United States
Q
What are the key differences between Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 Series routers?
A
The Cisco 1900 Series delivers up to 85 Mbps throughput for small offices, the 2900 Series offers up to 170 Mbps for mid-size sites, and the 3900 Series scales to 300 Mbps+ for enterprise branch deployments with higher port density and modularity.
Q
Which Cisco router series is best for small to medium businesses?
A
For small businesses, the Cisco 1900 Series provides cost-effective WAN connectivity, while the 2900 Series balances performance and features for growing mid-size deployments.
Q
What throughput can I expect from the Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers?
A
Cisco 1900 routers deliver up to 85 Mbps, 2900 routers up to 170 Mbps, and 3900 routers exceed 300 Mbps of aggregate throughput with appropriate IOS feature licenses.
Q
How many network interfaces do Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 Series routers support?
A
The 1900 Series supports up to four integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports, the 2900 Series up to eight, and the 3900 Series up to ten fixed ports plus multiple modular slots for expansion.
Q
Can I upgrade memory and flash on Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers?
A
Yes, all three series support field-replaceable DRAM and flash modules to increase performance and storage for larger IOS images and feature sets.
Q
What security features are available on the Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers?
A
All series include integrated firewall, VPN (IPsec, SSL), intrusion prevention (IPS), and advanced malware protection via modular IOS Security licenses.
Q
Do Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 Series routers support voice and video services?
A
Yes, they offer unified communications modules, embedded SBC, QoS features, and DSP slots to enable voice, video, and conferencing at the branch.
Q
How does the licensing model work for Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers?
A
Cisco uses a tiered IOS license model—IP Base, Security, UC, and Application Hosting—allowing you to activate features on demand via Smart Licensing.
Q
What modular expansion options exist for Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers?
A
All series support WAN interface cards (T1/E1, Serial, DSL, 4G LTE), LAN modules (PoE, copper, fiber), and specialized voice/video DSP modules.
Q
Which operating system runs on Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers?
A
They run Cisco IOS Software with unified configuration, supporting Cisco Configuration Professional for simplified GUI-based management.
Q
Can I deploy PoE on Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 Series routers?
A
Yes, select LAN modules provide 802.3af/at Power over Ethernet to power IP phones, access points, and cameras directly from the router.
Q
What is the end-of-life (EoL) and end-of-support (EoS) status for the 1900, 2900, and 3900 Series routers?
A
Cisco publishes EoL/EoS dates on its website; generally, 1900 Series is in mature end-of-support, 2900 Series follows soon, while 3900 remains fully supported for enterprise branches.
Q
How do I choose between Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers for specific use cases?
A
Select the 1900 Series for basic WAN/Internet at small sites, 2900 Series for integrated security and UC at mid-size branches, and 3900 Series for high-capacity, modular enterprise deployments.
Q
Do Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers support high availability?
A
The 3900 Series supports dual power supplies and performance redundancy features, while 1900/2900 Series offer performance tuning and QoS but lack full hardware failover.
Q
What are the power consumption and cooling requirements for Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers?
A
Power draw ranges from 40–90 W for 1900 Series, 60–150 W for 2900 Series, and up to 300 W for 3900 Series; all require front-to-back airflow in standard rack environments.
Q
What software features enhance performance on Cisco 1900, 2900, and 3900 routers?
A
Features include Performance on Demand for dynamic crypto acceleration, Application Visibility and Control, AVC, mLTE, and Embedded Event Manager for automation.
