ZyXEL Launches Series Of 802.11ac Access Points For SMBs

New Series Offers a Variety of Best-in-Class and Competitively Priced APs for BYOD-Driven SMB Wi-Fi Networks

ZyXEL Communications, a leading provider of secure broadband access, connected home and business networking products, recently announced its new WAC6500 series of high-performance 802.11ac Wi-Fi business access points (APs) covering several different deployment and application scenarios for small to mid-size businesses (SMBs). The APs include the WAC6503D-S with 3x3 smart antennas, the WAC6502D-S with 2x2 smart antennas, and the WAC6502D-E with 2x2 external antennas.

Mobility and BYOD are dominant trends in the SMB workspace. SMBs are also utilizing cloud services with increased frequency, which is diving the need for more powerful Wi-Fi networks to keep mobile devices connected to these high-bandwidth applications. The speeds offered by the 802.11ac standard has made it possible for businesses to have these high-performance, client-side Wi-Fi networks.

Smart Antenna Technology
The 802.11ac standard operates in the 5 GHz frequency band. Five GHz signals have a shorter range than traditional 2.4 GHz signals, meaning more APs are required to cover the same area. This makes the transition to 11ac networks more expensive for budget-conscious SMBs. ZyXEL’s WAC6500 series APs with Smart Antenna technology address this challenge. Smart Antenna technology computes and changes signal patterns dynamically to enhance accuracy over both frequency bands, eliminating the need for additional APs. APs with Smart Antenna are compatible with all existing clients and outperform conventional APs at longer distances so SMBs get better Wi-Fi coverage with fewer APs.

“ZyXEL’s WAC6500 series is the latest development in our continued effort to make high-performance networking easy and affordable for SMBs with innovative technologies like Smart Antenna and ZON management support,” said Steven Joe, executive vice president for North American Channels at ZyXEL. “The new series offers APs with different configuration so SMBs can choose the right product to fit their application.”

The WAC6500 series APs include the following models

WAC6503D-S
3x3 MIMO, 3 spatial streams
6 embedded smart antennas
MSRP: $850

WAC6502D
2x2 MIMO, 2 spatial stream
4 embedded smart antennas
MSRP: $650

WAC6502D-E
2x2 MIMO, 2 spatial streams
4 external antennas
MSRP: $615

Great for high-capacity and interference-laden SMB environments including education, hospitality, and medical use, the WAC6500 series covers a variety of business needs. High density coverage and signal penetration through walls eliminates dead zones while providing secure and stable connections. AP deployment is easy and robust hardware extends AP lifetime and reduces long-term expense. Additionally, the APs are interference free and are safe to use with medical devices.

Feature highlights:

• 1.75Gbps data rates, RF output of up to 30 dBm and -102 dBm receive sensitivity
• Load balance and client steering ensure optimal wireless experience
• Dual Image provides network reliability
• Easy configuration with features like APFlex automatic configuration and Dynamic Channel Selection (DCS)
• Secure networking through Intra-BSS blocking, wireless layer 2 isolation, and Certified WPA2 Enterprise
• Multiple SSID and VLAN capabilities
• Tool-less bracket design simplify deployment

The WAC6500 series APs work in both standalone mode or can be managed, as a group, using one of ZyXEL’s NXC series WLAN controllers. This feature offers SMBs and solution providers the flexibility and scale for multiple deployment options. ZyXEL offers two options for WLAN controllers for different network sizes ranging from 8 APs to 512 APs.

ZyXEL One Network (ZON) Support
All three APs come ZON supported, allowing administrators to streamline management through a variety of functions.

• ZyXEL AP configuration (ZAC) allows users to copy one profile to several APs, eliminating repetitive configuration efforts
• The Smart Connect function enables quick discovery and easy management of other ZyXEL ZON enabled devices on the network
• ZyXEL Wireless Optimizer (ZWO) simplifies AP planning, coverage detection, and wireless health management.

ZON and all its component features are free for ZyXEL customers and can be downloaded from the company website.

Pricing & Availability
The WAC6503D-S, WAC6502D-S, and WAC6502D-E are available for purchase through all ZyXEL authorized resellers.

MSRP:
WAC6503D-S: $850
WAC6502D-S: $650
WAC6502D-E: $615