Cisco CISCO2911/K9
Cisco 2911 w/3 GE,4 EHWIC,2 DSP,1 SM
Product Highlights
What's Included
256MB Flash (1x MEM-CF-256MB)
(1) PWR-2911-AC
(1) AC Power Cord
(1) Rackmount Kit (ACS-2900-RM-19)
Branch offices demand a single platform that consolidates routing, security, voice, and application services — without the complexity and cost of managing multiple appliances. The CISCO2911/K9 Cisco 2911 Integrated Services Router answers that challenge with a modular, services-rich architecture purpose-built for medium-sized branch deployments.
Part of the Cisco 2900 Series ISR Generation 2 (ISR G2) family, the Cisco 2911 features 3 onboard Gigabit Ethernet ports, 4 Enhanced High-Speed WAN Interface Card (EHWIC) slots, 2 onboard DSP (PVDM) slots, 1 Internal Services Module (ISM) slot, and 1 Service Module (SM) slot for maximum flexibility. Embedded hardware encryption acceleration enables high-performance VPN connectivity, while optional firewall, intrusion prevention, and content filtering capabilities deliver integrated threat defense at the network edge.
The modular architecture supports the industry's widest range of wired and wireless WAN connectivity options — including T1/E1, xDSL, copper, and fiber GE — allowing you to adapt the platform as your network requirements evolve. With support for up to 2 GB of DRAM and 8 GB of CompactFlash, the Cisco 2911 scales to handle concurrent services at up to 75 Mbps. Whether you need secure WAN routing, unified communications, or application hosting via Cisco Services Ready Engine modules, the CISCO2911/K9 delivers enterprise-grade capabilities in a cost-effective, rack-mountable 2RU chassis.
Note: The Cisco 2900 Series has reached End-of-Sale. The CISCO2911/K9 remains widely deployed and fully functional, and is available as refurbished/pre-owned inventory. Cisco recommends the Catalyst 8300 Series as the migration path for new deployments.
Features & Benefits
Modular Services Architecture
The Cisco 2911 provides 4 EHWIC slots, 1 ISM slot, and 1 double-wide Service Module slot, enabling you to add WAN interfaces, switching modules, or application engines as your branch requirements grow. This modular design protects your investment by allowing incremental upgrades rather than full platform replacements.
Integrated Security
Embedded hardware-accelerated VPN encryption delivers secure site-to-site and remote-access connectivity without degrading routing performance. Optional Cisco IOS Firewall, Zone-Based Firewall, IPS, and Content Filtering provide layered threat defense directly on the router, eliminating the need for standalone security appliances at the branch.
Unified Communications Ready
With 2 onboard DSP (PVDM) slots, the Cisco 2911 supports voice and video processing for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CME), Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST), and media gateway functions. This makes it an ideal platform for converging voice and data onto a single branch device.
Advanced Routing & QoS
Ships with an IP Base license supporting OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, IS-IS, PBR, MPLS, GRE, and IPv6 routing. Class-Based Weighted Fair Queuing (CBWFQ) and Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED) ensure business-critical traffic receives priority, even under heavy load.
Energy Efficiency
Cisco EnergyWise technology and high-efficiency power supplies help reduce operational costs. Intelligent power management distributes PoE to connected endpoints while keeping overall branch power consumption in check — supporting 802.3af PoE and Cisco Enhanced PoE with optional PoE power supplies.
Deployment Scenarios
Medium-Sized Branch Office WAN Router
Deploy the Cisco 2911 as the primary WAN edge router for branch offices with up to several hundred users. Its 3 GE ports and 4 EHWIC slots provide flexible WAN uplinks and LAN connectivity, while embedded security and QoS ensure reliable, policy-driven traffic handling across the enterprise WAN.
Branch Unified Communications Gateway
Leverage the 2 onboard DSP slots to run Cisco Unified SRST (supporting up to 50 sessions) or CME for local call processing and survivability. Converge voice, video, and data onto a single platform to reduce branch hardware footprint and simplify management.
Secure VPN Hub or Spoke
Use the embedded hardware encryption acceleration to terminate IPsec VPN tunnels for site-to-site or remote-access connectivity. The Cisco 2911 handles encrypted traffic efficiently, making it well-suited as a VPN concentrator for distributed enterprise networks.
Lab, Training & Certification Environments
The Cisco 2911 is a popular platform for CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE lab environments due to its full IOS feature set and modular expansion capabilities. Its broad protocol support and real-world relevance make it an excellent hands-on learning tool.
General
Interfaces & Expansion
Performance & Memory
Routing & Protocols
Security
Physical
Power
Environmental
Compliance
Compatibility Notes
Platform Family: Cisco 2900 Series Integrated Services Routers (ISR G2), Model C2900
Expansion Modules (sold separately):
- EHWIC cards: EHWIC-1GE-SFP-CU, EHWIC-D-8ESG, EHWIC-VA-DSL-A, HWIC-2T, HWIC-4ESW, and others
- DSP Modules: PVDM3-16, PVDM3-32, PVDM3-64
- Service Modules: SM-ES2-16-P, SM-ES2-24-P, SM-SRE-700, SM-SRE-900
- ISM Modules: ISM-SRE-300-K9
Power Supply: Ships with PWR-2911-AC (standard AC). Optional PoE and DC power supplies available separately.
Memory: Default 512 MB DRAM (max 2 GB) and 256 MB CompactFlash (max 8 GB). Upgrade with MEM-2900-2GB and MEM-CF-4GB.
Software: Ships with Cisco IOS IP Base. Security (SEC), Unified Communications (UC), and Data licenses available as add-on PAKs.
End-of-Sale Notice: The Cisco 2900 Series reached End-of-Sale on December 9, 2017. Cisco recommends the Cisco 4000 Series ISR or Catalyst 8300 Series as the migration path.
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| CISCO2901/K9 | Cisco 2901 ISR | Lower-cost 2 GE port model with same 4 EHWIC slots — ideal for smaller branches that don't need 3 GE ports or a service module slot. |
| CISCO2921/K9 | Cisco 2921 ISR | Step-up model with 3 DSP slots (vs. 2), SFP-based GE port, and support for up to 100 SRST sessions — better suited for larger voice deployments. |
| CISCO2951/K9 | Cisco 2951 ISR | Top-of-line 2900 Series with 3 DSP slots, higher throughput, and greater module density for the most demanding branch office environments. |
| ISR4331/K9 | Cisco ISR 4331 | Next-generation ISR 4000 Series replacement with multi-core architecture, higher throughput, and IOS XE — Cisco's recommended migration path from the 2911. |
