Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series

Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series Overview:

Reliable broadband connectivity to outdoor Wi-Fi networks and high performance Wi-Fi access point in a single device

Wi-Fi Products In One.For broadband operators building large-scale broadband wireless networks, Ruckus Wireless presents the first system purpose-built and optimized to help subscribers get and stay connected — the MediaFlex 2200 series (a one port version, the MediaFlex 2211 and a five-port version, the MediaFlex 2225).

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series is two products in one. It acts as a wireless access gateway, providing reliable connectivity to outdoor Wi-Fi networks, as well as an extended range indoor 802.11b/g access point.

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series is the world’s first customer premise equipment specifically designed and optimized for broadband operators building large-scale metro Wi-Fi networks. Patent-pending hardware and software let subscribers connect faster and more reliably to outdoor metro Wi-Fi networks - automatically optimizing around changing environmental conditions. Intelligent connection algorithms determine the fastest Wi-Fi mesh node with which to associate based on the highest data rates and best signal strength.

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series is the only system that provides unprecedented diversity through the use of a unique, dual polarized antenna array. This provides the largest coverage area possible, the strongest resilience to interference and the highest receive sensitivity.

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series is equipped with integrated smart-MIMO antenna technology developed to reliably communicate with the metro Wi-Fi nodes. Compatible with standard 802.11b/g metro Wi-Fi nodes, the Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series 802.11b/g wireless access gateway extends the metro Wi-Fi coverage to hard-to-reach indoor locations.

For increased deployment flexibility, the Ruckus MediaFlex also comes equipped with an external RF connection. This provides the ability to deploy a high-gain antenna away from the CPE.

Introducing the Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series is the fi rst smart-MIMO Wi-Fi gateway that reliably extends metro Wi-Fi signals indoors. The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series is equipped with industry’s fi rst dual-polarized antenna array to optimize communication with metro Wi-Fi nodes. Additionally, an external RF antenna option works in concert with the smart antenna array and Ruckus’ patented expert control software to ensure the best antenna patterns and RF paths are selected for sending and receiving traffic.

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series automatically avoids Wi-Fi interference and mitigates multipath fading by selecting the best signal path to the metro Wi-Fi node. Traditional Wi-Fi systems are equipped with a single vertically-oriented, omni-directional antenna that becomes less effective when the multipath signal arrives out of phase and cross polarized.

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series integrates patent-pending Ruckus BeamFlex technology that constantly learns the RF environment and automatically adjusts the antenna pattern to steer signals to the optimum path. Just as the other Ruckus products (MediaFlex 2800 series router and 2111 adapter), MediaFlex Bridge/Repeater substantially increases both Wi-Fi performance and range.

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series seamlessly communicates with metro Wi-Fi nodes by automatically associating with the best outdoor node. This built-in intelligence delivers optimum connectivity upon initial association. In the event of changes to the Wi-Fi environment or adjustments to the outdoor metro mesh network (e.g., changes to channel assignments), the MediaFlex 2200 Series continually rescans the RF domain so the selection of the best metro Wi-Fi node is maintained.

Benefits:

• Increased performance range for communicating with metro Wi-Fi nodes
  Advanced customer premise equipment (CPE) designed to provide indoor (home and offi ce) coverage extension of metro Wi-Fi signal.
• Dual zone support
  Simultaneously functions as a long-range wireless access gateway to outdoor Wi-Fi networks and as a high performance Wi-Fi access point indoors.
• Unprecedented reliability
  Antenna diversity and automatic antenna selection optimizes signal quality to metro Wi-Fi network.
• Secure management access
  PIP management access allows providers to restrict and control remote access to in-home subscriber units.
• Robust security
  Discrete SSIDs and associated security confi gurations for both the WAN and LAN.
• Automatic interference avoidance
  Mitigates multipath fading and avoids RF interference by continuously selecting the best signal path to the metro Wi-Fi nodes.
• Long-range bidirectional connectivity
  Wi-Fi node selection based on link capacity and high output power deliver faster, long-range connections (optional external RF antenna connection available).
• Automatic upgrades
  Periodic updating provides automatic downloads of latest fi rmware without user intervention.

