The Aruba 510 Series consist of the Aruba AP515 Wi-Fi 6 access point, and the AP514 access point. The difference is the AP515 has integrated antennas, while the AP514 has external ones. Check out the datasheet for more information on that. Most of what is said here will apply to both models. Built on Wi-Fi 6 standards, 510 Series APs include features such as OFDMA, MU-MIMO, and Target Wake Time. These give you better multi-user performance and improved efficiency. The Aruba AP515 providea fast gigabit speeds and superb, easy user experience for medium-to-high-density environments.
The 510 series is designed for mid-range density deployments like office spaces, training and meeting facilities, and hospitals.
As with other Aruba APs, you can run the Aruba AP515 either controller-based, or controllerless (Instant) mode.
When deployed with an Aruba Mobility Controller, the Aruba AP515 offers centralized configuration, data encryption, and policy enforcement. It will also give you network services and distributed and centralized traffic forwarding.
In controllerless (Instant) mode, the controller function is virtualized in a cluster of APs. As the network grows or requirements change, Instant deployments can easily migrate to controller-based mode.
Groundbreaking Wi-Fi 6 capabilities
The Aruba AP515 Wi-Fi 6 access point has some pretty impressive features foe an access point in its’ price range. It pushes a real-world frame rate of 2.69 Gbps. It also handles up to 512 associated clients per radio.
Wi-Fi 6 support for OFDMA, MU-MIMO, plus Client Match means the AP515 can handle multiple clients on each channel, regardless of device or traffic type. Client Match eliminates sticky client issues by placing Wi-Fi 6 capable devices on the best available AP. Session metrics are used to steer mobile devices to the best AP based on available bandwidth, types of applications being used and traffic type. It does this even as users roam.
OFDMA and the Aruba AP515
OFDMA is an extension of an earlier architecture called OFDM. Both of these divide a channel into smaller, easy-to-manage units or sub-channels, called subcarriers. Each of those sub-carriers then sends “frames,” or “packets,” consecutively to the receiver.
Every single packet has what might be thought of as a space of time in front of it. That empty space is the time your AP spends waiting it’s turn to grab a piece of bandwidth from amongst all the other devices around so it can send its data. It does this for every single packet, so each packet has some amount of empty space in it. These spaces are very small, but they add up to become noticeable.
OFDMA takes all those sub-carriers, each full of little packets lined up and waiting their turn to go and combines them. Now the cool thing is, each of these groups of subcarriers, full of packets, only has as much empty space with it as a single packet normally would. So technically it isn’t transferring data any faster, just more efficiently, and with a lot less ‘empty space’ to slow things down.
As a result, your Aruba AP515 has a lot less latency, and a lot better coverage. In addition, you experience lower interference and improved flexibility. This leads to increased overall efficiency in small-packet applications in dense environments.
MU-MIMO
The AP515 supports downlink MU-MIMO (5GHz radio) wit up to 4 spatial streams. This maximizes the use of its MIMO radio capabilities by simultaneously exchanging data with multiple single or dual stream client devices.
Aruba’s 360 Secure Fabric
The Aruba 550 Series includes components of Aruba’s 360 Secure Fabric to help protect user authentication and wireless traffic. For example, strong encryption and authentication are provided via the latest version of WPA for enterprise protected networks. And Enhanced Open offers seamless new protection for users connecting to open networks. Each session is automatically encrypted to protect user passwords and data on guest networks.
What we like about the Aruba AP515
The Aruba AP515 has great, easy-to-use technology, and has great range! It’s easy to set up multiple APs, including guest access. There is no dedicated controller needed, although it is a snap to employ one, and they are excellent in their own right. Simply power up, plug it into your network, and connect. Even if you are not familiar with Aruba products, the Aruba AP515 is easy to master quickly.
Initial config is a snap. And with the aforementioned ARM technology, you can automatically assign channel and power settings. You can also provide airtime fairness and ensure that APs stay clear of all sources of RF interference. This will ensure reliable, high performance WLANs.
Summary
The Aruba AP515 is excellent for education centers, campuses, lodging, and typical office spaces. It’s great for those who require a large number of access points with simple, intuitive management. And when it comes to Wi-Fi management, Aruba gives you the flexibility to choose. You can use an Instant access point or a controller to manage an entire cluster of access points. On the other hand, you can manage them with a cloud-based or an on-site network management platform.
Aruba also has plenty of switches to integrate with your access point for ease-of-access and peace of mind. And Corporate Armor gives you uninterrupted 5-star service and years of specialization in Aruba’s whole family of products. So call us at 877-449-0458, or email us with any and all questions. Thanks for reading!
Key features of the Aruba AP515 Wi-Fi 6 access point
| 2.69 Gbps maximum real-world speed (HE80/HE20) |
| Built-in technology that resolves sticky client issues for Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 devices |
| OFDMA and MU-MIMO for enhanced multi-user efficiency |
| Supports VPN tunnels in Remote AP and IAP-VPN deployments |
| Can be used to establish a secure SSL/IPSec vVPN tunnel |