VigorAP 918R Outdoor Access Point

The VigorAP 918R is an access point designed for continuous outdoor operation, providing strong wireless signal outdoors. This long range AP outputs a strong signal to clients, then amplifies distant or weaker signals. This allows it to communicate with mobile devices at distances of 100 to 200 meters outdoors, or laptops with more powerful antennas at even greater distances.

Fully IP67 compliant, the product can work in extremes of heat, cold, dirty and wet environments. It is dust and water resistant and housed in a robust metal case to withstand harsh environments.

When we say 'ruggedised', this product has been designed from scratch, using high-tolerance components and designed to perform in all supported environments, in operating temperatures of well below freezing up to 70 ° Centigrade. This isn't our indoor product 'put in a fancy box' and hoping for the best.

The VigorAP 918RPD variant of the VigorAP 918 series has an integrated High-Gain directional antenna for linking two locations, using 5GHz 802.11ac MIMO wireless. This High-Gain antenna makes it possible to link two points with line-of-sight wirelessly over 1km at up to 90 Mbps throughput, or 3km at 10 Mbps throughput.

Configure the AP's 5GHz wireless to use the Patch antenna and configure the APs in Mesh Root & Node, then aim the access points using the Signal Strength LEDs located on the bottom of each VigorAP 918RPD access point.

The VigorAP 918RPD is designed to be mounted on a wall or pole - fixing brackets are included with the product, allowing the VigorAP to be fitted at up to 45 ° up & down and/or left & right. With its dual Omni-Directional antennas and internal High-Gain Directional antenna (switchable), it can be used as a wireless access point or Point-to-Point wireless link between buildings.

To ensure that the VigorAP 918R is operating correctly, it has an integrated temperature and humidity sensor.

The VigorAP 918R can send alerts via Syslog or E-mail, should the VigorAP's internal temperature or humidity exceed the intended levels, or the specified temperature ranges. Giving you an early warning of any possible problems with the access point without checking it directly.

The VigorAP also stores logs of its temperatures, which can be checked in the web interface, with graphs showing up to the last 14 days, to easily keep track of the temperature and humidity conditions for each access point.

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.

The VigorAP 918R 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 918R authenticate clients with an 802.1x RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service) server, or use its internal RADIUS server.

The VigorAP 918R 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 Wireless app assists you with setting up VigorAP access points.

Once installed on your Smartphone or Tablet, use the Quick Start Wizard to set your VigorAPs to operate as a Mesh Wireless network. Set up a single VigorAP 918R as a stand-alone Access Point, or extend an existing wireless network as a Range Extender.

Use the Quick Start Wizard configure your wireless network with step-by-step guidance for AP, Mesh and Range Extender modes.

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

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The VigorAP 918R 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.

Access Point mode can create up to 4 separate Wireless networks (or SSIDs). The VigorAP 918R 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 918R to extend the wireless coverage of any existing wireless network. In this mode, the VigorAP 918R connects to a remote wireless network, allowing it to provide Internet and Network access to wireless clients that connect to the VigorAP 918R's wireless network.

A DrayTek Mesh 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.

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 upgrade, est.Q1'20)

The DrayTek VigorAP 918R 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 918R 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.