- LAN-WAN Design and Implementation
- Site-to-site Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
- Secure Wireless Access Points (SWAPs)
- POINT TO POINT WIRELESS SOLUTIONS
A properly designed network can dramatically improve both overall system performance
and network resiliency. DTS can help you select the core devices that operate
your network, both within your offices and between remote locations.
With over 10 years experience in computer networking technologies, we examine
your network traffic and bandwidth requirements, then design a solution using
products from leading manufacturers including 3com, Cisco, and Sonicwall. Whether
you chose to implement dedicated, private leased circuits or Virtual Private
Networking (VPN) across the Internet, our consultants can help guide you through
the process of balancing performance and ongoing costs.
A virtual private network (VPN) is a network that uses a public telecommunication
infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or individual
users with secure access to their organization's network. A virtual private
network can be contrasted with an expensive system of owned or leased lines
that can only be used by one organization. The goal of a VPN is to provide
the organization with the same capabilities, but at a much lower cost.
A site-to-site VPN connects two or more geographically separated offices using
your existing Internet connections. A VPN-capable device is installed at each
location, creating a secure encrypted “tunnel” to transmit private
data across the public Internet.
DTS provides installation and support for Sonicwall based VPN devices.
When implementing a wireless corporate network, privacy is key. DTS offers
two industry-leading solutions to provide secure, reliable wireless networking
systems.
Click on one of the following products to learn more...
- Sonicwall SonicPoint
- Cisco Airespace
Sonicwall Wireless Access Solutions
Excerpts from the Products Section of www.sonicwall.com
Employees have embraced the freedom and conveniences afforded by laptops,
PDAs and other mobile devices and are now demanding easier connectivity with
the corporate network. As a result, businesses need to provide their workforce
with both wired and wireless connectivity. Simultaneously, corporate networks
are growing and evolving, which means they need to expand with greater speed,
flexibility and economy. This creates a dilemma. How can you accomplish both
without compromising network security?
SonicWALL’s complete line of integrated wired and wireless solutions
makes it easy to add secure wireless into an existing network infrastructure
or to create a new wireless network from the ground up. By enforcing the use
of IPSec encryption to create a VPN on the wireless LAN, SonicWALL wireless
solutions deliver airtight wireless and wired security to keep even the most
aggressive hackers out of your network. A robust suite of integrated features
and services provides the network flexibility and security today’s businesses
need, whether you have a small, standalone office or a large business with
a distributed network deployment.
Secure Wireless
Solution
SonicWALL SonicPoint and SonicPoint G
SonicPoints are tri-mode, dual band, dual radio, IEEE 802.11a/b/g
compliant, dependent access points that provide secure mobility and wireless
LAN connectivity for users on the network. For customers requiring
deployment, flexibility, the SonicPoint G is a dual-mode, single band,
IEEE 802.11b/g dependent access point with detachable high gain antennas.
Ø Comprehensive Wireless and Wired Security. The
SonicWALL Secure Wireless Solution provides total security enforcement, central
management and scalability for both the wired and wireless networks through
a single security platform.
Ø Automatically Provisioned. SonicPoints
provide plug- and-play capabilities for automatic configuration and management
from the SonicWALL security appliance using pre-defined profiles.
Ø WPA Support using TKIP or AES. In
keeping with industry standards, SonicPoints can also support WPA for added
security to the wireless network.
Ø IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) Receive Capability. Accepts
Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) allowing easy deployment, especially where
electrical power is not readily accessible.
SonicWALL Power over Ethernet (PoE) Injector
The PoE Injector is an IEEE 802.3af compliant power injector that detects
the presence of 802.3af compliant devices and “injects” power
into the Ethernet cable.
Ø Remote Power Feeding. PoE Injectors
reduce the cost of deploying a wireless network infrastructure by supplying
power directly to the SonicPoint through a standard Ethernet cable.
Ø IEEE 802.3 Compliant. PoE Injectors
deliver standards-based 802.3af Power over Ethernet automatically to SonicPoints
or any 802.3af compliant device.
Ø Ease-of-use. Take advantage of the
PoE Injectors’
plug-and-play capabilities for rapid deployment of your wireless infrastructure.
