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I’ve been a fan of EnGenius over time and used their merchandise for many of my networking wants at house earlier than switching to Unifi, which I solely did as a result of that’s what the MSP I work for makes use of.
My one criticism of their merchandise was that the pricing was not very accessible for house customers or small companies with restricted budgets.
Within the case of small UK MSPs, most shoppers are extraordinarily price-sensitive and baulk on the concept of paying greater costs for good-quality {hardware}, so my previous criticisms really feel much more legitimate now. From my expertise, Unifi has managed to determine a major presence amongst small companies, MSPs, and faculties as a result of its large product vary and reasonably priced worth factors.
EnGenius has been slowly introducing extra reasonably priced {hardware} to compete with Unifi. Zyxel additionally has some improbable, reasonably priced entry factors, however I not often see these utilized in small companies across the UK.
The EnGenius ECW520 is the newest reasonably priced WiFI 7 entry level. That is priced at $189, making it the identical RRP because the Unifi U7 Professional. For the time being, there isn’t any phrase on UK availability, however it can possible be out there quickly.
Associated Opinions
Options
- Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 design with legacy assist
The entry level is constructed on a three-radio Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) platform, nevertheless it nonetheless works with earlier Wi-Fi requirements, so older units aren’t unnoticed. - Excessive theoretical throughput throughout all bands
On paper, you’re taking a look at speeds as much as round 5.8 Gbps on the brand new 6 GHz band, 4.3 Gbps on 5 GHz, and roughly 700 Mbps on 2.4 GHz. Clearly, these are superb figures, however they offer you a sign of the bandwidth headroom out there. - 2.5 GbE port with PoE++ assist
A single 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port handles the backhaul, with assist for each 802.3at and higher-power 60W PoE injectors. Which means you possibly can run it on a single cable for each knowledge and energy over distances as much as 100 metres. - Safety with WPA3 included
Encryption requirements embrace WPA3, with fallback to WPA2-AES if wanted. That covers each fashionable and barely older enterprise deployments. - Cloud-based administration and mesh functionality
The unit is designed to run beneath EnGenius Cloud, so you possibly can provision, monitor and troubleshoot remotely. It additionally helps each customary AP mode and mesh mode, so it may both substitute a wired entry level or prolong protection wirelessly. - Straightforward onboarding and upkeep
Units could be rapidly enrolled with a QR scan after which centrally configured. Updates, monitoring, and ongoing diagnostics are dealt with remotely by the Cloud interface. - Scalable administration at no additional price
In contrast to some competing platforms, there isn’t a tough cap on the variety of entry factors you possibly can handle. Every part is dealt with by the EnGenius Cloud app, which works anyplace with an web connection. - Self-optimising mesh networking
If you happen to deploy a couple of entry level, the mesh system robotically balances connections, tweaks channel use, and recovers from node failures with none guide intervention.
The total specification is on the backside of this put up, as it’s a lengthy desk.
Channel Width
Up to now, certainly one of my criticisms of EnGenius was the restricted channel width choices; 5 5GHz was restricted to 80Mhz when manufacturers like Unifi allowed you to make use of 160Mhz.
With the launch of WiFi 7, the issue was repeated, with UniFi permitting 240MHz and EnGenius being restricted to 160MHz.
EnGenius now permit as much as 240MHz region-dependent.
Admittedly, there’s not a lot sensible use for 240MHz in case you have a couple of entry level, however it’s good to have for many who can benefit from it.
Unboxing / Design
Whereas most APs look virtually an identical between a model’s fashions, this new AP has a barely totally different design with rounded edges. With it being a 2×2 MIMO AP and solely 2.5GbE, the general measurement of it’s cheap.
You’ve got a single 2.5GbE port, adopted by a DC12V barrel port, in case you don’t have entry to PoE. I doubt many individuals would use this however it’s a good characteristic to have and one thing many different manufacturers lack.
Set Up
The setup is an identical to that of all different EnGenius merchandise and may be very easy. For brand spanking new EnGenius customers, you’ll need to arrange an account with cloud.engenius.ai and create an organisation and community.
