Wireless Access Points From ZyXEL, Others Address SMB Needs

by Nathan Eddy

The WAC6500 series works in both stand-alone mode or can be managed, as a group, using one of the company’s NXC series wireless LAN (WLAN) controllers, and is aimed at small businesses. The company’s Smart Antenna technology computes and changes signal patterns dynamically to enhance accuracy over both frequency bands and is designed to extend a wireless signal and reduce the number of APs required.

All three APs come ZON-supported, allowing administrators to streamline management through a variety of functions, while ZyXEL’s AP configuration allows users to copy one profile to several APs. The APs combined 802.1x authentication and Radius log-in authentication will help for two-factor authentication of WiFi networks to ensure proper security of the network. They offer multiple service set identifiers (SSIDs) to help businesses easily create different virtual networks, including guest networks.

Each AP offers secure networking through Intra-BSS blocking, wireless layer 2 isolation, and Certified WPA2 Enterprise, and features multiple SSIDs and virtual LAN (VLAN) capabilities. As the old 802.11n standard is becoming a performance bottleneck, upgrading to the 802.11ac WiFi network standard has become unavoidable. ABI Research predicts 70 percent of mobile devices shipped in 2015 will have 802.11ac built-in.

The Cisco device features Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, a captive portal for customized guest access, support for IPv6 and quality of service, Power over Ethernet (PoE) and security features. Smart Signal antenna technology optimizes wireless coverage. A Single Point Setup feature helps simplify the deployment of multiple access points without additional hardware, and it can be configured with a browser-based GUI.

Aruba’s 270-series outdoor APs deliver reliable 802.11ac WiFi performance under any weather conditions. The three-stream 270 series also enables 802.11n mobile devices to operate up to three-times faster at the same distance from the AP. Purpose-built for the harshest outdoor environments, 270-series APs are designed to withstand extreme temperatures, persistent moisture and precipitation, and are fully sealed to keep out airborne contaminants. The offering includes single-screw mounting brackets, integrated connector and antenna enclosure, and dual PoE+ and AC powering options in a single unit.

Clunky design aside, the EnGenius AP, built to be deployed on a ceiling for better coverage, is 802.3af PoE-compatible, enabling deployment in areas where power outlets may not be readily available. To protect wireless connectivity, it can encrypt all wireless transmissions through 64-/128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption and also supports WPA/WPA2 (Wireless Access Protocol specifications). The MAC address filtering lets users select exactly which stations should have access to the network.

HP’s 802.11n dual-radio AP series provides two and three spatial access points, offering enhanced coverage and reliability for voice and multimedia communications. The AP can be powered by PoE, while WiFi Clear Connect RF optimization and integrated Wireless IDS/IPS provide automatic detection, classification and mitigation of non-IEEE 802.11 interference and wireless threats.

The UniFi Enterprise WiFi System includes the UniFi controller software, which can be accessed through any standard Web browser. The software installs on any Windows, Mac or Linux PC and can be run on-premise, in a private cloud or in a public cloud service. The single band 802.11/b/g/n access point with two-by-two multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) has a range of up to 600 feet, and it offers 802.11n MIMO with speeds of up to 300M bps.

The company’s dual-band PoE AP offers increased coverage with MIMO technology, and includes wireless encryption features. A Gigabit port maintains high-performance connection to the network, while an integrated wireless scan function helps optimize wireless setup. A variety of installation scenarios are supported with Access Point, wireless distribution system (WDS) AP, WDS bridge and repeater modes.

Thanks to WiFi Multimedia (WMM), the WN802Tv2 automatically prioritizes traffic so that time-sensitive applications, such as VOIP calls and audio and video streaming, are put ahead of file downloads and Web surfing. The AP also offers support for WiFi Multimedia Power Save, which helps conserve up to 40 percent of the battery life of WMM-PS devices that are connected to the access point.