Linksys LAPAC2600
An easy-to-manage Wave 2 business AP that offers a great mix of performance scalability and value
SCORE ✪✪✪✪✪ PRICE £307 exc VAT from broadbandbuyer.co.uk
Linksys’ LAPAC2600 gives small businesses the best of both wireless worlds: you can deploy it as a standalone AP, or use its built-in cluster mode to take advantage of roaming, resiliency and centralised management capabilities. Up to 16 Linksys APs of the same model can be clustered together, and then configured from one AP designated as the master.
Even as a standalone access point, the LAPAC2600 has a lot going for it. This Wave 2 dual-band 802.11ac AC2600 model has 4 x 4 MU-MIMO internal aerials, promising speeds of up to 1,733Mbits/sec on the 5GHz radio band and 800Mbits/sec on the 2.4GHz band.
Installation is swift and painless, and Linksys thoughtfully includes a power adapter for those who don’t have a PoE source. When you first switch the AP on it defaults to broadcasting open SSIDs on both bands, but it’s simple to secure via the well-designed web interface: you can quickly name your SSID, select a security mode and enter a passphrase.
The AP offers plenty of businessclass features. You can broadcast up to eight SSIDs on each band, each with its own encryption scheme. Client isolation stops users on the same SSID from seeing each other, and selected SSIDs can be enabled or disabled with a single click.
There’s also a rogue AP detection feature that can be activated on one or both bands; we tried it out and within seconds were presented with a list over 40 other wireless APs in our vicinity. Those we recognised were placed in a trusted list with a single click, so when new devices subsequently appeared, they were very easy to spot.
Real-world performance is good. Our Netgear AC1200-equipped Windows 10 Pro desktop averaged a speedy 58MB/sec when copying a file to a server on the LAN. At 10m from the AP there was no appreciable drop in speed, and we were able to carry an iPad to be taken 43m down the main building corridor before the SweetSpots iOS app rated the signal as unusable.
The LAPAC2600 is also a great choice if you want to take control of user authentication and guest access.
“It’s impressive how quickly changes propagate: new SSIDs appeared in the slave’s console interface in around 15 seconds”
Two portal profiles define HTTP or HTTPS access, with local or RADIUS authentication options, and you can customise the portal with logos, colour schemes and terms of use messages.
To try out the LAPAC2600’s clustering features, we set one AP to master mode and gave it a location and cluster name. We then designated another unit as a slave and simply provided the master’s details in the Cluster page of the Configuration view. Within seconds, the slave AP had appeared in the list of cluster members at the master’s console, and immediately took on all the appropriate wireless settings.
With this done, you can still access the slave’s web interface and view its details, but all wireless settings are disabled, as cluster configuration is done at the master. It’s impressive how quickly changes propagate: after adding a couple of new SSIDs on the master, we watched them appear in the slave’s console interface in around 15 seconds.
You can also keep track of which cluster member your various clients are connected to – and designate one cluster member as a backup master, which takes over if the master fails or is otherwise offline. If a slave device drops off the network, then devices are seamlessly handed off to another AP, with no interruption to services.
Budget-conscious SMBs seeking a business-grade Wave 2 wireless AP will find Linksys’ LAPAC2600 a great choice. It’s a cinch to deploy, it offers great performance and its elegant clustering feature allows wireless networks to grow easily with demand.
SPECIFICATIONS Dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz 802.11ac 4 x 4 MU-MIMO internal aerials 2 x Gigabit (LAN and PoE/PoE+) external power adapter included Kensington lock ceiling/ wall mounting plates 243 x 237 x 44mm (WDH) 848g limited lifetime warranty