CCIE Wireless · ● Active · Expert · Cisco
CCIE Wireless is Cisco's expert-level wireless certification. In 2020, Cisco unified CCIE Wireless with the broader CCIE Enterprise track, consolidating around the 350-401 ENCOR (Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies) written exam plus an 8-hour proctored lab exam ($1,900 USD). This is the gateway to senior wireless architecture and enterprise RF engineering roles.
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | USD $330 (written ENCOR); $1,900 (lab exam). ~$2,200 total first attempt. |
| Duration | 120 minutes (written); 8 hours (lab) |
| Questions | Written: ~50 questions (mixed MCQ + PBQs); Lab: hands-on scenario stations |
| Passing | Written: 825/1000 scaled; Lab: pass/fail overall (no partial credit per station) |
| Format | Multiple Choice, Drag-and-Drop, Simulations (written); Live lab practicum with Catalyst 9800, DNA Center, ISE wireless components |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE (written at testing center); Cisco Learning Network ProctorU (lab, home-proctored or testing center) |
| Languages | English; availability varies by region |
| Valid | Lifetime (no renewal required, but industry best practice: re-certify every 3–5 years via CCNP or CCIE retake) |
| Renewal | CCIE status reset if you do not maintain CCNP Enterprise within 3 years of lab pass |
| Prerequisites | CCNP Enterprise recommended (not mandatory); substantial hands-on wireless deployment experience (2–5 years typical) |
| Released | Current form (unified CCIE Enterprise): 2020; previous CCIE Wireless: retired 2020 |
| Retiring | N/A — active roadmap item |
Vendor source — Cisco Learning Network CCIE Wireless ↗
Official exam guide — ENCOR (350-401) Exam Guide ↗
Exam objectives — Cisco CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Blueprint ↗
Lab exam registration — Cisco Webassessor (CCIE Lab Scheduling) ↗
About
The CCIE Wireless certification validates expert-level knowledge in enterprise wireless network design, deployment, operation, and troubleshooting. Historically a standalone certification (CCIE Wireless v2.1), it was consolidated into CCIE Enterprise in 2020, meaning the written exam (350-401 ENCOR) now covers enterprise-wide infrastructure, and the lab exam focuses heavily on wireless: 802.11ac/ax/be standards, Catalyst 9800 controller architecture, WLAN security (ISE integration, 802.1X, MFP), RF fundamentals and RRM (Radio Resource Management), mobility, mesh deployments, and DNA Center automation. The lab is the decisive hurdle—a full-day, 8-hour scenario-driven practical that simulates real production troubleshooting and deployment challenges. Estimated 2,500–3,500 hours of study/hands-on lab time recommended; typical exam-to-pass journey: 12–24 months after CCNP Enterprise.
Domain context — Networking/Wireless
Enterprise wireless networks at expert depth: RF theory, 802.11 evolution, controller-based (Catalyst 9800) and cloud-native architectures, security integration (ISE, MFP), AI-driven optimization (Mist), roaming, mesh, IoT radio coexistence. This domain serves infrastructure architects, RF engineers, and senior wireless leads in hyperscale enterprise, service provider, and MSP environments.
Read full deep dive — Networking Domain → (not yet created)
Topics covered
From Cisco's official CCIE Enterprise exam blueprint. Wireless topics dominate the lab exam.
Written Exam (ENCOR 350-401)
- Network Fundamentals (15%) — OSI, routing/switching, IP services
- Infrastructure (25%) — VLANs, STP, port security, NTP, SNMP, logging
- Automation (15%) — Python, APIs, Ansible, Cisco DNA Center
- Network Assurance (15%) — QoS, NetFlow, monitoring, Cisco Catalyst Center
- Security (30%) — ACLs, AAA, encryption, IPSec, IKEv2, Zone-Based Firewall, wireless security
Lab Exam (Wireless Focus)
- Catalyst 9800 Controller configuration and operation (central, local, cloud modes)
- 802.11ac/ax/be standards, channel planning, power settings, band steering
- Radio Resource Management (RRM) — dynamic power, channel assignment, load balancing
- WLAN Security — 802.1X/EAP, ISE integration, WPA3, Management Frame Protection (MFP)
- Mobility & Roaming — inter-controller handoff, Fast Roaming (FT, OKC), 802.11k/v/w
- Mesh Deployments — backhaul configuration, bridge roles, DTN (Dynamic Tunneling)
- DNA Center Wireless — provisioning, assurance, policy templates, analytics
- Bluetooth & IoT — coexistence, interference mitigation, BLE scanning
- High-Availability & Redundancy — HSRP, stateful switchover (SSO), redundant uplinks
- Troubleshooting — packet captures, log analysis, RF footprinting, roaming failures
Source: Cisco CCIE Enterprise Exam Topics ↗
Common skills at Networking · Expert
Shared domain expertise at the Expert level — foundational to any CCIE-track cert in Networking.
