How to configure CNP and claim one-month free license in NCC?

Nebula_Yvonne

What is Connect & Protect (CNP) service? 

Connect & Protect service helps to provide a secure and reliable wireless experience to prevent malicious websites access and optimize wireless performance.

How to claim CNP 1-month free license? 

To claim 1-month free license for your Zyxel AP, please go to the device tab in the Nebula menu  License & inventory, and Activate Connect & Protect Trial. 

How to enable CNP - Security service 

After activating the 1-month trial license, by default Threat Protection feature and Application Visibility & Optimization feature in the Nebula menu Configure > Security service will be enabled, depending on the activated license is CNP or CNP+ and supported AP models.

Configure > Security service

How to configure Threat Protection

Connect & Protect (CNP) license provides Threat Protection feature to provide a trustworthy wireless experience preventing malicious websites access.

How to configure Application Visibility & Optimization

Connect & Protect Plus (CNP+) license provides not only Threat Protection feature but also Application Visibility & Optimization feature for optimizing wireless performance by limiting application bandwidth per category on a per-user basis.

To configure Application bandwidth by category, click the shortcut hyperlink in the configuration box or go to Application Usage in the Nebula menu and configure Bandwidth limit. 

If your site has a Zyxel firewall and APs in place, please choose Application view by Access Point to configure bandwidth limit.

How to view wireless network visibility? 

To view wireless network visibility, the two intuitive widgets are available, AP Traffic & Hit for AP Network IP Reputation Filter. Please go to Dashboard in Nebula menu, and tick the widget Threat protection by CNP service and Access points application usage.

Licenses & Supported Hardware

Connect & Protect (CNP) security service offers two licensing options: CNP and CNP Plus. Users may choose the one best suited to their needs.

Pook

If you have a Flex or ATP firewall is this necessary?

Zyxel_Bella

Hi @Pook

 

The design for Zyxel CNP or CNP+ is to provide a secure and reliable wireless access for clients.

CNP mainly provides IP Reputation Filter and CNP+ provides not only IP Reputation Filter but also Wireless Application & Optimization.

 

If there is a FLEX or ATP in place, the appliance will inspect client traffic passing through the appliance, if there is malicious traffic, the FLEX or ATP will block it.

The CNP service targets at SB or PRO users who have no Zyxel USG Flex or ATP at front, typically only have an operator’s xDSL router or a consumer-grade router at front and there is not security features on that router. Though SB or PRO customers do not have a security appliance in place, this doesn’t mean they have no need for secure and trustworthy wireless access. This is where Zyxel CNP can help on.

 

For CNP+, the design for Wireless Application & Optimization is focus on application visibility instead of blocking specific applications. CNP+ also provide bandwidth limit by application category.

The goal is to ensure a smooth and reliable wireless performance for crucial applications at SB or PRO user end.

 

In addition, when the AP throttles application bandwidth and inspects malicious traffic at edge, it provides an additional tier of protection at edge for wireless users, meanwhile also offloads the loading of security appliance at front.

 

Another use case for CNP/CNP+ is Work from Home scenario.

For the traffic tunnelling back to the office’s a USG Flex or ATP, for sure the security application will inspect the traffic, but it cannot inspect local forwarding traffic of a SSID at Remote.

This is where Zyxel CNP/CNP+ can help to provide an additional layer of protection for WFH scenario.  

 

In short, there is no conflict for CNP/CNP+ co-exist with a USG Flex or ATP.

Friendly reminder that models supported CNP+ are:

NWA110/210AX, WAX510D/610D/630S/650S with V6.30 firmware.

And CNP supports on NWA1123-ACv3, WAC500, WAC500H with V6.30 firmware.

 

Thank you

 

Regards,

Bella