Ø Advanced Auto-sensing Algorithm. Utilize
the PoE Injectors’ built-in intelligence to automatically determine and
supply power only to devices that can accept 802.3af power over the Ethernet
connection.
Cisco Wireless Access Solutions
http://www.cisco.com/
Cisco Systems and Airespace Co-Branded Products
Cisco Systems® now offers several new wireless LAN (WLAN) products that
expand and accelerate the delivery of important WLAN features and capabilities
for the Cisco® Integrated Wireless Network. These new products, based on
the recently acquired Airespace product portfolio, include the Cisco Aironet
1000 Series Lightweight Access Points, the Cisco 2000 Series, 4100 Series,
and 4400 Series Wireless LAN Controllers, the Cisco Wireless Control System
(WCS) and the Cisco Wireless Location Appliance. These new Cisco Systems and
Airespace co-branded products deliver the control, scalability, and reliability
that organizations need to build secure, enterprise-scale wireless networks—from
branch offices to main campuses.
The Cisco Integrated Wireless Network is an evolution of the Cisco Structured
Wireless-Aware Network (SWAN) available from Cisco since 2003. The Cisco Integrated
Wireless Network includes two secure, enterprise-class WLAN solutions: the
Cisco Distributed WLAN Solution and the Cisco Centralized WLAN Solution. These
new products are available as components of the Cisco Centralized WLAN Solution.
The Cisco Integrated Wireless Network cost-effectively addresses the WLAN security,
deployment, management, and control issues facing enterprises. This framework
integrates and extends wired and wireless networks to deliver scalable, manageable
and secure WLANs with the lowest total cost of ownership. The Cisco Integrated
Wireless Network provides the same level of security, scalability, reliability,
ease of deployment, and management for wireless LANs that organizations expect
from their wired LANs.
Cisco offers the most innovative and comprehensive suite of WLAN solutions
in the industry, addressing a wide variety of customer deployment scenarios
and requirements. Customers can confidently deploy Cisco wireless products
knowing that their Cisco WLAN investment is protected. Cisco has designed a
smooth migration plan for all Cisco wireless products that includes a variety
of deployment options, software enhancements, scalability features, security
capabilities, hardware advances, and wired + wireless integration enhancements.
Cisco will continue to lead the industry in the integration of wired and wireless
networking with best-in-class secure WLAN solutions.
DTS recommends Cisco Aironet Wireless Access Points
As WLAN deployments expand, security, scalability, reliability, ease of deployment,
and management become increasingly important. Cisco provides a comprehensive
line of access points that deliver enterprise-class features for business-ready
wireless LANs.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Access points are critical elements of the Cisco® Unified
Wireless Network. Cisco single- and dual-band access points are designed for
offices and similar environments, challenging radio frequency (RF) environments,
and the outdoors. The devices are available in two versions, those configured
for lightweight operation in conjunction with Cisco wireless LAN controllers
and the Wireless Control System (WCS) as well as those configured for autonomous
operation in conjunction with the CiscoWorks Wireless LAN Solution Engine (WLSE).
Autonomous access points, along with the WLSE, deliver a core set of features
and may be field-upgraded to lightweight operation and an advanced feature
set.
To make the best choices for their particular applications,
customers need to understand the features and benefits of the different Cisco
Aironet® access points. This solution overview details the capabilities
of each of the devices in the Cisco Aironet wireless access point family.
MANAGEMENT
PARADIGM
As wireless LANs become increasingly mission-critical
and evolve in terms of scale and capabilities, the way the wireless deployment
is managed must evolve as well. As each customer and each deployment is unique,
Cisco provides differing feature sets and differing management paradigms to address
these customer-specific requirements.
Cisco provides a core feature set that includes autonomous
access points and the CiscoWorks WLSE management appliance. The core feature
set provides a base set of capabilities that are required for enterprise
deployments. Core features include secure connectivity through support for
802.11i/Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2), fast and secure Layer 2 roaming, and
interfaces to a variety of third-party applications and products. Most Cisco
access points are available in versions designed for autonomous operation.
These devices may be upgraded in the field to lightweight mode, thereby providing
customers with a smooth path from core to advanced features.