You may then pre-set up your SSID and WiFi settings.
If you end up prepared so as to add the entry level, you possibly can manually add merchandise on the web site utilizing the serial quantity, or in case you have the EnGenius Cloud To-Go app, you possibly can scan the QR code and assign it to your community.
It’s going to undertake the community settings, and also you then have the choice to customize the settings on the AP itself.
EnGenius Cloud Settings
You get all of the options discovered on the rather more costly fashions, apart from a few of the safety features which might be out there on the S fashions, such because the ECW230S.
Customisation is intensive, with choices to alter channels, channel width, out there bands and out there SSIDs per AP.
Efficiency
Throughput exams appear considerably moot when evaluating equally spec’d units when I’m solely utilizing one consumer system. Issues like 2×2 / 4×4 MIMO will make no real-world distinction. With 10GbE-equipped units, it’s typically attainable to exceed 2.5Gbps, however I not often discover that it is a sustainable pace long run.
However it is a assessment, and we have to have goal outcomes, so right here you go:
WiFi 7 (6GHz)
| Location | EnGenius ECW520 | EnGenius ECW516L | EnGenius ECW536 | Ubiquiti Unifi U7 Professional | Zyxel Nebula NWA130BE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Similar Room | 1903 Mbps | 2013 Mbps | 2141 Mbps | 2004 Mbps | 2076 Mbps |
| Dwelling Room – Down one ground | 1097 Mbps | 1081 Mbps | 1174 Mbps | 1068 Mbps | 1213 Mbps |
| Entrance Room – Down one ground and two rooms over | 38 Mbps | 47 Mbps | 46 Mbps | 51 Mbps | 32 Mbps |
WiFi 7 (5GHz)
| Location | EnGenius ECW520 | EnGenius ECW516L | EnGenius ECW536 | Ubiquiti Unifi U7 Professional | Zyxel Nebula NWA130BE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Similar Room | 1765 Mbps (160MHz) | 925 Mbps (80MHz) | 1734 Mbps | 1544 Mbps | 1512 Mbps |
| Dwelling Room – Down one ground | 674 Mbps | 663 Mbps | 698 Mbps | 687 Mbps | 609 Mbps |
| Entrance Room – Down one ground and two rooms over | 124 Mbps | 109 Mbps | 117 Mbps | 147 Mbps | 121 Mbps |
WiFi 7 (2.4GHz)
| Location | EnGenius ECW520 | EnGenius ECW516L | EnGenius ECW536 | Ubiquiti Unifi U7 Professional | Zyxel Nebula NWA130BE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Similar Room | 284 Mbps | 321 Mbps | 337 Mbps | 342 Mbps | 301 Mbps |
| Dwelling Room – Down one ground | 116 Mbps | 122 Mbps | 127 Mbps | 140 Mbps | 131 Mbps |
| Entrance Room – Down one ground and two rooms over | 77 Mbps | 86 Mbps | 82 Mbps | 86 Mbps | 79 Mbps |
Whereas the AP did rating barely decrease than previous evaluations, it’s too small to attract any vital conclusion. WiFi speeds can change every day relying on circumstances. I might say that vary is maybe fractionally decrease than a few of the different fashions I’ve examined.
Worth and Different Reasonably priced WiFi 7 Entry Factors
The RRP of the EnGenius ECW520 is an reasonably priced $189.
EnGenius additionally has the ECW516L, which is a 2x3x3 tri-band design priced at $199.
This locations it on the identical worth level as the favored Unifi U7 Professional, which has an virtually an identical specification with 2.5GbE and 2x2x2 tri-band.
For an additional $10, I’d argue the U7 Professional XG is extra interesting; it’s the identical spec because the Professional, however you then get a ten GbE port to maximise throughput.
Unifi does have cheaper choices, together with the U7 Lengthy Vary at $159 and the U7 Lite at $99, however these each lack a 6Ghz band.
TP-Hyperlink Omada has the EAP772, which is a contact cheaper at $170, which can also be successfully the identical spec. Additionally they have dual-band choices at cheaper worth factors, such because the EAP723, which is offered for $90.
