SMB Networks / (none) /

Net.Worker briefs

Net.Worker, 09/24/01

Remote Macintosh users can now connect with Nortel VPN gear over dial-up Internet connections. Nortel has added a software client for Mac operating systems to its Contivity VPN equipment, which previously supported only Microsoft operating systems. Nortel says it will have a VPN client for Unix by year-end and has set out longer-term goals of developing clients for Linux, Solaris, IBM-AIX and HP-UX. These software clients require no upgrades to the Contivity VPN gear to which the clients connect.The telecom equipment giant also says that next month it will upgrade the software on its Contivity equipment to support the VPN client that Certicom makes for handheld devices. Called movianVPN, the software uses an encryption method that requires less processing power than the method typically used with VPN clients for more powerful PCs.

MCK Communications, at NetWorld+Interop 2001 in Atlanta, announced its MobileConneX PBXgateway, a device that extends the features of the corporate PBX to cell phones. Mobile users dial in to the gateway from a cell phone, and provide authentication and a dial-back number. The gateway then routes all incoming calls, and lets mobile users dial internal extensions, transfer calls, put calls on hold or initiate a conference call - just as if they were in the office. All unanswered calls are routed back to corporate voice mail. MobileConneX comes in 8-, 12- and 24-port versions and costs about $250 per user.

Quintum Technologies also announced its Tenor A200 voice/data router for remote and small offices. The box has four telephony ports - two public switched telephone network and two IP - and routes calls intelligently between a key telephone system or phone, the PSTN, and an IP network. It also handles two simultaneous voice-over-IP calls. Tenor A200 includes a four-port Ethernet switch and built-in router with a network address translation firewall and costs $699.

Hewlett-Packard and Research in Motion recently partnered to create software for printing e-mail and file attachments remotely over RIM's BlackBerry handheld devices. HP and RIM expect to launch the HP Mobile Enterprise Printing application some time next year.

Arescom last week debuted a series of wireless residential gateways. The AresGate 1000 Pro and AresGate 1000 Wireless LAN Gateway connect to a DSL or cable, or 56K bit/sec modem and let computers be networked via 802.11b wireless. Pricing has not yet been set.