Xirrus XR-520 review

1)Intro

2)Features

3)Setup

4)Wireless configuration

5)Throughput tests (Wireless/Wired)

6)Closing Notes

Intro: The Xirrus XR-520 is a enterprise level wireless access point that is somewhat affordable for small to medium businesses, has lots of features and can tolerate a lot of heavy usage that enterprises require.

Review Note: I have been provided two arrays to test the really cool roaming features.

Features: The XR-520 features the following:

1) Dual band 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz operation with 3 x 3 MIMO connectivity at up to 450Mbps

2) Two configuration interfaces - Both Local and XMS Cloud. XMS cloud is remote managed anywhere

3) 1 wired Gigabit LAN port (PoE/ ETH)

4) 4 3x3 mimo  x 5dBi  dual band internal antennas with 20dBm output power for great wireless coverage

5) SSIDs with configurable VLANs for each one providing more security then standard guest networks

6) Full VLAN configuration

7) Full and extremely detailed traffic shaping (QoS) and firewall controls

8) Full client connectivity details and monitoring.

9) Fixed and DHCP client address assignments

10) Fully customizable user/group policies

11) Full Intrusion Protection Services

12) SNMP

13) And lots more

Setup:

1) Power brick was a POE injector. Allows for just one cable into the AP.

2) Instant setup was done with the cloud management system and was easy as the Meraki one was. Took a bit longer to configure itself, however.

3) There are two config areas. One is locally served on the device and offers fine control over each array and there also is XMS cloud which has basic controls, however unifies the configuration of all arrays.

4) The 2nd array I got was only working long enough to obtain an IP address than shortly after it became offline and refused to work. Working with support on this issue. Got RMAed and a 2nd 2nd array was shipped pretty promptly.

5) Also when I set anything on XMS cloud it clears the NATIVE VLAN setting on the local config and I have to re-enable it to get clients to connect again!

6) I was told by support to remove the first VLAN (VLAN10) off the pinkiepiepie and rainbowdash SSIDs so that the “native VLAN” doesn’t need to be reset every time the XMS cloud config gets pushed through. This is the equivalent of having the VLAN untagged without switch re-config.

Let's take a look at the really helpful status page that tells us all our status. (XMS Cloud)

Status Page (Local config):

Wireless Configuration:

Here’s the WLAN config screens:

Radio Settings (XMS Cloud):

Local Config:

Security Settings (XMS Cloud):

Local Config:

The XR-520 supports WPA/WPA2 and supports PSK and Enterprise authentication types that can be different for each SSID. Selecting “Enterprise” allows you to use Xirrus Authentication, which allows you to define a username and password rather then a static key, allowing for more fine control over your wireless network. User based controls allow you to define limits PER USER so that if let’s say, they get fired, you just delete thier user account and not have to change the ENTIRE NETWORK’S encryption key.

Roaming:

The roaming works pretty well, however in order to avoid the sticky client issue the transmit power has to be carefully configured and tweaked in order to avoid that. By default the transmission values did not allow for the actual roaming to occur and for my case they needed to be set to 1dBm for the upstairs in 2.4Ghz and 2dBm for the downstairs in 2.4Ghz. 5Ghz has 7dBm downstairs and 12dBm upstairs. I will note the values go up to 20dBm!

There’s also something called “roaming assist” to help with sticky client issues, which I have a lot on Samsung phones.  

Throughput Tests: (Wireless)

Note: These are done on one array at a time and the 2nd array was disconnected to give you raw throughput PER ARRAY and the coverage values have been reset to factory default (20dBm)

I will be using LAN Speed test for the throughput tests and PRTG to generate the graphs. It also is a comprehensive enterprise level network monitoring software and it can record uptime, transfer rates, errors, etc.

Test environment: (Set 1)

Specs of Building: This is going through about 32 ft through 2 walls, a solid all-wood dresser, and a chimney. The room has plaster walls in some places.

Specs of server :(my machine in the same room as theXR-520): Intel i5 3570K/16GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1600 RAM/Nvidia Geforce 650Ti/Samsung 840 120GB SSD/Windows Server 2012 Standard/Realtek GBE NIC

Specs of client: (remote machine in other room): AGNXAndrakon/AMD Phenom 9650/4GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2 RAM/Nvidia Geforce 650Ti/Samsung 840 120GB SSD/Windows Server 2012 Standard/Amped Wireless ACA1 USB WLAN connection:USB3 via a PCI-Express addon card.

5Ghz 802.11ac mode: Channel 161 -72dBm

ISSUES WITH LARGE TRAFFIC VOLUME. AMPED’S PROBLEM

2.4 GHz 802.11n mode: Channel 11 -64dBm

ISSUES WITH LARGE TRAFFIC VOLUME. AMPED’S PROBLEM

Unable to complete due to client adapter difficulties.

Test environment: (Set 2) Same room as XR520

Specs of Building Test Run 1: 16Ft away thru a wood door hallway right outside the office where the XR-520 is located.

Specs of server (my machine in the same room as theXR-520): Intel i5 3570K/16GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1600 RAM/Nvidia Geforce 650Ti/Samsung 840 120GB SSD/Windows Server 2012 Standard/Realtek GBE NIC

Specs of client: HP2000-412NR/AMD E300/8GB DDR3 RAM/300 GB HDD/AMD RADEON 6310/Windows 7 x64 Home Premium/RalinkRT5390 WLAN

2.4 GHz 802.11n mode: Channel 11 -46dBm

LAN speed test: 25 stream 6GB file: 4Mbytes/sec or 32Mbits/sec

Test environment: (Set 2a)

Specs of Building Test Run 1: Same room as XR520

Specs of server (my machine in the same room as theXR-520): Intel i5 3570K/16GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1600 RAM/Nvidia Geforce 650Ti/Samsung 840 120GB SSD/Windows Server 2012 Standard/Realtek GBE NIC

Specs of client: HP2000-412NR/AMD E300/8GB DDR3 RAM/300 GB HDD/AMD RADEON 6310/Windows 7 x64 Home Premium/Amped UA230

5 GHz 802.11an mode: Channel 161+ -45dBm

LAN speed test: 25 stream 6GB file: 3Mbytes/sec or 24Mbits/sec

2.4 GHz 802.11n mode: Channel 11 -53dBm

LAN speed test: 25 stream 6GB file: 3Mbytes/sec or 24Mbits/sec

I also have an Edimax AC600 adapter that uses the same chipset Realtek RTL8811AU

That is how the UA320 shows up on a different system where windows plug-n-played it without the amped wireless driver. 

I got much better performance with it!

5 GHz 802.11an mode: Channel 161+ -45dBm

LAN speed test: 25 stream 6GB file: 9Mbytes/sec or 72Mbits/sec

Conclusion:

Pros:

Ø Excellent management software with lots of options

Ø Lots of RF tools to configure the WLAN radios to your needs

Ø Powerful coverage and throughput with customizable roaming

Ø Very robust security controls and options

Cons:

Ø Pricey

Ø No external antennas

Ø VLAN Issues with XMS config pushes

Rating:  7/10

Recommended: Yes