ZyXEL Communications NWA50AX User manual

Default Login Details
User’s Guide
NWA50AX
802.11ax (WiFi6) Dual-Radio PoE Access Point
Copyright © 2021 Zyxel and/ or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Management IP
Address
http://DHCP-assigned IP
OR
http://192.168.1.2
User Name admin
Password 1234
Version 6.20 Edition 1, 5/2021

NWA50AX User’s Guide
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IMPO RTANT!
READ C AREFULLY BEFO RE USE.
KEEP THIS G UIDE FO R FUTURE REFERENC E.
This is a User’s Guide for a series of products. Not all products support all firmware features. Screenshots
and graphics in this book may differ slightly from your product due to differences in your product
hardware, firmware, or your computer operating system. Every effort has been made to ensure that the
information in this manual is accurate.
Some screens or options in this book may not be available for your product (see the product feature
tables in Section 1.4 on page 18).
Re la te d Do c ume nta tio n
•QuickStartGuide
The Quick Start Guide shows how to connect the Zyxel Device and access the Web Configurator.
•CLIReferenceGuide
The CLI Reference Guide explains how to use the Command-Line Interface (CLI) and CLI commands
to configure the Zyxel Device.
Note: It is recommended you use the Web Configurator to configure the Zyxel Device.
• Web Configurator Online Help
Click the help icon in any screen for help in configuring that screen and supplementary information.
• Nebula Control Center User’s Guide
This User’s Guide shows how to manage the Zyxel Device remotely. The features of these devices can
be managed through Nebula Control Center. It also offers features that are not available when the
Zyxel Device is in standalone mode (see Section 2.1.2 on page 20).
• NXC Series User’s Guide
See this User’s Guide for instructions on using the NXC as an AP Controller (AC) for the Zyxel Device.
This is used when the Zyxel Device is set to be managed by a Zyxel AC.
•MoreInformation
Go to sup po rt.zyxe l.c o m to find other information on the Zyxel Device.

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Do c um e nt C o nve ntio ns
Wa rning s a nd Note s
These are how warnings and notes are shown in this guide.
Wa rning s te ll yo u a bo ut thing s tha t c ould ha rm yo u o r yo ur de vic e .
Note: Notes tell you other important information (for example, other things you may need to
configure or helpful tips) or recommendations.
Synta x C o nve ntio ns
• All models in this series may be referred to as the “Zyxel Device” in this guide.
• Product labels, screen names, field labels and field choices are all in b o ld font.
• A right angle bracket ( > ) within a screen name denotes a mouse click. For example, C o nfig ura tio n >
Ne two rk > IP Se tting means you first click C onfig ura tion in the navigation panel, then the Ne two rk sub
menu and finally the IP Se tting tab to get to that screen.
Ic o ns Use d in Fig ure s
Figures in this guide may use the following generic icons. The Zyxel Device icon is not an exact
representation of your device.
Zyxel Device Router Switch Internet
Server Desktop Laptop AP Controller
Printer Nebula Switch Nebula Gateway Smart T.V.
IP Phone

Contents Overview
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C onte nts O ve rvie w
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 12
AP Management .................................................................................................................................. 20
Hardware ............................................................................................................................................... 28
Web Configurator ................................................................................................................................. 30
Sta nda lo ne C o nfig ura tio n ................................................................................................................41
Standalone Configuration ................................................................................................................... 42
Dashboard ............................................................................................................................................ 44
Setup Wizard ......................................................................................................................................... 49
Monitor ................................................................................................................................................... 54
Network ................................................................................................................................................. 69
Wireless ................................................................................................................................................... 75
User ......................................................................................................................................................... 86
AP Profile ................................................................................................................................................ 93
MON Profile ......................................................................................................................................... 117
WDS Profile ........................................................................................................................................... 120
Certificates .......................................................................................................................................... 122
System .................................................................................................................................................. 138
Log and Report ................................................................................................................................... 157
File Manager ....................................................................................................................................... 167
Diagnostics .......................................................................................................................................... 178
LEDs ...................................................................................................................................................... 180
Reboot ................................................................................................................................................. 183
Shutdown ............................................................................................................................................. 184
Lo c a l Co nfig ura tio n in C loud Mo de ..............................................................................................185
Cloud Mode ........................................................................................................................................ 186
Network ............................................................................................................................................... 189
Maintenance ...................................................................................................................................... 192
Ap pe nd ic e s a nd Tro ub le sho o ting .................................................................................................197
Troubleshooting .................................................................................................................................. 198

