🛒
If you're thinking of upgrading your home or office to Wi-Fi 7 but have been taken aback by the WBE660S's cost and large physical size, the NWA130BE BE11000 Wi-Fi 7 Triple-Radio NebulaFlex Access Point, first announced on March 4, 2024, would be the answer.
Each of these Wi-Fi 7 access points can work as a standalone broadcaster via local web-based management or as part of a cloud-based Nebula system. This review looks at the NWA130BE primarily as the former role.
In more ways than one, the new AP is a mini version of its older and more potent cousin. Still, at less than a third of the cost—its current street price is around $180—the NWA130BE is an excellent and easy way to upgrade a network to Wi-Fi 7. Consider one today!
Dong's note: I first published this post as a preview on March 4, 2024, and updated it to an in-depth review after weeklong hands-on testing.
Zyxel NWA130BE: A sensible Wi-Fi 7 access point
The reason for the significantly lower cost is the hardware. The NWA130BE is modest in Wi-Fi specs, featuring the 2x2 tier of the new standard or half the bandwidth of the older model. It also has the entry-level Multi-Gig Ethernet, 2.5Gbps, to match.
But before you get disappointed, 2x2 Wi-Fi 7 is plenty fast, and generally, the specs of the receiving end. Like the case of Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, so far, we've had only 2x2 Wi-Fi 7 clients.
That is, in terms of real-world Wi-Fi speed on a single device, the new NWA130BE is likely similar to the much more expensive WBE660S, which has double the bandwidth.
Physically, the new two APs share the same design—both are rectangle boxes with curved corners—but the NWA130BE is just about half the volume of the WBE660S. So, yes, the new access point is very much the mini version of the older model.
The table below shows the hardware specs of the two.
Zyxel NWA130BE vs. WBE660S: Hardware specifications
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | NWA130BE BE11000 Wi-Fi 7 Triple-Radio NebulaFlex Access Point | Zyxel WBE660S BE22000 Wi-Fi 7 Triple-Radio NebulaFlex Pro Access Point |
| Model | NWA130BE | WBE660S |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Tri-band BE11000 | Tri-band BE22000 |
| Broadcasting Power | US (2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz): 29/28/23dBm EU (2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz): 19/25/22dBm | |
| 6 GHz Speeds (channel width) | 2x2 BE: Up to 5765 Mbps (20/40/80/160/320MHz) | 4x4 BE: Up to 11530 Mbps (20/40/80/160/320MHz) |
| 5 GHz Speeds (channel width) | 2x2 BE: Up to 4323 Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) | 4x4 BE: Up to 8646 Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) |
| 2.4 GH Speeds (channel with) | 2x2 BE: Up to 688 Mbps (20/40MHz) | 4x4 BE: Up to 1376 Mbps (20/40MHz) |
| Number of SSIDs | 8 (single or multiple bands) | |
| Operating Mode | Standalone or via Controller/Nebula Cloud-managed (Nebula account required) | |
| Roaming Standard | Pre-authentication, PMK caching and 802.11r/k/v | |
| Backward Compatibility | 802.11/axe/ax/ac/n/g/a/b | |
| Power over Ethernet (PoE) | 802.11at (PoE+) | 802.11bt (PoE++) |
| PoE Power Draw | TBD | 41W |
| Injector Induded | No | |
| DC input | DC 12 V | USB PD 15 VDC 3 A (USB-C port) |
| Adapter Included | No | |
| Multi-Gig port | 1 x 2.5GBASE-T PoE+ (uplink) 1 x 2.5GBASE-T | 1 x 10GBASE-T PoE++ LAN (uplink) |
| Gigabit Port | none | 1 x 1GBASE-T |
| Wireless Security Methods | WEP/WPA/WPA2-PSK/WPA3 | |
| Authentication | IEEE 802.1X/RADIUS | |
| Access Management | L2-isolation/MAC filtering/Rogue AP detection | |
| Mobile App | Zyxel Nebula | |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 9.84 x 6.30 x 1.85 in (250 x 160 x 47mm) | 12.21 x 7.01 x 2.21 in (310 x 178 x 56 mm) |
| Weight | 1.79 lbs (808 g) | 3.11 lbs (1412 g) |
| Processor | Qualcomm 4-Core CPU | |
| Operating Environment | Temperature: 0°C to 45°C/32°F to 113°F Humidity: 10% to 90% (non-condensing) | |
| Release Date | March 4, 2024 | October 17, 2023 |
| Warranty | Lifetime | |
| US Price (at launch) | $179.99 | $599.99 |
No injector or power adapter is included
The NWA130BE allows for an easy path to upgrade an existing network to Wi-Fi 7. Specifically, if you have a non-Wi-Fi router or one of an older standard, a single unit of the NWA130BE will turn the system Wi-Fi 7-ready.
