You may not be looking for the latest and greatest access point (AP), but you need something to match your enterprise network needs. Your campus covers multiple offices, buildings, even miles from one end of your network to the other. You need an AP to get the job done. The Cisco Aironet 1550 is your go-to access point.
With its 3rd generation upgrade in 2019, this access point has the capabilities you need to operate and gain wireless access to your remote, outdoor locations. We've seen this access point work best in manufacturing yards, healthcare campuses, and other remote office locations.
Today, we will dive into 5 attributes of the 1550 Aironet AP that prove it has a spot in your enterprise-level network.
1. High-Performance for Outdoor Placement
As the industry’s first enterprise-grade 802.11n access point the Cisco Aironet 1550 Series Outdoor Access Point is a self-healing and self-optimizing wireless AP that mitigates the impact of wireless interference. The Cisco Aironet 1550 Series supports multiple-device and multiple-network application delivery such as real-time seamless mobility, video surveillance, 3rd Generation (3G) and 4G data offload, and public and private Wi-Fi access.
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A strong balance of flexible deployment options, multipurpose network, wire and wired integrations, and Cisco technology all stem from the high-performance capabilities of the 1550 series AP. Its outdoor wireless supports 300 Mbps data rates per radio (802.11a/n, 802.11b/g/n). The three antenna MIMO and two spatial streams help improve the radio sensitivity and overall range performance. The performance for outdoor placement is the first key indicator the 1550 has a spot in your remote network.
2. An Inside Look at the Technology
The Cisco Aironet 1550 Series with Cisco CleanAir technology provides 802.11n connectivity for mission-critical outdoor networks by detecting interference from unauthorized devices. Cisco’s Unified Wireless Network has been built to improve the quality of detection. Common interference sources are no match to the intelligence of Cisco’s APs. Optimizing wireless coverage is the goal of Cisco CleanAir technology.
Could you see this access point working in your network? Head over to our products tool to start building your quote. You'll have access to add the 1550 as well as the other wireless infrastructure you need, like controllers, to tackle your wireless project.
3. GPS Capability
Enterprise networks have hundreds, even thousands of pieces of gear that need to be managed. From the part ID to the location, keeping track of every AP can be difficult. Two solutions can help resolve this problem.
The first is the Aironet 1550 itself. This access point is available with a GPS receiver and antenna so that you can keep track of the coordinates of its location. Not only does this help in knowing where it is, but also for security purposes.
The second is OneHub from OneCall. OneHub is a portal that creates a personalized dashboard that helps you manage your gear’s part IDs, maintenance tickets, even the coordinates of your Aironet 1550 APs.
4. Mesh Network
Flexibility, security, and scalability are three key areas of the Cisco Unified Wireless Network mesh platform for the 1550 access point. Whether your network needs coverage for manufacturing yards, a large enterprise campus, or a remote office location, the carrier-grade design provides the advantage you need to stay connected.
The mesh network opens up the opportunity to gain access in areas where it is impossible or impractical to run wire. The central management and troubleshooting of Cisco’s outdoor wireless solution help prevent costly service calls to your remote locations. With the mesh network having wireless functionality, you will focus on connectivity from the wired mesh access points, also called gateways.
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The Cisco wireless mesh infrastructure is built to operate seamlessly between access points and LAN controllers to configure and manage your wireless network. As the gateways talk to the wireless mesh access points the goal is to provide links for client traffic to traverse back to the wired network with little interference. This unified network offers the highest level of security to ensure your data remains secure from unauthorized access.
5. Competitive Outlook
The expansion of campus and branch office access networking has suited HPE- Aruba's strengths. Their strong security presence in the campus space is built with a comprehensive and unifying portfolio. The veteran HPE-Aruba has been at the top of Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Wired and Wireless Access Infrastructure for 14-years. Their strong customer base would say the same as HPE-Aruba delivers some of these most impressive capabilities to market:
- Security and Compliance
- Automation
- Artificial Intelligence
Aruba's built software-defined portfolio, advanced visibility and control, historical experience in the wireless space bring them to be a strong competitor to Cisco and the Aironet 1550 AP.
A few different models compare between Aruba and Cisco on basic features and functions. The AP-120 and AP-130 series from Aruba compare when looking at indoor placements. Aruba's 300 series outdoor APs can put Cisco to the test for a spot in your network. For more information on wireless solutions, or to take a more in-depth look at the comparison between Cisco's solutions and Aruba's, contact our wireless expert today.
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