Systems, methods, and computer program products to provide direct external network access at an access point (AP) in a managed wide area network (WAN). The method may include establishing an application host interface (AHI) at an access point and receiving application data from one or more client devices connected to the access point. The method may also include determining that the application data is received from a permitted application as shown in a list of applications permitted to use the AHI and routing, using the AHI, the received application data to the data destination via the external network thereby bypassing the WLC.