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Broadband networking, Internet access, connected home and routing products provider Zyxel introduced its next-generation NXC5500 wireless local area network (WLAN) controller and its NWA5301NJ wall-plate Unified WiFi Access Point (AP).
Offering WiFi service and WLAN optimization for large-scale wireless networks, the NXC5500 supports up to 512 APs, is equipped with the company’s ZLD V4.10 firmware and boasts network management capabilities.
The WLAN controller and wall-plate AP are currently available through all the company’s authorized partners, with the WLAN controller retailing for $3,399 and the AP for $139.
The scalable WLAN, paired with the AP, is aimed at hospitality providers looking to offer guests in-room WiFi services in a nonobtrusive way.
To ensure clients get the best WiFi performance, the NXC5500 is equipped with a Client Steering function that utilizes band select and signal threshold settings.
Band select establishes 5GHz as the default frequency band for dual-band devices, allowing users to avoid the heavily trafficked 2.4GHz band and enabling them to get the higher throughput of high-end devices with 802.11n or 802.11ac support.
In addition, the NXC5500 is designed to help organizations build a robust network that supports up to 16,000 concurrent devices without compromising performance.
The NXC5500 is able to maintain networkwide WiFi quality by use of a signal threshold function that directs the client device to the AP offering the optimal signal strength.
Rounding out the package is the NXC5500’s Auto Healing function, which automates several management tasks, including network monitoring, AP status checks and troubleshooting coverage issues.
“Businesses including healthcare, hospitality, multi-tenant facilities and education institutions are upgrading their wireless infrastructure to keep up with the relentless demand WiFi and mobility,” Steven Joe, executive vice president for channel business for Americas at Zyxel, said in a statement. “Zyxel’s latest additions to its Pro-Wireless line of solutions will equip budget conscious mid-size businesses, and the solution providers serving them, with a high performances and a reliable solution.”
The NWA5301-NJ AP integrates WiFi, Ethernet and phone connectivity in one box and offers Power over Ethernet (PoE) support for user-friendly installation.
The appliance can be deployed as a stand-alone AP or a controller-managed AP compatible with the company’s line of WLAN controllers, and it features 300M-bps 802.11n WiFi with a high-gain antenna.
Other features include RJ-45, PoE and PJ-48 phone pass-through ports to connect different devices, including notebooks, printers, set-top boxes, voice over IP (VoIP) phones and more, as well as extended phone and IPTV services with an integrated interface and a back panel design that fits the majority of outlet boxes in the world.