WatchGuard brings secure Wi-Fi to the outdoors with new ruggedised Wi-Fi access point

WatchGuard Technologies has released a new cloud-managed outdoor Wi-Fi access point (AP), the AP327X.  The ruggedised enclosure and external antenna connectors enable the WatchGuard AP327X to thrive in extreme conditions such as snow, rain, and dust; or in locations that require flexible antenna pattern coverage capabilities.

The AP327X is claimed to be ideal for delivering secure outdoor Wi-Fi coverage to school campuses, warehouses, manufacturing yards, malls, public hotspots, and municipal deployments.
Extend Your Trusted Wireless Environment to the Outdoors
WatchGuard is the only company that offers a framework – called a Trusted Wireless Environment – for building a complete Wi-Fi network that is fast, easy to manage, and most importantly, secure. This initiative focuses on enabling companies to offer and deploy Wi-Fi networks with market-leading performance, scalable management, and verified comprehensive security. By focusing on providing secure Wi-Fi access, WatchGuard has distinguished itself in the market by automatically detecting and preventing all of the most common Wi-Fi threats simultaneously.
With the introduction of the AP327X, WatchGuard enables our customers and partners to push beyond previous challenges to creating secure Wi-Fi deployments in outdoor environments. The AP327X adds four N-Type connectors for flexible antenna pattern coverage capabilities. It is an IP67-rated AP that is made for harsh conditions. Also, the AP327X is an 802.11ac 2x2 MU-MIMO access point with dual concurrent 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz band radios and data rates up to 867 GHz and 400 Mbps respectively.

Key Capabilities:

• Four N-Type external antenna connectors: Delivers more flexibility for Wi-Fi network designers to implement directional or omni-directional signal patterns when needed.
  
  
• Ruggedized enclosure: Thrives in harsh conditions (-20oC to 65oC or -4oF to 149oF).
  
  
• Dual concurrent 2x2 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz band radios with data rates of up to 867 Mbps and 400 Mbps, respectively: Includes two radios so both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz clients are served simultaneously.
  
  
• Radio Resource Management (RRM) in cloud mode: Dynamic RF optimization through smart steering, band steering, and optimal channel selection ensures peak Wi-Fi performance and user experience.
  
  
• 2x Gigabit Ethernet ports: Enables networking administrators with the flexibility to plug into the 2nd Ethernet port and continue into a switch or other networking device.
  
  
• Cloud-based network baselining and troubleshooting: Wi-Fi Cloud baselines network traffic and automatically highlights anomalies by triggering alerts to network admins for resolving issues before users report them.
  
  
• Wi-Fi security overlay to any Wi-Fi deployment: No need to rip and replace — deploy WatchGuard APs to existing Wi-Fi deployments. When deployed as dedicated Wireless Intrusion Prevention Systems (WIPS) security sensors, the AP works with your existing APs and delivers 24/7 protection from wireless threats.
  
  
• Flexible management options: When you deploy an access point that has WatchGuard Wi-Fi Cloud enabled with a Secure Wi-Fi or Total Wi-Fi license, you unlock the full potential of your WatchGuard access points with powerful Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (WIPS), real-time analytics, and valuable engagement and marketing tools. For a lightweight feature set, manage any one of our APs with a Firebox via a Basic Wi-Fi license.

“For us, being able to extend the same Wi-Fi protection outside of the building with the AP327X while delivering robust Wi-Fi connectivity gives us peace of mind that our customers are protected from hackers automatically” said Paul Sillars, group managing director, Shiloh Marketing Services Pty Ltd.
 “We are proud to add the AP327X to WatchGuard’s family of ruggedized cyber security solutions,” said Ryan Orsi, director of product management, Wi-Fi, at WatchGuard. “With its ruggedised enclosure, and support for a variety of external antennas, this AP brings our customers and partners peace of mind knowing that a harsh environment is no longer an excuse to limit secure access to the internet.”