By Claus Hetting, WiFi NOW CEO & Chairman
Since Zyxel Networks was established in 2019 as Zyxel’s dedicated networking business, the company has been aggressively ramping up its product portfolio and positioning itself as a high-quality and cost-effective alternative to the established networking giants. Zyxel Networks’ three recently released (available Q3) outdoor solutions are aimed at industry, SMBs, and even outdoor large public venues. The new networking products incorporate distinctive technical features, the company says.
Both consumers and professionals increasingly expect excellent Wi-Fi connectivity to be available everywhere – and that includes outdoor campus areas as well as industrial facilities and large public venues. To that end Zyxel Networks is launching three new products: The flagship WBE665S 12-stream ruggedised Wi-Fi 7 AP, the NWA55AX PRO outdoor Wi-Fi 6 AP, and the NWA55AX point-to-point wireless bridge. Together, the new products are intended to extend high-performance Wi-Fi coverage into challenging outdoor environments, the company says.
“We’re particularly excited about our flagship WBE665S AP. This is a 22 Gbps, 12-stream, triple-radio AP with an internal 120-degree wide-angle smart antenna, built for tough environments. IP67-rating resists dust, water, and extreme temperatures from -40˚C to 70˚C, making it ideal for industrial sites, warehouses, stadiums, outdoor campuses and city Wi-Fi,” says Hugh Simpson, EMEA Marketing Development Manager for Wireless LAN at Zyxel Networks.
Zyxel Networks is one of a few vendors offering smart antennas that dynamically change how an access point transmits and receives radio signals to improve Wi-Fi performance. Unlike most enterprise APs – which typically use fixed omnidirectional antenna patterns – smart antennas can select or steer different radiation patterns depending on where clients are located and what the RF environment looks like.
Meanwhile the new outdoor NWA55AX Wi-Fi 6-based wireless bridge delivers up to 2.4 Gbps over distances of up to 5 kilometres of range, connecting campuses, warehouses, remote buildings – and even farms, Hugh Simpson says. “At this price point, this is a no-brainer and cost-effective way to establish gigabit connectivity between buildings using a simple outdoor installation or for example to extend your Wi-Fi network outdoors by connecting outdoor APs. The unit is arguably even affordable enough to appeal to homeowners or MDUs,” he says.
Last but not least the NWA55AX PRO is Zyxel Networks’ affordable new 3 Gbps outdoor Wi-Fi 6 AP. With this addition, the company’s outdoor portfolio now spans a comprehensive selection of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 APs and even includes the DIN-rail mountable Wi-Fi 7 IAP500BE industrial AP designed for smart factories, automated lines and IoT systems. All of Zyxel Networks’ products are managed via the company’s Nebula platform.
Analysis: Why Zyxel Networks continues its success spree
Zyxel Networks occupies an increasingly distinctive position in the enterprise Wi-Fi market by focusing on business-grade networking capabilities at a price point that appeals to SMBs, education, hospitality, distributed enterprises, industry, and LPVs. While it does not typically compete head-to-head with the largest enterprise networking vendors on breadth of portfolio or scale, the company has steadily expanded its offerings across Wi-Fi 7, switching, security, Cloud management, and now outdoor connectivity. Zyxel Networks was one of the first enterprise vendors to launch Wi-Fi 7 APs.
The launch of a strong outdoor product portfolio reflects a broader strategy of building a complete networking portfolio rather than competing on APs alone. By addressing applications ranging from industrial sites and campuses to outdoor hospitality and LPVs, Zyxel Networks continues to broaden its addressable market while leveraging its Nebula Cloud management platform to keep deployment and operations simple.
Competition in enterprise Wi-Fi remains fierce – particularly from larger incumbents and a growing number of medium-sized Cloud-managed networking providers. Nevertheless Zyxel Networks has established a reputation for reliable products, straightforward management, and strong value, making it a credible choice for organisations looking for enterprise-class networking without enterprise-level complexity or cost. Continued investment in Wi-Fi 7 and Cloud-managed networking should strengthen its position in this important market segment.
/Claus.
Video below: An affordable and straightforward way to extend outdoor Wi-Fi coverage using Zyxel Networks’ NWA55AX PRO Wi-Fi 6 AP and NWA55AX point-to-point wireless bridge
