Watchguard is upping the capacity of some of its Firebox X Edge IPSec VPN appliances so more users can make connections simultaneously.

The family consists of two hardware platforms, one that supports connecting local devices via Ethernet cable and one that connects them via Wi-Fi. Each hardware platform comes in three models differentiated by the speed of their firewalling and encryption and the number of remote sessions they support.

When the devices were announced last year, the Firebox X5 and X5W supported five simultaneous remote users, now they support 17. The Firebox X15 and X15W supported 15 users and now support 30.

The Firebox Edge devices were designed for small businesses whose VPN use might grow. Since the hardware is the same for all the devices, customers can upgrade by buying additional licenses and freeing up capacity with a software key.

The wireless versions, which are just shipping, support both Wi-Fi protected access (WPA) and wired equivalent privacy (WEP) standardized security schemes. The built-in access points support 802.11 b and g standards.

If the devices are connected to the Internet via a broadband connection such as DSL and the link fails, they can be configured to dial in to the ISP to restore connectivity.

The boxes come with installation wizards to make its simpler for small businesses with small IT staffs to install them using less technical personnel.

Watchguard's management platform, System Manager, can centrally maintain device configurations and logs for the Firebox X Edge devices. System Manager also supports Watchguard's larger VPN gear.

The Firebox X5W cost $569; X15W costs $679 and X50W, which supports up to 70 remote users, costs $1,149.

Tim Greene is senior editor at Network World.