Before that, though, it's worth noting that the new AP doesn't include a power adapter or PoE injector. Instead, you need a PoE+ (802.3at) switch— the Zyxel XS1930-12HP or the newly announced XMG1915 Series—to use it. Or a single standard PoE+ injector will do as long as it features 2.5Gbps ports. The support for 8023at means you won't need to invest in the top-tier PoE++ equipment.
Alternatively, you can find a standard DC 12 V adapter to power it, though that's not ideal, considering this is a piece of hardware designed for wall or ceiling mounting.
While it's disappointing that no power adapter or PoE injector is included, that's generally the case with most business access points.
A standard Wi-Fi 7 access point
As a Wi-Fi 7 broadcaster, the NWA130BE features extra-wide 320MHz channels and 4K QAM. It'll also get Multiple Link Operation (when available) and, per Zyxel, has an RF-first Design—it incorporates an advanced RF filter to eliminate interference between 5GHz and 6GHz bands and a 4G/5G interference filter to assure seamless coexistence with 4G/5G cellular networks.
Like the WBE660S, the NWA130BE has two management options: the built-in web-based user interface and the Nebula cloud-based portal. Unless you have multiple units and want to use them as a system, the former is generally ideal. It fits most cases where a single unit is enough regarding coverage, and it's also the case I used to test most access points.
Nebula comes in two flavors: free and Pro. The latter requires a 39.99/year per device subscription, though the former is more than enough for any home or small business.
Self-explanatory local web user interface with lots of settings
To set up the NWA130BE, you first need to connect it to the network via an injector or a PoE+ switch. After that, navigate a browser on a network computer to its IP address, and the rest is self-explanatory.
Like all APs, the NWA130BE's local IP address is given out by your router—it's static like the case of a router. Still, as described in this post on the IP address, it's relatively easy to find a connected device's local IP.
In my case, as shown in the screenshots, the NWA130BE uses the 192.168.88.1900 address—yours will vary. The AP's default password for the admin account is 1234, which you'll need to change the first time you log in.
Once logged in, you'll be greeted by a standard yet comprehensive menu-based web interface with many settings. The APs can handle up to eight SSIDs. You can use each for one, two, or all three of its bands and customize them with in-depth Wi-Fi settings. In most cases, you only need three SSIDs.
And after that, you can leave the rest alone. The Wi-Fi network is now ready.
Zyxel NWA130BE: Reliable performance
I tested the Zyxel NWA130BE for over a week and was generally happy with its performance.
The AP's range was similar to that of the WBE660S, but its sustained rates were clearly lower due to the modest Wi-Fi specs. That said, a single unit can generally cover about 2000 ft2 (186 m2) with decent Wi-Fi performance throughput, but your mileage will vary. It also passed my 3-day stress test with no disconnection.
In terms of throughput speeds, the NWA130BE's sustained rates are in the low Gig+ range—between 1Gbps and 1.5Gbps—even at relatively short distances. It was plenty fast but below the average among Wi-Fi 7 broadcasters I've tested. Further out, the rates were consistently reduced to below Gigabit, as shown on the charts.
Since this is the first access point with two Multi-Gig ports, I also tested these ports' wired performance, and they performed as expected, sustaining at over 2200Mbps or the general speeds of 2.5Gbps after overhead.
Other than that, the Zyxel NWA130BE ran completely silent and procured very little heat, even during extended heavy operations.
Zyxel NWA130BE Wi-Fi 7 Access Point's Rating
Pros
Wi-Fi 7 support with reliable Gigabit-class performance; good coverage coverage
Dual 2.5Gbps ports
Compact, mount-ready design; full local web user interface; generous free-tier cloud-based management
Cons
No power adapter or PoE injector included
Mid-range Wi-Fi 7 specs
Conclusion
The Zyxel NWA130BE BE11000 Wi-Fi 7 Triple-Radio NebulaFlex Access Point doesn't have anything earth-shattering. It's a mid-tier Wi-Fi 7 access point that gets the job done.