The Zyxel Nebula NWA130BE seems to be essentially the most reasonably priced possibility, which is offered for $160, and has the identical WiFi specs, however has a slight benefit of twin 2.5GbE ports, which you should utilize to daisy chain different units to. You in all probability wouldn’t do this in a enterprise setting, however it is extremely helpful for house customers.
Lots of IT professionals suggest HPE Aruba, however they don’t have a WiFi 7 AP, but. The WiFi 6E S1T23A is offered for £213.
General
The EnGenius ECW520 is one other good addition to the EnGenius product vary, which permits them to compete with certainly one of Unifi’s hottest entry factors.
From an MSP perspective, EnGenius appears to be a greater possibility than Zyxel Nebula and particularly TP-Hyperlink Omada, with TP-Hyperlink receiving a variety of dangerous press not too long ago because of the US-China disputes.
The one actual gripe is that, regardless of being attractively priced, EnGenius lacks the intensive product vary overlaying all worth factors that Unifi provides, and restricts some options to a professional subscription.
One factor I can’t touch upon is the standard of EnGenius buyer assist. For Unifi, it’s mainly non-existent, which is the primary argument by MSPs or inside IT departments for not utilizing them.
General, although, the EnGenius ECW520 is a superb WiFi 7 entry level, and I can provide it a powerful advice.
Specification
| Class | Particulars |
| Requirements | IEEE 802.11be (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz) |
| Backward appropriate with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax | |
| IEEE 802.3 u/ab | |
| Antenna | 2 × 2.4 GHz: 6 dBi (Built-in Omni-Directional) |
| 2 × 5 GHz: 6 dBi (Built-in Omni-Directional) | |
| 2 × 6 GHz: 6 dBi (Built-in Omni-Directional) | |
| Bodily Interfaces | 1 × 2.5GE Port (PoE+) |
| 1 × DC Jack | |
| 1 × Reset Button | |
| LED Indicators | 1 × Multi-colour LED |
| Energy Supply | Energy-over-Ethernet: 802.3at Enter |
| 12VDC / 2A Energy Adapter | |
| Max Energy Consumption | 25.4 W |
| Working Frequency | Tri-Radio Concurrent 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz |
| Operation Modes | Managed mode: AP, AP Mesh, Mesh |
| Frequency Vary | 2.4 GHz: 2400–2482 MHz |
| 5 GHz: 5150–5250, 5250–5350, 5470–5725, 5725–5850 MHz | |
| 6 GHz: 5925–7125 MHz | |
| Transmit Energy | As much as 23 dBm (2.4 GHz) |
| As much as 23 dBm (5 GHz) | |
| As much as 20 dBm (6 GHz) | |
| Max restricted by regulatory area | |
| Radio Chains | 2 × 2:2 |
| SU-MIMO Functionality | 2 spatial streams per band |
| • 2.4 GHz: As much as 700 Mbps (EHT40) | |
| • 5 GHz: As much as 4,300 Mbps (EHT240*) | |
| • 6 GHz: As much as 5,800 Mbps (EHT320) | |
| MU-MIMO Functionality | 2 spatial streams per band |
| • 2.4 GHz: As much as 700 Mbps (EHT40) | |
| • 5 GHz: As much as 4,300 Mbps (EHT240*) | |
| • 6 GHz: As much as 5,800 Mbps (EHT320) | |
| 5 GHz EHT240 out there regionally | |
| Supported Information Charges | 802.11be: 2.4 GHz: 700 Mbps; 5 GHz: 4,300 Mbps; 6 GHz: 5,800 Mbps |
| 802.11ax: 2.4 GHz: 9–574 Mbps; 5 GHz: 18–2,400 Mbps; 6 GHz: 18–2,400 Mbps | |
| 802.11b: 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps | |
| 802.11a/g: 6–54 Mbps | |
| 802.11n: 6.5–600 Mbps | |
| 802.11ac: 6.5–1,733 Mbps | |
| Supported Radio Applied sciences | 802.11be/ax: OFDMA |
| 802.11a/g/n/ac: OFDM | |
| 802.11b: DSSS | |
| Channelisation | 802.11be: EHT 20/40/80/160/240/320 MHz |
| 802.11ax: HE 20/40/80/160 MHz | |
