SonicPoint a/b/g: Overview, Features and Specifications

03/26/2020 1,180 People found this article helpful 485,512 Views

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This article aims to provide an overview and a guide to SonicWall SonicPoint models, specifications and difference between models.

At the time of this article, we can classify 6 types of SonicPoints in 2 groups:

Early SonicPoint models
Recent SonicPoint models (aka SonicPoint N)

All SonicPoints models supports inline 802.3 af PoE supply (picture below).

This article is focused on early SonicWall SonicPoint.
For recent SonicPoint or SonicPoint N overview, features and specifications, please refer to KB 9389.

Early SonicPoint models (SonicPoint and SonicPoint G)

Early SonicPoint models include 2 types of SonicPoints: SonicPoint and SonicPoint G (reported in picture below)

Both a SonicPoint and a SonicPoint G look identical except for the 5 GHz Radio LED (more details below)

Specifications and differences between SonicPoint and SonicPoint G:

Two external antennas
SonicPoint G is monoband: it broadcasts the carrier only on 2.4 Ghz band, hence supporting wireless IEEE 802.11b/g and Turbo G enhancement (i.e. 108 Mbps rate);
SonicPoint is dualband: it broadadcasts the carrier on both 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz band, hence supporting wireless IEEE 802.11a/b/g and Turbo G enhancement (i.e. 108 Mbps rates);
No support for Wireless protocol IEEE 802.11N;
Both models can be configured in Stand-Alone Mode (as an "autonomous" access point), meaning that they can be connected not only to SonicWall UTM controller but also to 3rd party appliances functioning as classic or unmanaged access points. Other vendors can refer to this functionality as "autonomous" access points. In this case the SonicPoint is configurable directly through its graphical user interface, and not through the SonicWall UTM GUI or third-party WLAN controllers;
Both models support Managed Mode (i.e. "lightweighted" access point). In this case the SonicPoint is to be connected directly to a SonicWall UTM appliance to be Discovered, Provisioned with firmware and with an IP address, and consequently to be configured and managed at all levels;
When in Managed Mode, SonicPoint and SonicPoint G firmwares are embedded in the SonicOS Enhanced firmware of the SonicWall UTM appliance. (i.e. SonicWall UTM appliance does not require an internet connection to downnload the SonicPoint or SonicPoint G firmware after the SonicPoint discovery, as it happens for recent SonicPoint or SonicPoint N);
Mono-Radio: SonicPoint model exclusively broadcasts the carrier on one band at a time (2.4 Ghz or 5 Ghz band), and not both at the same time (as it happens for the SonicPoint N-DR, please refer to KB 9389 for more details;
SonicPoint (a/b/g) has two WLAN LEDs (2.4 Ghz and % Ghz) consistent with its dual-band nature.

Please bear in mind that many SonicWall users tend to refer to "SonicPoint a/b/g" as a synonym for SonicPoint, to differentiate this enhanced model from the monoband SonicPoint G.

For an overview on recent SonicPoint or SonicPoint N, along with features and specifications, please refer to KB 9389.

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