Do I need any sort of subscription if I purchase a used ZD1100 for home use?

[davewf]

I just found out that I may have access to some gently used R700 AP's in the future. 
At home, I'm currently running a couple of OpenMesh AP's with their free lifetime cloud-based management console.  I wanted to add a third AP, but OpenMesh was purchased by Datto and now you have to purchase a monthly subscription package with their AP's.  I'd like to avoid that if at all possible.  This is for home use, after all.
So if I have a few R700's and find a used ZD1100 with a 6 AP license on it, can I run it "as-is" or will I need any sort of monthly plan in order to use it?
Sorry for the newbie question, the possibility of the R700's kind of fell in my lap and I'm just trying to figure out if this is in any way a legitimate possibility for me.

[abilash_pr_ir5b]

Hi Dave,

If you have got the firmware on ZD1100 to 9.8.3 then you don't need anything thing and it would run for it's lifetime.

Hope it helps!!!

Regards,
Abilash PR

[michael_brado]

Let me add on... The key to using ZD 9.8.3.0.58 or earlier firmware on ZD1100, is that it won't require subscription to upgrade/downgrade.

We implemented some contract verification in later versions.

R700s are great indoor APs and can Mesh as needed, under ZD1100 control, and you don't need a contract to download FW since ZD1100 is End of Sale.

https://support.ruckuswireless.com/documents/2113-zonedirector-9-8-3-mr3-refresh2-release-notes

https://support.ruckuswireless.com/software/1541-zd1100-9-8-3-0-58-mr3-refresh2-software-release-wpa...

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For ZD Newbies (for you Dave):  How to setup default ZD and APs.  By default ZDs and APs will look for DHCP to get an IP address. You probably want to plan your networking and *reserve* an IP address that's provided by your home Internet router for your ZD controller. You can assign this IP address/subnet mask/default-gateway info after you give it a name, create a WLAN, etc.

I recommend initial configuration of your ZD off of your network, that is, directly attached to your PC for example. Give your PC an IP address of 192.168.0.10 (anything but .2), as 192.168.0.2 is the ZD default IP address.

Find the Reset / Factory Default hole on front of your ZD (and near Eth ports on the APs). Under power, press the indented button for 8 seconds before release with a paperclip. From a CMD prompt on your PC, ping 192.168.0.2 -t  until it answers for a few seconds.
Then open a Browser and https://192.168.0.2  with login of admin / admin.
Probably start on Administer / Preferences page, and change your Administrator password.

Then from Configure/WLANs page, you can define a WPA2/PSK WLAN for Ruckus APs to advertise.

From Configure/System page, give your ZD a System Name, set IPv4 to Manual, and give the IP Address/Netmask/Gateway that you will assign for use in your home LAN.
Configuration changes are saved as soon as you hit Apply, so after setting IP address, you can connect the ZD to your Home network.
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Reset your PC to DHCP, and get onto your Home LAN, and see if you can find the ZD at the IP you gave it? 
Connect your APs to your Home Network, and Factory Default them with the indented reset pin holes for 8 seconds after powered up. APs will get a DHCP address, and you can see them connect to your ZD, from the Monitor / Access Points page.
Later, from Configure / Access Points page, you can Edit each AP, and give them a name and description, like DWF-R700-1_96-F0, and DWF-R700-2_9A-80 with a combo of your network and AP MAC info, etc...
Good luck and best regards.

[jannis_jacobsen]

Is 9.8.3.0.58 the latest fw that does not need a support contract on the zd1100?

-jannis

[abilashpr]

Hi Jannis,

You would require Entitlement file for upgrading your ZD to 9.10, you will only have it when you have support purchased for it, not sure of it has been relaxed now as the unit is EOL. You could try if it fails then it requires Entitlement file to be on 9.10.

Hope it helps.

Regards,
Abilash PR