Ruckus Wireless Introduces First High-Speed 802.11n Wi-Fi Wall Switch

ORLANDO, Fla., June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- HITEC EXHIBITION/CONFERENCE -- Ruckus Wireless™ today introduced the first Wi-Fi Wall Switch (the ZoneFlex™ 7025) that integrates high speed 802.11n Wi-Fi technology with wired Ethernet ports into an elegant, inconspicuous and low-profile wall jack that fits into any standard United States or European electrical junction box.

The Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch redefines the deployment model and cost structure for hotels looking to converge their wired and wireless networks into a single infrastructure capable of reliably connecting a new world of in-room IP-based devices and services.  For the first time, hotels are now able to offer multiple, high-value IP-based services over a single wired/wireless network at the highest performance and lowest cost per room.

Complementing the Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch, the company also today unveiled its new ZoneSwitch line of affordable 802.3at/af power over Ethernet (POE) switches.  

"For hotels, the first thing that must be achieved from a guest technology perspective is wireless everywhere," said Douglas Rice, Executive Vice President and CEO of Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG), a non-profit industry trade association. "Beyond that, the hospitality market clearly sees the enormous benefits that an IP-based network brings in delivering a better guest experience, new services that will drive customer loyalty and better staff productivity across their hotels."

The Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch was purposely developed to meet the growing demands within hotels to connect in-room devices that are now IP-enabled while concurrently supporting a broader range of IP-based services. Beyond high-speed Internet access (HSIA), hotels want to deliver these new services - such as high definition television and video on demand (VOD), digital advertising, voice communications, hotel service optimization, in-room device monitoring and even environmental room controls - over a single, unified and centrally managed wired/wireless network.

With the Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch, hotels have a simple in-room device that addresses these requirements and solves IT problems that have long hampered hotels such as:

• Operating disparate wired and wireless networks,
• Unsightly cables and network devices within hotel guest rooms,
• Installing more Ethernet cables in guest rooms and other areas to connect new IP-based devices,
• Running additional Ethernet cabling to support standalone Wi-Fi access points,
• Deploying in-room switches and other infrastructure necessary for network connectivity and,
• Retrofitting furniture and hotel aesthetics to hide or accommodate networking equipment.

The Ruckus ZoneFlex Wi-Fi Wall Switch is also ideal for filling "void areas" within hotels and schools such as corners of buildings, conference rooms and other locations where ubiquitous wired and wireless coverage is not pervasive. For many hotels, Ethernet access in conference rooms is typically handled by bringing in a switch to provide wired connectivity if wireless isn't available. The Ruckus ZoneFlex Wi-Fi Wall Switch eliminates this problem allowing multiple devices to connect using both wires and Wi-Fi. In addition the Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch is perfect for service providers and property owners seeking to deliver high value IP-based services to their customers.

Hotel Nirvana

For many existing hotels Ethernet cabling is sparse or not available in every guest room. Even in locations such as the front desk, conference rooms, meeting spaces and business centers, Ethernet ports and wireless connectivity is limited.  

Hotels that have deployed an extensive wired Ethernet network often need more ports to connect new IP-enabled devices and to support new multimedia services. Ethernet switches can be installed in guest rooms, but this requires more power, can be disruptive and often involves custom furniture design to hide the devices. This adds significant cost, complexity and management problems.

According to industry estimates, running a single Ethernet cable can cost up to $250 per guest room. When Wi-Fi access points, network switches, and other infrastructure products essential to running a computer network are added that cost can rise to $500 or more per room. The Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch effectively cuts this cost in half.

For many hoteliers, Wi-Fi has been an afterthought to the wired network with access points being retrofitted throughout the property to provide a base level of wireless connectivity to guests. But as many new services and hotel devices embrace IP as the preferred method of connectivity and management, the requirement for a unified wired and wireless network has quickly become a necessity.

"Today's hotel guests depend on both wired and wireless high-speed Internet, and it can be difficult or expensive for existing hotels to do both well.  Many hotels need devices that support both, and that can be easily installed into existing infrastructures," said Rice.

Enter the Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch

Deployed as a standalone device or centrally managed by any ZoneDirector wireless LAN controller or Ruckus FlexMaster Wi-Fi management system, the Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch reduces the cost and complexity of installing and managing wired and wireless network services.

The Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch is driven by a single POE connection and provides four 10/100 Mbps Ethernet jacks and two uplink Ethernet wiring options. Additionally, the Ruckus Wi-Fi Wall Switch uses POE to power a device such as an IP phone and provides native connectivity to digital phones through a single digital PBX pass through port.

Introducing the Ruckus ZoneSwitch

The Ruckus ZoneSwitch 4000 series is a family of fully-managed, rack-mountable, Layer 2, 24-port 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet POE switches. Each ZoneSwitch offers full security, QoS and management features and provides four dual-personality ports that support pluggable fiber transceivers for easy and flexible network uplink.  

Completely interoperable with Ruckus ZoneFlex APs, the ZoneSwitch comes in two models. The ZoneSwitch 4224 offers 375 watts of power over Ethernet and supports 12 concurrent IEEE 802.3at or 24 concurrent 802.3af connections across all ports. The ZoneSwitch 4124 offers 180 watts of power over Ethernet and supports 12 concurrent IEEE 802.3af connections across all ports. The Ruckus ZoneSwitch line will support central management through the Ruckus FlexMaster system.

With the addition of the ZoneFlex Wi-Fi Wall Switch and ZoneSwitch line of POE, Ruckus offers an unmatched solution for the hospitality industry that includes: indoor and outdoor smart Wi-Fi access points, scalable centralized controllers, multimedia video adapters, long-range point to point bridges and remote Wi-Fi management.

Pricing and Availability

Available in the fourth quarter of this year, the Ruckus ZoneFlex 7025 Wi-Fi Wall Switch is priced at US $249.  The Ruckus ZoneSwitch 4224 and 4124, available in the third quarter of this year, are priced at US $1,999 and US $1,399 respectively.

About Ruckus Wireless, Inc.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Ruckus Wireless is supplier of advanced wireless systems for the mobile Internetworking market. The company markets and manufactures a wide range of indoor and outdoor "Smart Wi-Fi" products for mobile operators, broadband service providers and corporate enterprises around the world. Ranked as the top telecom company in the 2009 Inc. Magazine 500 list and named a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, Ruckus Wireless has realized dramatic growth. Since 2006, revenue and shipments have grown by over 1000 percent. Ruckus invented, and has patented, innovative state-of-the-art wireless technology that steers signals around obstacles and interference. This unique capability extends signal range and ensures consistent reliable distribution of delay-sensitive multimedia content and services over standard 802.11 Wi-Fi. The company has shipped over 2 million Smart Wi-Fi systems around the world and has raised $51 million in funding from premier investors such as Sequoia Capital, Focus Ventures, Sutter Hill, Motorola, T-Ventures, Telus Ventures and Firelake Capital. The company is led by Ms. Selina Lo, president and chief executive officer. For more information, visit Ruckus Wireless at http://www.ruckuswireless.com.

SOURCE Ruckus Wireless