Wi-Fi Access Points, Bridge To Brave The Outdoors
Outdoor access points may not sound practical, but there are many applicable uses, especially in vertical markets, ranging from bringing mobile connectivity to a small village's police department to setting up a hot spot at a campground. Wireless vendors now manufacture outdoor access points/bridges that are ideal for vertical markets such as law enforcement, government and the military. These solutions are also great for retail and/or food service establishments that offer outdoor spaces and want to provide wireless connectivity to waiting or dining customers.
CRN Test Center engineers evaluated D-Link's AirPremier DWL-2700AP Wireless Outdoor Access Point and ZyXel's ZyAir B-5000 802.11b Wireless Outdoor Access Point/Bridge.
While both D-Link's and ZyXel's units are quite similar in design and basic functionality, the D-Link DWL-2700AP clearly trounced the ZyXel ZyAir B-5000 in speed tests. Simply put, the DWL-2700AP offers 54-Mbps throughput using the 802.11g standard, while the ZyXel ZyAir B-5000 only supports the 802.11b standard. This single-standard support limits the ZyAir device to only 11 Mbps, a major drawback if speed is a customer's major concern.
However, don't count the B-5000 out. The unit offers other features that compensate for its slow throughput speed.
For instance, the B-5000 offers native RADIUS support, which helps to create secure connections. This is an important feature, since the connection will be transmitted outdoors. Also, the very nature of the 802.11b standard enables the B-5000 to offer extended range and faster client associations. This means that users can wander farther from the access point and still maintain a connection, and they can make a connection through the access point much quicker. The 802.11b standard does not have to cycle through various speeds and associations to connect to a client PC, making connection fast and easy.
The B-5000 also includes a NAT-based firewall and can function as a router. This is a must-have capability for businesses promoting hot-spot deployments that need to isolate external wireless connections from an internal network.
Obviously, an effective outdoor wireless solution must take weather into account. The unit's housing must endure extreme heat and cold, as well as rain, snow and so on. Other necessary features include an adjustable/replaceable antenna, various power schemes and wired connectivity options.
Both reviewed units have watertight, weather-resistant housings and easily replaceable external antennas. The ZyAir features a built-in lightning arrestor to prevent lightning damage. The D-Link DWL-2700AP has an integrated heater to prevent thermal shock in extreme temperatures. Both units support Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) connections, which eliminate the need for a separate power supply.
Test Center engineers found that the D-Link device was the easiest to deploy since it supports five modes: Access Point (AP), Point-to- Point (PtP) Bridge, Point-to-MultiPoint (PtMP) Bridge, Repeater, or Wireless Client, making it easy to deploy in any wireless network configuration. What's more, if other D-Link products are used in the deployment, the DWL-2700AP can use D-Link's proprietary Wireless Distribution System (WDS) technology, which supports auto configuration, failover and load-balancing.
Even though the DWL-2700AP and the B-5000 are geared toward the same general market, they are built to address two different business concerns: high speed and easy connectivity or long-range access and tight security. VARs looking to extend an internal network outdoors will be best served by the D-Link unit, which offers easy setup, high speeds and numerous configuration options. Solution providers that want to protect an internal network and offer wireless access to outdoor users will find the ZyXel B-5000 a good fit.
AT A GLANCE: D-LINK AND ZYXEL
Outdoor Wireless Access Points
D-Link and ZyXel Outdoor Wireless Access Points Extend The Reach Of Wireless Communications
> D-Link AirPremier DWL-2700AP uses 802.11g standard to increase throughput.
> ZyXel ZyAir B-5000 includes a NAT to ensure network security.
> Both units are housed in rugged, weatherproof housing to protect against the elements.
> D-Link's AirPremier offers easy setup and extensive configuration modes.
> ZyXel's ZyAir enables fast and consistent connectivity to client PCs.
> Both units offer opportunities for solution providers whose customers want to extend the reach of their corporate networks.