Cisco C1121-8P Full Product Description

1. Short Overview

Suffix Breakdown

• C1121: High-performance fixed dual-Ethernet WAN ISR chassis of Cisco 112x series, without integrated DSL modem, dedicated for pure fiber/copper Metro Ethernet access networks
• 8: Integrated 8-port full Gigabit copper LAN switch
• P: Mixed PoE / PoE+ power output on 6 of 8 LAN ports, total shared PoE power budget of 120W

Core Differentiators

1. vs DSL-integrated C1126/C1127 series: C1126/C1127 integrate built-in VDSL2/ADSL2+ DSL modems for copper telephone line broadband; C1121-8P is pure Ethernet architecture without DSL chipset, optimized for fiber-first enterprise and ISP deployments.
2. vs entry-level C1111-8P: C1111-8P features lower raw forwarding and VPN throughput; C1121-8P upgrades multi-core processing, higher unencrypted routing and IPsec encrypted throughput, standard 4GB DRAM/4GB flash baseline for scalable SD-WAN branch workloadsCisco.
3. vs modular LTE variant C1121-8PLTEP: LTE models include front pluggable cellular PIM slots for redundant wireless WAN; base C1121-8P is wired-only without cellular expansion capability.
4. vs wireless variant C1121-8PWE: Wireless variants integrate internal dual-band 802.11ac Wave2 WLAN AP hardware; C1121-8P omits built-in Wi-Fi access point functionality.
5. vs legacy ISR G2 C800 routers: Older C800 platforms run classic IOS without native SD-WAN, limited crypto acceleration and no flexible SFP fiber combo uplink; C1121-8P utilizes modern multi-core IOS XE architecture, dedicated hardware VPN acceleration and dual-media primary/backup WAN design.

2. Hardware Interface & Performance Specifications

Dual Redundant Multi-Media WAN Architecture (Automatic Dual-Path Failover Supported)

1. Combo Gigabit Ethernet WAN Port (GE0/0/0)
   10/100/1000BASE-T RJ45 copper interface paired with a shared SFP slot supporting industry-standard 1G fiber transceivers (SX/LX/T). Auto MDI/MDI-X speed negotiation, enabling flexible fiber or copper primary high-bandwidth Metro Ethernet broadband access for branch voice, video and data workloads.
2. Dedicated Independent Copper Gigabit Ethernet WAN Port (GE0/0/1)
   Separate 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ45 secondary uplink for redundant wired backup, fully compatible with VRRP, HSRP, MHSRP and continuous IP SLA link health monitoring to trigger automatic SD-WAN policy-based traffic steering and failover between combo fiber/copper and secondary copper WAN paths.

8-Port Full Gigabit Managed LAN Switch

• Ports 1–4: IEEE 802.3af PoE (max 15.4W per port for standard IP cameras, single-line VoIP phones, low-power indoor wireless APs)
• Ports 5–6: IEEE 802.3at PoE+ (max 30W per port for compact high-power 4K PTZ surveillance cameras, Wi-Fi 6 enterprise low-density access points)
• Ports 7–8: Standard non-PoE Gigabit copper for desktop PCs, local file servers and low-power wired IoT sensors
  Total shared PoE power budget: 120W, eliminating bulky external PoE injectors for medium-scale unified communications and multi-camera surveillance deployments.
  Full enterprise Layer 2 switching feature set:
• 802.1Q VLAN tagging, port isolation, static MAC address security, dedicated DMZ port assignment
• Broadcast/multicast storm suppression, SPAN traffic mirroring, LACP link aggregation, Cisco Auto Smartport auto-provisioning macros
• Per-port CoS traffic marking, bandwidth policing, private VLAN segmentation, CDP device discovery

Management & Auxiliary Ports

1. Micro-USB Console port: Dedicated out-of-band local CLI access via Micro-USB cable for offline factory provisioning and on-site troubleshooting
2. Single USB 3.0 Type-A dual-purpose host port: Supports external flash drives for offline configuration backups, system log archiving, EEM automation scripts and Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) image deployment; also compatible with optional CAT4/CAT6 USB LTE dongles for auxiliary tertiary cellular backup WAN
3. External DC power input jack (requires separate 12V DC 150W universal AC power adapter to sustain full 120W PoE load; no internal integrated PSU)
4. Hardware reset button, Kensington anti-theft lock slot for physical equipment protection
5. Embedded RTC real-time clock for precise timestamping of security audit logs, digital certificate validity and network fault events

