: ME means this AP can act as a controller for up to 25 other APs (in 8.5 release) without a physical WLC.
: Authorization server creation is deprecated in the 8.5 train; you must now create an Authentication server and duplicate it.
| Component | Meaning | | :--- | :--- | | | This prefix simply identifies the product family as part of Cisco's Aironet wireless line. | | AP | Indicates the software is for an Access Point. | | 2800 | Specifies the hardware platform this firmware is designed for, which is the Cisco Aironet 2800 series. | | K9 | Represents the encryption type, indicating the software includes strong cryptographic features. For APs, K9 typically signifies a CAPWAP (Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points) light AP image. | | ME | This code stands for "Mobility Express." A standard AP runs K9 firmware, but a ME image converts it into a controller. | | 8-5-182-0 | This is the software version number, referring to major release 8, minor release 5, and patch 182. This is part of the AireOS 8.5 train. It was officially released by Cisco on August 31, 2021. | | .tar | The file extension, which stands for Tape Archive. These files contain the multiple images needed for the Access Point's boot and runtime environments. | Air-ap2800-k9-me-8-5-182-0.tar
.tar file, typically used for local upgrades or conversions via TFTP/HTTP.
Supports up to 100 access points and 2,000 clients in a single deployment. : ME means this AP can act as
: The archive format containing the files necessary for the AP to reimage itself.
: Integrated hardware-level intelligence to detect, classify, and mitigate RF interference. Connectivity : Includes two Gigabit Ethernet | | AP | Indicates the software is for an Access Point
is stable, check the Cisco Software Download portal regularly to see if your hardware supports the
Some users may encounter both .tar and .zip versions of this firmware. The .zip file is significantly larger (227.57 MB) because it contains multiple operating system images (extracted contents), whereas the .tar file (53.46 MB) is the raw image bundle itself.