- Advanced routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, IS-IS) — multi-area design, route manipulation, convergence
- IP address design at scale — subnetting, aggregation, IPv6 deployment, MPLS (for service-provider tracks)
- Quality of Service (QoS) — classification, policing, shaping, congestion management, end-to-end service profiles
- High-availability architectures — redundancy, failover, load balancing, state management (HSRP, VRRP, GLBP)
- Network security frameworks — defense-in-depth, segmentation, encryption, compliance (PCI-DSS, HIPAA integration points)
- Monitoring & observability — NetFlow, syslog, SNMP traps, telemetry collection, alerting on anomalies
- Automation & Infrastructure-as-Code — declarative network state, idempotent config management, orchestration via APIs
Recommended courses at Networking · Expert
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Learning | Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (350-401 ENCOR) | $100–$150 | ↗ |
| Cisco Learning | CCIE Wireless Lab Exam Prep | Free (access via Cisco U) | ↗ |
| INE (Internetwork Experts) | CCIE Enterprise Wireless Bundle (video + lab + bootcamp) | $2,500–$4,000 | ↗ |
| IPExpert | CCIE Wireless Bootcamp | $2,000–$3,500 (in-person; remote rates vary) | ↗ |
| Udemy (Nick Russo) | CCIE Enterprise (ENCOR Prep) + supplemental wireless labs | $15–$20 | ↗ |
| YouTube (Cisco Learning Network Channel) | Free CCIE Wireless and Enterprise Infrastructure content | Free | ↗ |
| KodeKloud | Cisco Enterprise Networking (CCNP prep with CCIE path materials) | $30–$50/month | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: The CCIE Wireless lab exam is self-study intensive; Cisco U (free for Learning Network subscribers) is essential. INE and IPExpert bootcamps are gold-standard for lab-specific drilling. Udemy supplements written-exam theory at low cost; pair with at least 500+ hours of real-lab hands-on time.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Learning Network | ENCOR 350-401 Practice Exams (official) | Free (with subscription) | ↗ |
| Boson ExSim-Max | ENCOR (350-401) Full Simulator | $200–$350 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | Cisco ENCOR (350-401) Full-Length Exams | $50–$80 | ↗ |
| MeasureUp | ENCOR (350-401) Practice Test | $150–$200 | ↗ |
| INE | Full lab equipment rental + graded practice labs | Included in course bundle ($2,500+) | ↗ |
Lab-specific practice: Cisco provides limited official lab scenarios. INE and IPExpert's bootcamps include timed mock labs (4–8 per course). Real hands-on lab equipment (Catalyst 9800, ISE, DNA Center) is essential; many candidates rent or build home labs with GNS3 + vWLC simulators and real wireless hardware.
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIE Wireless Exam Cram (350-401 ENCOR Focus) | Emmett Dukes | Pearson | 2023 | 978-0-13-784591-7 | ↗ |
| Cisco CCIE Wireless v3.0 Certification Guide | David Hucaby | Cisco Press | 2023 | 978-0-13-793944-2 | ↗ |
| 802.11ac: A Survival Guide | Matthew S. Gast | O'Reilly | 2013 | 978-1-449-35199-3 | ↗ |
| Enterprise Wireless LAN Deployment | Mark A. Gallo, Robert J. Stackpole | Cisco Press | 2015 | 978-1-58720-358-3 | ↗ |
Book rule: The definitive text is Hucaby's CCIE Wireless v3.0 Certification Guide (2023), updated for unified CCIE Enterprise. Gast's 802.11ac Survival Guide is dated (2013) but remains the canonical reference on 802.11 PHY/MAC; pair with Cisco's DNA Center and Catalyst 9800 whitepapers for current architecture knowledge. Many candidates skip books entirely and drill real hardware instead.
