Zyxel Tackles 11ac Wave 2 WiFi Challenges With New Wireless Access Points

Zyxel Communications has launched three new 802.11ac Wave 2 wireless access points— NWA1123-ACHD, NWA5123-ACHD and WAC6303D-S — to take on the challenges facing today’s 802.11ac Wave 2 WiFi networks. While early Wave 2 entries fell short of the performance advances seen with the jump from 802.11n to the 802.11ac Wave 1 standard, these new products deliver on the full potential of Wave 2 wireless networking.

Not all Wave 2 APs are created equal:
Though the Wave 2 standard promised faster speeds and better performance for more users (MU-MIMO), there were technical challenges to be tackled. Namely, it was difficult to achieve MU-MIMO without compromising data rates. The new standard requires robust noise suppression capabilities, otherwise total network performance can be degraded by non-MU-MIMO clients in a group.

Designed to address these challenges, Zyxel’s Wave 2 access points are equipped with next-gen beam forming technology that allows data rates to increase not only for MU-MIMO-compatible clients, but for all existing ones, as well. These devices are engineered with an “RF First” policy that optimizes the radio frequency design in every aspect of the hardware to deliver maximum coverage with increased data rates.

Reap the real benefits of the new standard:

Today’s BYOD trend continues to place additional demands on enterprise networks as more employees bring multiple devices to the office. In this crowded network environment, Zyxel’s Wave 2 access points relieve the increased pressure. Wave 2 APs can communicate with multiple devices simultaneously at faster speeds, whether or not connected clients are MU-MIMO-compatible. This not only boosts overall network performance, it also improves the user experience, particularly when a large number of devices are connected.

Combat interference in the air war:

With more wireless options in the workplace, Zyxel’s Wave 2 access points feature built-in filters to minimize the interference from 3G/4G cellular networks. The WAC6303D-S is also equipped with a smart antenna that is proven to eliminate WiFi co-channel interference in busy environments.

“Wave 2 Access Points (APs) now account for roughly 60% of all AP sales in the enterprise space”, said Crowley Wu, Senior AVP of the Zyxel Networking Business Unit. “Zyxel’s Wave 2 solution is built for a broad range of vertical markets, and we are confident that we will speed up this technology adoption in the SMB, hospitality, and education sectors”.