In our infamous blog post: Sophos Roadshow 2018: See the future, we have reported that Sophos will launch new access points. With this announcement, Sophos has actually kept its word and we are really looking forward to introducing you to the new models.
Sophos APX 120 - wireless access point overview and full product specs on CNET. SOPHOS Central Wireless Standard for APX - 25-49 Access Points - 24 MOS - RENEWAL. Not confirmed Estimated delivery: Unknown.
The post was famous because many people were pleased with a public roadmap from Sophos. We have received great feedback from our customers. To our regret, however, this article had unintentionally made a big splash with Sophos, which is why we have to call it “notorious”. 😅
Note: If you don’t need a big introduction, you can order the new Sophos access points directly from our website:
APX 320, APX 530, APX 740
There are now officially three new Sophos access points named APX 320, APX 530 and APX 740. These models will all be equipped with the Wave 2 standard.
Note: Wave 2 delivers faster data rates and offers the possibility of communicating with four different clients simultaneously instead of just one (MU-MIMO). The channel width is also twice as wide (80 Mhz > 160 MHz) and, in contrast to Wave 1 (1.3 Gbit/s), the throughput of Wave 2 is an impressive 3.6 Gbit/s.
Sophos APX 740
Let’s start with Sophos’s flagship third generation access point, the APX 740, which will deliver three times the performance of the AP 100. The area of application is e.g. for offices with many users who require a high capacity.
- Deployment: Indoor (Desktop, wall mounting, ceiling mount)
- WLAN Standards: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Radios: 1x 2.4 GHz single band, 1x 5 GHz single band, 1x Bluetooth low energy (BLE)
- Antennas: 4x internal 2.4 GHz antennas for radio 1, 4x internal 5 Ghz antennas for radio 2, 1x internal 2.4 GHz BLE
- Performance: 4x4:4 MU-MIMO - (1.7 Gbps + 450 Mbps) Max. Speed up to 3.6Gbps @ 160 MHz
- Interfaces: 1x RJ45 connector console serial port, 1x RJ45 10/100/1000 Ethernet port, 1x RJ45 10/100/1000 Ethernet w/PoE
- Power max.: 22.4 W
- PoE min.: PoE+ 802.3at
- Dimensions: 195 x 195 x 43 mm
- Weight: 1012 g
➜ View the Sophos APX 740 in our shop
Sophos APX 530
The APX 530 is the perfect choice if you had previously opted for an AP 100 in terms of size and performance. The difference is that the APX 530 starts the race with twice the performance of the AP 100. It is suitable for offices with a few employees who require high capacity.
- Deployment: Indoor (Desktop, wall mounting, ceiling mount)
- WLAN Standards: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Radios: 1x 2.4 GHz single band, 1x 5 GHz single band, 1x Bluetooth low energy (BLE)
- Antennas: 3x internal 2.4 GHz antennas for radio 1, 3x internal 5 Ghz antennas for radio 2, 1x internal 2.4 GHz BLE
- Performance: 3x3:3 MU-MIMO (1.3 Gbps + 450 Mbps) Max. Speed up to 2.6Gbps @ 160MHz
- Interfaces: 1x RJ45 connector console serial port, 1x RJ45 10/100/1000 Ethernet port, 1x RJ45 10/100/1000 Ethernet w/PoE
- Power max.: 16.7 W
- PoE min.: PoE+ 802.3at
- Dimensions: 183 x 183 x 39 mm
- Weight: 922 g
➜ View the Sophos APX 530 in our shop
Sophos APX 320
The APX 320 is the smallest choice of the three new Sophos access points, but with twice the performance of the AP 55. This access point is ideal for shops or schools where many smartphones or tablets need to connect to the Internet.