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Ta b le o f C o nte nts
Do c um e nt C o nve ntio ns ......................................................................................................................3
C o nte nts O ve rvie w .............................................................................................................................4
Ta b le o f C o nte nts .................................................................................................................................5
C ha p te r 1
Intro duc tio n ........................................................................................................................................12
1.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 12
1.2 Zyxel Device Roles .......................................................................................................................... 12
1.2.1 Root AP ................................................................................................................................... 13
1.2.2 Wireless Repeater .................................................................................................................. 13
1.2.3 Radio Frequency (RF) Monitor .............................................................................................14
1.3 Sample Feature Applications ........................................................................................................ 16
1.3.1 MBSSID .................................................................................................................................... 16
1.3.2 Dual-Radio ............................................................................................................................. 17
1.4 Zyxel Device Product Feature ....................................................................................................... 18
C ha p te r 2
AP Ma na g e m e nt................................................................................................................................20
2.1 Management Mode ...................................................................................................................... 20
2.1.1 Standalone ............................................................................................................................ 20
2.1.2 Nebula Control Center ......................................................................................................... 20
2.2 Switching Management Modes ................................................................................................... 22
2.3 Zyxel One Network (ZON) Utility .................................................................................................... 22
2.3.1 Requirements ......................................................................................................................... 22
2.3.2 Run the ZON Utility ................................................................................................................. 23
2.4 Ways to Access the Zyxel Device ................................................................................................. 26
2.5 Good Habits for Managing the Zyxel Device ............................................................................. 27
C ha p te r 3
Ha rdwa re ............................................................................................................................................28
3.1 Zyxel Device Single LED .................................................................................................................. 28
3.1.1 Zyxel Device LED ................................................................................................................... 28
C ha p te r 4
We b Co nfig ura to r...............................................................................................................................30
4.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 30
4.2 Accessing the Web Configurator ................................................................................................. 30
4.3 Navigating the Web Configurator ............................................................................................... 33

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4.3.1 Title Bar ................................................................................................................................... 34
4.3.2 Navigation Panel .................................................................................................................. 35
4.3.3 Standalone Mode Navigation Panel Menus ..................................................................... 35
4.3.4 Cloud Mode Navigation Panel Menus ............................................................................... 37
4.3.5 Tables and Lists ...................................................................................................................... 38
Pa rt I: Sta nda lone C o nfig ura tio n ................................................................... 41
C ha p te r 5
Sta nda lo ne Co nfig ura tio n.................................................................................................................42
5.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 42
5.2 Starting and Stopping the Zyxel Device ...................................................................................... 42
C ha p te r 6
Da shb oa rd ..........................................................................................................................................44
6.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 44
6.1.1 CPU Usage ............................................................................................................................. 47
6.1.2 Memory Usage ...................................................................................................................... 48
C ha p te r 7
Se tup Wiza rd .......................................................................................................................................49
7.1 Accessing the Wizard ..................................................................................................................... 49
7.2 Using the Wizard ............................................................................................................................. 49
7.2.1 Step 1 Time Settings .............................................................................................................. 49
7.2.2 Step 2 Password and Uplink Connection ........................................................................... 50
7.2.3 Step 3 Radio .......................................................................................................................... 51
7.2.4 Step 4 SSID .............................................................................................................................. 52
7.2.5 Summary ................................................................................................................................ 52
C ha p te r 8
Mo nito r................................................................................................................................................54
8.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 54
8.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ....................................................................................... 54
8.2 What You Need to Know ............................................................................................................... 54
8.3 Network Status ................................................................................................................................ 55
8.3.1 Port Statistics Graph .............................................................................................................. 56
8.4 Radio List .......................................................................................................................................... 57
8.4.1 AP Mode Radio Information ................................................................................................59
8.5 Station List ........................................................................................................................................ 61
8.6 WDS Link Info ................................................................................................................................... 62
8.7 Detected Device ............................................................................................................................ 63

