The Ruckus MediaFlex Hotspot (HS) is the first carrier-class 802.11g access point designed for the fast changing hotspot market. It delivers a collection of features and functionality not available in any low-end consumer product or high end enterprise system.
The MediaFlex HS is based on patent-pending Smart Wi-Fi technology that automatically adapts Wi-Fi signals to the changing environment. It is the ideal solution for operators who want to begin delivering the next step in hotspots services - such as voice over Wi-Fi, IP-based video, secure enterprise access and tiered Wi-Fi services.
The MediaFlex HS uniquely integrates a specialized BeamFlex high-gain smart antenna optimized for delay-sensitive traffic such as voice and video. Triple Play-ready, the MediaFlex HS dramatically extends Wi-Fi coverage thereby requiring fewer APs.
The MediaFlex HS also delivers unsurpassed density - supporting up to 20 concurrent voice calls, a dozen or more IP video streams (depending on end device and compression) and 50 data clients. Unique broadcast, QoS, security and management policies can be assigned to multiple SSIDs supported by the MediaFlex HS.
Integrated spectrum monitoring can be performed remotely to gain visibility into each hotpot for easier troubleshooting. And adaptive controls such as continuous channel selection and beam steering provide maximum resilience to the changing RF environment thereby ensuring highly satisfied end users.
Introducing the Ruckus MediaFlex Hotspot
The Ruckus MediaFlex Hotspot (HS) was developed to meet the increasing demands of hotspot operators that must now deal with a new mix of end users, a plethora of Wi-Fi-enabled devices and multimedia applications all within a high density, dymanic environment.
Today, broadband operators choose between low-end, consumer-grade products – that don’t have the robust features, performance and capabilities needed to support the next stage of hotspot services – and high-end enterprise Wi-Fi systems that are too expensive, cumbersome and overkill for most environments. The MediaFlex HS fills this essential gap adding innovative new capabilities uniquely suited to support the next generation hotspot.
Triple play ready enables new sources of revenue
The Ruckus MediaFlex HS enables operators to now reliably deliver voice, video and data traffic and to isolate this traffic within separate virtual networks that can be completely controlled. This lets operators more easily charge for premium services, voice or FMC services, IPTV or video services and other emerging multimedia services.
Multiple service support within a single system
Support for up to four unique BSSIDs lets operators uniquely segment traffic and services. Each BSSID can be assigned unique security, broadcast, QoS and management parameters. Within a single system, operators now have the flexibility to, for instance, offer open access, secure premium access, voice support, and video services.
High density voice, video and data
The MediaFlex HS delivers 20 Mbps of sustained throughput that can be used to support up to 20 concurrent voice over Wi-Fi calls, dozens of IP video streams and 50 data clients. A high-gain antenna system also provides two to four-times the range or coverage over a typical 802.11g thereby lowering the number of APs needed to be deployed.
Automatically adapts to changing RF environment
The MediaFlex HS provides maximum resilience to changes in the RF environment through a patent-pending smart antenna array that automatically steers Wi-Fi signals around interference. The use of an adaptive antenna system also makes deployment options more flexible by eliminating the need to place the AP in a partciular location. In addition, continuous channel selection delivers the most optimal user performance ensuring the best channel is used.
The BeamFlex difference
Most off-the-shelf Wi-Fi products are equipped with one or two antennas, offering little resilience or diversity in the event of a debilitated signal path. The Ruckus MediaFlex HS is equipped with a special BeamFlex, a patent-pending MIMO-G smart antenna system that has been optimized for high density Wi-Fi environments. BeamFlex enables client devices to communicate over longer distances at higher speeds than consumer-grade 802.11 products - delivering unprecedented reliability and diversity.
Each Ruckus MediaFlex HS integrates BeamFlex, a compact, internal antenna array with six highgain, directional antenna elements capable of forming 64 unique antenna patterns for improved diversity. Expert system control software continuously ranks the antenna patterns for each receiving device, using the inherent feedback mechanism built into the 802.11 MAC layer protocol.
Ease of deployment, management and security
The Ruckus MediaFlex HS is simple to manage through HTTP/S, SSH or a CLI and supports the industry standard SNMP protocol for easy integration with third-party management systems. Auto firmware updates obviate the need for any manual upgrading by the user or IT staff. Users are assured the highest level of security through support of the most advanced authentication and link layer security options such as 802.1x and WPA pre-shared keys (PSK).
Remote spectrum monitoring gives operators a detailed view over time of the RF environment giving them the power to detect unauthorized or foreign APs, see what devices are consuming what frequencies and channels, determing sources of co-channel interference and gather per channel error rates.