Dramatic Increases in Range and Performance

BeamFlex is the fi rst-of-its kind smart antenna technology that works with off-the-shelf 802.11 silicon to deliver the most cost effective MIMO benefi ts to 802.11a/b/g devices today. Each Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series integrates Ruckus BeamFlex™ technology — a compact, internal antenna array with multiple dual-polarized directional antenna elements capable of combining to form unique antenna patterns for diversity. BeamFlex expert system control software continuously ranks the antenna patterns for each destination device using the feedback mechanism built into the 802.11 MAC layer protocol. Cognizant of the real time RF conditions, the direction and performance of the communicating devices, network capacity and application types, BeamFlex steers each packet to the optimum signal path, enabling a Wi-Fi device to sustain high transmission speeds and minimize retransmissions. Unlike conventional wireless devices, the Ruckus 2200 Series dynamically mitigates interference caused by multipath fading, neighbor networks and other wireless devices.

A state-of-the-art smart antenna array controlled by an expert software system integrates six high-gain horizonally-polarized antenna elements and two vertically-polarized antenna elements. This provides a 7 dBi gain thereby delivering unprecedented range extension and Wi-Fi signal reliability. The best antenna elements are use at any given moment for any given packet and any given client based on changing environmental conditions.

Simple Installation, Reduced Support Costs

Self-installable, the Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series utilizes dynamic host confi guration protocol (DHCP) for automatic confi guration with the metro Wi-Fi network. The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series has a simple and intuitive user interface and provides a setup wizard to guide the home users to confi gure the device.

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series is equipped to be remotely manageable by the metro Wi-Fi service provider’s network management center via HTTP, HTTPS, Telnet and SSH. The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series provides extensive statistics to the service provider’s network management center for ease of troubleshooting and monitoring. Multiple clients are supported behind the Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series in the metro Wi-Fi network. Integrated NUTTCP support allows providers to conduct performance testing directly from the metro node to the MediaFlex 2200 Series.

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series is equipped with DHCP server functionality. The MediaFlex 2200 Series supports multiple home PCs by automatically assigning dynamic IP addresses. Network address translation (NAT) is used to give home PCs Internet access. In the event of a broadband connection failure, the MediaFlex 2200 Series automatically alerts the user by redirecting them to an status page while continuing to provide local network connectivity.

Metro Hotspot Deployment

The Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series allows metro ISPs to easily extend wireless coverage while maintaining user identity. This is essential for providers that must authenticate users based on a unique MAC address. Through the use of L2TP tunnelling, traffi c from the Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series is transparently bridged to a centralized data center or NOC, allowing the authentication and billing of individual users (see L2TP Application Note for more details).

Enhanced Manageability and Monitoring

MediaFlex 2200 Series is remotely manageable by the metro Wi-Fi service provider’s network management center via HTTP, HTTPS, Telnet, and SSH. It provides extensive statistics to the service provider’s network management center, for easy troubleshooting and monitoring. Multiple clients are supported behind MediaFlex 2200 Series in the metro Wi-Fi network. Integrated NUTTCP support allows providers to conduct performance testing directly from the metro node to the MediaFlex 2200 Series.

Ideal for Home Networks

Equipped with DHCP server functionality, MediaFlex supports multiple home PCs by automatically assigning dynamic IP addresses. Network address translation (NAT) is used to give home PCs Internet access. If there’s a broadband connection failure, MediaFlex 2200 Series automatically alerts the user by redirecting them to a status page, while continuing to provide local network connectivity.

Features:

Only System That Provides Unprecedented Diversity Through Dual-polarized Antenna Array

• Integrates Smart MIMO antenna technology
• High-gain access point and receiver in one
• Provides largest coverage area, strongest resilience to interference, and highest receiver sensitivity
• Compatible with standard 802.11b/g Wi-Fi networks

Reliably Extends Wi-Fi Signals Indoors and Outdoors.

