Businesses must be flexible to meet the demands of customers, streamline processes, and pivot to evolving business needs. Just as enterprise networks have evolved to handle and virtualize the wider distribution of data, applications, and users, the evolution of wide-area networks (WANs) takes the network edge to the next level.
WAN presents an exciting opportunity for transformative change, particularly in the cases of LTE and 5G wireless WAN (WWAN). Whether these networks are in permanent or temporary locations, they have the potential to significantly expand a business’s ability to respond quickly to operational and customer needs.
Elements Of An Effective Wireless WAN
Wireless WANs are an effective solution for a wide range of business needs, including pop-up locations, outdoor operations, IoT networks, and redundant high-availability devices. Here are four foundational benefits:
- Agile And Resilient Connectivity: Wireless WAN deployments provide agile networks on demand. In a study by research firm Nemertes, WWAN was shown to enhance network availability and reduce annual downtime by 62% to 88% when used by organizations in at least 90% of sites. With the rise of dual carriers like LTE and 5G, cellular connectivity has become a reliable and flexible solution for industries relying on large file transfers, video streaming, and augmented reality for productivity and enhanced customer experiences.
- Quick Deployment And Clear Visibility: What makes WWAN a primary choice for organizations is its seamless cloud-based management and swift, zero-touch deployment. Equipped with pre-inserted SIM cards, wireless WAN simplifies wireless router setup to eliminate downtime and minimize costs. This allows IT teams to focus on secure provisioning, monitoring, and control of devices from anywhere.
- Policy-Based Network Traffic Shaping: WWANs support various optimization scenarios, as these act as a backup for your internet to ensure consistent connectivity. The best part is, WWANs utilize policy-based routing and dynamic path selection. This means it’s possible to combine wireless and wired connections, which makes your network more reliable, and saves you from dealing with numerous local ISPs.
- Enterprise-Class Security: Through features like VPN, firewalls, and threat management, WWANs enhance network security in locations like retail stores and offices. This ensures data is protected from source to destination on the network.
Additionally, WWANs improve visibility into network activities, protect sensitive data, and thwart potential cyberattacks on diverse traffic types, including point-of-sale terminals, video surveillance, HVAC systems, and IoT devices. This advantage is especially valuable when integrating new devices or applications at branch locations, as it doesn't disrupt existing security zones and protocols.
Advanced wireless routers simplify the addition of secure and flexible network connections, improve branch security, and optimize network operations for organizations. Fortunately, solutions like Cradlepoint's Hybrid WAN are available to help your organization achieve these objectives.
Cradlepoint’s Comprehensive Hybrid WAN Solution
As the networking requirements in various settings and locations continue to grow in complexity, organizations are challenged to fulfill these demands without burdening their IT teams or adding costly network components.
Cradlepoint NetCloud Service offers the following hybrid WAN features:
- Multiple WAN And LAN Options: The all-in-one hybrid WAN routers support 5G and LTE and offer compatibility with multiple modems, carriers, Wi-Fi, wired options, and Bluetooth.
- Built-In Network Security Layers: Cradlepoint’s solutions for fixed sites offer a zone-based and application-aware firewall, content filtering, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IPS/IDS), and optional zero-trust networking services. These enable direct access to web, SaaS, and cloud traffic without additional appliances or management systems.
- Improved Application Uptime And Performance: With SD-WAN features embedded in the solution, businesses automate path selection and efficiently optimize network traffic. This provides enterprises with reliable application performance even with varying signal strength or latency.
- Centralized Control: IT teams can streamline network management, troubleshooting, and security across multiple locations with NetCloud Manager. This frees up time for other business priorities and reduces overall costs.
In today's highly connected world, Cradlepoint NetCloud Service offers a straightforward solution for accessing and deploying connectivity from any location, without the usual complexities.
Final Thoughts
To meet the growing demands of modern, connectivity-dependent environments, organizations must maximize the value of wireless WAN by opting for a customized all-in-one subscription like NetCloud Service.
At WEI, our experts specialize in offering valuable advice and assessments for your current network infrastructure. By embracing networking solutions that align with your business requirements, organizations open possibilities for growth and innovation. Contact us today to get started.
Next steps: Next Steps: Watch our video to learn even more on why wireless WAN is the next step to replacing legacy WAN solutions for your fixed retail location.
