3com Wireless LAN Controller WX4400 gateways/controller

Lets Users Connect Securely to the Wireless LAN and Roam
As part of the 3Com® Wireless LAN Mobility System, the 3Com Wireless LAN Controller WX4400 with 3Com Wireless Switch Manager software centrally manages and controls 3Com wireless LAN Managed Access Points (MAPs) for those networks demanding complex deployments, or with multiple offices or highly secure LAN requirements.

Control MAP configuration and optimize radio-frequency (RF) coverage and performance using the wireless controller managed from the 3Com Wireless Switch Manager accessed anywhere on the network. With a few keystrokes, change parameters for multiple MAPs, eliminating the time-consuming task of individually configuring each device, and providing simple setup.

Because wireless clients are mobile, 3Com uses innovative Identity-Based Networking™ to deliver network services based on user identity instead of ports or devices. Multiple controllers and switches, grouped into a Mobility Domain™, share user databases to support mobility and security across the entire network infrastructure, including remote offices.

The 3Com Wireless LAN Mobility System significantly enhances 3Com's existing foundation of wireless security with centralized security management. The exchange of user-based information within the Mobility Domain adds an entirely new level of control for user and group access to network resources. Once more, sharing user-specific security policies between WLAN controllers and switches results in a consistent enforcement of user and group attributes across the WLAN as the user roams.

3Com WX4400 and WX2200 wireless controllers, WX1200 switches, and WXR100 remote office wireless switches can be mixed and matched together within a Mobility Domain to manage and control thousands of MAPs for unparalleled scalability.

The WX4400 wireless controller, initially configured to support 24 MAPs, is expandable in increments of 24 MAPs to support up to a total of 120 MAPs for "pay as-you-grow" flexibility.

- By providing a Layer 2 path for Layer 3 traffic, 3Com wireless controllers, switches and MAPs operate as an integrated infrastructure separated by L2/L3 devices even in distributed remote networks, making it easy to expand or modify the WLAN as needed
- Quick handoff of user information and authorizations within the Mobility Domain enables seamless fast roaming with session integrity and mobility robust enough to support voice traffic
- Per-user encryption assignment enforces different security policies on a per-user or per-group basis for flexible, in-depth security control and management
- Local or RADIUS server 802.1X authentication helps ensure that only authorized users access the network, and centralizes authentication control and management of all network users
- Virtual Private Group™ support enables IT staff to assign policies that control per-user or per-group network access throughout the WLAN for secure seamless roaming, and keeps user traffic separate and secure
- Mobility Profile™ specifies which MAP or LAN authentication ports a user or group can use, allowing IT staff to dynamically apply access permissions based on attributes returned by the AAA server
- Wireless controllers can shoulder backend encryption key generation and authentication tasks, reducing the processing load and increasing the scale and efficiency of central AAA RADIUS servers while reducing AAA traffic over the WLAN
- User, MAC, and VLAN "globbing" allows IT staff to assign AAA policies to user, subnet, or device groups for convenient, efficient, cost-effective WLAN administration
- Bonded authentication helps make sure only trusted users and client devices access the network, by bonding 802.1X machine authentication with 802.1X user authentication
- RF scans measure signal strength and usage; software tools dynamically adjust traffic loads, power, RF footprint, or channel assignments to maximize coverage with capacity
- Optional hot-swappable power supply offers additional system redundancy.
- Support for Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) and SpectraLink provide Wireless IP Telephony (VoIP) capabilities today
- Four dual-purpose Gigabit ports support 1000 Mbps copper, or fiber with GBIC modules, for flexible Gigabit Ethernet backbone and server connections