The Cisco advanced wireless LAN feature set is delivered
by lightweight access points, wireless LAN controllers and the Wireless Control
System (WCS) management application. The advanced feature set represents the
most comprehensive set of capabilities in the industry including guest access,
wireless intrusion detection, scalable Layer 3 mobility, and available location
services. Most Cisco Aironet access points are available in versions designed
for lightweight operation.
DEPLOYMENT
ENVIRONMENTS
Wireless LANs are becoming commonplace in numerous
environments, including offices, schools, factories, and warehouses-and even
the outdoors. At the same time, the wireless industry is evolving from lower-capacity,
single-band devices to high-capacity dual-band solutions. The Cisco Aironet
family of access points meets these various application requirements, providing:
• Single- and dual-band access points
• Devices designed for indoor and outdoor deployments
• A consistent hardware feature set and predictable
RF performance for deployment across the enterprise
As WLAN deployment expands into more applications and
installation scenarios, a diverse line of access points is required to meet
the associated capacity, coverage, and environmental requirements. Cisco provides
access points with either single 802.11g radios for up to 54 Mbps of capacity
or dual-radio access points supporting both 802.11g and 802.11a for up to 108
Mbps of combined network capacity. The Cisco product line includes access points
designed for offices and similar facilities such as hospitals and retail environments,
challenging RF environments like factories and warehouses, and the outdoors.
These devices can be installed on desktops, on walls, on ceilings, above ceilings,
and on top of poles.
While application requirements may vary, Cisco understands
that all enterprise customers require uncompromised network security, scalable
manageability, and an evolving set of network services. That''s why all Cisco
Aironet access points, regardless of form factor and capacity and regardless
of whether they operate in lightweight or autonomous mode, support the Cisco
Unified Wireless Network, a framework for wired and wireless integration
that delivers the security, manageability, and services that enterprises have
come to expect from Cisco on both wired and wireless networks.
SOLUTION
Addressing
Feature Requirements
As wireless LAN usage has evolved from basic transport
for largely transactional applications, so have the feature expectations of
wireless LAN users and administrators. This evolution has evolved, however,
on a segment-by-segment, customer-by-customer basis. It is critical for Cisco
to provide differing feature sets to best fit differing customer requirements.
Given that customer requirements can evolve during the lifetime of a wireless
LAN deployment, it is also necessary to provide a means of smoothly upgrading
this feature set for the installed base of products with minimal disruption
to network operations.
Cisco''s advanced wireless LAN feature set offers the
features required for most enterprise deployments. Some deployments may not
yet require these advanced capabilities. To address these evolving requirements,
customers can select either access points preconfigured for lightweight operation
and the advanced feature sets, or can upgrade autonomous access points in the
field to lightweight operation. With Cisco, customers can choose the feature
set that is right for them at the time that it is right for them. Table 1 provides
a summary of the operational capabilities of various Cisco Aironet access points.
Table 1. Operational Capabilities
of Cisco Aironet Access Points
Cisco Series |
Autonomous Operation |
Lightweight Operation |
1000 Series |
No |
Yes |
1100 Series |
Yes |
No |
1130AG Series |
Yes |
Yes |
1200 Series |
Yes |
Yes |
1230AG Series |
Yes |
Yes |
1240AG Series |
Yes |
Yes |
1300 Series |
Yes |
No |
1500 Series |
No |
Yes |
Addressing
Capacity Requirements
In just a few years, WLANs have evolved from proprietary
systems with sub-Mbps capabilities to standardized offerings operating at
as much as a combined data rate of 108 Mbps. These high data rates are
available in both the 2.4 GHz band with 802.11g technology and the 5 GHz
band with 802.11a technology. 802.11g offers backward compatibility with
802.11b devices, but is limited to three non-overlapping channels in the
2.4 GHz band. 802.11a provides no backward compatibility but supports as
many as 23 channels (depending upon local regulations). To provide both backward
compatibility and high capacity, WLAN client vendors are migrating to dual-band
802.11a/g-capable client devices. In 2006, 802.11a/g devices are expected
to become the predominant type for embedded and aftermarket client adapters
designed for laptops, desktops, and even PDAs. Over time, these dual-band
capabilities are expected to extend to almost every WLAN client device, including
application-specific devices like voice handsets, barcode scanners, and radio
frequency identification (RFID) scanners.