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8.8 View Log .......................................................................................................................................... 66
C ha p te r 9
Ne two rk...............................................................................................................................................69
9.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 69
9.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ....................................................................................... 69
9.2 IP Setting .......................................................................................................................................... 69
9.3 VLAN ................................................................................................................................................ 71
9.4 NCC Discovery ................................................................................................................................ 73
C ha p te r 10
Wire le ss ...............................................................................................................................................75
10.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 75
10.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ..................................................................................... 75
10.1.2 What You Need to Know ...................................................................................................76
10.2 AP Management .......................................................................................................................... 76
10.3 Rogue AP ....................................................................................................................................... 79
10.3.1 Add/Edit Rogue/Friendly List .............................................................................................. 83
10.4 DCS ................................................................................................................................................ 83
10.5 Technical Reference .................................................................................................................... 84
C ha p te r 11
Use r......................................................................................................................................................86
11.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 86
11.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ..................................................................................... 86
11.1.2 What You Need To Know ...................................................................................................86
11.2 User Summary ................................................................................................................................ 87
11.2.1 Add/Edit User ....................................................................................................................... 87
11.3 Setting ............................................................................................................................................ 89
11.3.1 Edit User Authentication Timeout Settings ........................................................................ 91
C ha p te r 12
AP Pro file .............................................................................................................................................93
12.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 93
12.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ..................................................................................... 93
12.1.2 What You Need To Know ...................................................................................................93
12.2 Radio .............................................................................................................................................. 94
12.2.1 Add/Edit Radio Profile ........................................................................................................ 95
12.3 SSID ............................................................................................................................................... 100
12.3.1 SSID List ............................................................................................................................... 101
12.3.2 Add/Edit SSID Profile ......................................................................................................... 102
12.4 Security List .................................................................................................................................. 105
12.4.1 Add/Edit Security Profile ................................................................................................... 105

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12.5 MAC Filter List .............................................................................................................................. 115
12.5.1 Add/Edit MAC Filter Profile ............................................................................................... 115
C ha p te r 13
MO N Pro file .......................................................................................................................................117
13.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 117
13.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ................................................................................... 117
13.2 MON Profile ................................................................................................................................. 117
13.2.1 Add/Edit MON Profile ....................................................................................................... 118
C ha p te r 14
WDS Pro file ........................................................................................................................................120
14.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 120
14.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ................................................................................... 120
14.2 WDS Profile ................................................................................................................................... 120
14.2.1 Add/Edit WDS Profile ........................................................................................................ 121
C ha p te r 15
C e rtific a te s .......................................................................................................................................122
15.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 122
15.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ................................................................................... 122
15.1.2 What You Need to Know ................................................................................................. 122
15.1.3 Verifying a Certificate ...................................................................................................... 124
15.2 My Certificates ............................................................................................................................ 125
15.2.1 Add My Certificates .......................................................................................................... 126
15.2.2 Edit My Certificates ........................................................................................................... 128
15.2.3 Import Certificates ............................................................................................................ 131
15.3 Trusted Certificates ..................................................................................................................... 132
15.3.1 Edit Trusted Certificates .................................................................................................... 133
15.3.2 Import Trusted Certificates ............................................................................................... 136
15.4 Technical Reference .................................................................................................................. 137
C ha p te r 16
Syste m ...............................................................................................................................................138
16.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 138
16.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ................................................................................... 138
16.2 Host Name ................................................................................................................................... 138
16.3 Date and Time ........................................................................................................................... 139
16.3.1 Pre-defined NTP Time Servers List ..................................................................................... 141
16.3.2 Time Server Synchronization ............................................................................................ 142
16.4 WWW Overview .......................................................................................................................... 143
16.4.1 Service Access Limitations ............................................................................................... 143
16.4.2 System Timeout .................................................................................................................. 143

