Xirrus XS-3900 offers out-of-this-world Wi-Fi capacity

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: NETWORK PRODUCT TEST RESULTS
08/23/05

Dear security.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* The Xirrus XS-3900, a wireless switch with 16 discrete access
  points encased in a ceiling-mounted housing, is put to the test
* Links related to Network Product Test Results
* Featured reader resource
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Special Report: Internal Intrusion Prevention: Providing
Network Security Inside the Perimeter

In order to meet the demands of today's enterprise IT
infrastructures, enterprises must deploy the right solution for
mitigating threats that target internal resources. This paper
discusses the requirements for enterprise-wide network security
- to monitor, analyze, and react to threats across the network
in real-time.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110805
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Today's focus:

Xirrus XS-3900 offers out-of-this-world Wi-Fi capacity

By Tom Henderson

Imagine 1,000 Wi-Fi users in a conference room or airport
connected to a single device and not hearing complaints about
their connection speed. That's the heart of the Xirrus XS-3900,
a wireless switch with 16 discrete access points encased in a
ceiling-mounted housing. The set of integrated access points
connected via internal switching aims to give a 2G bit/sec.
(full-duplex Gigabit Ethernet ) transmission vehicle for dense
Wi-Fi needs.

Giant smoke alarm or UFO?

The XS-3900 is an appliance that looks like an overgrown smoke
alarm (even Xirrus uses this analogy) with LEDs that give it an
extraterrestrial feel. The unit we tested supports 802.11a/b/g,
and needs the 802.11a component because of overlapping channels
in 802.11b/g . Four simultaneous 802.11a/b/g access points with
dedicated channels are supported, joined to 12 802.11a access
points with dedicated channels. The 802.11a access points have
antennas with 60-degree dispersion and two layers offset for six
channels on each layer. In our tests this gave very good 802.11a
coverage. External 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi antennas can add to the
unit's range and coverage, but this wasn't tested.

The four 802.11a/b/g antennas, which have 180-degree dispersion,
are overlapped by 90 degrees for additional coverage, and can
all share the same Service Set Identifier (SSID) or have
independent ones for each band (two total SSIDs). The 16
antennas, when used together, provide a large radial/axial
coverage area, with focused high-gain antennas that also push
dispersion (the signal) farther than regular access points. The
XS-3900 is designed to handle 1,024 users, or 64 users per IAP.
In theory, the bandwidth afforded to each user within this
context at Gigabit Ethernet rates should yield 128M bit/sec.

To read the entire clear choice test on the Xirrus XS-3900, see:
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlprodrev5680>

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Cisco preparing management play
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlprodrev5681>

2. VoIP security threats: Fact or fiction?
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlprodrev3819>

3. Questions surround smartphone security
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlprodrev5682>

4. CLECs play a new tune
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlprodrev5683>

5. Google goes berserk
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlprodrev5684>

Today's most-forwarded story:

Cisco preparing management play
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlprodrev5685>
_______________________________________________________________
To contact:

Henderson is principal researcher for ExtremeLabs in
Indianapolis. He can be reached at thenderson@extremelabs.com.
Laszlo Szenes of ExtremeLabs contributed to this story.
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponosred by Arbor Networks
Special Report: Internal Intrusion Prevention: Providing
Network Security Inside the Perimeter

In order to meet the demands of today's enterprise IT
infrastructures, enterprises must deploy the right solution for
mitigating threats that target internal resources. This paper
discusses the requirements for enterprise-wide network security
- to monitor, analyze, and react to threats across the network
in real-time.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110804
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Clear Choice Tests archive:
http://www.networkworld.com/reviews/index.html
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FEATURED READER RESOURCE
WIRELESS LANS BUYER'S GUIDE: THE GOODS ON 185 PRODUCTS

We've compiled the largest buyer's guide ever on wireless LAN
equipment. Whether you're looking for an access point, PC Card
or trying to decide between 802.11a, b or g, take a look at the
information that vendors have provided us. We've got the goods
on 185 products. Click here for more:
<http://www.networkworld.com/bg/wlan/index.jsp>
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