Cisco C881W-K9 Full Product Description

Important Note

Suffix Breakdown

• C881: Base Ethernet wired platform of Cisco 880 Series enterprise small-branch ISR
• W: Embedded integrated 2.4GHz 802.11n wireless access point radio
• -K9: Permanent Cisco cryptographic license bundle enabling AES-128/AES-192/AES-256, 3DES, DES, SHA-1/SHA-2, IKEv1/IKEv2 full encryption suite with dedicated hardware crypto offload

Core Differentiators

1. vs wired-only C881-K9: C881-K9 has no built-in WLAN radio; C881W-K9 integrates a native 2.4GHz 802.11n AP to support mobile wireless client access without separate external access points.
2. vs cellular wireless C881GW-K9 variants: C881W-K9 omits embedded 3.7G HSPA+ cellular WWAN modem; GW models add cellular wireless WAN primary/backup redundancy.
3. vs DSL integrated C887VAE-W-K9 series: 887VAE-W embeds onboard VDSL2/ADSL2+ POTS modem; C881W-K9 relies solely on Fast Ethernet fixed-line broadband uplink with built-in Wi-Fi.
4. vs entry-level plastic C861W-K9: C881W-K9 uses robust metal chassis, larger memory capacity, native inline IPS intrusion prevention, DMVPN dynamic VPN and full EIGRP/BGP enterprise routing protocols, superior concurrent multi-service performance.
5. vs industrial hardened C819HG series: C881W-K9 is commercial desktop metal chassis with standard indoor temperature range, not certified for vehicle, railway or extreme outdoor industrial shock/vibration environments.

2. Hardware Interface & Performance Specifications

Complete Port & Wireless Antenna Layout

WAN Interface

Wired LAN Switch Interfaces

• Supports 802.1Q VLAN tagging, port isolation, static MAC security, dedicated DMZ port assignment, broadcast storm control, SPAN port monitoring and Smartport macros

Integrated 2.4GHz WLAN Radio System

• Wireless standard: IEEE 802.11n (2.4GHz ISM band only, non-dual-band)
• MIMO configuration: 3 internal antennas with 2dBi gain, 3×3 MIMO architecture
• Supported wireless security: WPA2-PSK, WPA, WEP, 802.1X enterprise wireless authentication
• Operating channels: Region domain locked (A / E / P domain corresponding to full PID suffix C881W-A-K9 / C881W-E-K9 / C881W-P-K9)

Management & Auxiliary Ports

1. 1 × Combo RJ45 Console/AUX dual-purpose port: Local CLI configuration via rollover cable; analog dial modem for out-of-band backup connectivity
2. USB 2.0 Type-A host port: External flash storage for log archiving, offline configuration backup and EEM script automation extensions
3. Hardware reset button, Kensington security lock slot for physical anti-theft protection

Memory & Storage

• DRAM: 512 MB standard system memory for concurrent VPN tunnels, dual-stack routing, IPS inspection and wireless client traffic processing
• Flash storage: 256 MB onboard flash; factory preloaded c880-universalk9-mz Advanced Security IOS image, minimum supported release 15.1(4)M

Front Panel LED Status Indicators

Physical & Power Parameters

• Form factor: All-metal compact desktop chassis, optional wall-mount bracket available
• Dimensions (W × D × H): 325 mm × 249 mm × 48 mm (12.8 × 9.8 × 1.9 inches) with rubber anti-slip feet
• Weight: 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs)
• Standard power supply: External universal AC adapter, input 100–240 VAC 50/60 Hz, output 12 VDC
• Typical maximum power consumption: 23 W under full FE + WLAN + all LAN ports active load
• Ingress protection: IP20, only suitable for dry indoor commercial office environments

Environmental Operating Specifications

• Operating temperature: 0°C ~ +40°C (32°F ~ 104°F); performance derates 1.5°C per 1000m altitude above 3000m
• Storage temperature: -20°C ~ +65°C (-4°F ~ 149°F)
• Relative humidity: 10%–85% RH non-condensing
• Maximum operating altitude: 3,000 m (10,000 ft)

3. Hardware Acceleration & Security Engine

• Dedicated onboard crypto co-processor to offload IPsec VPN tunnel encryption and eliminate CPU bottlenecks under up to 20 concurrent site-to-site and remote access VPN tunnels
• Permanent K9 crypto license unlocks complete enterprise encryption stack: DES, 3DES, AES-128/192/256, SHA-1/SHA-2 hash algorithms, IKEv1/IKEv2 static site-to-site tunnels, Easy VPN remote access and DMVPN hub-spoke dynamic tunnels
• Integrated wireless security engine to isolate wired LAN and wireless client traffic via VLAN segmentation and wireless ACL filtering

