Bandspeed to sell WLAN equipment and Management Software to SMBs

AUSTIN, US : Bandspeed has announced the introduction of its wireless LAN equipment and management software to be sold directly to the SME market through Bandspeed and authorized resellers. The new AirMaestro 3100AG Virtual Controller Access Point (AP) combined with Bandspeed’s AirMaestro WLAN monitoring and management software is a complete WLAN solution. It integrates simultaneous, dual-band Wi-Fi access, wireless security and spectral analysis into an automated, cost-effective system that is easy to deploy, manage and use.

Bandspeed’s AirMaestro distributed intelligence architecture is designed from the ground up to meet the needs of SMEs. While large-enterprise WLAN solutions are too complex and expensive and consumer-grade APs offer only the most basic features, AirMaestro brings enterprise-class performance and features to the mass market, and solves the most common WLAN pain points with features that include:

• Simplified deployment. APs automatically coordinate network deployment and dynamically optimize configuration settings to avoid interference. Wizard-driven tools provide easy installation and modification across the network by non-IT professionals.
• Centralized WLAN monitoring and management. Architecture allows for centralized monitoring and management of the WLAN environment. Each AP has an integrated spectrum analyzer that enables remote visibility into the RF environment for diagnosis of interference issues.
• Robust, automated WLAN security. Each AP incorporates a dedicated third radio that provides a non-disruptive WLAN security sensor. The Bandspeed AirMaestro solution includes automatic rogue AP detection, notification, and mitigation, automatically closing security breaches caused by unsecured and unauthorized APs on your network. State-of-the-art encryption and authentication provide enterprise-class security for authorized users.
• Fast roaming between APs for Voice. The AirMaestro solution provides seamless mobility for voice calls within the WLAN by providing fast handoffs between APs – less than 50msec.
• Low cost. Bandspeed’s AirMaestro hardware and software solution is over 80 percent less expensive than competing enterprise-class solutions and delivers greater functionality. AirMaestro’s RF monitoring is integrated with the Wi-Fi access network, eliminating the need to purchase a separate, more costly RF monitoring solution.

“Many small and medium enterprises are implementing WLANs to provide mobile network access to employees, guests, and contractors,” says Mark Tauschek, senior research analyst with Info-Tech Research Group. “Some rely on stand-alone distributed WLAN APs, while others look to vendors aimed at centrally managed enterprise solutions. Bandspeed offers a middle ground that will be attractive to many SMEs.”

Air Maestro Wi-Fi Access Point

The new AirMaestro Virtual Controller Wi-Fi Access Point is the first AP available from Bandspeed and includes three independent 802.11abg wireless radios. The default configuration supports simultaneous access for 802.11a and 802.11 b/g clients, while the third radio provides a non-disruptive, dual-band RF sensor for interference detection and rogue AP management. The third radio can also be configured to perform as an integrated spectrum analyzer. The AirMaestro distributed intelligence architecture allows the APs to collaborate on WLAN deployment and management, with inherent redundancy that eliminates bottlenecks and single points of failure.

AirMaestro WLAN Management Software

The AirMaestro WLAN Management Software offering includes the AirMaestro WLAN monitoring console and the AirMaestro WLAN management console. Both consoles allow for remote and centralized monitoring of multiple WLAN AP clusters via an intuitive graphical user interface, site surveying capabilities, rogue AP notification and classification, and a dual-band spectrum analyzer that allows for remote diagnostics of the RF environment, including interference classification. The AirMaestro WLAN management console expands on this capability to provide remote and centralized management for WLAN clusters, including expansive views of the network and wizard-driven tools for configuration management.

“As Bandspeed continues to focus on the needs of the SME market, we have seen increasing demand for a complete WLAN solution that is now available directly from Bandspeed. We are introducing the AirMaestro Access Point and WLAN management software in response to customer requests, and initial deployments are already underway,” said Bill Eversole, president and CEO, Bandspeed. “AirMaestro is designed not only for the SME enterprise market but also large enterprises servicing verticals such as retail, hospitality and industrial/warehousing segments.”