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16.4.3 HTTPS ................................................................................................................................... 143
16.4.4 Configuring WWW Service Control ................................................................................. 144
16.4.5 HTTPS Example ................................................................................................................... 145
16.5 SSH ................................................................................................................................................ 151
16.5.1 How SSH Works .................................................................................................................. 152
16.5.2 SSH Implementation on the Zyxel Device ...................................................................... 153
16.5.3 Requirements for Using SSH ..............................................................................................153
16.5.4 Configuring SSH ................................................................................................................. 153
16.5.5 Examples of Secure Telnet Using SSH .............................................................................. 154
16.6 FTP ............................................................................................................................................... 155
C ha p te r 17
Lo g a nd Re po rt.................................................................................................................................157
17.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 157
17.1.1 What You Can Do In this Chapter .................................................................................. 157
17.2 Log Setting .................................................................................................................................. 157
17.2.1 Log Setting Screen ............................................................................................................ 157
17.2.2 Edit System Log Settings ................................................................................................... 159
17.2.3 Edit Remote Server ............................................................................................................ 163
17.2.4 Active Log Summary ........................................................................................................ 164
C ha p te r 18
File Ma na g e r ....................................................................................................................................167
18.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 167
18.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ................................................................................... 167
18.1.2 What you Need to Know .................................................................................................. 167
18.2 Configuration File ....................................................................................................................... 168
18.2.1 Example of Configuration File Download Using FTP ...................................................... 172
18.3 Firmware Package ..................................................................................................................... 173
18.3.1 Example of Firmware Upload Using FTP .......................................................................... 174
18.4 Shell Script .................................................................................................................................... 175
C ha p te r 19
Dia g no stic s .......................................................................................................................................178
19.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 178
19.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ................................................................................... 178
19.2 Diagnostics .................................................................................................................................. 178
19.3 Remote Capture ........................................................................................................................ 179
C ha p te r 20
LEDs ...................................................................................................................................................180
20.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 180
20.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ................................................................................... 180

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20.2 Suppression Screen .................................................................................................................... 180
20.3 Locator Screen ........................................................................................................................... 181
C ha p te r 21
Re b o o t...............................................................................................................................................183
21.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 183
21.1.1 What You Need To Know ................................................................................................. 183
21.2 Reboot ......................................................................................................................................... 183
C ha p te r 22
Shutdo wn ..........................................................................................................................................184
22.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 184
22.1.1 What You Need To Know ................................................................................................. 184
22.2 Shutdown ..................................................................................................................................... 184
Pa rt II: Lo c a l C onfig ura tion in C lo ud Mode ................................................ 185
C ha p te r 23
C lo ud Mo d e .....................................................................................................................................186
23.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 186
23.2 Cloud Mode Web Configurator Screens ................................................................................. 186
23.3 Dashboard .................................................................................................................................. 187
C ha p te r 24
Ne two rk.............................................................................................................................................189
24.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 189
24.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ................................................................................... 189
24.2 IP Setting ...................................................................................................................................... 189
24.3 VLAN ............................................................................................................................................ 191
C ha p te r 25
Ma inte na nc e ....................................................................................................................................192
25.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 192
25.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter ................................................................................... 192
25.2 Shell Script .................................................................................................................................... 192
25.3 Diagnostics .................................................................................................................................. 193
25.4 View Log ...................................................................................................................................... 194
Pa rt III: A pp e nd ic e s a nd Tro ub le sho o ting .................................................. 197

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C ha p te r 26
Tro ub le sho o ting ................................................................................................................................198
26.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 198
26.2 Power, Hardware Connections, and LED ................................................................................ 198
26.3 Zyxel Device Management, Access, and Login ..................................................................... 199
26.4 Internet Access ........................................................................................................................... 202
26.5 WiFi Network ................................................................................................................................ 203
26.6 Resetting the Zyxel Device ........................................................................................................ 205
26.7 Getting More Troubleshooting Help .........................................................................................205
Appendix A Importing Certificates ............................................................................................... 206
Appendix B IPv6............................................................................................................................... 230
Appendix C Customer Support ..................................................................................................... 238
Appendix D Legal Information ...................................................................................................... 244
Inde x .................................................................................................................................................251

