“Most SMEs would love to be able to take advantage of the cost savings and freedom associated with bringing VoWLAN to their business. However, until now there hasn’t been a solution which can provide a secure blanket of wireless coverage giving true zero delay roaming suitable for Wireless VoIP Handsets. This solution also lends itself to the needs of the warehousing and manufacturing sector due to is ability to be installed in high density deployments, ensuring no dead spots in difficult RF environments, without creating lots of co channel inference compared with traditional wireless solutions said Sarah Guy, communications manager, ZyXEL UK. “For the first time, the channel blanket solution will allow SMEs to deploy a next generation wireless network which is as dependable as a wired network, allowing them to take advantage of technologies like VoIP from anywhere in the building.”
The unique wireless controller design allows a reliable and simple-to-manage wireless network to be created without the need for complicated radio frequency site survey tests, which would previously have been required in order to create a wireless network. Instead, by using one single radio frequency channel across all wireless access points, quality of service can be guaranteed across the building as individual access points work together as one large access point to create a “blanket” of continuous wireless access through which users can roam freely while receiving the highest possible network speed at all times.
Users can consequently roam freely without the risk of packet loss or interruption.
The controller also allows IT managers to centrally manage the entire Wi-Fi network, which can contain up to 48 access points utilising the controllers virtual stacking capabilities, which simplifies and reduces the time needed to maintain the wireless network. This makes it perfect for SMEs which may have found deploying wireless to be too difficult, expensive or time consuming in the past because of having to manage large numbers of access points or conduct intensive RF site surveys.
The switch includes the highest possible level of wireless security and authentication to give SMEs peace of mind that they will have the same or higher level of security as a traditional wired network. The network created is also highly flexible and scalable, allowing it to be easily grown alongside the business. Additional wireless access points can be added to the network as required and the switch will automatically detect and configure them as they are connected, making life easier for busy IT managers.
“Concerns about performance, roaming, co-channel interference and security have been holding many SMEs back from adopting wireless technology. However, by using the NXC8160 wireless switch in conjunction with the NWA-8500 access points, businesses don’t have to sacrifice security and performance in order to reap the benefits of a reliable, easy-to-manage and cost effective wireless network,” concluded Guy.