EnGenius ECW230 review: One of the best cloud-backed access points
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Key
Buying an access indicate (AP) or router in 2022 and across needs to support Wi-Fi vi, which is the new 802.11ax standard set to replace Wi-Fi 5 (or 802.11ac). Wi-Fi half-dozen is a large deal, assuasive the AP or router to handle even more than devices simultaneously at college data transfer speeds.
With more than and more devices coming online at home and in the function, ensuring your network infrastructure can handle the traffic of today, tomorrow, and beyond is essential when looking at new network hardware. The EnGenius ECW230 is the company's flagship AP with full back up for Wi-Fi half-dozen and enough of boosted features that command quite the price tag.
I've been using this AP for nigh two weeks now to actually get a feel for how Wi-Fi 6 performs, besides as how good EnGenius' deject platform is when partnered upwardly with an boosted AP and switch.
Premium Wi-Fi 6 Access Point
EnGenius ECW230
Bottom line: The EnGenius ECW230 is a brilliant addition to any habitation or office network, allowing one to set upward a Wi-Fi 6 AP for wireless devices to connect to. The available EnGenius deject platform is a major selling point, providing countless settings to configure, likewise as real-time usage statistics.
Pros
- Strong QoS and other traffic features
- Unproblematic, quick setup process
- Supports PoE
- Solid performance and range
- EnGenius cloud platform
Cons
- Expensive
- Requires account for online management
- Insufficiently slower speeds to a router
- Demand to buy PoE switch or adapter separately
EnGenius ECW230 tech specs
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| Performance | 2,400 Mbps (5GHz) 1,148 Mbps (2.4GHz) |
| Frequency | 2.4GHz, 5GHz |
| Wireless standard | 802.11a/b/yard/n/ac/ax |
| CPU | Qualcomm ARM Cortex A53s Quad-core 2.0GHz |
| Antennas | 8 internal |
| Ports | 2.5Gb LAN DC power |
| Dimensions | 205 x 205 ten 33 mm |
| Warranty | 2 years |
EnGenius ECW230 design and features
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Key
The EnGenius ECW230 is quite the looker for an admission point. It'south hard to make these network devices look adept without going also far like most "gaming" routers where they look like conflicting spaceships. EnGenius did a stellar task with its catalog of APs, and the ECW230 is a great looking device.
The EnGenius ECW230 is a premium admission point backed by a powerful deject platform.
It'southward not massive, coming in at only 205 ten 205 mm and 33 mm tall. There are mounting brackets located underneath, allowing you to mount the AP to the ceiling or a wall (or even the underside of your desk if you so desire). Also located nether the ECW230 are the unmarried 2.5Gb LAN port, optional DC input, and reset switch.
I say the DC ability input is optional since you don't receive a compatible charger with the AP. Luckily, you can ability this AP with power-over-ethernet (PoE) alone, making for a cleaner finish since y'all won't need to tether the AP to an bachelor power outlet. Information technology's a downside for anyone who doesn't already have a PoE switch, even so, since you'll need to buy an adapter.
In that location aren't any USB ports or annihilation else on the ECW230 to hook upwards wired hardware. This is a Wi-Fi AP in its purest grade. The ii.5Gb port is platonic for hooking upwards the AP to a switch capable of handling 2.5Gb traffic. Since there's just a single ethernet port, you lot won't be able to enjoy any link aggregation here. To savor full speeds, you lot volition demand an adapter since virtually PoE switches are 1Gb.
You'll need a PoE switch like the EnGenius ECS1008P to provide ability to the ECW230 AP. Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central
The internals includes a quad-core Qualcomm ARM Cortex A53s CPU clocked at two.0GHz, which is pretty fast, all things considered. Many expensive routers don't even come with every bit much processing ability. This chip tin handle quality of service (QoS), network controls, and more than without seeming to struggle at all.
Wi-Fi 6 makes full use of ii.4GHz and 5GHz radios, and the ECW230 offers four separate streams for each. Unfortunately, there's no 160Hz channel, which hampers functioning and indicate availability a little. Still, for most users that don't require constant high speeds over Wi-Fi, you lot'll likely not notice the departure.