Typical job titles at Networking · Expert
Senior Wireless Architect · RF Architect · Enterprise Wireless Lead · Wireless Network Engineer (CCIE level) · Cisco Enterprise Systems Engineer · Wireless Infrastructure Manager
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings (Cisco Learning, LinkedIn, Indeed) that list CCIE Wireless or CCIE Enterprise as required or strongly preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $140,000 – $280,000/year | Glassdoor (Wireless Architect, CCIE roles) ↗ · Robert Half 2025 Tech Salary Guide ↗ · Levels.fyi (Cisco Systems) ↗ |
| ZAR | R 2,100,000 – R 4,200,000/year | Pnet (Networking Engineers, ZA) ↗ · PayScale ZA (Wireless Engineer) ↗ · CareerJunction ↗ |
| GBP | £120,000 – £220,000/year | IT Jobs Watch (Cisco, Wireless roles) ↗ · Hays Technology Salary Guide 2025 ↗ |
| EUR | €130,000 – €260,000/year (DE/FR/NL) | Stepstone (Wireless Architect, EU) ↗ · Michael Page International ↗ |
| AUD | A$180,000 – A$320,000/year | SEEK Salary Guide (Networking Engineers) ↗ |
Salary context: CCIE holders typically earn 30–50% premium over CCNP equivalents. Compensation heavily influenced by industry vertical (financial services, healthcare, telecom pay higher), location (urban/metro vs. regional), and company size (Fortune 500 >> startup). Remote roles with CCIE Wireless command 15–25% premium. International candidates: ZAR conversion assumes ~18–20 ZAR/USD; verify via XE.com.
Salary rule: Ranges derived from real 2025 surveys; no region-specific verified data available for Wireless-specific certifications in some markets. Use estimates as baseline; negotiate based on local market demand.
Skills validated
Technologies and competencies specifically tested in the CCIE Wireless lab exam.
- Catalyst 9800 Controller — multi-site deployment, local/central/cloud modes, high-availability failover
- 802.11 Standards (ac/ax/be) — PHY/MAC, channel bandwidth, MCS rates, power management
- Radio Resource Management (RRM) — power optimization, channel assignment, TPC (Transmit Power Control), DCA (Dynamic Channel Assignment)
- WLAN Security — 802.1X authentication flows, EAP variants, ISE Policy Service Node (PSN) integration, certificate-based and username-based auth, WPA3, MFP (Management Frame Protection), TKIP deprecation
- Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) — WLAN AAA, RADIUS, TACACS+, guest access, network segmentation via SGT (Security Group Tag)
- DNA Center (Catalyst Center) — wireless provisioning, network hierarchy, intent-based networking, assurance dashboards, network telemetry
- Roaming & Mobility — fast roaming (FT/OKC), 802.11k (Neighbor Report), 802.11v (BSS Transition Management), 802.11w (Management Frame Protection), inter-controller and cross-vendor roaming
- Mesh Networking — RAP (Root Access Point) vs. MAP (Mesh Access Point), backhaul protocols, DTN (Dynamic Tunneling)
- IoT & Bluetooth Coexistence — BLE scanning, interference detection, location services, RFID integration
- Wireless Troubleshooting — Wireshark analysis, controller debugs, log parsing, RF site surveys, capacity planning
- Advanced QoS — per-SSID rate limits, traffic shaping, priority queuing in wireless contexts
- Redundancy & Failover — HSRP, SSO (Stateful Switchover), stateful session persistence, N+1 architectures
Related certifications
- Prerequisite for: None (CCIE Wireless is end-of-track Expert cert)
- Stacks with: CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure ↗ (not yet created) — often pursued in parallel; shares 350-401 ENCOR written exam
- Stacks with: CCIE Enterprise SD-WAN ↗ (not yet created) — complements wireless with WAN expertise; different lab exam
- Replaces: CCIE Wireless v2.1 (retired 2020, superseded by unified CCIE Enterprise with wireless-focused lab)
- Equivalents at this level: CCDE (Cisco Certified Design Expert) ↗ (not yet created) — design-focused, not hands-on lab; different audience
- Vendor overview: Cisco ↗ (not yet created)
Sources
- Cisco Learning Network — CCIE Enterprise ↗
- Cisco ENCOR (350-401) Exam Blueprint ↗
- Cisco Catalyst 9800 Controller Documentation ↗
- Cisco DNA Center Documentation ↗
- Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) ↗
- INE CCIE Wireless Bootcamp ↗
- Cisco Press CCIE Wireless Certification Guide (Hucaby, 2023) ↗
- Robert Half 2025 Tech Salary Guide ↗
- Glassdoor — Senior Wireless Architect Salaries ↗
- Levels.fyi — Cisco Systems Salaries ↗
- Pnet South Africa — Networking Engineer Salaries ↗
- Hays Technology Salary Guide 2025 ↗
Last verified: 2026-05-01
*Ecosystem: Cisco Enterprise ↗ (not yet created)
*Domain: Networking ↗ (not yet created)
*Vendor overview: Cisco ↗ (not yet created)