A fast, reliable and secure Wi-Fi network is a business imperative, providing the connectivity necessary to support mobility, collaboration, IoT, edge computing and other important IT initiatives. It is such an entrenched technology that analysts say it now generates an annual global economic value approaching $5 trillion.
However, the need to support more wireless users, devices and traffic is pressing the limits of existing Wi-Fi infrastructures. That’s why more organizations are upgrading to the new Wi-Fi 6 standard to improve performance, increase capacity and reduce latency.
About half of networking executives reported they are already using or testing Wi-Fi 6, according to a 2021 Deloitte survey. Nearly all of them (98 percent) said they expect to be using it within two years. Meanwhile, IDC projects that 79 percent of all Wi-Fi product shipments over the next two years will be Wi-Fi 6.
The WatchGuard Solution
With theoretical data transfer speeds of 10Gbps, Wi-Fi 6 is at least four times faster than previous standards. It also provides channels for up to eight clients, with the ability to divide those channels into smaller subchannels to support even more devices simultaneously. That will dramatically reduce congestion in device-dense environments and allow more data to be transmitted at the same time.
Achieving multi-gigabit speeds and increased capacity will require new access points (APs) that can fully utilize the new standard’s upgrades. Ideally, the new hardware should include an intelligent management platform due to the increased complexity involved with synchronizing multiple users and channels.
WatchGuard’s latest Wi-Fi 6 technology fits the bill. The company recently unveiled a portfolio of Wi-Fi 6 APs along with a cloud-based management platform that enables zero-touch provisioning and deep visibility into the entire wireless network. All three also offer enhanced security with support for WPA3, the latest wireless encryption standard.
WatchGuard’s APs are built for the widest range of deployment scenarios. The AP130 is ideal for small offices, remote offices and meeting rooms where there are few clients connecting, while AP330s can support more connections in higher-density environments such as large offices, convention centers or hotels. Top-of-the-line AP430CR devices are built with an industrial-rated enclosure, making them suitable for high-density and rugged environments such as warehouses, manufacturing facilities, corporate campuses or event centers.
Cloud-Based Management
As wireless usage expands, management is becoming a greater burden for IT organizations. A recent ZK Research survey found that almost two-thirds of companies are not fully aware of all the devices on the wireless LAN. The Wi-Fi in WatchGuard Cloud platform improves WLAN visibility and provides easy access to the tools needed to deploy, configure and manage Wi-Fi 6 APs. Key features of the platform include:
- Reporting and visibility. Insight into crucial information such as signal strength coverage, wireless client bandwidth consumption, AP utilization and client distribution.
- Simplified management. A single interface for managing, configuring and reporting on Wi-Fi connectivity and performance.
- Robust security. Rich integration with WatchGuard’s portfolio of security solutions, including Endpoint Security, AuthPoint and Firebox firewall appliances, along with support for enterprise-grade Wi-Fi security standards, WPA3 encryption, RADIUS authentication, Secure VPN tunneling and more.
- Remote access. The ability to extend the corporate Wi-Fi to teleworkers by deploying a remote AP securing connections back to the corporate office over VPN without the need for software on local machines.
An upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 will deliver significant business benefits, provided it is carefully planned and properly implemented. Verteks can help you evaluate APs and other gear from WatchGuard and other vendors to determine the best solutions for your business requirements. Our networking team can then help you implement, secure and manage the entire environment. Call us to set an appointment to discuss your Wi-Fi plans.
