MR2 brings mesh functionality to AP6
The latest wireless release brings a much-awaited feature to AP6: mesh. This closes an important feature gap to APX. This release also includes bug fixes for issues found during the mesh EAP.
60W of power with our new PoE++ injector
We recently started shipping a 60W PoE++ injector (802.3bt). This provides sufficient power for an individual AP6 840E in cases where selling the CS210-8FP switch is not a viable option.
As is generally the case with PoE, this injector is backward compatible and can be used for an access point that requires a lower PoE standard.
From the next release of the reseller calculator, you’ll see the compatible switches and PoE injectors for every AP6 model, making it easier for you to select the most suitable power source.
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Please be sure to share this news with your wireless customers.
FURTHER INFORMATION
What is Mesh?
This would have been a common question until a few years ago, but products offering wireless mesh have found their way into the consumer segment, making this feature much more widely known today.
In business scenarios, mesh is often used in areas where there may not be the cabling for an Ethernet connection for every access point. Using a private (backhaul) SSID between APs, they function as a wireless bridge to extend Wi-Fi connectivity to areas such as parking lots, factories, or just your home office or lab in the basement of your house. Mesh takes Wi-Fi connectivity to the hard-to-wire places it couldn’t otherwise go.
When using mesh, performance will be degraded, and features such as MAC filtering and band steering will not be available. Please consider this when advising customers on the use of this feature.
There are two different roles in any mesh network:
- Root: this is the AP6 controlling the mesh network. It needs to be connected to the Ethernet at all times. This will usually be the most powerful AP with the most radios.
- Node: there could be one or more nodes in a mesh network. These are the APs that will extend wireless coverage. Once the initial setup is complete, nodes can be disconnected from the Ethernet cable and only need power.
Wireless mesh can be configured and managed from Sophos Central or the local user interface.
For full details about this feature, please read the product documentation linked above.
