VigorAP 802 Plug-in Access Point & Mesh Node

Mesh Wireless links VigorAP access points across both Wi-Fi and Wired links to cover a large area with a single Wireless network, spanning multiple Wireless Access Points and easily managed from the Mesh Root VigorAP or with the DrayTek Wireless app.

The Mesh Root VigorAP links up to your existing Internet router, such as the DrayTek Vigor 2862 and additional VigorAPs join up as Mesh Nodes, which connect wirelessly to the Mesh Root.

Your devices see a single Wi-Fi network (SSID) and connect to the nearest VigorAP in the Mesh, instead of a distant Wi-Fi network with low signal. Internet connectivity relays through the Mesh, using the up to 866Mbps 5GHz wireless as the backhaul link, to relay between Mesh Nodes and avoid long waits for downloads.

DrayTek's Wireless app assists you with setting up the VigorAP 802 access points and Mesh Wireless network.

Once installed on your Smartphone or Tablet, use the Quick Start Wizard to adopt and set up your VigorAP 802 as an additional Mesh Node in your Mesh Wireless network, as a stand-alone Access Point or extend an existing wireless network as a Range Extender.

Simply scan the access point’s QR code to detect it, or manually input the VigorAPs default SSID & password, then configure your wireless network with step-by-step guidance.

When it’s all set up, view the Mesh Wireless status and connected wireless clients from the app.

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The VigorAP 802 is designed to fit into a power socket, mounting it securely and providing power with an absolute minimum of space required.

You can expand wireless coverage quickly and easily with the VigorAP 802, just plug it into a UK power socket and it's powered with its integrated power supply, no additional cables required. The dual band antennas are hidden within the VigorAP and its small size makes it inconspicuous in any room.

The indicator LEDs of the VigorAP that normally show the VigorAP's status, can be disabled or scheduled to avoid them lighting up a room. To check the VigorAP's status with the LEDs turned off, just press the button on the front for 3 seconds to wake up the LED indicators.  

The VigorAP 802 has one wired Ethernet port on the underside of the AP. This is a Gigabit port operating at 1000Mb/s, backwards compatible with 10/100 devices.

Using the Gigabit LAN port is optional, you can use the VigorAP 802 as a purely wireless Mesh Node, connecting wirelessly to the Mesh network, without the need to use the RJ-45 for connectivity.

When operating in AP mode, this ensures that the VigorAP 802 is fed at the maximum speed in order to fully satisfy the full speed of both 2.4GHz and 5Ghz bands simultaneously.

When the VigorAP 802 is used as a Mesh Node or Range Extender / Wireless Repeater, anything connected to the LAN port is bridged to your wireless network, providing high speed network connectivity without running long cables.

The VigorAP 802 is an 802.11ac access point, providing wireless coverage for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz clients simultaneously.

This means that devices on the compatible 2.4GHz band can communicate with up to 300Mb/s bandwidth to 802.11b/g/n clients, while the faster 5GHz band can provide up to 866Mb/s to 802.11ac/n capable devices.

The VigorAP can connect up to 32 clients to each wireless radio, up to 64 wireless clients per VigorAP 802 access point. When used with other VigorAPs being managed by a DrayTek Vigor router, Central AP Management's AP Load Balancing can ensure that wireless clients are shared equally between the access points, giving better overall bandwidth by avoiding overloading of a single access point.

The VigorAP 802 features multiple levels of wireless security. Encryption using WPA2 is available and you can also use the access control list (ACL) to specify the hardware addresses of clients which are permitted to connect (by MAC hardware address). Any unauthorised hardware is refused access.

For additional user authentication, you can have the VigorAP 802 authenticate clients with an 802.1x RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service) server.

The VigorAP 802 supports the 802.1q VLAN protocol so that if it is connected to an 802.1q enabled LAN, it can split tagged data (whether it's different subnets or intended for different users) and broadcast each on its own SSID. This means, for example, that your guest WiFi access is provided on a separate isolated SSID with no access to your company data.

