---
title: "Setting Up the Cisco Meraki Connector"
url: "https://support.paratira.ai/en/article/setting-up-the-cisco-meraki-connector"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-04-15T01:15:59.582Z"
---

# Setting Up the Cisco Meraki Connector

Last Updated: 15 April 2026

## Prerequisites

Before setting up the connector, ensure you have:

-   Administrator access to your Cisco Meraki dashboard
-   Administrator access to Paratira
-   API access enabled in your Meraki organization

## Technical Audience

Experienced network administrator or IT professional responsible for managing Cisco Meraki devices and dashboards, with full admin access to the Meraki organization.

## Obtaining API Credentials from Cisco Meraki

### Step 1: Enable API Access in Meraki Dashboard

1.  Log into the [Meraki dashboard](https://dashboard.meraki.com/) with an administrator account
2.  Navigate to **Organization > Settings**
3.  Under **Dashboard API Access**, ensure that "Enable access to the Cisco Meraki Dashboard API" is checked
4.  Click **Save Changes** if you made any changes

### Step 2: Generate an API Key

1.  Click on your username in the top right corner of the Meraki dashboard
2.  Select **My Profile** from the dropdown menu
3.  Scroll down to the **API Access** section
4.  Click on **Generate new API key**
5.  A dialog will appear with your new API key
6.  **IMPORTANT**: Copy this API key immediately and store it securely—you won't be able to view the full key again after closing this window
7.  Check the box that says "I have stored my new API key" and click **Done**

### Step 3: Note Your Organization ID

1.  While still in the Meraki dashboard, go to **Organization > Settings**
2.  Your Organization ID can be found in the URL of this page:
    -   The URL will look like: `https://dashboard.meraki.com/o/{organization_id}/manage/organization/settings`
    -   Note down the `{organization_id}` value

## Setting Up the Connector in Paratira

### Step 1: Access the Connector Setup

1.  Log in to your Paratira account
2.  Navigate to **Settings** in the left menu
3.  Expand the menu and select **Connectors**
4.  Click the **Add Connector** button

### Step 2: Choose the Connector Type

1.  In the "Add new connector" wizard, you'll see "Choose connector" as step 1
2.  Select the **By technology** tab
3.  Locate and click on the **Cisco Meraki** tile
4.  Click **Continue** to proceed to the next step

### Step 3: Enter Connection Details

1.  In the "Enter details" step, you'll need to provide:
    -   **Name**: Enter a descriptive name for this connector (e.g., "Primary Meraki Network")
    -   **API Key**: Paste the API key you generated from the Meraki dashboard
    -   **Organization ID**: Enter the Organization ID you noted from the Meraki dashboard URL
2.  Click the **Test connection** button to verify your credentials
3.  Once the connection test is successful, click **Continue**

### Step 4: Validation

1.  Paratira will validate your connection and permissions
2.  The system will check that it can access all required APIs
3.  If any issues are detected, you'll see specific error messages with guidance
4.  Once validation is successful, click **Continue**

### Step 5: Customer Mapping (for Multi-tenant Connectors)

If you're setting up a multi-tenant connector:

1.  At the "Map customers" step, you'll see organizations from your Meraki account
2.  For each Meraki organization, you can:
    -   Map to an existing Paratira customer using the dropdown menu
    -   Create a new customer by selecting "Create as a new customer"
    -   Click **Confirm** for each mapping
3.  Once all mappings are completed, click **Continue**

### Step 6: Complete Setup

1.  Review the connector summary information
2.  Click **Finish** to complete the setup
3.  Your new Meraki connector will appear in the connectors list
4.  Initial data collection will begin automatically

## Data Collection Details

The Cisco Meraki connector collects the following information:

-   Network infrastructure devices (switches, access points, security appliances)
-   Device status and health metrics
-   Configuration details
-   Licensing information
-   Firmware versions
-   Security settings

## Troubleshooting

### API Access Issues

**Error**: "API access is disabled for this organization"

-   **Solution**: Return to Meraki dashboard and ensure API access is enabled under Organization > Settings

**Error**: "Invalid API key"

-   **Solution**: Generate a new API key in the Meraki dashboard and update the connector

**Error**: "Insufficient permissions"

-   **Solution**: Ensure the account used to generate the API key has administrator privileges

### Connection Problems

**Error**: "Cannot connect to Meraki API"

-   **Solution**: Check your internet connection and verify that outbound connections to api.meraki.com are allowed

**Error**: "Rate limit exceeded"

-   **Solution**: Wait a few minutes and try again. Meraki API has usage limits

## Best Practices

-   **Security**: Treat your Meraki API key like a password—never share it publicly
-   **Permissions**: Use an account with appropriate permissions but avoid using a super-admin account if possible
-   **Monitoring**: Periodically check the connector status in Paratira to ensure it's functioning correctly
-   **Updates**: If you regenerate your Meraki API key, remember to update it in Paratira

## Support Resources

If you encounter any issues setting up your Cisco Meraki connector:

-   Review the [Cisco Meraki API Documentation](https://developer.cisco.com/meraki/api-v1/)
-   Contact Paratira support through the Resources section
-   Check for known issues in the Paratira knowledge base

Should you have any issues, feel free to reach out to: [sanjay.subramaniam@raioam.com](mailto:sanjay.subramaniam@paratira.ai)