New IAP500BE combines Smart Mesh MLO and RF-first design to bring industrial sites up to speed for AI-driven automation.
Zyxel Networks, a leader in delivering secure and AI-powered cloud networking solutions, today announced the launch of its first industrial-grade wireless access point, the BE5000 4-Stream WiFi 7 Dual-Radio NebulaFlex Pro Industrial Access Point (IAP500BE). Purpose-built for challenging indoor environments such as warehouses, storage facilities and maintenance shops, the IAP500BE delivers rugged durability, extended coverage and ultra-fast WiFi 7 performance to accelerate industrial digital transformation.
As industrial sites evolve into highly interconnected ecosystems, reliable connectivity remains a major obstacle. Harsh conditions, signal interference and outdated WiFi infrastructure create network bottlenecks that limit productivity. With the IAP500BE, Zyxel Networks is bridging that gap, enabling businesses to extend ultrafast WiFi across factory floors and far-reaching corners.
“As they look to digitally transform and drive efficiency, industrial companies are increasingly dependent on having fast WiFi connectivity that will function reliably in demanding environments and enable them to scale their operations,” said Mr. Kell Lin, Senior Associate Vice President, Networking Strategic Business Unit, Zyxel Networks. “With the IAP500BE, we’re breaking into new ground with our first industrial AP, delivering the benefits of WiFi 7 speeds, a resilient design and flexible management tools that will simplify and speed up industrial digital transformation.”
Fast WiFi 7 for industrial infrastructure
Large industrial spaces with high ceilings, long aisles and dense shelving often obstruct WiFi signals, which creates dead zones and latency. The IAP500BE helps eliminate this congestion, reduce downtime and improve efficiency with:
· WiFi 7 BE5000: Multi-gigabit connectivity with ultra-low latency, designed for factory equipment, sensors, worker handhelds, mobile automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and control systems. This reduces connections dropping in device-dense environments.
· Industry-first Smart Mesh MLO: Combines multi-link operation (MLO) with mesh networking to create a dual-radio mesh backhaul, boosting throughput by up to 40%[1] while extending coverage.
· Exclusive RF-First design: Antenna isolation technology and optimized layouts minimize interference from adjacent WiFi, mobile and Bluetooth networks to deliver a cleaner, stronger signal.
Reliability that withstands harsh environments
Downtime in industrial networks can be costly. The IAP500BE is engineered with industrial-grade durability to ensure continuous operation. This is achieved through:
· Metal housing and fanless design: Protects against impacts, prevents dust and oil ingress, and ensures efficient heat dissipation.
· Robust climate tolerance: Operates from -25°C to 65°C, with 6KV lightning protection and 15KV ESD protection to minimize weather and electricity-related damage.
· Redundant power protection: Dual power inputs with reverse polarity safeguards ensure the device keeps running even during power source failures or wiring errors, reducing the need for costly maintenance and replacements.
Flexible deployment and simplified management
The IAP500BE is engineered with flexibility in mind and can easily be adapted for a wide variety of industrial environments. Whether mounted on DIN-rails, secured to walls, or installed in enclosed cabinets, the device offers versatile placement options and external antenna support to ensure optimal coverage across factory floors.
Network management is equally straightforward. The IAP500BE offers three flexible management modes: standalone operation, on-premises controller management, and full integration with the Nebula Cloud platform. For businesses choosing Nebula Cloud, each unit comes with a one-year Nebula Pro Pack license, providing advanced cloud features out of the box. This versatility enables organizations to run isolated private networks or scale to centralized, cloud-managed deployments, while ensuring that upgrades and maintenance remain efficient.
[1: Based on lab test results comparing single-radio 5GHz throughput and Smart Mesh dual-radio 2.4GHz and 5GHz throughput. The results may vary depending on the test environment.]