Memory, Storage & Performance Benchmarks

• DRAM: 4 GB fixed non-upgradeable system memory, supports up to 100 concurrent IPsec/DMVPN tunnels, dual-path SD-WAN multi-path forwarding, inline NGIPS inspection and full 8-port PoE LAN + dual WAN traffic processing under maximum full loadCisco
• Flash storage: 4 GB onboard non-upgradeable flash; factory preloadedc900-universalk9-mzIOS XE Universal Advanced Security image, minimum supported firmware release 16.11.1Cisco
• Maximum IPsec encrypted IMIX throughput (multi-tunnel): 650 Mbps
• Unencrypted raw IPv4 IMIX routing throughput: Up to 1 Gbps
• Concurrent site-to-site IPsec/DMVPN tunnels: Up to 100
• Concurrent remote SSL VPN users: Up to 100

Front Panel LED Status Indicators

Physical & Power Parameters

• Form factor: Slim fanless metal desktop chassis, optional wall-mount bracket and ACS-1100-RM2 19-inch rack-mount kit available
• Dimensions (H × W × D): 41.9 mm × 322 mm × 226 mm (1.65 × 12.7 × 8.9 inches) with anti-slip rubber feet
• Weight: ~1.56 kg (3.43 lbs) without external power adapter and SFP transceivers
• Power supply requirement: Separate external 12V DC 150W universal AC adapter (100–240V AC mains input, 50/60Hz)
• Typical maximum power consumption: 28 W under combo Ethernet + secondary copper WAN + full 120W PoE LAN load
• Ingress protection: IP20, designed exclusively for dry indoor commercial office and telco wiring closet environments

Standard Commercial Environmental Specifications

• Operating temperature: 0°C ~ +40°C (32°F ~ 104°F); linear performance derating of 1.5°C per 1000 m altitude above 3000 mCisco
• Storage temperature: -40°C ~ +70°C (-40°F ~ 158°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 fully offloads IPsec, IKEv2 and SSL VPN encryption traffic, eliminating CPU bottlenecks under heavy concurrent site-to-site and remote access tunnel workloads
• Permanent integrated universal security license enables complete enterprise encryption suite: AES-128/192/256, 3DES, DES, SHA-1/SHA-2, IKEv1/IKEv2 static tunnels, Easy VPN remote access and DMVPN dynamic hub-spoke tunnels
• Native traffic isolation filters to segregate corporate staff LAN, PoE camera/VoIP IoT subnet and untrusted public internet via independent VLAN zoning to block lateral threat movement across dual Ethernet uplink paths

4. Cisco IOS XE Advanced Security & SD-WAN Feature Suite

Dual Multi-Media WAN Redundancy Routing (Combo Fiber-Copper Ethernet + Dedicated Copper GE)

• Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF), static routing, RIPv1/v2, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, GRE/MGRE tunnel encapsulation, complete IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack routing support
• Automatic policy-based dual-path failover logic across combo fiber/copper Ethernet primary WAN and secondary copper GE backup uplink via VRRP and continuous IP SLA circuit health validation
• Metro Ethernet 802.3ah E-LMI link fault monitoring for fiber/copper carrier SLA tracking and performance reporting
• Policy-Based Routing (PBR), multi-NAT pools, PAT overload for logical segmentation of mixed PoE-powered surveillance and voice endpoints
• DHCP server/relay/client, DNS proxy, dynamic DNS, IP SLA active link performance monitoring across both WAN paths

Unified Enterprise Threat Security Suite

• Zone-Based Stateful Inspection Firewall (ZBFW) to isolate internal corporate LAN, PoE device subnet, DMZ and untrusted public internet traffic zones with granular inter-zone access control policies
• Next-Generation Intrusion Prevention System (NGIPS), Cisco Umbrella cloud URL filtering, deep NBAR2 advanced application control for HTTP, FTP, IM, video conferencing and mainstream business workloads
• AAA authentication via TACACS+ / RADIUS, 802.1X port authentication supported on all eight Gigabit LAN ports
• Secure management only: SSHv2, HTTPS, SNMPv3; plaintext Telnet disabled by factory default
• Granular access control lists (ACLs), static MAC address port lockdown on Gigabit switch ports, anti-spoofing and DDoS mitigation filters for inbound WAN traffic over both Ethernet uplinks

SD-WAN & Multi-Layer QoS Bandwidth Optimization

• Native Cisco SD-WAN integrated functionality for intelligent application-aware traffic steering across combo fiber/copper and secondary copper GE fixed-line paths, with application-defined SLA policy enforcement for critical voice, multi-stream video surveillance and POS payment workloads
• WFQ, CBWFQ, LLQ low-latency queuing mechanisms for priority forwarding of real-time industrial SCADA, voice and multi-camera video traffic over metered broadband circuits
• NBAR2 deep packet inspection to classify and prioritize bandwidth-heavy business workloads (inter-site data replication, bulk video backhaul, enterprise cloud synchronization)
• RTP/TCP header compression, traffic shaping and policing to control leased-line bandwidth consumption and avoid carrier overage charges
• PoE QoS scheduling to guarantee consistent power and bandwidth priority for mission-critical PoE+ 4K cameras and multi-line VoIP handsets across all six powered LAN ports