Deploying an infrastructure that takes full advantage
of the expanding capabilities of the client base makes sense if capacity
is currently an issue or is expected to become an issue during the useful
life of the infrastructure devices. Given the rapid expansion of wireless-enabled
devices, increasing capacity requirements are likely to apply to most WLAN
installations. For this majority of applications, access points that support
both 802.11a and 802.11g represent a better long-term value, particularly
given their low price premium relative to single-band devices. For the few
applications that are not expected to present capacity issues in the near
term, customers can choose single-radio access points. Table 2 summarizes
which Cisco access points support 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.
Table 2. Cisco Aironet Access Point
Support for 802.11a/b/g
Cisco Series |
802.11b |
802.11g |
802.11a |
1000 Series |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
1100 Series |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
1130AG Series |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
1200 Series |
Yes |
Yes |
Optional* |
1230AG Series |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
1240AG Series |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
1300 Series |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
1500 Series |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
* With a hardware upgrade module, the Cisco Aironet
1200 Series access point may be field-upgraded to support 802.11a.
Office
Access Points
Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series IEEE 802.11a/b/g Access
Point
Packages high capacity, high security, and enterprise-class
features to deliver wireless LAN access for a low total cost of ownership.
The device is available in either a lightweight version, or as an autonomous
version that may be field-upgraded to lightweight operation. With support
for both lightweight and autonomous operation, customers can enjoy the
simplicity and efficiency of a common hardware platform even while having
a hybrid lightweight and autonomous deployment. Designed for wireless
LAN coverage in offices and similar RF environments, this unobtrusive autonomous
access point features integrated antennas and dual IEEE 802.11a/g radios
for robust and predictable coverage, delivering a combined capacity of 108
Mbps. The product comes complete with all necessary mounting hardware to
provide for an installation that is both secure and consistent with contemporary
office décor. The mounting bracket locks the access point as well
as the Ethernet and console cables in place to prevent theft and tampering.
The Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series is ready to install and easy to manage, reducing
the cost of deployment and ongoing maintenance.
Cisco Aironet 1100 Series Access Point
Offers customers an affordable, easy-to-install, single-band autonomous access
point that features enterprise-class management, security, and scalability.
The device is available in an autonomous version only and does not support
lightweight operation. Legacy Cisco Aironet 1100 Series access points have
an 802.11b radio that may be field-upgraded to 802.11g; alternately, the Cisco
Aironet 1100 Series may be ordered with a single 802.11g radio that is backward-compatible
with 802.11b.
Cisco Aironet 1000 Series IEEE 802.11a/b/g Lightweight
Access Point Model 1010
Delivers 802.11a/b/g wireless LAN access with zero-touch
configuration and management. The Cisco Aironet 1010 is available only as a
lightweight access point and does not support autonomous operation. Unlike
the Cisco Aironet 1130AG Series, the Cisco Aironet 1010 requires additional
mounting bezels for office deployments and does not provide the same level
of security and tamper resistance that is provided by the 1130AG Series. As
the Cisco Aironet 1010 is limited to lightweight operation, customers with
hybrid lightweight and autonomous deployments cannot standardize on a single
hardware platform.
Indoor
Access Points for Challenging RF Environments
Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series IEEE 802.11a/b/g Access
Point
Delivers the versatility, high capacity, security,
and enterprise-class features required in more challenging RF environments,
such as warehouses, factories and retailers. The device is available in either
a lightweight or an autonomous version that may be field-upgraded to lightweight
operation. With support for both lightweight and autonomous operation, customers
can enjoy the simplicity and efficiency of having a common hardware platform
even while having a hybrid lightweight and autonomous deployment. Designed
for wireless LANs in rugged environments or installations that require specialized
external antennas, the Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series features diversity antenna
connectors for both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands to provide extended range, coverage
versatility, and more flexible installation options. The Cisco Aironet 1240AG
Series access points combines this versatility with industry-leading transmit
power, receive sensitivity, and delay spread for high multipath environments,
providing reliable performance and throughput under the most demanding conditions.
A second-generation dual-band access point, the Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series
supports IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE). The product comes complete
with all necessary mounting hardware to provide for an installation that is
both secure and rugged. The mounting bracket locks the access point as well
as the Ethernet and console cables in place to prevent theft and tampering.
