Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller Software Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 26.1.x

Mesh backhaul at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

Updated: April 10, 2026

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Explains how mesh backhauls connect wireless devices and affect throughput in network environments.

A backhaul is a wireless network interface that

creates the connection between Mesh Access Points (MAPs)
operates over 802.11a/n/ac/g, depending on the AP, and
typically defaults to the 5-GHz frequency band.

Selecting the appropriate backhaul rate is important for efficient spectrum use. It can directly affect client device throughput, a critical metric in evaluating wireless performance.

Mesh backhaul is supported at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. By default, the backhaul interface for mesh APs uses 802.11a/ac/ax. In some countries, mesh networks cannot use a 5 GHz backhaul. In countries where 5 GHz is allowed, using 2.4 GHz radio frequencies achieves more extensive mesh or bridge distances.

When a RAP receives a slot-change configuration, the RAP propagates it to all child MAPs. All MAPs disconnect and join the newly configured backhaul slot.

For information about APs that support mesh backhaul, see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/access_point/feature-matrix/ap-feature-matrix.html .

Note

In Israel, you must ensure that you run the ap country IO command to enable the outdoor country code for the selected radio. After you configure using the ap country IO command, the 2.4-GHz radio is enabled and 5-GHz radio is disabled.

Configure mesh backhaul (CLI)

Set the mesh backhaul frequency for an access AP using CLI commands.

Procedure

Change the mesh backhaul to 2.4 GHz.

Example:

Device # ap name test-ap mesh backhaul radio dot11 24ghz

The specified access point now uses 2.4 GHz as its mesh backhaul radio frequency.

Specify the backhaul slot for the root AP (GUI)

Configure the backhaul slot for a root access point to optimize wireless mesh connectivity and ensure reliable network communication.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Configuration > Wireless > Mesh > Profiles.
	2.	Click Add.
	3.	In the General tab, enter the Name of the mesh profile.
	4.	In the Advanced tab, select the rate types for 5 GHz Band Backhaul and 2.4 GHz Band Backhaul from the Rate Types drop-down list.
	5.	Click Apply to Device.

The system updates the root access point with the specified backhaul slot settings. It uses the selected rate types for 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz band backhaul connections.

Specify the backhaul slot for the root AP (CLI)

Assign a specific radio slot (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) to the mesh backhaul of your root access point to optimize wireless connectivity and network performance.

Procedure

	1.	Enter privileged EXEC mode. Example: `Device> enable`
	2.	Specify the mesh backhaul radio slot for your root AP. Example: `Device# ap name ap-name mesh backhaul radio dot11 {24ghz \| 5ghz} [slot slot-id]`

Assign a radio slot (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) to the mesh backhaul of your root access point to improve wireless connectivity and network performance.

Device> enable
Device# ap name rap1 mesh backhaul radio dot11 24ghz slot 2

Mesh backhaul verification

Use the show AP name mesh backhaul command to view details of the mesh backhaul at 2.4 GHz.

Device# show ap name test-ap mesh backhaul   

MAC Address : xxxx.xxxx.xxxx
Current Backhaul Slot: 0
Radio Type: 0
Radio Subband: All
Mesh Radio Role: DOWNLINK
Administrative State: Enabled
Operation State: Up
Current Tx Power Level:
Current Channel: (11)
Antenna Type: N/A
Internal Antenna Gain (in .5 dBm units): 0

Use the show wireless mesh AP backhaul command to view the mesh backhaul details.

Device# show wireless mesh ap backhaul

MAC Address : xxxx.xxxx.0x11
Current Backhaul Slot: 1
Radio Type: Main
Radio Subband: All
Mesh Radio Role: Downlink
Administrative State: Enabled
Operation State: Up
Current Tx Power Level: 6
Current Channel: (100)*
Antenna Type: N/A
Internal Antenna Gain (in .5 dBm units): 10

Use the show AP summary command to view the radio MAC address and the corresponding AP name.

Device# show ap summary
Number of APs: 1
AP Name    Slots  AP Model         Ethernet       MAC Radio MAC  Location         Country IP Address   State
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AP-Cisco-1  2     AIR-APXXXXX-E-K9 xxxx.xxxx.xxd4 xxxx.xxxx.0x11 default location  DE     10.11.70.170 Registered

Backhaul client access

Backhaul client access is a wireless networking feature that

allows wireless clients to associate with mesh APs using the backhaul radio
supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz backhaul radios, and
permits the backhaul radio to carry both client traffic and backhaul traffic simultaneously.

