The IT Nerd

During the review of the the EnGenius SkyKey, I got the chance to try the EnGenius EAP1250 wireless access point. This is an access point that supports 802.11ac and supports beam forming and Multi-Users Multiple input Multiple output (MU-MIMO) to improve wireless network performance. I have admit that I was impressed by several things. The first being the size:

It’s roughly the size of a smoke alarm.

One the back, you can see the Gigabit Ethernet port that supports Power Over Ethernet. You also get a external power supply connection and the power supply is in the box which makes life much easier. Also in the box is all the mounting hardware that you need to mount it to your ceiling or wall.

The target user for this access point is a home user who needs better WiFi. Or a small to medium sized business that needs to cover a fair amount of real estate. Either way, this works insanely well. Setup was laughably easy as having the SkyKey allowed me to set it up in minutes including updating the firmware. But there is also the option to set it up via a web page. Though that’s a bit more involved for those who aren’t used to doing this sort of thing. That’s because unlike this access point that I reviewed recently from EnGenius. This isn’t a cloud managed access point out of the box unless you have a EnGenius SkyKey handy. But for the target audience, that’s likely not a factor.

A interesting feature in the access point has is mesh technology which, as seen on the WiFi systems, it’s a proprietary implementation, allowing multiple compatible devices to inter-connect and send data from one to the other and forming an optimized network of nodes where the focus is the creation of fast and reliable paths for the data, while keeping the interference to the minimum. I didn’t test this as I only have the one access point, but it gives you room for expansion and to ensure solid WiFi coverage.

In terms of speed, I was able to get the following numbers on the 5GHz band:

• 511 Mbps at 5 feet
• 480 Mbps at 15 feet
• 185 Mbps at 30 feet

And on the 2.4GHz band:

• 270 Mbps at 5 feet
• 197 Mbps at 15 feet
• 121 Mbps at 30 feet

These are very good results. Also of note, My Apple Watch at ground level was able to connect to this access point located 12 stories up. That was pretty impressive.

The EnGenius EAP1250 goes for $90.51 CDN on Amazon. If you want a WiFi access point that is scalable, easy to set up, and speedy, this is the one to get.

I have to admit, when the package from EnGenius arrived containing the EnGenius SkyKey, I was surprised by the size of the SkyKey:

For reference, I have my Spigen Tough Armor case for my iPhone 12 Pro next to the SkyKey so that you can compare the size. But as you can see, it’s tiny. EnGenius has given the SkyKey a magnetic back. That allows it to clamp securely to the side of a telco rack. Or you can use the included screws to mount it.

On one side, you get two Gigabit Ethernet ports, one which supports Power Over Ethernet.

On the other side you get a microSD card slot for configuration backups, plus a socket for the optional power adapter should you need it. There’s also a reset switch if all else fails.

So what does this device do? It acts as a bridge between your EnGenius network peripherals. That allows you to quickly setup and control up to 100 EnGenius switches and access points. Thus making your life easier as a network admin. To test this out, EnGenius also sent me a EAP1250 Wireless access point along with a Power Over Ethernet Adapter so that I can set up my own mini EnGenius network. I ended up not using that as I have an EnGenius Power Over Ethernet switch handy. I will have a separate review of the EAP1250 shortly. But for now, I will focus on the SkyKey.

Deploying the SkyKey took just a few minutes and was laughably easy:

• Connect the SkyKey to my PoE switch that I had from a previous EnGenius review
• I have an EnGenius Cloud account and the corresponding iOS app on my iPhone. But if you don’t you’ll need to create an account and download the app.
• Add the SkyKey by scanning in the QR code on its base.
• From there, I added the wireless access point so that it could be managed along with the switch.

Once set up, I can then use SkyKey to manage all of this either locally or remotely. You also have the App or a webpage as options in terms of how to manage your gear. And it’s insanely simple to use. I tested using eZMaster to manage the access point’s configuration, update the firmware, and the like. This is the part that really excites me as it gives you a single pane of glass to manage all your EnGenius networking gear. Or put another way, you need to be in the EnGenius ecosystem to fully leverage this. It also addresses a concern that some of my corporate clients have. Cloud managed networking gear is perceived by some as a security risk. Whether it is or isn’t is a completely different discussion that I will not get into here. But the SkyKey takes this concern off the table by making managing your network as convenient as cloud based solutions, while having the security of an on premise solution. Another plus is that it provides subscription-free cloud network management capability. That is something else that will appeal to many.

The EnGenius SkyKey is available for $147.86 CDN on Amazon. If you’re in the EnGenius ecosystem, this as far as I am concerned is a no brainer in terms of making life easier if your job is to manage a small/medium business network.