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CHAPTER 1
Intro duc tio n
1.1 O ve rvie w
The Zyxel Device can be managed in one of the following methods: remote management through
Nebula Control Center (NCC) or local management in Standalone Mode. The Zyxel Device runs in
standalone mode by default, but it is recommended to use NCC management if it is available for your
device. For more information about Access Point (AP) management, see Section 2.1 on page 20.
Use the Zyxel Device to set up a wireless network with other IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax compatible
devices in either 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks or both at the same time.
When two or more APs are interconnected, this network is called a Wireless Distribution System (WDS).
See Section 1.2.2 on page 13 for more information on root and repeater APs and how to set them up.
1.2 Zyxe l De vic e Ro le s
This section describes some of the different roles that your Zyxel Device can take up within a network.
Not all roles are supported by all models (see Section 1.4 on page 18). The Zyxel Device can serve as a:
• Access Point (AP) - This is used to allow wireless clients to connect to the Internet.
• Radio Frequency (RF) monitor - An RF monitor searches for rogue APs to help eliminate network
threats if it supports monitor mode and rogue APs detection/containment. An RF monitor cannot
simultaneously act as an AP.
• Root AP - A root AP connects to the gateway or switch through a wired Ethernet connection and
has wireless repeaters connected to it to extend its range.
• Wireless repeater - A wireless repeater wirelessly connects to a root AP and extends the network’s
wireless range.
The following figure shows a network setup that uses these different roles to create a secure Wireless
Distribution System (WDS). The root AP (Y) is connected to a network with Internet access and has a
wireless repeater (X) connected to it to expand the wireless network’s range. Clients (A, B, and C ) can
access the wired network through the wireless repeater and/or root AP.
If a client (D) tries to set up his own AP (R) with weak security settings, the network becomes exposed to
threats. The RF monitor (M) scans the area to detect all APs, which can help the network administrator
discover these rogue APs and remove them or use the NXC to quarantine them.

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Fig ure 1 Sample Network Setup
1.2.1 Ro o t AP
In Root AP mode, you can have multiple SSIDs active for regular wireless connections and one SSID for
the connection with a repeater (repeater SSID). Wireless clients can use either SSID to associate with the
Zyxel Device in Root AP mode. A repeater must use the repeater SSID to connect to the Zyxel Device in
Root AP mode.
When the Zyxel Device is in Root AP mode, repeater security between the Zyxel Device and other
repeaters is independent of the security between the wireless clients and the AP or repeater. When
repeater security is enabled, both APs and repeaters must use the same pre-shared key. See Section
10.2 on page 76 and Section 14.2 on page 120 for more details.
Unless specified, the term “security settings” refers to the traffic between the wireless clients and the AP.
At the time of writing, repeater security is compatible with the Zyxel Device only.
1.2.2 Wire le ss Re pe a te r
Using Repeater mode, your Zyxel Device can extend the range of the WLAN. In the figure below, the
Zyxel Device in Repeater mode (Z) has a wireless connection to the Zyxel Device in Root AP mode (X)
which is connected to a wired network and also has a wireless connection to another Zyxel Device in
Repeater mode (Y) at the same time. Zand Yact as repeaters that forward traffic between associated
wireless clients and the wired LAN. Clients Aand Baccess the AP and the wired network behind the AP
through repeaters Zand Y.

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Fig ure 2 Repeater Application
When the Zyxel Device is in Repeater mode, repeater security between the Zyxel Device and other
repeater is independent of the security between the wireless clients and the AP or repeater. When
repeater security is enabled, both APs and repeaters must use the same pre-shared key. See Section
10.2 on page 76 and Section 14.2 on page 120 for more details.
For NCC managed devices, you only need to enable AP Sma rt Me sh to automatically create wireless
links between APs. See the NCC User’s Guide for more details.
To set up a WDS in standalone mode APs, do the following steps. You should already have the root AP
set up (see the Quick Start Guide for hardware connections).
1Go to C o nfig ura tio n > O b je c t > WDS Pro file in your root AP Web Configurator and click Add.
2Enter a profile name, an SSID for the WDS, and a pre-shared key.
3Do steps 1 and 2 for the wireless repeater using the same SSID and pre-shared key.
4Once the security settings of peer sides match one another, the connection between the root and
repeater Zyxel Devices is made.
To set up a WDS in NXC managed Zyxel Devices, see the NXC User’s Guide.
1.2.3 Ra d io Fre q ue nc y (RF) Mo nito r
The Zyxel Device can be set to work as an RF monitor to discover nearby Access Points. The information
it obtains from other APs is used to tag possible rogue APs and quarantine them if the Zyxel Device is
managed by the NXC (see Section 2.2 on page 22). If the Zyxel Device’s radio setting is set to MO N
Mo de (RF Monitor mode), it will serve as a dedicated RF monitor and its AP clients are disconnected.

