Meraki is the one Cisco line where the licence matters as much as the hardware, and it is the single most common source of confusion when buying on the secondary market. This page sets out how Cisco documents the licensing model, and — just as importantly — what we do and do not represent about a used unit.
The short version. Meraki hardware is managed through the Meraki dashboard, and an organization must be licensed to keep operating. Buying the hardware is not the same as holding the licence, and we do not represent that any licence, subscription or support entitlement transfers with a quoted unit.
Licences attach to the organization, not the serial number
Cisco’s documentation states it plainly for co-termination: “Cisco Meraki licensing is applied on an organization-wide basis. This means that a license isn’t purchased for a specific serial number or device.”
That is the opposite of how most hardware licensing works, and it is why “does this switch come with a licence?” is not quite the right question. The right question is whether your organization is licensed to run the device you are adding to it.
Two licensing modes, and they do not mix
| Co-termination | All licences in the organization share a single expiry date. Cisco documents that “co-term licenses can be moved between organizations”. |
|---|---|
| Per-Device Licensing (PDL) | The alternative model. Cisco notes, for example, that “1-day licenses are only available in per-device licensing”. |
The restriction to know before planning anything: “Licenses can only be moved between organizations that use the same licensing mode. Licenses cannot be moved between a Co-termination and a PDL organization.” If your dashboard is on one model and a licence you are counting on sits on the other, it cannot simply be moved across.
What happens at expiry
This is the part worth reading twice. Cisco documents a grace period, then shutdown: on expiry “the organization will enter a 30-day grace period, during which the organization must be brought back into compliance, otherwise it will be shut down”, after which “the network has been disabled for non-payment”.
So an unlicensed Meraki device is not a device with reduced features. Plan the licence alongside the hardware, not after it.
What we do not claim
We want to be straightforward about the limits of what a hardware quote covers.
- We do not represent that a licence, subscription or support contract transfers with a quoted unit.
- We do not provide Cisco or Meraki manufacturer support, and a TekBoost quote does not create any manufacturer entitlement.
- We make no claim about whether a particular device can be claimed into your dashboard — that is between you, your licensing model and Cisco.
- Cisco’s published licensing guidance does not address devices bought on the secondary market, so we do not paraphrase it as though it does. Where your position depends on it, confirm it with Cisco or your Meraki partner.
TekBoost supplies the hardware only. Meraki licences and subscriptions are not included and are not sold by TekBoost, and must be obtained separately from Cisco or an authorised Meraki partner. If you do not already have one, Cisco publishes a partner locator. Tell us your licensing position anyway — it changes what hardware makes sense, even though we are not the ones supplying the licence.
What a quote confirms
Individual networking products are not listed on this site. Availability of any particular model is confirmed by quote rather than published here, so the fastest route is to request a quote. For Meraki our sales engineers will confirm, for the specific units offered: the exact model and part number, the hardware condition, what is physically included in the box, and the licensing position as it actually stands for those units — not a general assurance.
What to tell us
- Model or part number — MS switches, MR access points, MX security appliances, and the exact SKU if you have it.
- Your licensing model — whether your dashboard is co-termination or per-device, since that decides what is even possible.
- Licence term — what your organization already holds, as context. We do not sell Meraki licences and cannot quote one.
- Existing organization — whether these devices join an existing dashboard or start a new one.
- Quantity — and whether it is a one-off or a repeat requirement.
- Compatibility — what this has to work alongside.
Put the technical detail in the Quote Details field and the volume in Estimated Quantity.
Meraki ranges: switches, access points and security appliances. Overview: Cisco Meraki. See all ranges on the networking hub.
Networking equipment bought through a TekBoost quote carries our standard 3-year warranty — buying by quote rather than from an online listing makes no difference to cover — subject to the terms, exclusions and conditions on that page. That warranty covers the hardware. Manufacturer warranty, software licensing and support entitlements are separate and are not included.