Wireless

WLANs caught fire in 2003, and network managers felt the heat, struggling to find ways to manage and secure them. We strove to help. Early in the year, we discovered two useful products for analyzing WLAN traffic and radio environments, Network Associates Sniffer Wireless and AirMagnet Duo. We were also impressed by AirDefense Guard, an IDS (intrusion detection system) that can identify a wide range of policy violations, from rogue devices to poor network performance.

Our search for the perfect WLAN management solution included comparative roundups and stand-alone reviews of both gateways and WLAN switches. Among the gateways, we found the strongest security in the offerings of Cranite Systems and Bluesocket, but the manageability and scalability of Vernier Network's gateway made it our top scorer of the year. As do gateways, WLAN switches combine management and security features, but they typically rely on proprietary APs (access points) to detect rogue devices, ensure QoS, and even detect intrusions. We found Aruba Wireless Networks’ switch to be the strongest in security, Trapeze Networks’ to be the easiest to set up and use, and Airespace’s to be the best all-around WLAN switch, although only by a slim margin.

Gateways and switches often support roaming across wireless subnets. But if your organization requires maximum mobility, roaming solutions from ipUnplugged and NetMotion Wireless take it a step farther. Both solutions currently support only Windows devices but maintain network sessions and even application persistence across both wireless — including Wi-Fi, CDPD (cellular digital packet data), and GPRS — and wired networks.

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802.11 Hardware

3Com Access Point 8200
3Com, 3com.com
Very Good (7.4)
Cost: $749, as tested
Bottom Line: This AP boasts solid 802.11a and 802.11b performance, although 802.11a speed dropped rapidly with distance. The simple management console is easy to use, but it lacks some enterprise-ready features.

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Cisco Aironet 1200
Cisco Systems, cisco.com
Very Good (7.9)
Cost: $849, as tested; 5GHz module, $500
Bottom Line: This AP offers generally solid 802.11a and 802.11b performance and management. Distance and performance tests met our expectations, but 802.11a speed dropped rapidly with distance. The complicated management console provides excellent control.

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D-Link AirPlusExtremeG
D-Link Systems, dlink.com
Good (6.5)
Cost: DI-624 router, $140; DWL-650G adapter, $75
Bottom Line: This WLAN router and adapter are solid entries in the early 802.11g market, but proprietary technology means they're best suited to 802.11g-only environments. Distance and performance met expectations under 802.11g, but they were disappointing in mixed mode.

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