starting a new wireless network for a new location or enhancing an existing one

Let's dive in!

What is a Cisco Meraki Access Point, anyway?

An access point (AP) is a device that enables wireless devices, such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets, to connect to a wired network. It acts as a bridge between the wired network and the wireless devices, allowing them to communicate and access the resources on the network.

Overview of Cisco Meraki Access Points

Benefits of Wi-Fi 6E technology

Meraki's Wi-Fi 6E technology utilizes the 6 GHz band, which provides a wide spectrum from 5.925 GHz to 7.125 GHz.This increased capacity allows for wider channels and better support for bandwidth-intensive and latency-sensitive applications.

Intuitive Cisco Meraki Dashboard platform

The Cisco Meraki Cloud Dashboard is a powerful and user-friendly platform that allows users to easily manage and monitor their network devices. With features like self-configuring plug-and-play deployment, advanced security measures, and AI/ML-powered analytics, the dashboard provides a comprehensive solution for network management.

Users can access the dashboard through a web portal or mobile app, making it convenient to make changes and monitor the network from anywhere.

The Ultimate guide to choosing a cloud-managed Meraki WiFi Access Point

Top 10 Wi-Fi management features of the Meraki Cloud Dashboard

What sets Meraki apart from its competitors is that the The Meraki cloud dashboard makes it possible for you to monitor and control all your wireless network access points from anywhere in the world. This means that the results of your capacity planning and site survey can be easily and seamlessly implemented in one or multiple locations.

If you're not yet convinced, here are the top 10 Wi-Fi management features that we love about the Meraki Cloud Dashboard.

Client balancing feature ensures even distribution of clients across APs for optimal performance.
Consistent performance monitoring including client count per AP for to ensure the quality of experience.
Channel bonding available to increase throughput for clients, but can impact channel availability and increase co-channel interference
Layer 3 roaming capabilities for seamless client roaming across different VLANs/subnets, maintaining consistent IP addresses and subnet scopes as clients roam.
Intuitive secure WiFi SSID creation, monitoring and management.
The Meraki Access Points offer health performance checks that allow you to test the connectivity of each AP individually. This feature ensures that you can troubleshoot and address any issues with a specific AP without impacting the entire network.
Simple and easy to use wireless mesh networking capabilities.
Easy to schedule SSID broadcast features for increased security.
Application management and usage monitoring is a vital security feature that empowers businesses with enhanced control over their guest Wi-Fi policies.
Dashboard user management capabilities makes it easy for an administrator to change access privileges and add or remove users anytime.

Exploring the Meraki Cloud-Managed Wireless Access Point models

Cisco-Meraki offers a range of wireless network access points, each tailored to different use cases and environments, including:

Single-location, basic coverage
Multi-location, general purpose
Single or multi-location high density foot traffic

Here is a short-list of the MR APs you should consider for your retail or restaurant business:

Meraki WiFi Go

Meraki WiFi Go is an affordable and easy-to-deploy access point perfect for small businesses, offering reliable wireless coverage for retail or restaurant environments.

MR28

The MR28 is an entry-level, indoor, high-peformance Wi-Fi 6 AP designed for basic, medium-density deployments with Bluetooth® Low Energy included. It provides reliable connectivity and advanced security features for seamless networking for retail and restaurant businesses with a large guest usable space.

MR36

The MR36 is a powerful and reliable wireless access point designed for indoor, high-density environments, offering seamless connectivity and advanced security features for businesses. The MR36 is a next-generation entry-level high-performance WI-Fi 6 AP with security-scanning radio and Bluetooth® Low Energy included.

MR 76

The Cisco Meraki MR76 access point is designed for outdoor environments, with advanced mesh rate selection algorithms, real-time security features, and easy management through the Meraki Dashboard. Rugged/outdoor high-performance Wi-Fi 6 wireless for outdoor campuses, industrial, point-to-point links, and outdoor location services.

Here is a complete list of the Meraki cloud-managed wireless access points.

Best practices for high-density Wi-Fi deployments

When deploying a wireless network for your retail or restaurant property, it is crucial to include a capacity planning step, especially for larger deployments. This ensures that your network can effectively handle high volumes of traffic and meet the demands of your business.

What does wireless network capacity planning involve?

Capacity planning when deploying a wireless network for a retail or restaurant property refers to the process of determining the necessary bandwidth and network resources required to support the expected levels of traffic and usage on a wireless network.

This process involves analyzing the current network usage, estimating future growth, and identifying potential bottlenecks or performance issues that may arise. Capacity planning also involves:

Defining user groups. For example in a restaurant there are 3 common user groups: guests, teams or employees and more secure bandwidth for your music streams, POS, cameras, security system etc.
Setting up traffic shaping rules to allocate bandwidth efficiently and prioritize important traffic types.
Setting up rules and policies by bandwidth and traffic type.
Monitoring health and the performance of the network

Conducting site surveys

Conducting site surveys is an essential step in capacity planning for a wireless network deployment. It involves physically surveying the location where the Meraki Access Points will be installed to gather important information about the space and environment.

Benefits of conducting site surveys before installation of Meraki Access Points

Site surveys help evaluate RF propagation and ensure adequate signal coverage in all areas
Helps determine proper placement of Meraki wireless access points to minimize co-channel interference and ensure proper cell overlap
Spectrum analysis during site surveys can locate potential sources of RF interference and allow for remediation

Meraki Access Point FAQs

How many Access Points do I need for my business?

The number of Meraki Access Points you need for your business depends on factors like space size and user density.

Can I mix different Meraki Access Point models?

Yes, you can mix different Meraki Access Point models to optimize coverage and performance in different areas.

How do I troubleshoot common wireless network issues?

To troubleshoot wireless network issues, analyze signal strength, check for interference, update firmware, and adjust settings as needed.

What are the warranty and support options for Meraki Access Points?

Meraki Access Points come with a standard one-year warranty and various support options, including phone support, email support, and online resources.

Can I upgrade from older Meraki models to Wi-Fi 6/6E?

Yes, you can upgrade from older Meraki models to Wi-Fi 6/6E for enhanced performance and support for newer technologies.

How do I integrate Meraki Access Points with existing network infrastructure?

When it comes to upgrading from older Meraki models to Wi-Fi 6/6E, businesses can experience significant performance improvements and take advantage of the latest technologies.

Wi-Fi 6/6E is the latest generation of wireless technology, offering faster speeds, increased capacity, and reduced latency compared to previous versions. Upgrading to Wi-Fi 6/6E can provide businesses with a more reliable and efficient network, especially in high-density environments with a large number of users and devices.

To upgrade to Wi-Fi 6/6E, businesses will need to consider a few key factors:

Compatibility: Before upgrading, businesses should ensure that their existing network infrastructure, including switches, routers, and other networking equipment, is compatible with Wi-Fi 6/6E. This may require firmware updates or, in some cases, the replacement of older devices.
Access point selection: When choosing a Meraki Access Point for the upgrade, businesses should look for models that support Wi-Fi 6/6E. They should consider factors such as coverage area, user density, and specific requirements of their business.
Performance requirements: Businesses should assess their specific performance requirements and consider whether Wi-Fi 6/6E is necessary.