Ruckus Wireless ZoneFlex 7762 [Rugged Weatherproof Outdoor Draft-n Access Point]

Ruckus Wireless today announced a new outdoor wireless product that it claims to be “world’s first and only outdoor dual-band 802.11n with dynamic beam forming.” The ZoneFlex 7762 wireless access point is finally here to help solve some of the biggest problems that are typically seen with outdoor wireless systems including interference, physical obstructions, network management complexity and cost.

The Ruckus ZoneFlex 7762 is the company’s first centrally-managed, concurrent dual-band 802.11n outdoor access point and it supports both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz signals. According to the product specs, it is capable of sustaining network transfer rates of up to 150 Mbps over a range of 1,000 feet between meshed nodes and up to 50 Mbps to client devices over 500 feet. The ZoneFlex is also capable of working within a group of multiple units over a wide-ranging area (think housing developments and apartments).

Ruckus is really touting the dynamic beam-forming antennae of the ZoneFlex 7762. This capability automatically routes transmissions to the strongest signal path using real-time feedback mechanisms of the 802.11 protocol. This technology allows the access point to adapt to changes within the surroundings. Ruckus claims that this results in up to a four-fold improvement in performance over other similar products.

The ZoneFlex 7762 is truly a rugged piece of equipment. The unit is waterproof, dustproof and temperature resistant from -40F to 149F (-40C to 65C). It also has an built-in heater for use on those days when it’s really cold. In addition to the ZoneFlex 7762, the company also announced the release of the ZoneFlex 2741, an 802.11g-based access point that has similar specs as the ZoneFlex 7762. The ZoneFlex 7762 is priced at $1,999, while the ZoneFlex 2741 costs $899.