Cisco Meraki
Cisco's Meraki line runs entirely from a web dashboard: MX firewalls, MS switches and the Meraki-managed Catalyst models (such as the C9300-M) replacing them, MR and CW access points, MV cameras and MT sensors. Ship a box to a branch, plug in power and internet, and it pulls its own config. The catch: every device needs an active licence to keep working.
- Headquarters
- United States
- Positioning
- Mid-marketEnterprise
- Official website
- meraki.cisco.com
Who it suits
Companies with five or more branches across provinces, one or two IT staff in Vientiane, and a budget for annual licences.
Overview
What Meraki is
Cisco bought Meraki in 2012, and today it is Cisco's US-based cloud-managed product line. The point of it is the Meraki Dashboard: one web page that configures, monitors and updates firmware for every device at every site. Ship a box to a branch, plug in power and internet, and it pulls its own config.
Product families
- MX: firewall and SD-WAN appliances for branches and head offices. The MX67 and MX68 cover small branches; the MX75, MX85, MX95 and MX105 cover larger ones. The MX64 and MX84 are no longer sold.
- Switching: the original MS line is being replaced by Catalyst models managed from the Meraki Dashboard, such as the C9300-M. The MS390, for example, had its last order date in March 2025.
- Wi-Fi: MR access points and the new Wi-Fi 7 models such as the CW9172 and CW9176. Cisco's new Wi-Fi 7 hardware can be run from the Dashboard or from an on-site controller.
- MV: security cameras that store video on the camera itself, with no NVR.
- MT: temperature, humidity, water-leak and door sensors for server rooms.
- MG: 4G/5G gateways for backup links. Systems Manager manages phones and laptops.
Licensing
Every device needs an active licence. Meraki has three models: co-termination (every device in the organization expires on one date), per-device (each device has its own expiry) and the newer subscription model. When a licence expires there is a 30-day grace period. After that, under co-termination the whole organization is shut down, while under per-device licensing only the expired devices stop.
Meraki fits companies with five or more branches across provinces, one or two IT staff in Vientiane, and a budget for licences every year.
Strengths
- A new branch can go live without sending an engineer: pre-configure it in the Dashboard, staff at the site plug it in, and it pulls its own config.
- Firewalls, switches, Wi-Fi, cameras and sensors sit in one screen, and firmware updates are scheduled centrally instead of device by device.
- MX builds site-to-site VPN between branches (Auto VPN) in a few clicks and fails over to a backup line or 4G on its own when the main link drops.
- Technical support and firmware updates are included in the licence, and most indoor hardware carries a lifetime warranty.
Things to know before choosing
- If you don't renew, devices stop working after the 30-day grace period (depending on the licence model). This is not hardware you buy once and keep running forever.
- All management lives in Cisco's cloud. Devices keep passing traffic when the Dashboard can't be reached, but you can't change config or see status until the internet is back.
- Some advanced options that a conventional router or firewall offers are missing from MX or less tunable, because Meraki favours simplicity. Check your routing needs before choosing it.
- Switching is moving from MS to cloud-managed Catalyst models. Check the end-of-sale status of any model you are quoted.
Using it in Laos
Meraki matches one Lao reality well: companies with branches in Luang Prabang, Pakse and Savannakhet but only a few IT staff in Vientiane. Remote monitoring and fixing saves a lot of travel.
What to plan for:
- Backup internet: provincial branches often have a single ISP. Use an MX with two WAN ports, or an MG for 4G, so the VPN to head office stays up.
- Power: evening voltage sags and rainy-season lightning. Put the MX and PoE switches behind a UPS and surge protection.
- Licences: put the expiry date in the calendar and start procurement 60–90 days ahead, because budget approval and ordering through Thai distributors take time.
- Replacements: failed units are swapped through distributors in Thailand. For a branch that cannot go down, keep one spare MX in Vientiane.
Sectors that fit: banks and microfinance institutions with many branches, retail chains, hotel groups and international organizations.
Compared with alternatives
If you want control over every detail and on-premises management, Cisco Catalyst is the option in the same family. If the firewall and threat inspection are the main concern, Fortinet usually gives more security features at a similar cost per branch. For small sites that don't want yearly licences, Ubiquiti UniFi also runs from one app, though without enterprise-style support. Pick Meraki when you have many sites and few people.
Product lines
- Meraki MX
- Meraki MS
- Catalyst (Meraki-managed)
- Meraki MR
- Meraki MV
- Meraki MT
- Meraki MG
- Meraki Systems Manager
Solutions that use this brand
Enterprise LAN & SwitchingA core–access LAN with VLANs, redundant uplinks and enough PoE. One looped cable no longer takes down the whole building.
Enterprise Wi-FiWi-Fi 6/6E/7 with APs placed from real measurements. Works in a full meeting room, holds calls while you walk, secured with WPA3.
SD-WAN for BranchesProvincial branches run two internet links at once. If one fails, the other takes over within seconds, and everything is…
Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW)A firewall that knows which app and which user, with IPS, web filtering, HTTPS inspection and VPN, sized on real all-features-on…
Hotel Guest Wi-FiWi-Fi guests can join easily, strong in every room, each guest isolated, with your own login page and PMS link.
IP CCTV SurveillanceH.265 IP cameras with NVR/VMS, designed around what each must see: faces, plates or overview. Built for dust, rain and power dips.
IoT Environmental MonitoringIoT sensors for temperature, humidity, water leaks, power and air quality, alerting instantly by SMS, LINE, Telegram or email.
Network Monitoring (NMS)Every device, link and internet circuit on one screen, with alerts that reach IT before the first user calls.FAQ
If we forget to renew our Meraki licence, does the network stop immediately?
Not immediately. There is a 30-day grace period where everything works but the Dashboard shows warnings. After that, under co-termination the whole organization is shut down, and under per-device licensing only the expired devices stop. If you renew late, the days spent in grace are deducted from the new licence.
Should we choose co-termination or per-device licensing?
For organizations that add branches over time, per-device or subscription licensing is usually easier, because each device has its own expiry and a missed renewal does not take down the whole organization. Co-termination is simpler if you want one renewal date a year. Ask the distributor which models are available to new customers in this region.
Can we use a Meraki MX with another brand of switch?
Yes. MX uses standard VLANs and trunks. What you lose is the topology and switch status in the Dashboard. Many branches start with an MX and change switches when they reach their replacement cycle.
We still have MX64s at our branches. Do we need to replace them?
The MX64 is no longer sold and is approaching its end-of-support date, after which there is no new firmware and no licence renewal. The usual replacement is the MX67 or MX68. Put it in the budget and swap it at your next licence renewal.
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