However, at less than $180, it is an excellent upgrade for those wanting to move to Wi-Fi 7 without digging a hole in their wallet while keeping their existing network largely intact.
And that's a good thing. Consider one today!
Does the NWA130BE actually support MLO as mentioned in this article?
The current v6.70 user guide for Zyxel’s AP lineup states “The Zyxel Device does not support MLO at the time of writing.”
Any idea if it’s something that will be implemented at a later date?
MLO wasn’t available during the testing, the feature simply wasn’t there within the standard yet at the time. But it’s just a matter of firmware and this AP will get it eventually if not already. I wouldn’t count much on the features, though, since it can be a headache.
hello.
I’ve got a 1995 2000sq ft split foyer, not wired for ethernet. 1Gbps symertrical fibre from ISP, with a 2.5Gbps internal LAN.
I’m looking at 2 of the 11000’s, one on each floor. They will be about 25′ from each other, with a floor between. They’ll be my wifi AP’s but I’d also like to use them as a wireless backhual, utilizing MLO, between my upstairs & downstairs equiptment, so I can get rid of the 100′ patch cable currently connecting my switches (1 upstairs, 1 downstairs).
can they accomplish this without considerably slowing down my internal 2.5Gbps LAN?
Thanks
No, Miles, Wi-Fi can never replace network cables in performance and reliability. Among other things it’s always half duplex. Don’t do it!
copy that DongKT. thanks for the reply.
👍
Do you have RG6 coax cable for cable TV?
What about using MoCA 2.5 with 2.5gigabit Ethernet to be the backhaul? (It sounds like your 100 foot patch cable is running up the stairs, not in wall like the coax is?)
Hello! I’m wondering — what is it about the lower-end broadcasters that makes them slower with just a single 2×2 320MHz client? I’m assuming the 4×4 radio only matters for multiple clients or bandsplitting…. 🙂
Do you know if the higher-end broadcasters have *better* individual radios, better antennae / antenna arrangement, or more powerful CPU’s to make sense of those 4096 QAM constellations?
Seeing less than half of the 3000Mbit/sec “theoretical real world” speed is… disappointing, and I can’t help but wonder what the actual limiting factor is.
It’s often the channel-width being used or the network port or both. More on Wi-Fi speeds in this post. Many broadcasters often not use the highest channel-width for compatibility and and stability reason. In this particular case, the AP might not have supported Wi-Fi 7 fully at the time.
Hello Dong. I just wanted to leave a comment and say I ordered this be11000 AP from Zyxel after reading your generally positive review. However I had nothing but nightmares with the device this weekend.
It arrived with the latest firmware installed thankfully, but anytime I connected 4+ clients it would crash , becoming unresponsive via the ethernet IP, and all wireless devices failing to obtain IP.
A power cycle would correctly reboot the device, but it seems whenever I connected my Roku TV and accessed my Plex service the AP would have a full seizure and spiral all over again.
I have never experienced a client device causing an AP to lose its mind in over 25 years of wireless devices.
I powered it with both a standard 12V power brick as well as the Zyxel branded PoE injector, and both devices presented this issue.
I’m not really interested in helping pay to beta test devices for networking companies, so it’s going back for a full refund. I’m just sorry to say I cannot agree with your assessment on this one.
From what you described, it looks more like an issue with your router than the AP. Also, in my experience, those “years of experience” tend to be the reason folks make wrong assumptions. To put it bluntly, they think they know more than they actually do and jump to fast and incorrect conclusions. But thanks for the input.
I had considered the router could be the source of the issue – however these symptoms have never been present with the Netgear Nighthawk AP the Zyxel replaced. My router is the latest version of OPNSense running on custom build hardware.
I hold a degree in C.S. & Mathematics, and have been working on PCs and general computing devices since the mid 1990s. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I’ve probably set up 100+ router/ap configurations.
I understand the role of DHCP and NAT on my router, and I understand the role of a wireless AP. I have also been reading your reviews for several years which is why I was surprised to find this devices so unstable in a way I haven’t seen since the days of early 802.11g.
I’m also not sure how OPNSense running on a separate device could cause an AP to physically lock up and become unresponsive. Checking in OPNSense’s DHCP lease section shows the AP’s IP lease still valid, but the device shows offline. No other devices are attempting or receiving the same IP on lease – I see no overt conflicts.
