Cisco C1121X-8PLTEP Full Product Description

1. Short Overview

Suffix Breakdown

• C1121: High-performance fixed dual-Ethernet WAN ISR chassis of Cisco 112x series, no integrated DSL modem, dedicated for pure fiber/copper Metro Ethernet access networks
• X: Enhanced memory variant, equipped with 8 GB DRAM + 8 GB flash (base non-X models ship with 4GB/4GB) to support IOx edge compute and larger SD-WAN scale workloadsCisco
• 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
• LTE: Equipped with front modular PIM slot for swappable CAT4/CAT6/CAT18 LTE Advanced or NSA 5G cellular pluggable modules
• P: Pluggable cellular PIM slot design for flexible region-matched cellular carrier module upgrades

Core Differentiators

1. vs base C1121-8PLTEP: Non-X models carry 4GB DRAM/4GB flash without IOx app-hosting support; C1121X-8PLTEP upgrades to 8GB DRAM/8GB flash to enable local edge application execution, larger routing tables and concurrent security workloadsCisco.
2. vs DSL-integrated C1126X/C1127X LTE series: C1126X/C1127X integrate built-in VDSL2/ADSL2+ DSL modems for copper telephone line broadband; C1121X-8PLTEP is pure Ethernet architecture without DSL chipset, optimized for fiber-first enterprise and ISP deployments.
3. vs wired-only C1121X-8P: C1121X-8P omits cellular PIM expansion slot for fixed Ethernet-only deployments; C1121X-8PLTEP adds front pluggable LTE/5G slot for multi-media wireless failover.
4. vs wireless variant C1121X-8PLTEPWE: Wireless variants integrate internal dual-band 802.11ac Wave2 WLAN AP hardware; base C1121X-8PLTEP 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, no SFP fiber combo uplink and no cellular modular expansion; C1121X-8PLTEP utilizes modern multi-core IOS XE architecture, dedicated hardware VPN acceleration, flexible fiber/copper primary WAN and pluggable cellular redundancy design.

2. Hardware Interface & Performance Specifications

Triple Hybrid WAN Architecture (Automatic Three-Path Failover Supported)

1. Front Pluggable Cellular PIM Expansion Slot
   Single interchangeable front PIM slot supporting CAT4/CAT6/CAT18 LTE Advanced or NSA 5G pluggable modules (sold separately). Each cellular PIM features dual SMA antenna ports, independent 2FF mini-SIM slot with SIM lock protection, built-in GPS, remote SMS fault alerting, multi-APN segmentation and cellular Multi-VRF. Functions as primary wireless WAN for off-grid sites without fixed-line broadband.
2. 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 secondary Metro Ethernet broadband access.
3. Dedicated Independent Copper Gigabit Ethernet WAN Port (GE0/0/1)
   Separate 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ45 tertiary wired backup uplink, fully compatible with VRRP, HSRP, MHSRP and continuous IP SLA link health monitoring to trigger automatic SD-WAN policy-based traffic steering and failover across cellular, 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: 8 GB fixed non-upgradeable system memory, supports up to 100 concurrent IPsec/DMVPN tunnels, triple-path SD-WAN multi-path forwarding, inline NGIPS inspection, IOx edge application hosting and full 8-port PoE LAN + triple hybrid WAN traffic processing under maximum full loadCisco
• Flash storage: 8 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
• IOx edge compute support: Native local application hosting for IoT protocol translation, edge analytics and offline monitoring workloads

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: ~1.62 kg (3.57 lbs) without external power adapter, SFP transceivers and cellular antennas
• Power supply requirement: Separate external 12V DC 150W universal AC adapter (100–240V AC mains input, 50/60Hz)
• Typical maximum power consumption: 31 W under LTE PIM + 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 m
• 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 cellular internet via independent VLAN zoning to block lateral threat movement across cellular, fiber and copper uplink paths
• Embedded Cisco Umbrella cloud security, Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA) and deep packet inspection for advanced threat detection over public cellular wireless networksCisco

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

Triple Hybrid WAN Redundancy Routing (Pluggable LTE PIM + 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 three-path failover logic across pluggable LTE cellular primary WAN, combo fiber/copper Ethernet secondary WAN and secondary copper GE backup uplink via VRRP and continuous IP SLA circuit health validation
• Dedicated cellular management tools: Multi-APN QoS, cellular Multi-VRF segmentation, SMS remote fault alerting, real-time cellular data usage metering and traffic shaping to avoid carrier bandwidth overage charges
• 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 all three independent WAN media

Unified Enterprise Threat Security Suite

• Zone-Based Stateful Inspection Firewall (ZBFW) to isolate internal corporate LAN, PoE device subnet, DMZ and untrusted public cellular 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 traffic over cellular, fiber and copper uplinks

