topic Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs? in Access Points - Indoor and Outdoor

ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

martin_kane — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 20:38:33 GMT

Any hope that 7962 APs will, one day, be compatible with version 9.9?

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

michael_brado — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 22:48:14 GMT

To determine supported AP models, refer to the ZD firwmare release notes, where
supported AP models will be listed. Unfortunately, model 7962/7762/7363 with
64mb RAM have been end of sale and end of lifed, best performing on 9.7 and
earlier ZD firmware.

https://support.ruckuswireless.com/do...

• R300
• R500
• R600
• R700
• SC8800-S
• SC8800-S-AC
• T300
• T300e
• T301n
• T301s
• ZF7025
• ZF7055
• ZF7321
• ZF7341
• ZF7343
• ZF7352
• ZF7363
• ZF7372
• ZF7372-E
• ZF7441
• ZF7761-CM
• ZF7762
• ZF7762-AC
• ZF7762-S
• ZF7762-S-AC
• ZF7762-T
• ZF7781CM
• ZF7782
• ZF7782-E
• ZF7782-N
• ZF7782-S
• ZF7982

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

minh_long — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 18:16:25 GMT

The direct answer to this question is unfortunately "no". End of Life for the 7962 was announced March 1st, 2013. Per the EOL announcement, the 7962 will not be supported on software released after August 31st, 2014.

See this link: https://ruckus-support.s3.amazonaws.c...

-Minh

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

martin_kane — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 08:15:03 GMT

So, given that we have 16x AP7962s (as well as 8x7982s) it is therefore pointless to upgrade our ZD any further. Is there any reason to maintain our annual Zone Director registration fees?

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

paul_mancine — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 17:52:22 GMT

We have 61 7962 units! Are we SOL?

We still have support on these units. What happens if they, uh, break? Will we get 7982 units back?

Maybe Ruckus should have withheld features, but to drop compatibility completely seems ridiculous.

We've invested heavily in Ruckus, and this is a slap in the face.

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

michael_brado — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 00:13:00 GMT

Hello Paul,

We’re happy that you’ve chosen Ruckus products too, and zf7962 was the
company’s flagship dual-band access point. We’re proud to have developed
the indoor/outdoor AP line further. New AP hardware has increased CPU
capabilities, more RAM, Flash, and now 802.11ac MU-MIMO in both indoor/
outdoor products, and soon incorporated into a higher performance PtP/PtMTP
wireless bridges.

The ZD1000 was also quite capable of managing early model APs, but as our
software grew with additional features/functions, the early platform products
could not support them all, and we’ve developed their predecessors. Your ZD3K
can run any level of ZoneFlex firmware, but newer AP models are required to
support some of the newer firmware features, ie Bonjour Gateway. Hopefully
your Ruckus VAR or account team can discuss your options if you need more than
9.8 services, the last level for 7962 support in code.

Our Support Portal Products page, has ZoneDirector, and ZoneFlex Indoor/
Outdoor AP boxes at the top. Each of the AP pages lists our current product
offering, and lists the previous model APs/ZD that have reached an EoL for
production/sales at the bottom. We do continue to provide support for EoL
products, 5 years after EoS.

https://support.ruckuswireless.com/do...

We also honor all support covered product RMAs, but with a modern comparable
type AP (or ZD). If you have a zf7962 failure, the zf7372 is the comparable 2x2:2
dual-band 802.11n AP you would receive. I hope this is helpful.

https://support.ruckuswireless.com/pr...

https://support.ruckuswireless.com/pr...

https://support.ruckuswireless.com/pr...

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

martin_kane — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 00:19:19 GMT

Hi Michael

Will there be maintenance releases of 9.8 to fix some of the faults addressed in 9.9. Most concerning for me is the lack of manual setup option for users who subscribe to DPSK a - particularly Android users who used to copy their passkey down since the APK file was so unreliable.

Martin

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

michael_brado — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 01:08:35 GMT

Correction: zf7962 replacement is the 3x3:3 zf7982. Replacement products are functionally better than or equivalent to EoL products, but may have a different form factor.

Generally bugs discovered by customers on a particular release, ie 9.8, should be
resolved with a patch or a maintenance release on that train. I don't recognize
the issue you refer to Martin, but do you have an ER number for reference?

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

martin_kane — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 01:19:07 GMT

Brought to attention is Case 00225905 and seemingly addressed in 9.9: Mobile Friendly DPSK. Assumed the making characters easy to copy down implied the return of "Manual DPSK" setup for mobile devices?

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

paul_mancine — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 13:16:36 GMT

Michael -

Thank you for your replies.

My main concern, however, is what does a customer, like us, do in this type of situation? It seems to be that we aren't being provided with any viable alternative from Ruckus or than "buy more and pitch the old ones".

I can understand the reasoning for why a certain model AP may be dropped from support. Technology moves on. However, when, as a customer, we've invested a LOT of money in Ruckus and implemented Ruckus in various other locations (we are Public School who does tech support for other area schools - thus, we've recommended and installed Ruckus at multiple districts), to be told that half our AP's will stop working if we upgrade to the latest release isn't acceptable. There should be some sort of 'upgrade' or migration path that we could follow to exchange no longer supported APs. At a very minimum, our current support contract should be credited back to us since it is now worthless (minus saving us shipping costs).

