So what do you think mesh actually is. Many implementations are just fancy repeaters. You do not want to use repeaters when you have ethernet cables and can use them as AP.
Network of AP is nothing new it has been used by enterprise almost since wifi has been invented but they want to call this mesh also even though it is nothing new.
Also don't be foolish enough to think there is something like seamless roaming. First why do you actually need that feature. You can stop and start the wifi client and it will connect to the strongest AP.
The end client not the AP/router is in full control over what device they connect to. Some of these mesh systems try to force a disconnect and then hope the end device correctly selects the proper AP.
The cisco AP will work fine with your other equipment. If you want mesh you can just make your own MESH sticker and put it on the cisco boxes and it will work just as good.
You would only use mesh when you do not have ethernet cables and have to use repeater functions. These are only slightly better than older generations of repeaters.
Thanks Bill.
It is for outdoor deployment, not possible to connect a physical wire from the router to each AP.
Deployment is for tracking/RTLS app, Algorithms for location estimation based on RSSI received from each AP listening.(Calculations done by method of triangulation, repeaters wont work)
Looks like 3800 is not supported, aware that it supports ME but thought if you convert to CAPWAP it can be added as mesh AP to the mesh network.
MESH sticker idea sound ace though
By the way, I think mesh is just extension of existing wired network by providing a wireless bridge to connect Ethernet LAN segments.