New Specialty Wi-Fi Access Points launched by Rukus Networks for Smart Cities, Stadiums and Public Transportation

Ruckus Networks recently announced the availability of two new 802.11ac Wave 2 access points (APs) designed to provide Wi-Fi coverage in space-constrained sites and in hard-to-reach areas. The Ruckus E510 is the industry’s first embeddable enterprise AP and features an innovative two-element design that allows for deployment at sites with strict form-factor or aesthetic constraints.

In addition, the Ruckus M510 is an 802.11ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi AP with LTE UE-mode backhaul, allowing for AP placement in locations where Ethernet connectivity is a challenge or in situations in which redundant backhaul is needed to help ensure adherence to service-level agreements (SLAs).

“As our customers and service provider partners seek to improve the level of service they provide to end users, they often encounter challenging deployment scenarios in which typical approaches won’t work,” said Greg Beach, vice president of wireless products, Ruckus Networks. “We’re committed to helping them provide a great Wi-Fi experience, regardless of environmental constraints. And with the E510 and M510 we’re living up to that commitment.”

One early adopter is SmartWave, who is working with Ruckus to provide connectivity at various smart city deployments.

“As a leading technology integrator for smart cities, SmartWave is excited to partner with Ruckus to deploy the E510 access point in various smart cities and street furniture applications,” said Al Brown, president and CEO, SmartWave. “We have been testing the E510 AP for over a month, and this AP addressed the flexibility requirements for street furniture and smart city applications to make visually appealing Wi-Fi deployments possible. Additionally, the E510’s low-profile radio enclosure and separate antenna module enable us to easily deploy APs throughout the city, yielding an overall better experience.”

The Ruckus E510 is designed to minimize the aesthetic or physical impact at deployment sites such as outdoor digital signage, street furniture, kiosks, lighting fixtures and stadium seats while Ruckus M510 is designed for use wherever supported LTE service is available. The M510 is ideally suited for use on buses, trains, and in temporary locations where Ethernet connectivity is absent, unreliable or cost-prohibitive. Furthermore, the M510 can be used anywhere wide area network (WAN) redundancy is desired.

The E510 is available now at a list price of $2,095 USD (including radio module, antenna, module and antenna cable). The M510 will be available in June 2018 at a list price of $1,095 USD.