NextHop debuts WLAN software for small & med size businesses

- Gary Thayer, News Editor

Mountain View, CA, Feb. 22, 2005 -- (MobileVillage) -- NextHop Technologies has announced wireless local area network (WLAN) software for small and medium sized businesses. The software integrates technology for Layer 2 switching, Layer 3 routing, MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching), and WLAN management and control.

NextHop's new WLAN software is composed of two elements, the NextHop Wireless Controller Software (WCS) and the NextHop Wireless Access Point Software (WAPS). In the first release, the NextHop WCS resides on an industry standard PC platform running Linux and provides centralized management and control of a wireless network. The NextHop WAPS can reside on any of several access point (AP) reference hardware designs in current production.

NextHop says its initial software is targeted at small to medium sized offices (20 to 200 people) -- which require the management of two to 20 access points in an integrated fashion. also plans to offer more scalable versions of its WLAN software that would serve up to several thousand people.

The WCS software provides security, authentication, mobility, QoS (Quality of Service), RF (radio frequency) control, and centralized management for WLAN (802.11) access points. The WAPS software supports 802.11 a/b/g and is linked to the centralized management software in the controller, says NextHop.

NextHop's AP software runs on a standard Atheros-based AP reference design. NextHop says it will be announcing specific silicon and ODM partners for its higher capacity WLAN controller solution. The company is also partnering with other software companies for WLAN radio planning and WLAN network management tools and integration.

NextHop WLAN product pricing is based on an up-front license fee, an annual subscription fee for software maintenance, and a per-unit royalty, and is available under NDA from NextHop.

For more information, see the NextHop web site.

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