Cisco Aironet 1200 Series Access Point
Offers the same versatility, high capacity, security,
and enterprise-class features demanded by industrial wireless LAN customers
in a single-band 802.11g solution. The modular device provides the flexibility
to field upgrade to a dual-band 802.11a/g network by adding a CardBus-based
802.11a upgrade module that can be easily installed into Cisco Aironet
1200 Series access points originally configured for 802.11g.
Cisco Aironet 1230AG Series Access Point
The Cisco Aironet 1230AG Series is a preconfigured
dual-band version of the 1200 Series, providing support for 802.11a and 802.11g.
This first-generation dual-band device does not, however, provide the same
performance and support for 802.3af PoE as does the 1240AG Series.
Cisco Aironet 1000 Series IEEE 802.11a/b/g Lightweight Access Point Model 1020
and 1030
Delivers 802.11a/b/g wireless LAN access with zero-touch
configuration and management. It provides diversity antenna connectors for
2.4 GHz operation and a single non-diversity connector for the 5 GHz band.
The Cisco Aironet 1020 is available only as a lightweight access point and
does not support autonomous operation. The device does not provide the same
extended operating temperature range as the Cisco Aironet 1230AG Series and
1240AG Series, and requires additional mounting hardware. It does not provide
the same level of security and tamper resistance as that is provided by 1230AG
Series and 1240AG Series. As the Cisco Aironet 1020 is limited to lightweight
operation, customers with hybrid lightweight and autonomous deployments cannot
standardize on a single hardware platform.
Cisco Aironet 1030 Lightweight Access Point is a version
of the 1020 with software capabilities that allow the device to be deployed
remotely from a wireless LAN controller. This unique capability makes
the 1030 ideal for small branch office deployments where local placement of
a wireless LAN controller is impractical or uneconomical.
Outdoor
Access Points/Bridges
Cisco Aironet 1300 Series IEEE 802.11g Wireless Outdoor
Access Point/Bridge
Provides autonomous access point, wireless bridge,
and workgroup bridge capabilities with enhanced WLAN security. For high-speed,
cost-effective wireless connectivity between multiple fixed or mobile networks
and clients, this ruggedized platform is ideal for public access for outdoor
areas, network connections within a campus area, or outdoor infrastructures
for mobile networks and users. Engineered specifically for harsh outdoor environments,
the Cisco Aironet 1300 Series is ideal for WLANs requiring outdoor coverage.
The Cisco Aironet 1300 Series is available in an autonomous version only.
Cisco Aironet 1500 Series Lightweight Outdoor Mesh
Access Point
The Cisco Aironet 1500 Series enables cost-effective,
scalable deployment of secure outdoor wireless LANs. With dual-band, simultaneous
support for IEEE 802.11a and 802.11b/g standards, the Cisco Aironet 1500 Series
employs a patent-pending Adaptive Wireless Path Protocol to form a dynamic
wireless mesh network between remote access points, and delivers secure wireless
access to any Wi-Fi-compliant client.
ACCESS
POINT FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Table 3 provides a summary of the Cisco Aironet access
points that are best suited for different environments.
Table 3. Cisco Aironet Access Points
for Different Environments
Cisco Series |
Offices and Similar Environments |
Challenging Indoor RF Environments |
Outdoors |
1000 Series model 1010* |
Recommended* |
Not recommended |
Not recommended |
1000 Series model 1020* |
Recommended*(Model 1030 for branch offices) |
Recommended1 (AP1020 or AP1030 [for remote
offices]) |
Not recommended |
1100 Series |
Recommended** |
Not recommended |
Not recommended |
1130AG Series |
Ideal |
Not recommended |
Not recommended |
1200 Series |
Recommended*** |
Recommended |
Recommended**** |
1230AG Series |
Recommended*** |
Recommended |
Recommended**** |
1240AG Series |
Recommended*** |
Ideal |
Recommended**** |
1300 Series |
Not recommended |
Not recommended |
Ideal** |
1500 Series |
Not recommended |
Not recommended |
Ideal* |
* For lightweight deployment only
** For autonomous deployment only.
*** Particularly for deployments above suspended
ceilings.
**** Can be deployed outdoors when deployed in a
weatherproof NEMA-rated enclosure.
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