SonicWave is SonicWall's line of wireless access points built on the 802.11ax (WiFi 6) standard. Unlike standard access points, SonicWave APs integrate directly with SonicWall firewalls to scan all wireless traffic using deep packet inspection, including SSL/TLS encrypted connections, providing enterprise-grade threat protection at the wireless layer.

All SonicWave 600 series access points use the 802.11ax standard, also known as WiFi 6. This provides improvements over WiFi 5 (802.11ac) including support for MU-MIMO on both uplink and downlink, 1024 QAM for higher throughput, and up to 75% reduction in latency, with overall throughput improvements of up to 400% in high-density environments.

The SonicWave 621 is the entry-level model with 4 internal antennas and a 2.5GbE uplink, suited for small offices and branch locations. The SonicWave 641 steps up to 8 internal antennas and MU-MIMO 4x4, adding a second LAN port for mid-size deployments. The SonicWave 681 is the high-capacity model with 12 internal antennas, a dedicated third radio for security scanning, MU-MIMO 8x8, and a 5GbE uplink, designed for high-density environments like hospitals and large campuses. The 681 also requires 802.3bt PoE (Type 3) rather than the 802.3at used by the 621 and 641.

SonicWave access points can operate in standalone mode managed through SonicWall Wireless Network Manager (WNM) in the cloud. For the full deep packet inspection scanning of wireless traffic, including content filtering, application control, and Capture ATP, a connected SonicWall firewall is required. The firewall handles all security scanning for traffic passing through the network.

Zero-Touch Deployment allows network administrators to register and provision SonicWave access points without on-site configuration. Using the SonicWall SonicExpress mobile app on iOS or Android, APs are automatically detected and provisioned once powered on. This significantly reduces deployment time and eliminates the need for a skilled technician at each remote site.

SonicWave access points integrate with SonicWall Wireless Network Manager (WNM), a cloud-based management platform that provides centralized visibility and control over any number of APs from a single dashboard. WNM includes wireless analytics, RF spectrum analysis, WiFi Planner for site survey and AP placement, and supports scalable deployments from a single office to thousands of locations.