The most recent articles from PC Magazine

Buffalo Airstation G54

Alex Arias — 2004-09-13T15:54:08.000Z

Alex Arias, PC Magazine, Monday 13 September 2004 at 15:54:08

An easy and secure way to share your broadband.

Sharing broadband connectivity over a wireless link continues to grow in popularity, and Buffalo's latest offering, the G54 AirStation, provides a good option for the home market.

Buffalo has concentrated on security, making it easy to implement and manage secure wireless home environments.

It offers a four-port switch and supports the 802.11g standard. Although it has a built-in router you'll require an Ethernet-based ADSL modem to get connected to the Internet.

If you've used older Buffalo products you'll notice some cosmetic changes to the management interface, which is easily accessed over a web browser. It's straightforward to navigate, with the more detailed settings for the unit located in its advanced section.

The basic wireless settings can be tweaked and it's possible to adjust the power settings or whether to broadcast the SSID, for example. It also it supports the Wireless Distribution System, so that it can act as a wireless bridge.

The stateful packet inspection firewall can filter at the packet level, allowing you to set up sophisticated rules to prevent unwanted users or applications from gaining access. However you need to have more than a basic understanding of networking to implement these successfully.

It's possible to set up intrusion alerts to be sent as an email or network broadcast to a particular PC on the network.

Buffalo's AOSS (AirStation One-touch Secure System) should help users to set up secure wireless connections to other AOSS-enabled devices.

At the rear of the unit a red button, which is a little fiddly to reach, activates the detection process when pressed for three seconds. Activating AOSS on a client seeks out the router and assesses its supported security protocols.

If both devices support TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol), the router generates a key based on random variables such as the time and date. The TKIP key is generated and passed through the router to the client.

When the key is activated, it re-associates with the router's randomly generated SSID. As you add additional devices, security is negotiated at the highest level possible for all devices on the network. However, it will automatically lower the security settings for itself and for other clients from TKIP to 128-bit WEP if devices that only support 128-bit WEP are added to the network. You can add non-AOSS devices by manually obtaining the SSID and WEP keys from the G54's management interface.

The AOSS technology can be downloaded on to existing Buffalo PC clients and some older equipment.

The system isn't foolproof, though, and as with all security devices you have to be cautious.

Packaged with a WLI-CB-G54 CardBus PC Card, the AirStation offers good value and security for the money.

Currently AOSS is proprietary to Buffalo, although this may change as Buffalo is trying to license the technology to other vendors.

Contact: Buffalo (01753) 555015

www.buffalotech.co.uk

Specifications:

Frequency band 2.4GHz spectrum
Wi-Fi Certified 802.11g/b
Management Web browser HTTP
Number of ports 4xLAN
10/100Base-TX
1xWAN 10/100Base-TX
Security WPA, WEP, Privacy separator, Intrusion detector, SPI firewall, AOSS
Warranty Two-years RTB

Fluke Networks Optiview Series II INA

Alex Arias — 2004-08-24T12:24:37.000Z

Alex Arias, PC Magazine, Tuesday 24 August 2004 at 12:24:37

Help for network managers.

Fluke recently released the latest version of the OptiView Integrated Network Analyser, adding new features to what was already a highly functional network troubleshooting tool aimed at professional users.

The unit itself has not changed in physical format - it uses the same tablet form factor with a touch sensitive display, although this now operates at a higher resolution. But its base operating system has been upgraded to run a customised and locked down version of Windows XP.

The real work is done using a custom network analysis board, which provides analyses at full wire speed, and is capable of coping with gigabit network speeds.

A wide range of testing tools are available including protocol analysis, SNMP discovery and mapping tools, RMON2 probe and a UTP cable tester. It's also possible to troubleshoot wireless LANs in tri-band - although this is an add-on option and requires a proprietary wireless card from Fluke costing £2,866 (all prices ex VAT).

