Mounting option for channel drop ceiling?

[greaper]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to mount an MR53 to a channel drop ceiling grid?  Cisco has an option to use the AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER but I don't see anything for Meraki AP's.

[HodyCrouch]

I believe the MR53 comes with mounting hardware for a drop-ceiling grid.

Take a look at page 4 of the MR53 datasheet.  The largest metal parts in the black foam twist on to the ceiling grid and are locked with set screws.

[Adam]

Correct the MR's come with a mounting kit.  Part of that kit includes little twist clamps (bottom right of picture below) that mount and slide on the grid then the bracket mounts to those clamps.  

[greaper]

Both of you are correct if I were mounting to a T-Rail drop ceiling grid.

In my case, I need to mount these AP's to a Channel drop ceiling grid as shown in the center image.  The left image is the T-Rail grid and the right one is a Beam grid.  For the middle and right Cisco sells the AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER adapter to mount all of their AP's to both of these types of ceiling grids.  I cannot use that adapter to mount Meraki AP's so I was wondering if anyone knows of a viable solution for these two other types of celings.

[Adam]

Do you have any of those AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER adapters to test to see if they line up with any of the holes on the MR bracket? 

[greaper]

They do not.  If you are familiar with the Cisco mounting bracket the two clips on the bracket meet together on the T-Rail whereas with the Meraki clip the two ends are about 2 inches apart.  If I were to use the adapter I would need 4 of them and that is not a workable option.

[PhilipDAth]

It looks like you'll be using screws ...

[greaper]

Sadly it looks that way.

[BlakeRichardson]

I do suggest if you are screwing them into the ceiling tiles make sure you fix them into a piece of wood on the other side of the tile. I've seen lazy jobs where people haven't fixed them into wood and the AP has fallen off the ceiling! 

[greaper]

I was actually thinking of drilling into the channel grid as I don't trust the tiles to hold any AP.  If I were to rely on the tile I would use a board long enough to span the tile and rely on the grid work, never the tile.

[RobinsonRoca]

I saw this post and thought I would offer assistance.  In the past you had to use Cisco's  AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER brackets and mount the Meraki Adapters to it. Meraki has its own clips that work like the AIR-CHNL-ADAPTER brackets, but look like the normal adapters that are shipped with APs.  The difference is the clips are deeper.  I know it's hard to describe but this part number: MA-MNT-CLG-1  includes a pair of deep drop ceiling clips for channel rail as well as spare T-Rail adapter clips which supports both recessed T-Rail and flush T-Rail. The deep drop ceiling clip works well with "Armstrong Silhouette" and similar ceiling grids which are found in newer building designs, its basically a channel rail (not a T-Rail). This kit is compatible with all Meraki MR access points and MV21 & MV71 security cameras. 

Everyone knows the T-Rail here's a good picture of it:

Meraki APs Come with an adapter for this by default. but If you want to mount on 

the channel rails pictured above, you will want to order MA-MNT-CLG-1

separately when ordering your APs.

Good luck out there all!!! 

HTH!

[greaper]

Thank you for the update.  That is good to know.

[MRCUR]

This is the only specialized ceiling mount kit Meraki sells: MA-MNT-CLG-1

While this includes adapters for "recessed" t-rails, it doesn't sound like this will work for your application.