When backhaul client access is disabled, only backhaul traffic is sent over the backhaul radio, and client association is performed only over the access radio.

Note

Backhaul client access is disabled by default. After you enable backhaul client access, all MAPs except the subordinate AP and its child APs in a daisy-chained deployment reboot.

Configure backhaul client access (GUI)

Enable backhaul client access for mesh device profiles.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Configuration > Wireless > Mesh > Profiles.
	2.	Choose a profile.
	3.	In General tab, check the Backhaul Client Access check box.
	4.	Click Update & Apply to Device.

The system updates the profile and enables backhaul client access for devices that use the selected mesh profile.

Configure backhaul client access (CLI)

Enable backhaul client access on a mesh profile. This allows client devices to connect to the APs through the mesh backhaul. The result is increased network flexibility and coverage.

Note

Backhaul client access is disabled by default. After you enable it, all MAPs reboot, except for the subordinate AP and its child APs in a daisy-chained deployment.

Complete these steps to enable backhaul client access on a mesh profile:

Procedure

	1.	Enter global configuration mode. Example: `Device# configure terminal`
	2.	Configure a mesh profile and enter mesh profile configuration mode. Example: `Device(config)# wireless profile mesh profile-name`
	3.	Configure backhaul with client access AP. Example: `Device(config-wireless-mesh-profile)# client-access`

You have enabled backhaul client access on the selected mesh profile.

Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# wireless profile mesh profile-name
Device(config-wireless-mesh-profile)# client-access

Configure dot11ax rates on mesh backhaul per AP (GUI)

This task enables you to configure specific dot11ax (Wi-Fi 6) rates for mesh backhaul connections on individual APs.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Configuration > Wireless > Access Points. The All Access Points section, which lists all the configured APs in the network, is displayed with their corresponding details.
	2.	Select the mesh AP that has been configured. The Edit AP page is displayed.
	3.	Choose the Mesh tab.
	4.	In the General section, under the Backhaul section, the default Backhaul Radio Type , Backhaul Slot ID , and Rate Types field details are displayed. Note that the values for Backhaul Radio Type and Backhaul Slot ID can be changed only for a root AP.
	5.	From the Rate Types drop-down list, choose the backhaul rate type. Based on the choice, enter the details for the corresponding fields that are displayed.The backhaul interface varies between auto and the 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax rates, depending on the AP. The Cisco Catalyst 9124AX Outdoor AP is the only AP that supports 11ax backhaul rates on the mesh backhaul.
	6.	In the Backhaul MCS Index field, enter the Modulation Coding Scheme (MCS) rate, that can be transmitted between the APs. The valid range is from 0 to 11, on both bands.
	7.	In the Spatial Stream field, enter the number of spatial streams that are supported. The maximum number of spatial streams supported on a single radio in a 5 GHz radio band is 8, while 2.4 GHz radio band supports 4 spatial streams.
	8.	Click Update and Apply to Device.

After you complete the steps, the selected mesh access point operates using the configured dot11ax rates for its backhaul link.

Configure Dot11ax rates on mesh backhaul in mesh profile (GUI)

This task allows you to configure Dot11ax rates on mesh backhaul in mesh profile to optimize data transmission between access points using advanced wireless standards.

Use this procedure when you need to configure mesh backhaul rates using the Dot11ax standard. This configuration is specifically supported on Cisco Catalyst 9124AXI/D Series outdoor Access Points and allows for enhanced wireless mesh networking performance.

Procedure

	1.	Choose Configuration > Wireless > Mesh > Profiles.
	2.	Click Add. The Add Mesh Profile window is displayed.
	3.	In the Add Mesh Profile window, click the General tab.
	4.	In the Name field, enter the mesh profile name.
	5.	Click the Advanced tab.
	6.	In the 5 GHz Band Backhaul section and the 2.4 GHz Band Backhaul section, choose the dot11ax backhaul rate type from Rate Types the drop-down list. Note Cisco Catalyst 9124AXI/D Series outdoor Access Point is the only AP to support 11ax backhaul rates on the mesh backhaul.
	7.	In the Dot11ax MCS index field, specify the MCS rate at which data can be transmitted between the APs. The value range is between 0 to 11, on both the radio bands.
	8.	In the Spatial Stream field, enter a value. The maximum number of spatial streams supported on a single radio in a 5-GHz radio band is 8, while 2.4- GHz radio band supports 4 spatial streams.
	9.	Click Update and Apply to Device.