Remote Management & Automation

• Cisco Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) for mass standardized deployment of medium retail branches and Metro Ethernet service provider managed CPE
• Cisco IOS Embedded Event Manager (EEM): Scriptable triggers for combo/secondary Ethernet WAN link loss, PoE power faults and USB storage events with email/SNMP alert notifications for remote IT operations staff
• SNMP v2c/v3, remote syslog logging, IP SLA end-to-end link performance telemetry, dedicated MIB extensions for dual multi-media WAN circuit status and PoE power consumption monitoring
• Compatible with Cisco Configuration Professional (CCP), Cisco DNA Center Lite and vManage SD-WAN controller for unified single-pane-of-glass remote monitoring of routing, security, PoE and dual multi-media WAN subsystems
• GOLD non-disruptive onboard diagnostics for continuous remote hardware health checks of combo SFP and copper Ethernet interfaces without service interruption

5. Typical Deployment Scenarios

1. Medium Retail Dual-Media Fiber-Copper PoE Secure Gateway
   Combo SFP/RJ45 WAN port delivers high-bandwidth fiber Metro Ethernet primary uplink for retail POS transaction and multi-camera surveillance video backhaul; dedicated secondary copper GE WAN provides automatic wired backup during fiber cut outages. Integrated 8-port mixed PoE/PoE+ LAN switch powers multiple POS payment terminals, compact PoE+ 4K security cameras, multi-line VoIP desk phones and store low-power wireless APs without external PoE injectors. VLAN segmentation isolates sensitive payment infrastructure from staff LAN and public internet threats. Persistent encrypted IPsec DMVPN/SD-WAN tunnels transmit retail video and transaction data securely back to central corporate data centers, with zone firewall + NGIPS mitigating external cyber intrusion risks over public fiber and copper broadband networks.
2. Mid-Tier Service Provider Hybrid Fiber-Copper Business CPE
   Cost-effective high-performance compact hardware platform enables Metro Ethernet ISPs to deliver dual redundant fiber-copper managed broadband services to medium enterprise subscribers requiring high-density PoE surveillance and voice endpoints. Centralized ZTP mass deployment and remote SNMP/vManage monitoring support bundled managed security, multi-PoE and SD-WAN networking service packages for SME market segments.
3. Small-Medium Enterprise Office Dual-WAN SD-WAN Branch Router
   Dual multi-media WAN design allows fiber primary broadband for stable encrypted Easy VPN/SD-WAN connectivity to corporate headquarters; secondary copper GE line provides cost-effective backup for circuit resilience. Mixed PoE/PoE+ LAN ports power office high-power surveillance cameras, multi-line VoIP equipment and multiple wireless access points, full EIGRP/BGP routing support enables seamless intelligent multi-path traffic steering to core enterprise networks.
4. Multi-Building Campus Remote High-Density Surveillance PoE Edge Router
   Eight LAN ports connect dozens of high-resolution PoE/PoE+ cameras, building access control sensors and environmental monitoring equipment; combo fiber WAN delivers high-bandwidth primary backhaul to campus core network, secondary copper GE uplink acts as emergency wired backup during fiber failure events, automatic SD-WAN failover maintains uninterrupted multi-stream video data transmission.
5. Converged Voice & Video Medium Branch Router
   Fanless low-noise design fits compact office wiring closets; dual redundant fiber/copper WAN paths eliminate single points of failure for mission-critical unified communications and video surveillance workloads, built-in dedicated hardware encryption secures all inter-branch VPN communications over public fiber and copper broadband circuits.

6. Standard Package Contents of C1121-8P

Separately Sold Optional Accessories

• Micro-USB rollover console cable for local CLI configuration
• 12V 150W external universal AC power supply (mandatory operating accessory for full PoE functionality)
• 1G SFP fiber transceivers (SX/LX/T) for combo WAN fiber connectivity
• CAT4/CAT6 USB LTE cellular dongles for auxiliary tertiary wireless backup WAN
• USB flash storage drives for log archiving and offline configuration backup
• CAT5e/CAT6 Ethernet patch cords for eight Gigabit LAN and dual GE WAN connections
• ACS-1100-RM2 19-inch rack mount kit for wiring cabinet deployment

Software Licensing Information

• Permanent integrated security & crypto license included; no additional purchase required for IPsec, AES encryption, zone firewall and NGIPS threat defense features
• All core routing, dual-media combo/copper WAN multi-path failover, PoE/PoE+ power management, QoS, native Cisco SD-WAN intelligent traffic steering, ZTP and 8-port Gigabit managed switch features are fully included in the base IOS XE universal image; no extra paid feature licenses needed
• No wireless AP or embedded cellular license applicable (WLAN radio and internal pluggable LTE PIM hardware are omitted from this pure wired fiber-ready high-density PoE SKU)

Short Commercial Catalog Summary for Quotation