Meraki Cloud Managed Cellular Gateway MG21

In today’s connected business landscape, uninterrupted internet access isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. The Meraki Cloud Managed Cellular Gateway MG21 delivers a robust, plug‑and‑play solution that guarantees business continuity by providing a reliable cellular backup uplink. Seamlessly managed through the Meraki Cloud Dashboard, this gateway is built to keep your organization online when the primary connection falters, while offering centralized visibility, simplified provisioning, and scalable performance for multi-site deployments.

• Reliable cellular backup for critical operations: The MG21 activates automatically when your primary WAN experiences a disruption, minimizing downtime and ensuring essential services—from point‑of‑sale systems to cloud applications—stay online. Its intelligent failover mechanism reduces latency during uplink switches and maintains smooth business operations even in challenging environments.
• Cloud‑driven management for total control: With Meraki’s cloud‑based dashboard, you gain real‑time visibility into uptime, traffic patterns, and health of your network. Centralized configuration, firmware updates, and policy enforcement can be performed remotely across multiple sites, eliminating the need for on‑site IT interventions and accelerating rollout times.
• Intelligent traffic steering and resilient connectivity: The MG21 supports dynamic path selection and traffic shaping to optimize performance. It can direct critical applications through the most reliable uplink, balance load when multiple interfaces are available, and ensure consistent performance for business‑critical workflows while keeping less urgent traffic on secondary paths.
• Security‑aware networking and VPN capabilities: Built with enterprise‑grade security in mind, the gateway integrates with Meraki’s security features, including stateful firewall rules and VPN support. Site‑to‑site VPN and client VPN capabilities enable secure remote access and encrypted communications between your offices and remote users, safeguarding data as it traverses cellular and wired networks.
• Compact, scalable, and easy to deploy: The MG21 is designed for simple deployment across single or multiple sites—from retail locations to remote offices. Its compact form factor fits tight space constraints, and its cloud‑managed model ensures you can scale without deploying complex hardware or manual configurations at each location.

Technical Details of Meraki Cloud Managed Cellular Gateway

• Model: Meraki Cloud Managed Cellular Gateway MG21, designed for cloud‑managed, cellular‑backed internet connectivity.
• Interfaces: Multiple Ethernet interfaces to support LAN/WAN configurations, with an integrated cellular modem for a dedicated LTE uplink. The device is designed to support primary and backup WAN paths in a single compact unit.
• Cellular connectivity: Integrated cellular capability with support for LTE networks, enabling reliable uplink independence when fixed broadband is unavailable. Carrier selection and SIM management are handled seamlessly through the Meraki Dashboard.
• Cloud management: Centralized control via the Meraki Cloud Dashboard, enabling zero‑touch provisioning, remote monitoring, firmware upgrades, and policy enforcement across all deployed MG21 units.
• Security and VPN: Enterprise‑grade security features including a stateful firewall and IPSec VPN support to enable secure site‑to‑site tunnels and client VPN connections, protecting traffic across mixed WAN environments.
• Deployment and maintenance: The MG21 is designed for quick installation and ongoing maintenance with minimal on‑site IT intervention, reducing time to value and improving overall network reliability in diverse settings.
• Environment and efficiency: Built for office and edge deployments with a compact, energy‑efficient footprint that fits in small cabinets or on desks, making it suitable for distributed networks and branch offices.

how to install Meraki Cloud Managed Cellular Gateway

• Unbox and prepare: Inspect the MG21, confirm you have an active Meraki account, and ensure you have the appropriate SIM card(s) and data plan for the cellular uplink. Prepare a stable power source and a minimal wired network to connect the gateway.
• Insert SIM and connect interfaces: If required, insert the SIM card(s) into the MG21’s cellular modem and connect the Ethernet WAN port to your primary internet source and the LAN port to your local network. Keep a note of any APN settings if your carrier requires them.
• Power on and access the dashboard: Power up the gateway and connect a computer to the LAN port. Open a browser to access the Meraki Cloud Dashboard and begin the device adoption process by logging in with your Meraki credentials.
• Adopt and configure: In the dashboard, select the network you want the MG21 to join, and adopt the device. Apply your preferred policies, including firewall rules, VPN configurations, and traffic shaping. Define WAN failover order so the cellular uplink becomes active only when the primary link fails.
• Enable failover and monitoring: Configure uplink monitoring thresholds (latency, jitter, packet loss) to determine when to switch to the cellular backup. Validate that alerts are enabled so you receive notifications if the primary link is restored or if there are any issues with the cellular path.
• Test and verify: Simulate a primary WAN outage to confirm automatic failover to the MG21’s cellular uplink. Ensure critical applications continue to function and that VPN tunnels remain stable during the transition.
• Maintain and optimize: Regularly review dashboard analytics for uptime, traffic patterns, and security events. Apply updates as released by Meraki to keep performance and protection at the latest standards, and adjust policies as site needs evolve.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the Meraki MG21 and what does it do?

  The Meraki MG21 is a cloud‑managed cellular gateway designed to provide a reliable backup internet uplink for businesses. It seamlessly integrates with Meraki’s cloud dashboard, enabling centralized management, monitoring, and policy enforcement across multiple sites. It’s ideal for ensuring continuity of operations when primary fixed broadband connections fail.

• Can MG21 replace a primary internet connection?

  While the MG21 is primarily intended as a cellular backup uplink, it can function as a primary internet connection in some scenarios depending on your bandwidth needs and service availability. For mission‑critical workloads, it is recommended to deploy a dual‑WAN setup with a primary fixed link and a cellular backup to maximize reliability.

• How does failover work with Meraki MG21?

  Failover is managed through the Meraki Dashboard. You set the uplink priority (primary WAN vs. cellular), monitor health metrics (latency, packet loss, jitter), and the gateway automatically switches to the cellular uplink when the primary link is degraded. When the primary link returns to healthy, traffic can revert back based on policies you configure.

• Does MG21 support VPNs?

  Yes. The MG21 supports VPN features commonly used in Meraki environments, including site‑to‑site IPSec VPN and client VPN, enabling secure connectivity between branch sites and remote users even when using cellular backup.

• How scalable is the solution for multiple sites?

  Meraki’s cloud‑managed approach is designed for scale. The MG21 can be deployed across many sites, each adopting through the dashboard with centralized policy templates. This makes it practical for distributed networks, franchise locations, and multi‑site enterprises seeking consistent security and reliability.

• What kind of data plans work best with MG21?

  Any data plan with adequate bandwidth and coverage for the deployment scenario will work. It’s important to consider redundancy needs, data caps, and carrier availability in your region. Some deployments benefit from SIM redundancy (dual SIMs) to further improve reliability.