MR36 vs MR46: Which Meraki Access Point Should You Buy?

The Meraki MR36 and MR46 are both indoor Wi-Fi 6 access points, managed from the Meraki dashboard. The difference is capacity: the MR46 has twice the radio chains (4×4 vs 2×2), a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port instead of 1 Gbps, and needs PoE+ instead of standard PoE.

The short version: the MR36 is the right AP for most offices, classrooms and small meeting rooms. The MR46 is for places where a lot of devices connect at once: large conference rooms, lecture halls, open-plan floors and cafeterias.

MR36 vs MR46 specs

	Meraki MR36	Meraki MR46
Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Client radios	2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, 2×2:2 each	2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, 4×4:4 each
Other radios	Dedicated scanning radio, Bluetooth Low Energy	Dedicated scanning radio, Bluetooth Low Energy
Max 5 GHz rate	1,201 Mbps	2,402 Mbps
Max 2.4 GHz rate	286 Mbps	574 Mbps
Combined max rate	1.5 Gbps	2.98 Gbps
Ethernet port	1 Gbps	2.5 Gbps (multigigabit)
PoE	802.3af (standard PoE)	802.3at (PoE+) required
Max power draw	15 W	30 W
Without PoE	12 V DC adapter (sold separately)	12 V DC adapter (sold separately)
Indoor or outdoor	Indoor	Indoor
End of sale / end of support	Dec 31, 2026 / Dec 31, 2031	Dec 31, 2026 / Dec 31, 2031

The rates are Meraki’s maximum radio rates, not real-world throughput.

Which one should you buy?

Choose the MR36 if

• You’re covering offices, classrooms, small meeting rooms or retail floors with normal device counts.
• Your switches only have standard PoE (802.3af), or your PoE budget is tight.
• Your switch ports are 1 Gbps.
• You’re buying a lot of APs and want the lower price per unit.

Choose the MR46 if

• Many devices connect in one area at the same time: big conference rooms, auditoriums, open floors, cafeterias.
• Your switches have multigigabit ports, such as the Cisco C9300-48UXM with 36 ports at 2.5 Gbps.
• Your switches provide PoE+ (802.3at) on every AP port.

One thing the spec sheet doesn’t tell you: the MR46 won’t make a single laptop twice as fast. Most laptops and phones have 2×2 Wi-Fi, so one device connects at about the same rate to either AP. The MR46’s four streams pay off when many devices are active at once, because it can serve more of them simultaneously.

Powering the MR36 and MR46

The MR36 runs on standard 802.3af PoE and draws up to 15 W. The MR46 needs 802.3at PoE+ and draws up to 30 W. On a 24-port switch with a 370 W PoE budget, such as the Meraki MS120-24P, that’s the difference between powering 24 MR36s and 12 MR46s at full draw.

Where there’s no PoE, both run on a 12 V DC adapter or a PoE injector. Neither comes with one; add it to the order if you need it.

What about the MR46E?

The MR46E is the MR46 with connectors for external antennas instead of built-in ones. It’s still an indoor AP. Use it where you need antennas to shape coverage, such as warehouses with high ceilings. Antennas are sold separately.

Can the MR36 or MR46 be used outdoors?

No. Both are indoor access points. Meraki’s outdoor Wi-Fi 6 models are the MR76 and MR86.

End of sale: should you still buy them?

Cisco has announced end of sale for both the MR36 and MR46 on December 31, 2026, with support continuing until December 31, 2031.

That makes them a good buy for expanding an existing Meraki network or keeping spares: they match the APs you already run, cost less than the newest models and have five years of support ahead. For a new building where you want the latest generation, Cisco’s Wi-Fi 7 successors are the Wireless 9172I (replacing the MR36) and 9176I (replacing the MR46).

Get a quote on MR36 or MR46

We carry the MR36-HW and MR46-HW, new and refurbished, with the condition labeled on every listing and our 90-day warranty. Send quantities and we’ll quote the same business day.