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The models that do not support MO N Mo de support Ro g ue A P De te c tio n (see Section 10.3 on page 79).
Ro gue AP De te c tio n allows the AP to scan all channels similar to MO N Mo d e except that the Zyxel
Device still works as an AP while it scans the environment for wireless signals. To see which Zyxel Devices
support the RF Monitor feature, see Section 1.4 on page 18.
The Zyxel Device in MO N Mo de scans a range of WiFi channels that you specify in a MO N Pro file , either in
the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band. To scan both bands, you need to set both radio 1 and radio 2 in MO N Mo d e .
Once a rogue AP is detected, the network administrator can manually change the network settings to
limit its access to the network using its MAC address or have the device physically removed. If the Zyxel
Device is managed by an NXC, the network administrator can also use Ro g ue AP C o nta inm e nt through
the NXC.
MO N Mo de in Sta nd a lo ne Mo de
To use an RF monitor in standalone mode, do the following steps:
1Create a MO N Pro file in C o nfig ura tio n > O b je c t > MO N Pro file > Add . Specify a Cha nne l dwe ll time to
determine how long the RF monitor scans a specific channel before moving to the next one.
2To scan all 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels, select a uto in Sc a n Cha nne l Mo d e . Make sure that the Ac tiva te
check box is selected and click O K.
3Go to the C onfig ura tion > Wire le ss > AP Ma na g e me nt screen and set Ra d io 1 O P Mo d e (2.4 GHz) and/or
Ra dio 2 O P Mo de (5 GHz) to MO N Mo d e .
4Select the Ra d io 1(2 ) Pro file that you created in the previous step. Make sure that the Ra dio 1(2)
Ac tiva te check box is selected and click Apply.
5Go to Mo nito r > Wire le ss > De te c te d De vic e to see a list of APs scanned by the RF monitor.
6Select an AP or APs in the list and click Ma rk a s Ro g ue AP or Ma rk a s Frie nd ly AP.
MO N Mo de in NXC - Ma na g e d Zyxe l De vic e s
For NXC-managed Zyxel Devices, do the following steps in the NXC Web Configurator:
1Create a MO N Pro file in C O NFIG URA TIO N > O b je c t > MO N Profile > A dd . Specify a Cha nne l dwe ll time to
determine how long the RF monitor scans a specific channel before moving to the next one.
2To scan all 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels, select a uto in Sc a n Cha nne l Mo d e . Make sure that the Ac tiva te
check box is selected and click O K.
3Go to the C O NFIG URATIO N > Wire le ss > A P Ma na g e m e nt > Mg m t. AP List > Ed it screen and/or set Ra dio
1 O P Mo d e (2.4 GHz) and Ra dio 2 O P Mo d e (5 GHz) to MO N Mo d e .
4Select the Ra d io 1(2 ) Pro file that you created in the previous step. Select O ve rride G ro up Ra d io Se tting
and click O K.
5Go to MO NITO R > Wire le ss > De te c te d De vic e to see a list of APs scanned by the RF monitor.
6Select an AP or APs in the list and click Ma rk a s Ro g ue AP or Ma rk a s Frie nd ly AP.

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7To quarantine a rogue AP, go to C O NFIG URATIO N > Wire le ss > Ro g ue AP, select the APs you want to
quarantine, and click C o nta inm e nt. Make sure the Ena b le Ro g ue A P C o nta inm e nt check box is
selected, and click Apply.
1.3 Sa m ple Fe a ture Applic a tio ns
This section describes some possible scenarios and topologies that you can set up using your Zyxel
Device.
1.3.1 MBSSID
A Basic Service Set (BSS) is the set of devices forming a single wireless network (usually an access point
and one or more wireless clients). The Service Set IDentifier (SSID) is the name of a BSS. In Multiple BSS
(MBSSID) mode, the Zyxel Device provides multiple virtual APs, each forming its own BSS and using its
own individual SSID profile.
You can configure multiple SSID profiles, and have all of them active at any one time.
You can assign different wireless and security settings to each SSID profile. This allows you to
compartmentalize groups of users, set varying access privileges, and prioritize network traffic to and
from certain BSSs.
To the wireless clients in the network, each SSID appears to be a different access point. As in any wireless
network, clients can associate only with the SSIDs for which they have the correct security settings.
For example, you might want to set up a wireless network in your office where Internet telephony (VoIP)
users have priority. You also want a regular wireless network for standard users, as well as a ‘guest’
wireless network for visitors. In the following figure, Vo IP_SSID users have QoS priority, SSID01 is the wireless
network for standard users, and G ue st_SSID is the wireless network for guest users. In this example, the
guest user is forbidden access to the wired Land Area Network (LAN) behind the AP and can access
only the Internet.