4. Cisco IOS Advanced Security Feature Suite

WAN & Enterprise Routing Functions

• Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF), static routing, RIPv1/v2, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, GRE/MGRE tunnel encapsulation, full IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack support
• Policy-based routing (PBR), NAT/PAT overload, multi-NAT pools for logical wired/wireless endpoint segmentation
• DHCP server/relay/client, DNS proxy, dynamic DNS, Ethernet OAM for metro-Ethernet link health monitoring
• Dial backup via AUX serial port for third-tier out-of-band connectivity

Unified Wired & Wireless Enterprise Security Suite

• Zone-Based Stateful Policy Firewall (ZBFW) for logical separation of internal wired LAN, wireless client subnet, DMZ and untrusted internet traffic
• Dynamic Multipoint VPN (DMVPN), Easy VPN Server & Client, IKEv2 IPsec encrypted tunnels for inter-branch corporate encrypted connectivity
• Signature-based inline Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), Cisco ScanSafe cloud URL filtering, application control for HTTP, FTP, IM and mainstream business traffic
• AAA authentication via TACACS+ / RADIUS, 802.1X port authentication on all 4 managed LAN switch ports and wireless clients
• Secure management only: SSHv2, HTTPS; plaintext Telnet disabled by factory default
• Granular access control lists (ACLs), MAC address port lockdown on Fast Ethernet switch ports and wireless MAC filtering

WLAN & QoS Bandwidth Optimization

• WLAN specific features: SSID multiple broadcast, wireless client isolation, radio transmit power adjustment, wireless rate limiting
• Weighted Fair Queuing (WFQ), Class-Based WFQ (CBWFQ), Low Latency Queuing (LLQ) for voice, video and real-time business traffic prioritization over both wired and wireless paths
• NBAR deep application recognition to classify and prioritize business-critical applications
• RTP/TCP header compression, traffic shaping and policing to control metered broadband bandwidth consumption

Remote Management & Automation

• Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) for standardized mass retail and remote branch deployments
• Cisco IOS Embedded Event Manager (EEM) scriptable triggers for WAN link failure alerts, wireless radio fault notifications and automated remediation actions
• SNMP v2c/v3, remote syslog logging, IP SLA end-to-end link performance monitoring, dedicated WLAN MIB for wireless client telemetry
• Native compatibility with Cisco Configuration Professional (CCP) web GUI for simplified no-CLI deployment and daily monitoring of routing, security and wireless services
• GOLD onboard diagnostics for continuous remote hardware health inspection of Ethernet and WLAN radio interfaces

5. Typical Deployment Scenarios

1. Small Retail Store All-in-One Secure Gateway with On-Site Wi-Fi
   FE cable/fiber acts as primary POS transaction uplink; integrated 4-port LAN switch connects payment terminals, office PCs and IP surveillance cameras, while built-in 2.4GHz Wi-Fi provides guest and staff wireless access. Persistent IPsec DMVPN tunnels securely transmit sensitive retail data back to corporate headquarters, zone firewall + IPS jointly isolate payment systems, wireless guest subnet and internal corporate LAN from public internet threats.
2. Remote Teleworker Home Office Secure VPN Gateway with Wi-Fi
   Deployed at remote employee residences to establish encrypted Easy VPN tunnels back to corporate network; built-in wireless AP supplies Wi-Fi for home laptops and mobile devices, stateful firewall protects all wired and wireless endpoints from internet malware and unauthorized access.
3. Tiny Regional Satellite Office Unified Wired/Wireless Branch Router
   Cost-effective metal ISR integrating routing, switching, security and wireless access in single hardware, supporting up to four wired endpoints plus multiple wireless clients without purchasing separate external switches or access points; EIGRP/BGP support enables seamless integration into enterprise corporate routing domains.
4. Low-Density Unmanned Small IoT Site Wired+Wireless Edge Router
   Aggregates IP cameras and environmental monitoring sensors via FE LAN ports, while Wi-Fi supports short-range wireless IoT sensors; maintains persistent encrypted IPsec tunnels to central cloud or on-premises management platforms.
5. Small Business Lobby Secure Broadband Gateway with Guest Wi-Fi
   VLAN segmentation separates employee corporate wired/wireless traffic and public guest Wi-Fi, built-in URL filtering restricts guest internet access, persistent VPN tunnels connect back to enterprise core network for business applications.

6. Standard Package Contents of C881W-K9 SKU

Separately Sold Optional Accessories

• RJ45 rollover console cable for local CLI configuration
• Spare replacement AC power adapter
• USB flash storage drives for log archiving and offline configuration backup
• CAT5e/CAT6 Ethernet patch cords for LAN/FE WAN connections

Software Licensing Information

• The-K9suffix includes a permanent built-in cryptographic license; no additional purchase required for IPsec, AES encryption and secure management protocols
• All core routing, firewall, inline IPS, WLAN AP, QoS, ZTP and managed switch features are fully included in the base Advanced Security IOS image; no extra paid feature licenses required
• No cellular modem feature licenses applicable (cellular WWAN hardware is omitted from this wired+Wi-Fi SKU)

Short Commercial Catalog Summary for Quotation