Announcement: Ruckus Unleashed controller-less WiFi architecture

[michael_brado]

Ruckus Wireless today announces release of a new product line, Ruckus Unleashed. 

Custom designed for small to medium sized businesses, Unleashed provides a controller-less

AP network of up to 25 APs, with simple setup and administration thru a new WebUI.


http://www.ruckuswireless.com/press/releases/20151006-ruckus-wireless-simplifies-wi-fi-small-busines...




With initial support for R500 / R600 802.11ac model APs, Ruckus has automated firmware

upgrades and connectivity, and provides many of the same advanced features of a

ZoneDirector managed wireless network including Guest Access, WiSPr/HotSpot, Zero-IT,

Dynamic PSK, L2-L4 Access lists, client isolation, Application recognition and control,

and RF management (BeamFlex, Client load-balancing, Background Scanning, Band

balancing, ChannelFly).



Visit the Ruckus Unleashed product page, which contains links to Training Videos,

Release Notes, AP firmware, and Quick Start Guides.



https://support.ruckuswireless.com/product_families/19-unleashed

[nat_nat]

The price for standard AP or Unleashed AP are identical. So, if you want to deploy Unleashed solution it is better to buy Unleashed AP as the AP would come with Unleashed software already loaded.

If you simply want to play with some of your existing APs then you could download the Unleashed software and load it on to the standard AP. Once loaded with Unleashed software it will not join either ZD or SZ or SCG controllers. However, you can convert it back to controller managed AP by loading the "standalone" software on to the Unleashed AP.

Hope it alleviates your confusion!

[h_kan_n_slund]

Does it support dynamic VLAN from a radius server?

[michael_brado]

Hello, I'll setup a Ruckus Unleashed Forum for all interested parties, and I'm glad to get your initial feedback.

Yes, Ruckus Unleashed is a NEW WiFi networking platform, and the first configured AP will be a Master AP
with controller-like WebUI management of itself and all other Unleashed APs, up to 25 total, 512 clients max.

We will offer new SKU ordering part numbers, for customers to receive APs with Unleashed firmware installed.

You CAN factory default a ZoneFlex AP (R500/R600 presently), and load the Unleashed 200.0.9.9.608 image,
and the AP will NO LONGER recognize/utilize DHCP option 43 or DNS pointers to ZoneDirector or SmartZone
controllers, but will automatically look for an Internet connection to be sure it has the latest Unleashed firmware,
then for an existing Master AP on the LAN (L2 only).  If found, the AP connects.  If it's the second Unleashed AP,
it takes Standby Master AP role, otherwise after a Master AP and Standby Master AP are chosen, they are called
Member APs.

We've posted the Release Notes, Quick Start Guides, Online Help user guide, Videos for you who don't like
reading (See Video #2, a 6 1/2 minute Installing Unleashed/Master AP), and KBA-5106 with pointers to these on
our Support site.

We hope that an autonomous R500/R600 wireless network can provide a good platform for most small and
medium sized businesses, who can use the many WLAN advanced features mentioned above, within the
scope of 25 or less APs deployed.

Not to toot our own horn, but a rather well respected WiFi Guru just gave us a big thumb's up.
http://divdyn.net/ruckus-is-officially-off-the-leash/

[jason_sparrow]

Thanks for the info!

Looks like a great way of managing a few AP's in one place now, rather than logging into each one individually to check/alter settings etc, (for us SOHO users), although from what i understand is that once the UL firmware is installed, there is no going back to stock AP firmware? (not that there would be a reason to.)

Im also interested in what the SmartRoam feature achieves as and when it becomes available.

🙂

[michael_brado]

You can still factory default an Unleashed AP to it's 192.168.0.1 IP address, and install ZoneFlex/Unleashed/Standalone images to convert them for your intended purposes.

SmartRoam was designed to help "sticky" clients that would not let go of the first AP they learned an SSID from, until a very weak RF signal.  We can recognize these clients and when they have a stronger signal AP to choose from, and selectively ignore their probe requests/association requests to the weaker signal AP we want to help them to move from.