Value -
As of this writing NETGEAR says that the 2 x 2 WAP720 should retail for $499 and the 3 x 3 WAP730 will hit the streets at around $699. These prices are not too bad when you consider the flexibility they offer. In comparison, other APs with the same basic features are in the upper $700 to $800 range and some are in the extremes of $1200 for just the hardware. License and support are extra for some of these as well.
Conclusion -
As we mentioned when we kicked things off, wireless is something that is just expected in the workplace and even in the places we visit as customers. As a business, you need to have it in place. The down side is that building a correct wireless network is not always the simplest or cheapest thing to do. Typically, you are torn between stand-alone access points or buying a controller. The NETGEAR WAP720/730 offers an alternative to this with their Ensemble mode. With either of these two WAPs you are getting solid wireless performance at a good price point. When you add in the ability to function as a group you are getting that little extra that makes them more than the rest of the herd. The setup and UI is very simple and straight forward, which makes administrating them easier as well. NETGEAR is also adding in the ability to grow with the WAP720 and 730. They are planning to roll in the ability to control both of these with their cloud based control system and their in premises wireless controllers. This means you can continue to grow your environment and maintain the same hardware you have in place, including your PoE switches. NETGEAR’s WAP720 and 730 use standard 802.3af so there is no need to buy new switches if you can already support this. Aside from a few minor issues we were very impressed with the NETGEAR WAP720s we had in the lab and can recommend them to anyone looking to build out a wireless network, or that wants to upgrade their existing network to 802.11ac, but is not quite ready to shell out the cash for a wireless controller.
With their combination of flexibility, performance, ease of use and price we are happy to award the NETGEAR WAP720 our Gold Key award.
 |
