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).

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 NCC Discovery 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 Reset 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.

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 Standalone Configuration for detailed information about the standalone Web Configurator screens.

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 switches and gateways. Your network can also be managed through your smartphone using the Nebula Mobile app. See Cloud Mode for an example NCC managed network topology.

NCC allows different levels of management. You can configure each device on its own or configure a set of devices together as a site. You can also monitor groups of sites called organizations, as shown below.

It graphically presents your device/network statistics and shows an overview of your network topology, as shown in the following figure. It also sends reports, alerts, and notifications for events, such as when a site goes offline.

See the NCC (Nebula Control Center) User’s Guide for how to configure Nebula managed devices. See Network if you want to change the Zyxel Device’s VLAN setting or manually set its IP address.

The Zyxel Device is in standalone mode by default, with NCC discovery enabled.

Register the Zyxel Device at the NCC website and then turn on the Zyxel Device. Make sure that NCC Discovery is enabled (see NCC Discovery). The NCC manages the Zyxel Device automatically when it is discovered.

Unregister the Zyxel Device from the NCC organization/site. Reset the Zyxel Device to factory defaults (see Resetting the Zyxel Device).

ZON Utility is a program designed to help you deploy and manage a network more efficiently. It detects devices automatically and allows you to do basic settings on devices in the network without having to be near it.

The ZON Utility issues requests via Zyxel Discovery Protocol (ZDP) and in response to the query, the device responds back with basic information including IP address, firmware version, location, system and model name in the same broadcast domain. The information is then displayed in the ZON Utility screen and you can perform tasks like basic configuration of the devices and batch firmware upgrade in it. You can download the ZON Utility at www.zyxel.com and install it on your computer (Windows operating system).

Before installing the ZON Utility on your PC, please make sure it meets the requirements listed below.

At the time of writing, the ZON Utility is compatible with:

Here are the minimum hardware requirements to use the ZON Utility on your PC.

If you want to check the supported models and firmware versions later, you can click the Show information about ZON icon in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Then select the Supported model and firmware version link. If your device is not listed here, see the device release notes for ZON Utility support. The release notes are in the firmware zip file on the Zyxel web site.

The following table describes the icons numbered from left to right in the ZON Utility screen.

The following table describes the fields in the ZON Utility main screen.

You can use the following ways to configure the Zyxel Device.

The Web Configurator allows easy Zyxel Device setup and management using an Internet browser. If your Zyxel Device is managed by the NCC or an AC, use this only for troubleshooting if you cannot connect to the Internet. This User’s Guide provides information about the Web Configurator.

This is the primary means by which you manage the Zyxel Device in cloud (NCC) mode. With the NCC, you can remotely manage and monitor the Zyxel Device through a cloud-based network management system. See the NCC User’s Guide for more information.

Zyxel One Network (ZON) Utility is a utility tool that assists you to set up and maintain network devices in a simple and efficient way. You can download the ZON Utility at www.zyxel.com and install it on your computer (Windows operating system). For more information on ZON Utility see Zyxel One Network (ZON) Utility.

The CLI allows you to use text-based commands to configure the Zyxel Device. You can access it using remote management (for example, SSH or Telnet) or via the console port. See the Command Reference Guide for more information.

This protocol can be used for firmware upgrades and configuration backup and restore.

Do the following things regularly to make the Zyxel Device more secure and to manage it more effectively.