Enterasys beefs up WLAN security

Enterasys last week announced wireless LAN access points and a wireless switch for controlling and securing Wi-Fi network access.

The vendor introduced the RoamAbout AP4102 Unified Access Point , a device that can act as a thin or stand-alone access point. Also announced was the RoamAbout AP1002, a dual-radio 802.11a and 802.11b/g thin access point. To control these devices, Enterasys introduced the 8400 Wireless Switch.

The gear is targeted at large corporations looking to secure their current wireless LAN (WLAN) infrastructures or build one from scratch.

The 8400 Wireless Switch is designed to sit in a data center and control as many as 120 thin access points across a LAN, directly connected to the switch or not. The box includes four Gigabit Ethernet ports and provides services such as fast handoffs of traffic from roaming clients among access points, automatic radio frequency adjustments, and rogue access-point detection and physical location pinpointing. It supports five times as many thin access points as the 8100 Wireless Switch, which was introduced in May.

When attached to a 8400 Wireless Switch, or Enterasys' previously announced 8100 device, the AP1002 provides simpler management and security control than a stand-alone access point, because all configuration, intelligence and processing are done on the switch, Enterasys says.

For smaller deployments, or if more intelligence is required on the access point, users can deploy the AP4102 Unified Access Point, which can run as a thin access point, connected to a Wireless Switch or as a stand-alone device that sits on the network with its own IP address.

The box also can act in LAN-LAN mode, or as a wireless bridge between two wired networks, such as a link between two adjacent buildings with no connecting copper or fiber.

The RoamAbout 8400 WLAN is available and starts at $12,000. The AP4102 is scheduled to be available next month for $700, and the AP1002 in December for $450.

Trapeze, AirDefense unite

Also on the WLAN front, Trapeze Networks and AirDefense have announced a partnership to integrate their respective WLAN switch and security products. AirDefense's wireless intrusion-detection and intrusion-prevention technology will be integrated into Trapeze's Mobility Point access-point hardware, allowing the devices to detect WLAN intrusions and collect data on attacks. The integration will involve a software upgrade for Trapeze products.

The integration is part of a broad Trapeze effort to cooperate with vendors such as Aruba, Cisco and D-Link to allow third-party WLAN access points and switches to work together.