- Deployment: Indoor (Desktop, wall mounting, ceiling mount)
- WLAN Standards: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Radios: 1x 2.5 GHz/5 GHz dual-band, 1x 5GHz single band
- Antennas: 2x internal 2.4 GHz antennas dual-band for radio 1, 2x internal 5 Ghz antennas for radio 2, 1x internal 2.4 GHz BLE
- Performance: 2x2:2 MU-MIMO (867 Mbps + 300 Mbps) Max. Speed up to 1.7Gbps
- Interfaces: 1x RJ45 connector console serial port, 1x RJ45 10/100/1000 Ethernet w/PoE
- Power max.: 11.5 W
- PoE min.: PoE+ 802.3af
- Dimensions: 155 x 155 x 38 mm
- Weight: 474 g
➜ View the Sophos APX 320 in our shop
Sophos APX 120
In this article we have always talked about three new access points. However, a fourth model, the APX 120, is expected to be released in November. This device, designed for the small purse, will probably perform its service in small offices, your own living room, small shops or branch offices. Unfortunately, we do not have any technical data on this yet.
Management
As you know, managing Sophos access points requires a wireless controller. You could use Sophos Central, the SG or XG Firewall so far. However, only Sophos Central Wireless 2.0 in Sophos Central supports the new APX right from the start. The XG Firewall will receive an update for the wireless module in Q4 2018. Users who still rely on the UTM operating system will be penalized for the first time and are left out in the cold for future support of these new access points. I quote from a presentation by Sophos: “No support in SG UTM planned”. For UTM users, this leaves the option open to either switch to the Sophos Firewall OS or manage the new APs via Sophos Central.
Update: 30.09.2019: Sophos has changed its mind and with the UTM v9.700 update now brings APX support to all SG Firewalls.
Sophos Apx 120 Download
Apx120
For XG users we find it a bit annoying that we have to wait until the end of 2018. But it seems to be a slap in the face for the companies that still rely on the UTM operating system. Of course, smaller companies can be migrated relatively quickly, while this is definitely not the case with larger companies.
Synchronized Security - Wireless
The new Sophos APX access points, and only these models, also support the Synchronized Security feature. Just like Synchronized Security on the endpoint, mobile devices can be isolated so that no more devices can be infected and sensitive data can enter the Internet.
On the endpoint, this requires Sophos Central Mobile or Sophos Central Endpoint.
Sophos Apx 120 Review
FAQ
Q: What happens to the previous models AP 15, AP 15c, AP 55, AP 55c, AP 100, AP 100c, AP 100x? A: These models are still for sale and are not discontinued for the time being..
Q: Why are there no more C-models in the APX series? A: The new APX series is intended for wall and ceiling mounting. Therefore it does not need any C-models anymore.
Q: When will the new models be available? A: You can already order the new models on our website. In August these will be sent (subject to change).
Q: What about the AP 100x? Is there a successor? A: No, nothing is known about this or nothing is planned for this year either.
Conclusion
The new APX series is a successful performance and design update. We will order all APs and write a detailed review. Currently, with the AP 55 and AP 100 we have often come to the stop with larger downloads and many users. We hope that there will be no more bottlenecks with the new APX series.
APX-Serie - Next Generation Access Points
Sophos Apx 120 Software
Although Next Generation has become a bit of a buzzword for new Sophos products, the brand new APX series is indeed a step forward. Of course, the APX 120 is equipped with the latest technologies, such as the Wave 2 standard. In terms of performance, it is much faster than its predecessor, the AP 55.
With the APX series, Sophos also introduces the first access points that are security heartbeat-enabled and can benefit from Synchronized Security.
Requirements
Sophos Apx 120 Driver
If you buy a Next Generation Access Point, you must be aware that it will only work with the latest technologies from Sophos! The Sophos APX 320 is compatible with Sophos Central Wireless 2.0, an SG Firewall ( running UTM 9.700 or higher) or an XG Firewall (at least SFOS 17.5.5)! If you cannot meet these requirements, you can still use the old Sophos access points at the moment. These will not be removed from the line-up for the time being.