| 802.11ac: VHT 20/40/80 MHz | |
| 802.11n: HT 20/40 MHz, HT40 (256-QAM) | |
| Helps A-MPDU, A-SPDU | |
| Supported Modulation | 802.11be: BPSK, QPSK, 16/64/256/1024/4096-QAM |
| 802.11ax: BPSK, QPSK, 16/64/256/1024-QAM | |
| 802.11ac: BPSK, QPSK, 16/64/256-QAM | |
| 802.11a/g/n: BPSK, QPSK, 16/64-QAM | |
| 802.11b: BPSK, QPSK, CCK | |
| Max Concurrent Customers | 512 |
| Shopper Balancing | Supported |
| Auto Channel Choice | Supported |
| Administration Options | A number of BSSID (8 SSIDs per band) |
| VLAN Tagging (802.1q SSID-to-VLAN) | |
| Cross-Band VLAN Cross-Via | |
| Administration VLAN | |
| Spanning Tree Protocol (802.1d) | |
| QoS | IEEE 802.11e compliance |
| WMM | |
| SNMP | v1, v2c, v3 |
| MIB | I/II, Non-public MIB |
| Quick Roaming | 802.11r/okay |
| Wi-fi Safety | WPA2-PSK, WPA2-Enterprise |
| WPA3-PSK, WPA3-Enterprise | |
| SSID hiding | |
| Shopper isolation | |
| Entry management | |
| Wi-fi STA checklist | |
| Interface | IPv4, IPv6 |
| Native Net Entry | HTTP/HTTPS |
| Environmental Situations | Working Temp: 0–40 °C (32–104 °F) |
| Storage Temp: -40–80 °C (-40–176 °F) | |
| Working Humidity: ≤ 90% (non-condensing) | |
| Storage Humidity: ≤ 90% (non-condensing) | |
| Dimensions & Weight | 158 × 158 × 35.8 mm |
| 600 g | |
| Package deal Contents | 1 × ECW520 Cloud Managed Indoor Entry Level |
| 1 × Ceiling Mount Base (9/16” Path) | |
| 1 × Ceiling Mount Base (15/16” Path) | |
| 1 × Ceiling/Wall Mount Screw Equipment | |
| 1 × Product Card | |
| Regulatory Compliance | FCC, CE, IC, UKCA, VCCI, AU |
Abstract
The EnGenius ECW520 is an attractively priced WiFi 7 entry level that delivers stable tri-band efficiency with sturdy throughput throughout all bands. Setup is straightforward, administration is cloud-based, and the characteristic set is aggressive with rivals just like the Unifi U7 Professional. Whereas vary is barely behind some options and EnGenius nonetheless lacks the breadth of fashions that Unifi provides, the ECW520 represents glorious worth for small companies and MSPs searching for an reasonably priced WiFi 7 improve.
Professionals
- Reasonably priced worth
- Tri-band WiFi 7
- Straightforward setup
- Cloud administration
- Robust throughput
Cons
- Slender product line (in comparison with Unifi)
- Subscription options
- Single 2.5GbE port
I’m James, a UK-based tech fanatic and the Editor and Proprietor of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Captivated with all issues expertise, my experience spans from computer systems and networking to cell, wearables, and good house units.
As a health fanatic who loves working and biking, I even have a eager curiosity in fitness-related expertise, and I take each alternative to cowl this area of interest on my weblog. My numerous pursuits permit me to deliver a singular perspective to tech running a blog, merging life-style, health, and the newest tech developments.
In my tutorial pursuits, I earned a BSc in Info Techniques Design from UCLAN, earlier than advancing my studying with a Grasp’s Diploma in Computing. This superior examine additionally included Cisco CCNA accreditation, additional demonstrating my dedication to understanding and staying forward of the expertise curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has persistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of many prime expertise blogs within the UK. With my dedication to expertise and drive to share my insights, I goal to proceed offering my readers with participating and informative content material.