EnGenius ECW230 setup and management
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central
Setting upwards a network AP, switch, or router isn't particularly exciting, and it tin testify daunting to many since it's not a job done often enough. EnGenius knows this, which is why it made the setup process well-nigh painless. It'south a cloud-based AP, which means you'll want to have information technology connected to the cyberspace at all times and use EnGenius' backend to manage it.
This may sound strange at first, just you simply cannot perform all the necessary actions using the local web admin panel. To truly configure the ECW230, you'll need to use EnGenius Cloud. The all-time way to set the AP is to use the EnGenius mobile app, which is bachelor on Android and iOS.
While this does mean yous'll need an account to manage your AP and habitation network, it does allow you lot to access it from anywhere in the world, so long as you lot have an active internet connexion. If you're okay with a company hosting your network management platform, setting up the AP and getting online takes but a few minutes.
Source: EnGenius
While the ECW230 can exist used out-the-box with default settings, no problem at all, though y'all will want to ensure your network is protected from unauthorized access. There are also some avant-garde settings available, including QoS, which lets you set loftier-priority devices. If you lot'd like your PC to take priority over your daughter's iPad, this is entirely possible.
Guest access is really cool on the ECW230, allowing you to set a dedicated webpage for them to accept terms and conditions, make a small-scale donation towards the cost of the connection or sign up with an electronic mail address (ideal for businesses). Once devices are connected to the AP, it's possible to manage them from the EnGenius cloud suite.
EnGenius ECW230 wireless performance
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central
To test the EnGenius ECW230, I used Ookla's Speedtest for net admission and a NAS enclosure located on the local network for internal speeds. Wi-Fi 6 is backward compatible, so fear non if you don't have a smartphone or laptop to effectively take reward of all the benefits that come up with the newer wireless standard.
An considering this AP is dual-band with ii.4GHz and 5GHz radios, y'all can choose between signal quality at range or sheer speed in proximity. Radios can be configured to work with specific standards and devices using the cloud management platform. To see what the ECW230 can really do, I hooked up 2 Amazon Alexa devices, two Windows laptops, three smartphones, a Raspberry Pi, Xbox One panel, Ring doorbell, and two Nintendo Switches for good measure.
I encountered no issue using whatever of the same devices. With everything continued and a few of them running simultaneously, the AP didn't hit a bottleneck with the CPU, RAM, or bandwidth between information technology and the EnGenius ECS1008P managed switch with PoE. Another handy characteristic of the ECW230 is the available mesh mode, allowing you to have 1 single SSID across multiple APs similar what yous'd discover with the best mesh Wi-Fi router kits.
For raw numbers, you can expect to run into around 350 to 400 Mb/s using a Wi-Fi half-dozen client from somewhere else in the house (I'm talking about 30 feet away) on the 5Ghz radio. When located in the same room as the AP, you tin can see anywhere upwardly to 500 Mb/s and a little beyond, which is rock solid for well-nigh applications. It'southward possible to even receive a betoken just outside the front door, which is bang-up for the Ring doorbell.
Should you lot buy the EnGenius ECW230?
Source: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central
Who information technology'south for
- If yous need a premium access point
- If you plan on managing every aspect of the AP
- If you want to create a new secure admission point
- If yous already take a PoE switch or router
- If you want to create a mesh network
Who it isn't for
- If you don't accept a PoE switch or router
- If you don't want to rely on a deject platform
- If you want the best speeds possible
The EnGenius ECW230 is a vivid admission point for the home or small part, only only if y'all truly require the advanced management features that come with information technology. If you lot don't already have a PoE switch or router at hand, you're going to struggle to get this to piece of work. It's designed to be added to an existing network to extend wireless capabilities.
It can create a mesh network with other uniform access points, let you prioritize devices, manage traffic, and provide guest access. The EnGenius cloud platform is a highlight, allowing you to run across real-time stats on network usage and how everything is performing. It'southward not quite as fast as some of the best routers out in that location, just this is a fantastic AP for most applications.
Premium Wi-Fi 6 Admission Betoken
EnGenius ECW230
Wi-Fi 6 networking
Looking to upgrade your network to Wi-Fi 6 with an admission point? EnGenius has an excellent ECW230 AP with a brilliant cloud-based management platform to let you command all aspects of the wireless network.
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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/engenius-ecw230-ap-review
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