Aruba AP335 access point review

The Aruba 330 Series consists of the Aruba AP334 and Aruba AP335 access points. Most of what is said here will apply to both models. The 330 series are high-end 802.11ac access points. They provide extremely fast gigabit speeds and superb, easy user experience for mobile devices and applications. The series is designed with an integrated HPE Smart Rate port to scale up to 5Gbps Ethernet. The 330 Series allows enterprises to leverage their multi-gigabit Ethernet wired network infrastructures to eliminate bottlenecks.

As with other Aruba APs, you can run the Aruba AP335 either controller-based, or controlerless (Instant) mode.

When deployed with an Aruba Mobility Controller, the Aruba AP335 offers centralized configuration, data encryption, and policy enforcement. It will also give you network services and distributed and centralized traffic forwarding.

In controlerless (Instant) mode, the controller function is virtualized in a cluster of APs. As the network grows or requirements change, Instant deployments can easily migrate to controller-based mode.

Adaptive Radio Management

Importantly, the Aruba AP335 features ClientMatch, AppRF, Clarity and AirMatch. They ensure the AP335 will have the best radio connection. At the same time, ARM provides control and visibility to the WLAN and applications dynamically. This is especially useful in changing environments.

The Aruba AP335 can automatically detect and classify 802.11ac Wave 2 mobile devices. This allows ClientMatch to automatically collect Wave 2 capable devices under a single radio so that performance benefits of multi-user MIMO can be realized. And without the adverse effects of slower 802.11ac and traditional 802.11n capable mobile devices. This means increased network capacity and a boost in network efficiency.

The Aruba AP335 has a concurrent data rate of 1.733 Gbps in the 5 GHz band and 600 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. That’s an aggregate peak data rate of 2.3 Gbps. The AP335 is ideal for lecture halls, auditoriums, public venues, and high-density office environments. The 802.11ac 330 Series supports 160 MHz channel bandwidth (VHT160), 4-stream multi-user MIMO and 4 spatial streams. They also provide simultaneous data transmission to multiple devices, maximizing data throughput and improving network efficiency.

Difference between the Aruba AP334 and the Aruba AP335

Not a lot. The specs will be pretty much the same. But the AP334 has four RP-SMA connectors for external dual band antennas. The AP335 has four (vertically polarized) integrated 2.4 GHz downtilt omni-directional antennas. They achieve 4×4 MIMO with peak antenna gain of 3.8dBi per antenna. So different antennas, basically. Check out the datasheet for more details on that.

What we like about the Aruba AP335

The Aruba AP335 has great, easy-to-use technology, and has great range! It’s easy to set up multiple AP’s, including guest access. There is no dedicated controller needed, although it is a snap to employ one, and they are excellent in their own right. Simply power up, plug it into your network, and connect.

Even if you are not familiar with Aruba products, they are easy to master quickly. And if you need to reconfigure, using Instant Mode makes configuration straightforward. Support gets consistently high marks, and the Airheads online community is top notch.

Initial config is a snap. And with the aforementioned ARM technology, you can automatically assign channel and power settings. You can also provide airtime fairness and ensure that APs stay clear of all sources of RF interference. This will ensure reliable, high performance WLANs.

Summary

The Aruba AP335 is excellent for enterprise companies. It’s perfect for organizations that require a large number of access points with simple, intuitive management. And when it comes to Wi-Fi management, Aruba gives you the flexibility to choose. You can use an Instant access point or a controller to manage an entire cluster of access points. On the other hand, you can manage them with a cloud-based or an on-site network management platform.

Aruba also has plenty of switches to integrate with your access point for ease-of-access and peace of mind. The Aruba AP335 delivers superb user experience for medium-to-high density environments.

And Corporate Armor gives you uninterrupted 5-star service and years of specialization in Aruba’s whole family of products. So call us at 877-449-0458, or email us with any and all questions. Thanks for reading!

Aruba AP335 access point highlights

Choice of operating modes; Controller mode, and Aruba Instant mode
Supports up to 1.733 Gbps in the 5 GHz band
Supports up to 600 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band
Built-in Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) radio
Resolve sticky client issues with MU-MIMO-aware ClientMatch