Meraki Releases Next Generation 802.11n Access Points (APs)

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 11, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Meraki, the cloud-based networking company, today announced the release of its next generation enterprise 802.11n access points (APs).  These APs boast improved performance, lower cost, a striking one inch thin design, and are the easiest enterprise access points to deploy and manage.

The two new access points upgrade Meraki's award-winning 802.11n lineup.  The new Meraki MR16 is a dual-concurrent 802.11n access point, designed for demanding enterprise and campus deployments.  The Meraki MR12 is a single-radio 802.11n access point, ideally suited for small branches, teleworkers, and home office deployments.

"There are many things to love about Meraki's wireless products," says Bobby Clark, I.T. Project Manager at Remington College, who beta-tested the new APs.  "The styling of the MR16 is great, it installs very easily, and then blends into your environment.  We've been extremely happy with the performance, and the cost savings were a huge plus."

Improved Radio Performance

4th generation, 2x2 MIMO chipsets deliver speeds up to 300 mbit/sec for the MR12 and 600 mbit/sec for the MR16.  Both APs feature improved transmit power and receive sensitivity over their predecessors, while their high capacity design supports over 100 users per access point.  "We are amazed at how many clients one AP can handle and the area of coverage it provides," noted Clark.  "This allowed us to replace our previous vendor's APs with fewer Meraki APs and at the same time provide better performance."

Industry's Slimmest 802.11n Access Points

At less than one inch thin, the MR12 and MR16 blend seamlessly into their environment.  Unlike other network infrastructure products, wireless access points live out in the open, where a poor design will irk discerning users.  The APs' low profile, small footprint, and internal antennas enable mounting in high traffic environments such as lobbies and conference rooms, without creating eyesores for end users and guests.

"When I first got the new MR16 in my hands," commented Clark, "my initial thoughts were of shock at how small the unit was...  Meraki gives you a clean minimalist styling that allows their AP's to easily blend with your environment."

"The design challenges of building a one inch thin access point are tremendous," remarks Ben Calderon, V.P. of hardware engineering at Meraki.  "The radios, enclosure, shielding, and antenna design all required careful engineering.  But in the end, these access points not only have the lowest profile in their class, but actually have higher performance than their predecessors. "

Value Priced, Uncompromised Features

Unlike other value-priced access points, the MR12 and MR16 feature top of the line enterprise capabilities, including spectrum analysis, application-aware traffic shaping, and a policy firewall for guest, user, and group-based access control.  In fact, the MR12 and MR16 are the only access points in their respective price classes  to include all of these advanced enterprise features.  

Environmentally Friendly Design

Meraki's next generation APs come in a low-volume, 100% recyclable packaging, with documentation provided online.  90% of the access point hardware itself is recyclable, and Meraki's unique multi-tenant cloud-based controller radically reduces power consumption and cooling.

Designed to Simply Work

All facets of the MR12 and MR16 – from component selection to firmware and factory testing – have been optimized for fast installation, intuitive management, and ongoing reliability:

Rapid Installation

• Complete mounting kit included, with wall and ceiling options
• Single-handed installation
• Flexible power, with 802.3af Power over Ethernet or DC Power
• Support for gateway or mesh repeater operation

Self Configuration

• Settings automatically downloaded from the cloud
• No proprietary serial console CLI
• Automatic RF planning, power control, and mesh configuration

High Reliability

• Integrated, single circuit board design
• Upgrades and patches delivered seamlessly from the cloud
• Extensive factory testing, lifetime warranty

"We design our access points for the network administrator – keeping in mind the complete experience, from un-boxing to mounting, configuration to ongoing maintenance," says Hans Robertson, V.P. of Product Management at Meraki.  "We feel that these new APs are our best products yet, and we couldn't be happier with the customer experience they deliver."

Pricing and Availability

The MR12 (list price $399) and MR16 (list price $649) are available for immediate order through a Meraki authorized reseller.

About Meraki

Meraki offers enterprise-class wireless networks at a fraction of the cost and complexity of traditional networking vendors.  Using Meraki's unique cloud-based architecture, an administrator can configure thousands of Meraki access points over the web through a single interface.  The company's customers range from enterprises to world-class educational institutions.  Meraki wireless networks serve millions of users on over 15,000 networks in more than 140 countries.  Meraki is located in San Francisco, California, and is funded in part by Sequoia Capital and Google.  Follow Meraki on Facebook and Twitter. For more information, go to www.meraki.com.

SOURCE Meraki