Cisco Aironet 3702i vs 3802i
The 3802i is the flagship 802.11ac Wave 2 successor to the Wave 1 3702i, adding 4x4:4 MU-MIMO, a second 5 GHz radio via Flexible Radio Assignment, and a far higher aggregate data rate. If your 3702i fleet is end of life, the 3802i is the direct, top-tier replacement.
Cisco Aironet 3702i
Flagship 802.11ac Wave 1 access point with modular uplink slot for high-performance WLANs.
- 802.11ac Wave 1, 4x4:3 MIMO with three spatial streams
- Up to 1.3 Gbps on 5 GHz
- Cisco CleanAir, ClientLink 3.0, module slot
- End of life; no new software or hardware support
Cisco Aironet 3802i
Flagship 802.11ac Wave 2 access point with 4x4 MU-MIMO and Flexible Radio Assignment.
- 802.11ac Wave 2, 4x4:4 MIMO with MU-MIMO
- Up to 5.2 Gbps aggregate data rate
- Flexible Radio Assignment (dual 5 GHz capable)
- mGig (Smart Rate) uplink, 802.3at PoE, Mobility Express option
Cisco Aironet 3702i vs Cisco Aironet 3802i: spec comparison
| Spec | Cisco Aironet 3702i | Cisco Aironet 3802i |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi standard | 802.11ac Wave 1 | 802.11ac Wave 2 |
| MIMO / spatial streams | 4x4:3 (3 SS) | 4x4:4 (4 SS) |
| MU-MIMO | No (SU-MIMO only) | Yes (downlink MU-MIMO) |
| Max 5 GHz data rate | 1.3 Gbps | Up to 2.6 Gbps (FRA dual 5 GHz) |
| Aggregate data rate | Up to ~1.6 Gbps | Up to 5.2 Gbps |
| Flexible Radio Assignment | No | Yes |
| Channel width (5 GHz) | 20/40/80 MHz | 20/40/80/160 MHz |
| Uplink | 1 x GbE (+ module slot) | mGig Smart Rate (up to 2.5 Gbps) |
| PoE | 802.3at | 802.3at (full features) |
| Mobility Express controller | No | Yes (optional) |
| Lifecycle status | End of life | End of sale, supported longer |
Choose Cisco Aironet 3702i if
Keep the 3702i only as a short-term hold where units are still running and a refresh is not yet budgeted; it receives no further Cisco support.
Choose Cisco Aironet 3802i if
Choose the 3802i for a flagship Wave 2 upgrade with 4x4 MU-MIMO, Flexible Radio Assignment, and an mGig uplink, ideal for the highest-density areas of a network.
Verdict
Migrate from the 3702i to the 3802i. The 3702i is end of life, while the 3802i adds Wave 2 MU-MIMO, a fourth spatial stream, Flexible Radio Assignment, and an mGig uplink in the same top-tier class. It is a clean, TAA-compliant, GPC-payable refresh that restores supportability and roughly triples aggregate capacity.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Cisco Aironet 3702i end of life?
Yes. The 3702i has reached end of life and no longer receives Cisco software updates, security fixes, or hardware replacement under support.
Is the 3802i the direct successor to the 3702i?
Yes. The 3802i is the flagship 3800-series Wave 2 successor to the 3702i, adding 4x4:4 MU-MIMO, Flexible Radio Assignment, and an mGig uplink.
Does the 3802i support multigigabit Ethernet?
Yes. The 3802i uses a Cisco Smart Rate / mGig uplink that supports speeds above 1 Gbps, removing the wired bottleneck the 3702i's standard GbE port could create.
How much more capacity does the 3802i offer over the 3702i?
The 3702i tops out at 1.3 Gbps on 5 GHz, while the 3802i reaches up to 5.2 Gbps aggregate thanks to Wave 2, a fourth spatial stream, wider channels, and a second 5 GHz radio.
More Aironet comparisons
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