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Fig ure 3 Multiple BSSs
1.3.2 Dua l- Ra dio
Some of the Zyxel Device models are equipped with dual wireless radios. This means you can configure
two different wireless networks to operate simultaneously.
Note: A different channel should be configured for each WLAN interface to reduce the
effects of radio interference.
You could use the 2.4 GHz band for regular Internet surfing and downloading while using the 5 GHz
band for time sensitive traffic like high-definition video, music, and gaming.

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NWA50AX User’s Guide
18
Fig ure 4 Dual-Radio Application
1.4 Zyxe l De vic e Pro duc t Fe a ture
The following table lists the features of the Zyxel Device..
Table 1 Zyxel Device Product Feature Table
FEA TURES NWA50AX
Supported Wireless Standards IEEE 802.11a
IEEE802.11b
IEEE 802.11g
IEEE 802.11n
IEEE 802.11ac
IEEE802.11ax
Supported Frequency Bands 2.4 GHz
5 GHz
Available Security Modes None
WEP
WPA2-MIX WPA2-PSK
WPA2-PSK-MIX
Enhanced-open
WPA3-personal
Number of SSID Profiles 64
Number of Wireless Radios 2
Monitor Mode & Rogue APs ContainmentANo
Rogue AP Detection Yes
WDS (Wireless Distribution System) - Root AP &
Repeater Modes Yes
Tunnel Forwarding Mode No
Layer-2 Isolation No
Supported PoE Standards IEEE 802.3at
Power Detection Yes
External Antennas No
Internal Antennas Yes

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19
Antenna Switch No
Console Port 4-Pin Serial
LED Locator Yes
LED Suppression Yes
AC (AP Controller) Discovery No
NebulaFlex PRO No
NCC Discovery Yes
802.11r Fast Roaming Support Yes
802.11k/v Assisted Roaming Yes
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) No
USB Port for BLE No
Ethernet Storm Control No
Grounding No
Power Jack Yes
Maximum number of log messages 512 event logs
A. For NXC managed devices only. See the NXC User’s Guide for details.
Table 1 Zyxel Device Product Feature Table (continued)
FEA TURES NWA50AX

Chapter 2 AP Management
NWA50AX User’s Guide
20
CHAPTER 2
AP Ma na g e m e nt
2.1 Ma na g e m e nt Mo de
The Zyxel Device is a unified AP and can be managed by the NCC or work as a standalone device. We
recommend you use NCC to manage multiple APs (see the NCC User’s Guide).
Note: Not all models can be managed by NCC or an AC. See Section 1.4 on page 18 to
check whether your product supports these.
The following table shows the default IP addresses and firmware upload methods for different
management modes.
When the Zyxel Device is in standalone mode and connects to a DHCP server, it uses the IP address
assigned by the DHCP server. Otherwise, the Zyxel Device uses the default static management IP
address (192.168.1.2). You can use the NC C Disc o ve ry screen to allow the Zyxel Device to be managed
by the NCC.
When the Zyxel Device is managed by the NCC, it acts as a DHCP client and obtains an IP address from
the NCC. It can be configured ONLY by the NCC. To change the Zyxel Device back to standalone
mode, use the Re se t button to restore the default configuration. Alternatively, you need to check the
NCC for the Zyxel Device’s IP address and use FTP to upload the default configuration file at conf/
system-default.conf to the Zyxel Device and reboot the device.
2.1.1 Sta nda lo ne
When working in standalone mode, the Zyxel Device is configured mainly with its built-in Web
Configurator. You can only connect to and set up one Zyxel Device at a time in this mode.
See Chapter 5 on page 42 for detailed information about the standalone Web Configurator screens.
2.1.2 Ne b ula C o ntro l C e nte r
In this mode, which is also called cloud mode, you can manage and monitor the Zyxel Device through
the Zyxel Nebula cloud-based network management system. This means you can manage devices
remotely without the need of connecting to each device directly. It offers many features to better
manage and monitor not just the Zyxel Device, but your network as a whole, including supported
Table 2 Zyxel Device Management Mode Comparison
MANAG EMENTMO DE DEFAULT IP A DDRESS UPLO A D FIRMWA RE VIA
Nebula Control Center Dynamic NCC Portal
Standalone Dynamic or
Static (192.168.1.2) Built-in Web Configurator