Stacking CS930024HX-M and CS9300P-M

[JamesMinett-SMT]

Hi,

We have a deployment planned where we will be utilising CW9164i-MR's for interior Wi-Fi along side MR76's for Exterior Wi-Fi.

as such, we ideally need to provide the CW9164i-MR's 2.5Gb of portspeed, but due to budget constraints + interior cabling constraints of legacy cabling, there's little purpose for us to go with CS9300-HX-M's everywhere as we'd only be utilising the 2.5GB linkspeed on a subset of our network. For the interior AP's we will be running new Cat6.

I've read Catalyst 9300-M Datasheet - Cisco Meraki Documentation

Which suggests you can stack the CS9300-X series with CS9300-M's 

Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[GIdenJoe · Accepted solution]

C9300 and C9300X switches can be stacked but should run at the slowest stacking speed of 480G instead of 1T.  So yes it will work.

You only can't stack between C9300(X) and C9300L since that is a different stacking technology.

[JamesMinett-SMT]

Thank you so much for coming back to me so quickly!

I'm assuming that means you can also stack a CS930048-M with a CS9300-24-HX-M?

Documentation suggests no reason why you can't mix portcounts, but again I'd rather be as right as we can be before we go for costing.

[GIdenJoe]

For physical stack models:  All the C9300 ranges you can always stack the same families together.
Families are:
C9300
C9300X
C9300L
C9300LM

So you can stack C9300 with C9300X.
You can also stack C9300L with C9300LM.

But you cannot mix C9300(X) with C9300L(M).

And yes as @GreenMan added.  The C9300L(M) models need stacking modules as these are optional while the C9300(X) always come with stacking ports on the backside.

[GreenMan]

While we're being super-penickety on specifics here:

C9300LM-M   (where the -M indicates 'Meraki management') does not currently exist.   You currently can't for example, convert a C9300LM bought with traditional on-prem management into Meraki-managed mode.   I.e. the fourth family on the list here is only currently available with traditional on-prem style management

[GIdenJoe]

Yes I'm cross referencing both the Cisco and the Meraki documentation and may be running a bit fast.  I like to use both documentations because then I can see what may be coming next.

I also use tmgmatrix.cisco.com as reference for SFP's since not all documentation is 100% covering every possible scenario (like using BX-D and BX-U SFP's on Meraki managed C9300 switches).

It also gives me an insight what will be coming.

[GreenMan]

Those aren't quite accurate SKUs, as it happens but yeah - within a family (i.e. 9300 here) they are, of course, inter-stackable.  Port count and PoE / non-PoE makes no difference.   The main cautions have already been pointed out by @GIdenJoe    The only thing I'd add is, if you're considering stacking 9300L switches, they don't have built-in stacking ports, you need to add the stacking kit to each unit you want to stack:  C9300L-STAK-KIT2-M

This includes a 1/2m stacking cable.   1M & 3M options are available.

Remember; no StackPower support on C9300L either

[JamesMinett-SMT]

Thanks @GreenMan - we're not going with the C9300L.

I also realise I've mangled those SKU's, which following my comment about being 'as right as we  can be' is a bit ironic.

Cheers for validating that. Also cheers for pointing out that the stacking cables are their own kit - I'd not yet got to that point but I do appreciate it as it saves me time.

Have a great day!

[GreenMan]

'Stacking kit' as a term would apply solely to C9300L   (of academic interest here, it would seem)

Called a kit cos it includes the stacking modules as well as the cable

C9300-M and C9300X-M have built-in stacking ports - you only need to order the compatible cables.   These are, incidentally, different ones from those in the C9300L stacking kit - it's an entirely different stacking architecture.

[cmr]

On another note, I'd run CAT6a cabling to the new APs.  We have found that CAT6 may not run reliably at 2.5Gb.