Buying options for a single user and for learning purposes only using the MR series Meraki AP

[_jim3_]

edit: Okay, so a reseller got back in touch with me and gave me a link to someone that sells the license: https://www.rhinonetworks.com/product/license/meraki-mr-license which is great as this isn't *too* expensive for an entire year and I'll be able to build more than a few apps and learn alot in the process. 

So other than this option (which would be fine by me) feel free to mention others. Thanks in advance. 

-- Original Post

Currently I use the wonderful and very useful https://developer.cisco.com/site/sandbox/ for learning. I want to program applications using the Cisco Meraki Dashboard API. But w/o the hardware testing the apps isn't very useful so I want to buy a MR series Meraki and buy a one year license so I can learn by *doing*. 

What are my most budget-friendly options? Buy the hardware online used then buy a license from Cisco? If so once I get the hardware exactly where do I go to purchase that license. Or I can I call as well. Most importantly though, I want to know the correct details *before* buy the hardware. 

Could I get some help or info on this. Again, it's just me, a single user, using this on his home network in order to build apps using the Cisco Meraki Dashboard API. 

And also, are there any other options that I might be missing that could help me and that are even more budget friendly?

[mlefebvre]

I would be very wary of purchasing second-hand equipment, it could be stolen or have any number of issues, and if the owner has not properly relinquished ownership in the Dashboard you will never be able to use it, period, Meraki will not allow you to.

The cheapest access point that is being sold currently is the MR28, I would pick one of those up for your development environment (plus a power brick or PoE injector or PoE switch)

[_jim3_]

Thanks for the info / specifics on the dashboard needed to be relinquished. I'll have to be extremely cautious if I go that route. And I was unaware of the MR28 but that one is probably the one I need. Glad I signed up for the forum. Good info I wouldn't normally get!

[leewalhovd]

The MR28 has most of the features but does not natively have a scanning radio so if you need that with other functions it may be a bit limited. You can swap modes but if the AP is scanning it won't serve clients so testing air marshal events may be problematic as well as RF scanning. 

[mlefebvre]

Yes the MR28 has no scanning radio, but the MR28 gets them 95% feature and API coverage for the best cost. Unless you very specifically need to test with those events I don't think it is worth it if your goal is to develop apps...you are better off using the sandbox for that last few %. Here is how other APs scale up to get that last 5% of features by list price (check with the retailer for actual):

MR28 - 95% compatibility with API endpoints and features, $500 list price

MR36 (gets you a scanning radio, no additional API coverage) $947 list price

MR36H (gets you access to port profiles (one or two additional API endpoints but more situational than other access points) $860 list price

CW9162 (gets you 6GHz capabilities, exposes some additional settings in RF profiles specific to 6GHz) $1595 list price

[FlyingFrames]

If it does not have a scanning radio, then how does MR 28 perform RF management? e.g. scanning channels to find the best suited channel for the AP.

[leewalhovd]

It will scan the channel its on when clients are connected, that is a limitation of no security radio it needs to serve clients. When no clients are connected it is free to scan, there are some additional thresholds for busy times and dfs that apply as well so would scan for a free channel under certain conditions but isn't going to provide all of the same information all the time. https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Monitoring_and_Reporting/Location_Analytics/Meraki_Auto_RF%3A__W... this KB provides more detailed information. 

[BlakeRichardson]

I would avoid second hand unless you personally know the person / company or the device is stupidly cheap i.e. $5 and it's worth taking the risk. 

You can always find the hardware first add it to your dashboard to make sure it hasn't been claimed already and then add the license when you are ready to use it.