Ruckus Releases New ZoneFlex H500 Wall Switch AP

Ruckus has announced via press release the addition of a new 802.11ac solution to its portfolio: the ZoneFlex H500 Wall Switch Access Point. The device is both a wired and wireless wall switch. It also features BeamFlex+ adaptive antenna technology, which allows for 802.11ac, and 2×2:2 dual-band (2.4 and 5 GHz) capability.

The H500 has 4 Ethernet ports in addition to its wireless signal, and utilizes IEEE 802.3af-compliant Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) to directly power many kinds of devices from the wall switch AP. The H500 can be powered through either PoE or a DC power adapter, requires only one PoE cable drop, and “easily mounts to worldwide standard electrical outlet boxes (single-gang wall-plate width, 3.5 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches).”

The new device carries a few other features as well:

• Multiple SSIDs, port-based VLANs support, concurrent IP-based services such as VoIP, IPTV, high-speed Internet access and in-room device connectivity
• Robust authentication options include: 802.1x, MAC-based, captive portal, LDAP, RADIUS, Active Directory and authentication through an internal user database

The H500 was built for the hospitality industry:

The Ruckus ZoneFlex H500 features a very sleek and lightweight yet secure design, which helps ensure a low profile, and offers front port access, which eliminates unsightly cabling and disruptive furniture placement inside hotel rooms. With dimensions of 171mm (h) x 90mm (w) x 29mm (d) and weighing less than half a pound (210g), it is very inconspicuous, minimizing the protrusion off walls to make in-room cabling and furniture arrangement simple. Cable channels on the back of the H500 allow legacy cabling, (e.g., for PBX telephones), to exit the wall junction box with the access point mounted.

The H500 has two control modes: Standalone or centrally managed through Ruckus’s suite of controller technologies. It also supports SmartMesh Networking, reducing cabling needs and deployment complexity.

Ruckus says the solution is available starting this month in the following places:

North America and most parts of Europe (ETSI), and in Q2 2015 in China, APAC, and other parts of the world, the new Ruckus ZoneFlex H500 Wi-Fi 802.11ac indoor wall switch has an MSRP of $365 (USD), and is available through authorized Ruckus Big Dog resellers worldwide.

So if you’re a hotel IT manager, you’ve got one more top 802.11ac solution to consider when you get to upgrading your wireless network.