To add to our frustration - we are mixed AP environment. So, we currently have 50+ 7962 AP's and nearly 30 of the new R700 AP's. Thus, in our current situation, we can't upgrade our new AP's since it will break our 50 older models.

Anyhow, I have call into Ruckus and was suppose to hear back from a sales rep as far as options. I have yet to get that call. I am certainly hoping that Ruckus just doesn't think that a Public School (or anyone in that matter) should just have to upgrade 50+ AP's in order to have things upgraded and working. If so, then they should be crediting back all the worthless support contacts, like ours.

Any viable solutions would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Paul

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

martin_kane — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:31:20 GMT

+1 I'm afraid. Surely there is some way that our 7962s can happily remain transmitting and receiving their data, and we can upgrade our ZD and 7982s!? We prepaid 3 years of upgrades this year, so would be pleased to have some pathway from here...

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

minh_long — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 19:32:04 GMT

Paul and Martin,

Let me correct my earlier post.

Your APs won't just stop working altogether, you just won't get new features after 8/31/2014.

You still get software updates and maintenance releases for the 7962 until 8/31/2015.

Also, plenty of people keep their networks running on older releases.

ML

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

martin_kane — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 20:34:04 GMT

Is there some way to software-upgrade our 7982s and our Zone Director - neither of which have reached End-of-Life - and still have our 7962s function? Because, at the moment, if I upgrade the Zone Director I am threatened that my 7962s WILL stop working.

I'd be happy for the new features not to transmit to the 7962s, but all indications are that they will die if I upgrade the rest of the system to 9.9.

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

michael_brado — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 23:06:52 GMT

Hi Martin,

Your 7962s and 7982s can co-exist on ZoneFlex 9.8 release, with many new
features since the 7962s were introduced. But, to continue using both models,
you must stay on 9.8 versions of firmware. That is the AP hw limitation.

If your company has been waiting for new AP models, R500, R600, or T300 with
sector, narrow-band, or external antennas, which require 9.9 firmware, then you
need to consider a migration plan.

But like Minh stated above, 9.8 updates for 7962 will be available thru 8/31/15
at least. Keep in touch with your VAR or Ruckus account team.

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

paul_mancine — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:54:20 GMT

Michael -

Thank you for the information.

To summarize, for clients in our boat (mixed AP's - 7962's and newer), we HAVE to stay on version 9.8 correct? And, 9.8 will be updated for the next year. Can you also confirm that 9.8 will update newer AP's (meaning, by staying at 9.8 we aren't losing updates/fixes for our new AP's are we?) or will our R700 models being 'losing out' by staying on 9.8?

Finally - does Ruckus currently have, or do you expect them to have, a plan for clients to 'upgrade' old AP's to newer versions without having to go out and pay full price? We have over $40,000 worth of 7962's and the idea of being told "pay us again" won't sit well with my board and bosses (we are a Public School system). Again, I understand technology moves on but being told "if you AP's stop working, then you'll get a newer replacement model for free due to the lifetime warranty - if they don't, then spend another $40-50K just so you can get the latest support releases", doesn't sit too well. Obviously if there is nothing then we won't be purchasing support contracts in the future since they would basically be worthless to us.

If you could clarify these things, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Paul

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

michael_brado — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 22:01:49 GMT

Hi Paul, my background is support and I can answer most technical inquiries,
but I'll need to refer your questions to Mike Rosedale, sales rep for Alpena Public
Schools, and see if he can help work something out with your nearby reseller.
I've asked him to contact you.

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

paul_mancine — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 13:12:19 GMT

Thanks Michael.

I appreciate your help and getting our rep to contact us. (Hopefully he does since I was told by one of your phone support techs that someone from sales would be calling me - and they never did).

Thank you. Hopefully I can get some good explanations and resolutions.

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

paul_mancine — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 21:24:26 GMT

Michael -

I still have not heard from Mike Rosedale. I know the holidays were in the last couple of weeks but I'd appreciate it if Mike actually contacted me about this issue.

Thank you.

Paul

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

michael_brado — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 22:49:18 GMT

Hello Paul, I'll pass the word, and you might also contact your local VAR, Solutions Plus Inc in the meantime, thanks.

Re: ZD9.9 and 7962APs?

robert_barrett_ — Thu, 21 May 2015 21:27:25 GMT

Sorry for reviving an older thread but did you get anywhere with the sales people? I am one of several school boards here that have decided to invest in Ruckus, school boards do not have the money to go out and replace perfectly good equipment when the only thing wrong is the decision made by the company that makes it. IN a quick poll of 6 boards we have 615 7962 APs and a mix of everything up to R700. The wireless cards that come in everything from Chromebooks to laptops are all ac capable. To get an AP that will benefit that card you are getting an R700/710. The R710 is coming it at almost $900 for us, so to upgrade firmware would help the R710 but kill the 7962. You cannot expect a publicly funded school division to then turn around and hand out $600,000 to replace APs that are only not functioning because you released firmware that does not support them.

Why can the new functionality not be set to work only on device XXXX and newer, older devices will continue to function but new features will not be available. That would at least allow us to group the 7962 in schools, as opposed to mixing them in and then when we can replace we will replace them. I can guarantee you that if these have to replaced they will be replaced with a different brand.