NWA130BE standalone - Why can't 802.11r be made possible?

w_mal

Hello all. I am writing, because I am guessing that Zyxel will review posts in the community.

I understand the previous answers to this question about the clients not having the "controller" role, etc… My question is why not? I have mulitple NWA130BE devices in AP mode in my network. These are line connected at high speeds. Any data that would need to be synced between the devices to enable 802.11r should be easily possible. Other manufactures devices allow for this scenario.

It seems to me that this is a marketing tool to push customers into the Nebula cloud. Is that the real reason this is not available?

Zyxel_Kay

Hi @w_mal

We understand your perspective regarding the high-speed wired connections between your devices. While such a setup could theoretically facilitate synchronization, the current architecture of our standalone mode does not incorporate this feature. In standalone mode, each access point operates independently without centralized management. Implementing real-time synchronization of encryption keys and client session data—such as required for 802.11r (Fast Roaming)—poses challenges in maintaining stability and performance, especially in dynamic or high-density environments. Our current design for standalone mode prioritizes simplicity and reliability across diverse deployment scenarios.

To ensure stability and consistency, 802.11r synchronization is typically managed by a centralized controller or cloud platform, such as Nebula Control Center. In AP controller or cloud mode, the system efficiently manages this process, allowing access points to provide seamless roaming while maintaining optimal performance.

Regarding your concern about this being a marketing strategy, we want to assure you that the decision is based primarily on technical considerations. Nebula provides centralized management and advanced features to enhance the user experience, including support for 802.11r and other capabilities in controller mode. While we recommend 802.11k/v as an effective alternative for standalone deployments, we are committed to exploring ways to better meet customer needs in future updates.

We recognize the value of your suggestion to support 802.11r in standalone mode and will forward it to our product development team for further consideration.

Zyxel_Kay

Hi @w_mal

We understand your perspective regarding the high-speed wired connections between your devices. While such a setup could theoretically facilitate synchronization, the current architecture of our standalone mode does not incorporate this feature. In standalone mode, each access point operates independently without centralized management. Implementing real-time synchronization of encryption keys and client session data—such as required for 802.11r (Fast Roaming)—poses challenges in maintaining stability and performance, especially in dynamic or high-density environments. Our current design for standalone mode prioritizes simplicity and reliability across diverse deployment scenarios.

To ensure stability and consistency, 802.11r synchronization is typically managed by a centralized controller or cloud platform, such as Nebula Control Center. In AP controller or cloud mode, the system efficiently manages this process, allowing access points to provide seamless roaming while maintaining optimal performance.

Regarding your concern about this being a marketing strategy, we want to assure you that the decision is based primarily on technical considerations. Nebula provides centralized management and advanced features to enhance the user experience, including support for 802.11r and other capabilities in controller mode. While we recommend 802.11k/v as an effective alternative for standalone deployments, we are committed to exploring ways to better meet customer needs in future updates.

We recognize the value of your suggestion to support 802.11r in standalone mode and will forward it to our product development team for further consideration.

jpblanch75

Do you realize that most brands offer Fast Roaming in Stand-Alone mode?

While I prefer a central manager for ease, Stand-Alone shouldn't be limiting a basic function.