Cisco Meraki MR52 vs MR46
The Meraki MR52 (MR52-HW) is an end-of-life 802.11ac Wave 2 4x4 access point; the MR46 (MR46-HW) is its Wi-Fi 6 successor, raising aggregate throughput to about 3 Gbps with OFDMA and a multigigabit uplink. For a high-density refresh, deploy the MR46.
Cisco Meraki MR52 Cloud Managed Access Point
End-of-life flagship 802.11ac Wave 2 4x4:4 access point with a dedicated scanning radio.
- 802.11ac Wave 2 (Wi-Fi 5), 4x4:4 dual-band
- Up to ~2.5 Gbps aggregate with MU-MIMO and 160 MHz
- Dedicated security and RF scanning radio plus BLE
- End of sale and end of support; dual 1 GbE uplinks
Cisco Meraki MR46 Wi-Fi 6 Indoor Access Point
Current flagship Wi-Fi 6 4x4:4 access point with OFDMA and a multigigabit uplink.
- 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), 4x4:4 dual-band
- Up to ~3 Gbps aggregate with OFDMA and MU-MIMO
- mGig (2.5 GbE) uplink for high-throughput sites
- Dedicated security radio and BLE/IoT; supported lifecycle
Cisco Meraki MR52 Cloud Managed Access Point vs Cisco Meraki MR46 Wi-Fi 6 Indoor Access Point: spec comparison
| Spec | Cisco Meraki MR52 Cloud Managed Access Point | Cisco Meraki MR46 Wi-Fi 6 Indoor Access Point |
|---|---|---|
| Status | End of sale / end of support | Current shipping product |
| Wi-Fi standard | 802.11ac Wave 2 (Wi-Fi 5) | 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Spatial streams | 4x4:4 | 4x4:4 |
| Max aggregate rate | Up to ~2.5 Gbps | Up to ~3 Gbps |
| OFDMA | No | Yes (uplink and downlink) |
| MU-MIMO | Yes (downlink) | Yes (uplink and downlink) |
| Dedicated security radio | Yes | Yes |
| Uplink | Dual 1 GbE | 1 x mGig (2.5 GbE) |
| IoT / Bluetooth radio | Yes (BLE) | Yes (BLE) |
| Power | 802.3at PoE | 802.3at PoE |
Choose Cisco Meraki MR52 Cloud Managed Access Point if
Choose the MR52 only to match an existing all-MR52 deployment during a staged migration. As an end-of-life Wi-Fi 5 model, it should not be specified for new high-density coverage.
Choose Cisco Meraki MR46 Wi-Fi 6 Indoor Access Point if
Choose the MR46 for flagship high-density refresh sites. It keeps the 4x4 radio profile while adding Wi-Fi 6 OFDMA and a 2.5 GbE uplink for higher real-world capacity per AP.
Verdict
Migrate from the MR52 to the MR46. The MR46 carries forward the 4x4 high-density design while adding Wi-Fi 6 OFDMA, higher aggregate throughput near 3 Gbps, and a single multigigabit uplink, all on a supported lifecycle the MR52 no longer has.
Frequently asked questions
What is the replacement for the Cisco Meraki MR52?
The MR46 (MR46-HW) is the Wi-Fi 6 flagship that replaces the 4x4 802.11ac Wave 2 MR52, with OFDMA and a multigigabit uplink.
Is the Meraki MR52 still supported?
No. The MR52-HW has reached end of sale and is on its end-of-support track, so it should be refreshed to the Wi-Fi 6 MR46.
Does the MR46 keep the MR52's 4x4 performance?
Yes. Both are 4x4:4 access points, but the MR46 adds Wi-Fi 6 efficiency (OFDMA, uplink MU-MIMO) and raises aggregate throughput to roughly 3 Gbps.
How does the MR46 uplink compare to the MR52?
The MR52 used dual 1 GbE ports, while the MR46 uses a single 2.5 GbE multigigabit uplink that better matches Wi-Fi 6 throughput on a single cable run.
More Meraki MR comparisons
Specs are for planning and may change; Uniqcli confirms the current Cisco bill of materials and pricing on your quote. Cisco, Catalyst, Nexus, Meraki, and Firepower are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc.; Uniqcli LLC is an independent authorized Cisco partner.