TP-Link commercial products can create a comfortable wireless LAN environment in good cospa

　TP-Link is popular as a highly cost-effective network product manufacturer.In Japan, its name has become known for its home products, but its features have been handed down on network products for SMB (small and medium -sized businesses).Functions required for wireless LAN environments such as offices, stores, accommodation, and factories, such as single access points and simple construction of guest Wi-Fi, are also realized in inexpensive products / services.is.

　This time, let's take a look at the TP-Link lineup, which is a typical SMB product / service, and introduce its skills.

OMADA series ceiling -mixed wireless LAN access point "OMADA EAP245"

11ac/MU-MIMO wireless LAN AP "OMADA EAP245"

　TP-Link's "OMADA Series" is a wireless LAN product for SMB suitable for corporate offices, stores, accommodation, and commercial buildings.Including wireless LAN access points (AP), wireless LAN controllers (software / hardware) that integrate APs, cloud services that can monitor / control wireless LAN environments from the go and remote location are available.

　Despite having sufficient performance and functions in SMB's business use, all products are characterized by the good cost performance of "free" for the integrated management software and cloud services.。Below, let's introduce typical products in order.

Lineup of TP-Link's business wireless LAN product "OMADA Series"

　The OMADA series lineup of wireless LAN AP for indoor and outdoor use.The representative product "Omada EAP245" is an indoor model and is a ceiling -mounting model.The reference price (tax included) is 21,000 yen.

　The EAP245 has a built -in antenna, a thin, thin design, and is easy to install not only in offices, but also in places such as stores and hotels.If you introduce it with PoE/PoE + switch such as "JetStream T1500G-10MPS", it will not be necessary to use a power laying work to the installation location, and it can be installed neatly with just one Ethernet cable.

　The basic performance as a wireless LAN AP is 2.It is 3x3 MIMO for dual bands in the 4GHz/5GHz band, and the throughput is up to 1750 Mbps (450Mbps + 1300Mbps).There are two gigabit Ethernet ports on the back of the main unit, one is PoE 802 (IEEE 802..3AF/AT) compatible Ethernet port, the other is a bridge port.For environments without PoE switches, a power adapter (PoE injector) is also included as standard.

The EAP245 body is thin.Equipped with a PoE power receiving port and a bridge port on the back

　In recent offices, many client terminals, such as PCs, smartphones, and tablets, have been connected at the same time, causing problems such as wireless LAN connections and slow communication.802 in EAP245.It is equipped with wireless technology such as "Mu-MIMO (Multi-User Mimo)" of 11ac WAVE 2, beam formed and band steering, which should make the wireless LAN environment in the office comfortable.

　In addition, the EAP245 has a necessary and sufficient function as a commercial wireless LAN AP for SMB, such as multi -SSID, tag VLAN, QOS, and schedule type power management / restart.

You can set / manage / monitor multiple EAPs with free software

　If the EAP245 is a small environment with only one, you can access and manage the AP directly with a web browser or use the mobile app "OMADA App".However, in offices and stores with a certain size, multiple APs should be installed to cover the entire floor.In that case, it would be more convenient to introduce a wireless LAN controller that can manage / monitor multiple units at once, rather than setting one unit at a time.

　TP-Link offers a free management software called "OMADA Software Controller".By installing this on the Windows (or Linux) machine and starting it, you can concentrate on multiple EAPs in the LAN.

Statistics screen of "OMADA Software Controller"

　Although it is free, the OMADA controller has a sufficient management function.SSID / password batch settings of multiple units, batch execution of firmware update, drilled down to individual EAPs to fine -tune the wireless settings.In addition, it is also possible to monitor the operating status of the entire network, the connection status of the client, and the amount of traffic per hour.

　The initial setting work at the time of introduction is very simple.When the controller is started, the initial setting screen is first displayed, and a wizard that runs the basic setting (SSID or password) of the wireless LAN network to be registered and built by the management user is started.After this initial setting, the EAP connected to the same LAN is automatically detected and the list is displayed.Click the "Adopt (addition)" button displayed in each EAP to automatically apply the settings such as SSID to the EAP, and a wireless LAN network is configured.

　In addition, a network can be added and divided into multiple groups so that it can be easily managed, such as "for each building floor" and "building".The OMADA controller also has a function to update the latest firmware together with the same model EAP.

Initial setting wizard for OMADA controller

The setting is applied by one click the automatically detected EAP

　On the operating status screen (Statistics) screen, the number of client units, the connection destination SSID, and the number of connections to each EAP and the transition of traffic are displayed in an easy -to -understand manner.You can usually see this screen and see if the EAP is stopped somewhere, that the client connection is concentrated on one EAP, or if there is room for traffic capacity.

　The interface of the OMADA controller is easy to understand, and there are many parts where the settings are automated, so it will not take much time to set up a wireless LAN environment.It is a pity that it can only be used in English display at the moment (I hope that it will be translated into Japanese in the future), but it is a graphical interface, so there should be little lost part.Above all, it is a nice point that you can use intensive and monitoring software with useful functions for free.