Header banner
Revain logoHome Page
Isaac Cahill photo
Zambia, Lusaka
1 Level
718 Review
35 Karma

Review on EnGenius ENS500-AC Outdoor 5 GHz Wireless With 11Ac Wave 2 Technology by Isaac Cahill

Revainrating 2 out of 5

Don't expect any support

I'm a tech guy, so I eventually managed to make it work, but it certainly wasn't because I was able to get ANY help from Engenius. In my experience, they have a long history of making products with at least one tragic flaw. On the rare occasions that I have been able to get phone support, I learned how to work around some of the issues and got good service for a time, but then eventually, some device in the system fails, necessitating a replacement, and then the trouble starts all over again, because Engenius would much rather wash their hands of previous models than to make their new models work with the previous ones.From their point of view, the solution is simple - just replace every device every time any single device fails, but for anyone who doesn't have infinite budget and manpower, its a lousy attitude. Even with unlimited budget, there would still be the issue of killing the whole system long enough to replace all devices. All the while knowing that if one could only get through to a smart person at Engenius, there might very well already be a known work-around.As for the user interface, I feel like it is poorly documented and the logic is somewhat circular. For example, what is "EnJet"? The explanation is terse, at best. Does it work with previous models? Which ones? Why doesn't "Green" mode have anything to do with what might normally associate with that term?Mechanically, it's a white plastic box with limited mounting options. One can mount it on a vertical surface with two screws, but then no adjustment is possible, and given that it has a directional antenna, one would have to be pretty lucky if that mounting method just happened to point it the right direction. The only other option is mast mounting, which is best accomplished with a hose clamp. Seriously, a hose clamp. From experience, I know that the white color tends to yellow over time.The status LEDs are in plain view on the back of the device, so they call attention to the device at night. I always have to come up with some way to cover them. And those lights are pretty much useless beyond the initial setup, so if nothing else, Engenius could just move them inside the little access door. Or perhaps even easier, just add an option in the UI to turn off the LEDs. It would be nice too if there was a way to change the polarity of the internal antenna, so for example, one could mount the device horizontally under an eve instead of vertically, But with what comes in the box, it is essentially impossible to mount the device from any horizontal surface - I had to resort to using plumbing fittings but even then, because the exit point for the Ethernet cable needs to be at the bottom (because the device might fill up with water if inverted), it's not as clean-looking as it would be if the cable could exit at the top.The next time I'm forced to replace every device, I will most certainly consider other brands.

Pros
  • Optimal Bandwidth Support Extends Application Delivery Over Long Distances
Cons
  • It may not be as widely available as other brands, making it more difficult to purchase or find support if needed