The Dot11ax rates are now configured on the mesh backhaul in the mesh profile. The mesh network will use the specified MCS rates and spatial stream configuration for data transmission between access points.

Configure wireless backhaul data rate (CLI)

Configure the data transmission rate for wireless backhaul connections between APs using CLI commands to optimize wireless network performance, coverage, and spectrum use.

Use backhaul to create a wireless connection between APs. Depending on the AP, the backhaul interface can be 802.11bg, 802.11a, 802.11n, or 802.11ac. Selecting a rate lets you use the available RF spectrum effectively.

Data rates can also affect the RF coverage and network performance. Lower data rates, for example, 6 Mbps, can extend farther from the AP than higher data rates, for example, 1300 Mbps. As a result, the data rate affects cell coverage, and consequently, the number of APs required.

Note

You can configure backhaul data rate, preferably, through the mesh profile. In certain cases, where a specific data rate is needed, use the command to configure the data rate per AP.

Follow this procedure to configure wireless backhaul data rate in privileged EXEC mode or in mesh profile configuration mode.

Procedure

	1.	Enter privileged EXEC mode. Example: `Device> enable`
	2.	Configure backhaul transmission rate. Example: `Device# ap name ap-name mesh backhaul rate {auto \| dot11abg \| dot11ac \| dot11n}`
	3.	Configure a mesh profile and enter mesh profile configuration mode. Example: `Device(config)# wireless profile mesh profile-name`
	4.	Configure backhaul transmission rate. Example: `Device(config-wireless-mesh-profile)# backhaul rate dot11 { 24ghz \| 5ghz \| 6ghz} dot11n RATE_6M` Note Ensure the rate you configure on the AP (step 2) matches the rate you configure on the mesh profile (step 4).

After you configure the wireless backhaul data rate, your APs will balance coverage area and performance for your deployment.

Device> enable
Device# ap name ap1 mesh backhaul rate auto   
Device(config)# wireless profile mesh mesh1
Device(config-wireless-mesh-profile)# backhaul rate dot11 5ghz dot11n mcs 31

Configure data rate per AP (CLI)

Configure data transmission rates for each AP on mesh backhaul for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands using the command-line interface.

Procedure

	1.	Enter privileged EXEC mode. Example: `Device> enable`
	2.	Configure the 802.11ax mesh backhaul rates for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Example: `Device# ap name ap-name mesh backhaul rate dot11ax mcs <0-11> ss <1-8>`

The AP uses the configured backhaul data rates for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

Device> enable
Device# ap name ap-name mesh backhaul rate dot11ax mcs 5 ss 4

Configure data rate using mesh profile (CLI)

Set specific data rates for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz backhaul communication in mesh profiles to optimize wireless mesh network performance.

Procedure

	1.	Enter global configuration mode. Example: `Device# configure terminal`
	2.	Configure a mesh profile and enter mesh profile configuration mode. Example: `Device(config)# wireless profile mesh profile-name`
	3.	Configure the backhaul transmission rate for the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band. For the 2.4 GHz band, set the 802.11ax spatial stream value from 1 to 4. For the 5 GHz band, set the spatial stream value from 1 to 8. Example: `Device(config-wireless-mesh-profile)# backhaul rate dot11 {24ghz \| 5ghz} dot11ax mcs <0-11> spatial-stream <1-8>`

The mesh profile is updated with the configured data rate for the specified frequency band and spatial streams.

Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# wireless profile mesh profile-name
Device(config-wireless-mesh-profile)# backhaul rate dot11 5ghz dot11ax mcs 5 spatial-stream 6

Verify dot11ax rates on mesh backhaul

To verify the 802.11ax rates on mesh backhaul in the mesh profile, use this command:

Device# show wireless profile mesh detailed default-mesh-profile
Mesh Profile Name             : default-mesh-profile
-------------------------------------------------
Description                   : default mesh profile
.
.
Backhaul tx rate(802.11bg)    : 802.11ax mcs7 ss1 
Backhaul tx rate(802.11a)     : 802.11ax mcs9 ss2

To verify the 802.11ax rates on mesh backhaul in the general configuration of an AP, use this command:

Device# show ap config general
Cisco AP Identifier            : 5c71.0d17.49e0
.
.
Backhaul slot id               : 1
Backhaul tx rate               : 802.11ax mcs7 ss1

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