SD-WAN & Multi-Layer QoS Bandwidth Optimization

• Native Cisco SD-WAN integrated functionality for intelligent application-aware traffic steering across three independent cellular wireless, fiber and copper hybrid 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 cellular data plans
• 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, cellular traffic shaping and policing to strictly control M2M and retail bandwidth consumption and avoid carrier billing 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, industrial M2M sites and carrier-managed triple-media hybrid CPE
• Cisco IOS Embedded Event Manager (EEM): Scriptable triggers for cellular signal loss, combo/secondary Ethernet WAN link loss, DSL sync failure, PoE power faults and USB storage events with email/SNMP/SMS alert notifications for remote IT and industrial operations staff
• SNMP v2c/v3, remote syslog logging, IP SLA end-to-end link performance telemetry, dedicated MIB extensions for cellular signal strength, SIM 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, pluggable cellular WAN and multi-port PoE LAN subsystems
• GOLD non-disruptive onboard diagnostics for continuous remote hardware health checks of cellular PIM module, combo SFP and copper Ethernet interfaces without service interruption
• IOx edge application hosting support to run local IoT translation, analytics and monitoring software directly on the router, reducing cloud bandwidth dependencyCisco

5. Typical Deployment Scenarios

1. Medium Retail Triple-Redundant Hybrid Fiber-Cellular PoE Secure Gateway
   Front pluggable LTE Advanced PIM module delivers primary wireless off-grid broadband for large retail POS transaction and multi-camera 4K surveillance video backhaul; combo SFP/RJ45 fiber Ethernet port acts as secondary high-bandwidth wired uplink, dedicated copper GE WAN provides emergency tertiary backup during simultaneous cellular and fiber outages. Integrated 8-port mixed PoE/PoE+ LAN switch powers multiple POS payment terminals, high-power PoE+ PTZ security cameras, multi-line VoIP desk phones and store Wi-Fi 6 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 fiber, copper and cellular public networks. The enhanced 8GB memory enables local IOx edge analytics for offline store traffic monitoring.
2. Global Service Provider Managed Triple-Media Hybrid Fiber-Copper-Cellular Business CPE
   Uniform compact high-memory hardware platform enables fiber ISPs to deliver three-layer redundant fiber-copper-cellular managed broadband services to medium enterprise subscribers requiring high-density PoE surveillance and voice endpoints plus emergency wireless backup. Centralized ZTP mass deployment and remote SNMP/vManage monitoring support bundled managed security, multi-PoE and SD-WAN networking service packages for cross-regional SME market segments.
3. Small-Medium Enterprise Office Triple-Redundant SD-WAN Branch Router
   Triple hybrid WAN design allows fiber primary broadband for stable encrypted Easy VPN/SD-WAN connectivity to corporate headquarters; copper GE line provides cost-effective secondary backup, and swappable LTE PIM delivers emergency wireless tertiary failover for locations prone to frequent fixed-line circuit outages. 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, while 8GB memory supports concurrent cloud security and edge application workloads.
4. Multi-Building Campus Remote High-Density IoT 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 secondary wired backup, and LTE PIM module provides emergency third-path wireless connectivity during simultaneous fiber and copper circuit failures, automatic SD-WAN multi-path steering maintains uninterrupted multi-stream video and sensor data transmission.
5. Distributed Industrial M2M Converged Voice & Video Hybrid Router
   Fanless low-noise compact design fits semi-industrial wiring closets; three independent media WAN paths eliminate single/double points of failure for mission-critical industrial SCADA control and multi-camera surveillance workloads, built-in dedicated hardware encryption secures all inter-branch VPN communications over public fiber, copper and cellular broadband circuits, and IOx edge hosting runs local industrial protocol translation without constant cloud connectivity.

6. Standard Package Contents of C1121X-8PLTEP

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)
• Region-specific CAT4/CAT6/CAT18 LTE Advanced PIM modules or NSA 5G pluggable PIMs
• Dual SMA LTE cellular antenna kits for installed cellular PIM module
• 2FF mini-SIM USIM cards activated on target cellular carriers
• 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, triple-path cellular/combo Ethernet/copper multi-media WAN failover, cellular OAM/SMS remote alert management, PoE/PoE+ power management, QoS, native Cisco SD-WAN intelligent traffic steering, ZTP, IOx edge compute 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 pre-installed LTE hardware are omitted from this modular triple-media high-density PoE enhanced memory SKU; cellular connectivity requires separately purchased pluggable PIM modules)

Short Commercial Catalog Summary for Quotation