I’ve plugged mine back in for a couple of hours now and haven’t experienced any issues with half a dozen clients.
You might have gotten a defective one, or I’m just lucky.
I have an outhouse 9 meters away from my main residence and I am thinking of getting 2 of those and use them in mesh mode, do you think this router will be enough?
You don’t need a mesh mode for this, a single unit mounted in the outhouse with the network cable going back to the main residence will do. More on using access points in this post. Good luck!
Thanks, wiring the Access Point over to the outhouse wont be the best solution for us, as the outhouse is on a hill ( the wire has to go over a wall and some rocks), and we dont really want to drill any holes to get the wire out of the house. So the idea was to wire from the router (or from my POE+ Ethernet switch) to the first AP facing the outhouse and then wirelessly connecting it to the other end. My cable router is WIFI 6 (we most likely disable the WIFI functionality and use it just as a cable modem), so that means will get a bonus upgrade to WIFI 7 . Hopefully the signal will be powerful enough. There aren’t any great obstacles between the outhouse and the main residence that could block the signal, just a small tree, and we can place the AP so that is line of sight (other than the wooden wall in the outhouse, and the window in the main residence) to the AP in the main residence.
Checked your AP post as well. Thank you again for your response.
👍
There are point to point Wi-Fi links that you aim at each other to accomplish this. Put one on the main house aimed at the outhouse, one on the outhouse aimed at the main house. An example is EWS850AP from engenius – instead of configured to act as an AP for client devices, you configure them to each other, and they establish the wireless link between buildings. It’s not as good as wired, but it works.
Just curious Dong, may I ask what are the clients of different Wi-Fi standards you used for testing?
Also do you mind sharing the floor plan or house/office layout of your testing environment (10ft & 40 ft)?
Thanks
Check out this post, Jason.
For a 4-level townhome with a centralized wiring closet with cat6 to each floor, and 2gbps internet service, would you recommend two Zyxel NWA130BE or WBE660S (with a separate network outer and POE switch) or two of the TP-Link Deco BE85, placed on the first and third floor? I guess my question boils down to, for optimal home multi floor wireless coverage, do wireless routers marketed as mesh systems have advantages over wireless access points? I understand some wireless points can be configured to operate in a mesh configuration, but this functionality is almost never reviewed, and it is unclear to me whether WIFI7/6E wireless products marketed as mesh systems have unique throughput-enhancing or coverage-enhancing features that WIFI7/6E access points do not.
Mesh is not necessarily wireless, Ken. More here.
For the speed you have, wired backhauling is generally recommended. This post on mesh setup will explain that at answer the rest of your questions. For your case, you want one of these.
Good luck!
I ask because the product datasheet for the WBE660S indicates it “DCS” and “load balancing” and “Fast roaming Pre-authentication, PMK caching and 802.11r/k/v.” And it states:
“The WBE660S ensures an optimized wireless experience for users with a range of wireless features such as Dynamic Channel Selection (DCS), Load Balancing and Smart Client Steering. DCS minimizes the interference of co-channel and overlapping channels. Load Balancing enables administrators to set limits on the number of clients associated with each AP. Furthermore, Smart Client Steering features with Band Select, Signal Threshold and Band Balancing combine to deliver stable, reliable wireless connections. Band Select and Signal Threshold monitor the capabilities of each wireless client and steer them to the less-congested band and AP with better signals. Band Balancing detects dual-radio and triple-radio clients and distributes clients across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands on AP. All of these deliver a smooth, consistent and uninterrupted wireless experience to its users. ”
I see similar statements in the marketing materials for some products you list in your multi-gigabit router article, which suggests that these access points may provide similar functionality.
They all do have those function, but the implementation depends on the system you use. Generally, enterprise/business class gives you more in-depth control but you’ll need to know before you can set it up. Home devices tend to do that for you but the effect is hit or miss. It’s not as simple as turning things on or off. Follow the links in my previous reply fore more. And this post on Wi-Fi settings will further explain stuff. There’s no quick or easy answer and if you take marketing language as truth or the base of your expectation, you’ll be disappointed.
What about reviewing the TP Link EAP773 / 783 and Ubiquiti U7 pro? Any plans?
If you pay for their costs, Imaad, I’ll work on them as soon as I get a chance. Else, you just have to wait and see. 🙂