NETGEAR WAC510AC WiFi Business Access Point Review

作为企业主，您经常发现您可以让您的客户和客户感到更舒适的方法。几年前，你所需要的只是一堆杂志在候诊室。但今天，客户期望提供WiFi。

At first, you might think that making free WiFi available would be an easy task. All you have to do is log into the router and create an open network, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Standard routers aren’t designed to handle a large amount of public traffic, and additional security settings need to be in place to make the network secure for your users.

一些企业选择将该项目外包给一支才华横溢的技术专业人士，以拯救自己头疼。虽然这可能是一些优选的，但其中许多人都没有意识到，当您拥有合适的硬件时，创建WiFi商业接入点可能很容易。Netgear的WAC510看起来是市场上最有前途的模型之一。但是这个接入点对大多数企业有权吗？标准路由器没有究竟是什么呢？我们将在深入测试期间回答这些问题（以及更多）。

First Look

TheWAC510is an innocent looking white box that, from the outside, doesn’t appear to be anything fancy. This was done so that businesses can place it in a location that provides the best wireless signal without negatively impacting your existing décor. It’s unassuming and doesn’t grab any unwarranted attention.

This access point can be used on its own, or you can connect a number of them to cover a large area. They’re designed to be very simple to install. The first access point needs two cables, one for power and one Ethernet cable that connects to your existing router or modem. If you want to use multiple access points, you only need to connect a single cable thanks to the power over Ethernet functionality that combines both into a standard cat-5 cable. However, you do need to order a special power adapter to use this functionality.

Setup

有两种方法可以设置接入点，这两种都足够简单，可以由技术知识有限的某人完成。第一种方式是通过Web界面。在之前设置接入点的用户将找到熟悉的Web界面，因为许多路由器在类似的系统上运行。将接入点插入调制解调器后，将第二个电缆连接到LAN端口。打开Web浏览器时，您将被转发到接入点的IP地址。然后赋予您选择简单或高级配置的选项。

简单的模式就像一个向导。你问一个series of questions that automatically configure the access point name, and let you manage restrictions and settings. Advanced configuration gives the same options, but everything is laid out in a technical manner. Advanced mode is ideal for anyone who understands the basic principles of computer networking.

第二个选项是使用Netgear Insight应用程序。巫师是相同的，尽管设计具有良好的现代触摸。就个人而言，我们发现该应用程序对此具有更现代的感觉。一旦您完成了配置，您就可以访问我们遇到的最全面的管理套房之一。

应用

在我们眼中，Insight应用程序是该系统的主要销售点。大多数路由器让你在黑暗中。您知道人们可以访问互联网（如果下降，您肯定会听到它），但您对网络的使用方式非常了解。Insight是一个窗口进入网络功能。您将看到有多少用户在线，它们连接到哪个接入点以及正在使用的总数据量。在首页上，这显示为图形。您可以将今天的用途与前几天进行比较，看看高峰时间是多少。

You can see if you have returning users, or new users, and highlight devices that are using particularly large amounts of data.

User Management

如果你遇到问题,有很多of management tools that allow you to address them. You can enable something called a “captive portal”. When users first connect to your network, they’ll be brought to a screen that explains the terms of service of your network. If you disallow activities such as streaming media or engaging in file sharing, you can make this clear here. You can also request that users enter their name, or some other form of identification. Once you’ve identified users, this is where you can really start to ramp up the power of your network. You can set device specific bandwidth limits so you don’t have users abusing your connection. You can track usage on a per-user basis, giving you more control over how your rules are implemented.

Of course, all of this is done in a very private way. You’re not spying on users, and you’ll never come across any personal information. You only have the details pertinent to a network manager, making your job simple and unobtrusive.

表现

The most powerful app in the world is completely useless if the hardware behind it can’t live up to expectations. Fortunately, the WAC510 is a powerhouse. It uses the second generation of 802.11ac WiFi. This is the latest standard available. Each access point has a total bandwidth of 1.2 Gbps – enough for even the fastest internet connection on the market.

它还支持一种名为MIMO的技术。MIMO代表多个输入，多个输出。用英语，这意味着您有两个内置的网络。用户可以均匀地分布在两个网络之间，因此一个沉重的用户无法扰乱整个连接。

Another problem solved by the WAC510 is congestion. Ever go to connect to a WiFi network and notice that there are dozens of networks in range? The reason that it’s possible for so many networks to operate in a single area is because the WiFi spectrum is divided up into hundreds of channels. This works just like FM radio. While WiFi represents the FM spectrum as a whole, channels are much like each invididual station. Generally, a WiFi network is designed to use one or a few different channels. But the WAC510 can access the entire range, and it will automatically swap users onto whichever channel is the cleanest. This means that you’ll always have a great connection, even in areas where other routers fail.

Interoperability

如果您只尝试为单人间设置连接，则可能需要一个WAC510。但是，如果您想覆盖大型办公楼或百货商店，您可以将多个接入点达到菊花链。

This is different from how typical routers work as they’re all working together. Users can walk around and move out of range of one access point, they’ll automatically be transferred to the nearest in-range point.

为了使这个工作，有三个组件必需的。WAC510接入点本身就是所有的术区。你可以想到它就像天线一样。当然，您还需要电源适配器。这是单独出售的，因为电源适配器的大小取决于网络的大小。运行单个接入点需要比运行10更少的电力。

The last piece of the puzzle you’ll need is the switch. Remember how all of the data and power is transmitted over one cable? The switch is the special tool that facilitates communication and power distribution between all of the access points.

The end result is a completely cohesive system. You’ll never be managing multiple devices. From your perspective, the whole network is just one big router.

最后的判决

Setting up a large public network has never been an easy task. There are a lot of different components, and the failure of one of them could, historically speaking, bring down the entire network.

TheNETGEAR WAC510is one of the few network solutions that has made this complicated system simple. It can be setup by any business owner with a little spare time, and all of the usage data is broken down in a manner that makes it easy to understand. While this isn’t the first access point Netgear has ever released with this technology, its’ the first time that it’s been affordable enough to be within reach for small and medium sized businesses.

Which package is right for your business? For smaller networks, just a single access point and power adapter should be more than enough to provide adequate coverage in coffee shops, waiting rooms, or small offices. If you’re looking to get coverage for an area that exceeds 3000 square feet, or has many walls and obstructions, you will want to consider getting at least two access points and the POE switch. For hotels, department stores, and very large buildings, you’ll probably want 1 access point per 1500 square feet of space. Generally, this will provide more than enough signal strength, but if you find dead zones you can always add another inexpensive access point where needed.

Not running a public network? The WAC510 is specifically designed for businesses who need to manage a public or employee access network. If you’re just looking for a way to get a decent wireless signal in your home, read up on thebest whole-home Mesh WiFi Systems. These products perform similarly to the WAC510, but the software is much more suitable for the application.