DrayTek's Mesh system supports 802.1q VLAN tagging for its multiple Wireless networks (or SSIDs), over both wireless and wired Mesh links between VigorAPs.

Each SSID provided by the Mesh network can have a VLAN tag assigned to it. VLAN tags are interpreted by the network's router and switch(es) to segregate one network from another. For instance keeping devices connecting to a guest network separate from resources on the private, internal network.

Setting up a Mesh network to work with VLANs only requires setting up the Mesh Root with the VLAN tags on its SSIDs. This change propagates to Mesh Nodes when syncing the configuration between access points and Multi-SSID over Mesh can be used just like a cabled network of access points.  (requires firmware 1.3.2, available now)

The VigorAP 802 can be used as a stand-alone Wireless Access Point, to provide wireless connectivity for a router or network that doesn't currently have wireless.

Plug the VigorAP 802's RJ-45 port into any Ethernet network and plug the AP itself into a wall socket for a tidy and space-efficient wireless solution.

Access Point mode can create up to 2 separate Wireless networks (or SSIDs). The VigorAP 802 can provide completely separate private and guest wireless networks through the use of 802.1q VLAN tags with a router or network that supports VLAN tagging, such as the DrayTek Vigor 2862 router.

Range Extender (or Universal Repeater) mode allows the VigorAP 802 to extend the wireless coverage of any existing wireless network. In this mode, the VigorAP 802 connects to a remote wireless network, allowing it to provide Internet and Network access to wireless clients that connect to the VigorAP 802's wireless network.

A VigorMesh Wireless network can easily add new Mesh Nodes and self-organises links between up to 8 DrayTek VigorAP access points, to ensure the best possible speeds.

If a Mesh Node's wireless uplink drops out, for instance if there's interference or the VigorAP it connects to is turned off, each Mesh VigorAP automatically re-connects to the next available point to resumes service without any manual intervention required.

Mesh Nodes further away will connect wirelessly to the nearest Mesh Node, with up to 3 wireless hops.

Alternatively, where a network connection is available for a VigorAP, join a Mesh Node to the network through ethernet and nearby wireless Mesh Nodes can join it instead of the Mesh Root to reduce wireless hops and increase possible Mesh throughput.

The DrayTek VigorAP 802 can be managed by the DrayTek VigorACS central management system - a cloud platform which can manage most DrayTek products - routers, wireless access points and Ethernet switches, giving you complete visibility and control of your DrayTek product estate, even without a DrayTek Vigor router on site.

The DrayTek VigorACS management system can be used to configure and provision DrayTek VigorAP access points, similarly to performing these actions through the VigorAP's web interface, with a familiar menu layout in the Configuration section of VigorACS.

Profiles for groups of access points can be provisioned in VigorACS by selecting a VigorACS network, then accessing Configuration > AP Profile to configure profiles and apply them selectively.

DrayTek's VigorACS management monitors each VigorAP access point, with a Dashboard view giving a central overview of the most important information from the VigorAP's current status.

Managing a VigorAP in VigorACS

For further details of the VigorACS central management system, click here .

Provision & Manage VigorAPs with a DrayTek Vigor router

For further details of the central management feature, click here .

The VigorAP 802 can operate in standalone autonomous mode, but can also form part of a centrally managed wireless installation by adding a compatible DrayTek wireless controller such as the Vigor 2862 router. This enables you to centrally control, manage and administer multiple AP devices installed around your building/campus. Management also enables efficient usage of your wireless access point through load-balancing, whereby wireless clients are distributed across several access points to reduce congestion.

The DrayTek router operating as the wireless controller can provision DrayTek VigorAP access points using the Central AP Management profiles configured on the router, with an option to Auto Provision - auto configuring newly installed VigorAP access points with the Auto Provisioning profile, upon initial connection to the DrayTek Vigor router's network.