D-Link launches 802.11n access points for SMBs

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Tuesday, 14 October 2008 07:58

Business IT - Networking

D-Link in the US is launching 802.11n WLAN access points specifically for the SMB market, to increase adoption of wireless N in business despite the lack of final 802.11n ratification. Although these access points are US-only for now, D-Link Australia says it will launch them early in 2009.

Although D-Link has offered 802.11n wireless networking gear for some time, just like its competitors, the new “AirPremier N” DAP-2590 and DAP-2553 access points are its first 802.11n access points (APs) specifically aimed at businesses.

The first is the DAP-2590, a “Plenum-rated chassis version” of the AirPremier N Dual Band Access Point, which is now shipping. It’s housed in a “rugged metal housing for adherence to strict fire codes for placement in air passageways” and comes with “robust features tailored for SMBs”.

Coming in Q4 is the DAP-2553 Dual Band Access Point, a non-Plenum-rated version for “growing businesses” wanting to deploy 802.11n networks, while both are due in Australia in “early 2009”, according to a local D-Link spokesperson. 

D-Link is hoping to encourage businesses to take up wireless N technology despite the lack of an official ratification, with the units in theory able to be upgraded to the final N spec via a firmware upgrade (when ratified sometime in 2009), as most consumer N wireless routers are also marketed today.

A standard business feature is the integrated 802.3af PoE (power over Ethernet) support, so either can be “mounted in locations where power outlets may not be readily available”.

Three detachable antennas are also standard, supporting “up to” 300Mbps speeds in either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz wireless bands, while also supporting Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) QoS (Quality of Service) for “data, video and voice applications”.

A.J. Wang, Chief Technology Officer, D-Link, said: “"These new 11n APs provide all the advanced features of the AirPremier Series including multiple operation modes and flexible management.

“They are designed for the SMB looking for the benefits of a selectable dual band access point while maintaining backward compatibility to 802.11a and 802.11g – and are ideal for indoor mounting because they offer the option of a Plenum-rated chassis."

What about security features, something more important than ever for businesses, especially in light of the announcement that the processing power of NVIDIA’s latest graphics cards can be used to quickly hack WPA and WPA encryption, and pricing?

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