• Subscribers connect faster and more reliably to broadband Wi-Fi services
• Automatically optimizes around changing environmental conditions
• Intelligent connection algorithms determine fastest connection path based on highest data rates and best signal strength.

Ideal for Broadband Wireless Access.

• Allows broadband providers to easily extend wireless coverage while maintaining user identity
• Essential for providers that authenticate users based on a unique MAC address
• Uses L2TP tunneling, to transparently bridge traffic to a centralized data center or Network Operating Center (NOC), allowing authentication and billing of individual users

Features

• High gain horizontally and vertically-polarized directional antenna arrays
• L2TP tunnel bridges Wi-Fi clients onto carrier network allowing unique device authentication
• 200 milliwatt super high output power amplifiers
• Management IP access lists
• Multiple SSIDs for WAN and LAN
• Separate security confi gurations between WAN and LAN
• Automatically alerts users when no Internet connectivity is available
• Network address translation
• Preferred BSSID to force association to a specific metro Wi-Fi node
• DHCP client and server support
• Remote management support
• Integrated NUTTCP support

Deployment:

Specifications:

MediaFlex 2211-NG	MediaFlex 2225-NG	MediaFlex 2211-EXT

Product Comparision:

Model:	MF 2825	MF 2111	MF 7811	MF 7111	MF 2200	MF 7211
Features:
Device	Router	Adapter/Receiver	Access Point	Adapter/Receiver	Router/Bridge/ Repeater	Router/Bridge
Technology	802.11b/g	802.11b/g	802.11a/n	802.11a/n	802.11b/g	802.11b/g/n
Spectrum	2.4GHz	2.4GHz	5GHz	5GHz	2.4GHz	2.4GHz
Ports	5 x 10/100 Mbps	1 x 10/100 Mbps	1 x 10/100 Mbps	1 x 10/100 Mbps	5 or 1 x 10/100 Mbps	1 x 10/100 Mbps
Theoretical max. speed	54 Mbps	54 Mbps	300 Mbps	300 Mbps	54 Mbps	150 Mbps
Tunneling support	-	-	-	-	L2TP	-
Link layer security	WEP, WPA1, WPA2	WEP, WPA1, WPA2	WPA1, WPA2	WPA1, WPA2	WEP, WPA1, WPA2	WPA1, WPA2
Antenna elements/signal paths	6/64	6/64	6/64	6/64	6/64	3/8
Video support	2-3 simultaneous MPEG-2 or 4-6 MPEG-4 standard definition streams or single 10 Mbps HD stream	2-3 simultaneous MPEG-2 or 4-6 MPEG-4 standard definition streams or single 10 Mbps HD stream	4-6 MPEG-4 HD IPTV streams (10 Mbps data rate) or 6-10 MPEG-2 standard definition IPTV streams (5 Mbps data rate)	4-6 MPEG-4 HD IPTV streams (10 Mbps data rate) or 6-10 MPEG-2 standard definition IPTV streams (5 Mbps data rate)	N/A	N/A
Management	FlexMaster, standalone (WebGUI)	Standalone (WebGUI)	FlexMaster, standalone (WebGUI)	Standalone (WebGUI)	Standalone (WebGUI)	Standalone (WebGUI)
Management protocol(s)	SNMP, HTTPs/XML, HTTPS	SNMP, HTTPS	HTTPs/XML, HTTPS	HTTPS	SNMP, HTTPS	HTTPs/XML, HTTPS
SSIDs/WLANs	2	1	1	1	1 + 1	2

Documentation:

Download the Ruckus MediaFlex 2200 Series Datasheet (PDF).

Download the Ruckus BeamFlex Datasheet (PDF).

Download the Ruckus SmartCast Datasheet (PDF).