Alcatel-Lucent unveils rugged Wi-Fi 7 access points for outdoors
Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise has introduced rugged outdoor Wi-Fi 7 access points intended for use in demanding environments across industries, including manufacturing, construction, and defence sectors.
The new products, the OmniAccess Stellar AP1570 series and the AP1561, aim to provide enhanced wireless coverage and capacity in conditions typically challenging for electronic devices.
Market drivers
The adoption of connected devices outdoors has increased as organisations embrace digital transformation.
Applications such as video surveillance, smart lighting, sensors, as well as augmented and virtual reality for guided tours, require network infrastructure capable of withstanding exposure to sunlight, fluctuating temperatures, moisture, dust, and electrical surges. Many of these settings necessitate both consistent connectivity and the ability to support high device density.
Product features
The OmniAccess Stellar AP1561 is positioned as an entry-level outdoor access point, offering tri-band radio support at 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequencies.
It provides throughput up to 9.3 Gbps and uses a 2.5 multi-gigabit Ethernet uplink combo port. The design focuses on delivering reliable outdoor connectivity with simplified and cost-effective deployment.
The AP1570, described as a mid-level access point, incorporates five radios. It offers tri-band support, a dedicated scanning radio for continual monitoring, and integrated Bluetooth and Zigbee radios to enable Internet-of-Things and location-based services. The AP1570 also supports throughput up to 9.3 Gbps. It is equipped with a 10-gigabit Ethernet uplink combo port, addressing the need for high bandwidth and eliminating potential wired bottlenecks in more complex deployments.
Industrial resilience
Both the AP1561 and AP1570 series are engineered with IP67-rated enclosures to resist water and dust ingress. They can tolerate extended temperature ranges and feature built-in surge protection. This level of durability is intended for industrial, campus, and large outdoor enterprise networks where unmanaged environmental factors could otherwise compromise performance.
Security and architecture
The new access points extend the existing indoor Wi-Fi 7 portfolio, and are based on a distributed control architecture, eliminating the need for a central controller. This approach is aimed at reducing total cost of ownership, and offers additional security features, such as WPA3 encryption and optional MACsec, as well as improved flexibility for network scaling. The company plans to expand the series with forthcoming models to address the needs of small businesses up to extensive, complex environments.
Network management
Both the outdoor and indoor Stellar access points, as well as Alcatel-Lucent's OmniSwitch products, can be overseen through the OmniVista Network Management platform. This system, which is available for both cloud and on-premises deployments, uses AI-driven tools to facilitate onboarding for users and connected devices, and supports automated network operation with analytics and reporting capabilities.
"Our new ruggedized Wi-Fi 7 access points provide the same optimum level of connectivity as our regular Wi-Fi 7 products but with additional features that make them robust and secure enough to cope with all the challenges that come with outdoor or harsh environments. We are proud to be extending our range of connectivity solutions to respond to the individual needs of our vertical sector customers," said Jorge Arasanz, Product Line Manager, OmniAccess Stellar, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise.