The basic OptiView comes with a single 10/100Mbit/s wired interface. A 100Base-FX fibre connector is available on the OptiView Pro (£11,473), while the top of the range OptiView Pro Gigabit has a hot pluggable 1000Base-X interface card (£15,936).

Once connected to a network, automatic discovery is triggered and it instigates a search for manageable devices. There is now an estimated time for completion, which was previously lacking, again a minor but useful update. The summarised data is then presented.

Detailed analysis on WAN environments and on VLANs can be carried out, although some of this is dependant on the model of switch. and both are extra cost features (WAN £1,116, VLAN £1,909).

The usual cable testing facilities are included, and it's also possible to create different traffic loads to assist with stress-testing the network. Capturing and decoding network packets for troubleshooting is done using the Expert viewer application. This automatically decodes and categorises problems throughout the OSI layer.

Reports can be generated using the OptiView Reporter software in a variety of formats including HTML. It can be deployed as a semi-permanent monitoring station, accessible via a web browser.

The OptiView Series II is a rounded tool to help supervise and keep a network in optimum condition. Although it's portable, the limited internal battery life makes it more of a desktop than a handheld tool. Even though the pricing has dropped it's still really only an option for the enterprise market.

Contact: Fluke (01923) 281300

www.fluke-networks.com

Specifications:

Wireless standards supported 802.11b/g/a
Weight 2.1Kg without external battery
Battery life 1 hour (internal)
Interfaces 1xVGA 2 USB
Connectivity RJ-45 10/100Base-T Ethernet, 100Base-FX (OptiView Pro), 1000Base-X (OptiView Pro Gigabit)
Warranty 2 years RTB

Proxim Orinoco AP-4000

Alex Arias — 2004-06-24T14:26:09.000Z

Alex Arias, PC Magazine, Thursday 24 June 2004 at 14:26:09

Access point goes three ways.

Proxim's AP-4000 tri-band wireless access point (supporting 802.11a, b and g) allows wireless users to connect regardless of the standard they use. It's aimed at the enterprise market, where multiple standards can cause real headaches.

This inconsequential-looking tiny white box certainly disguises a well featured access point. The necessary enterprise level tools are available, such as support for IEEE 802.3af Power-over- Ethernet for awkward deployments. The supplied Scan tool automatically locates the AP and let you set the IP address to match your network.

As with nearly all network appliances, it's managed over a secure Web browser, using the familiar Proxim interface, which you'll find clear and easy to navigate.

The network settings for both .11a and .11g can be set with ease, with granular control over user access. Ethernet protocol filtering on each interface can help to manage traffic over particular parts of the network.

It's possible to set security settings for multiple groups using a variety of methods. These can include security measures such as certified WPA for IEEE 802.1X mutual authentication. You also get dynamic per-user, per-session rotating keys, intra-cell blocking (designed to prevent client-toclient snooping) and the ability to create up to 16 VLANs per radio. There is also Radius accounting support, typically used for hotspot installations.

The AP will also exist happily in large, multiple access point environments with WDS (Wireless Distribution System) allowing AP-to-AP communication.

An external antenna connector lets you boost the coverage range if needed, and built-in rogue AP detection for both 802.11b/g and 802.11a access points should allow administrators to keep control over their networks.

For high uptime environments, there's automatic reconfiguration of network parameters, including security policies, in the event of power loss. Rollback of software or configuration changes allows you to recover from incorrect settings. It also supports the next generation encryption standard (AES), which should ensure a smooth upgrade to 802.11i when it becomes available.

Proxim's Orinoco 11a/b/g Gold PCMCIA ComboCard can be used to connect to the access point although, disappointingly, only Windows drivers are supported. It's straightforward to install and simple to manage.

The range of advanced features makes the Proxim Orinoco AP4000 an attractive enterpriselevel product, although it could be used in any areas where 802.11a installations co-exist with the more popular 802.11g standard.

Contact: Proxim

www.proxim.com

Specifications:

Processor: 220MHz MIPS 4000
Memory: 16MB RAM, 8MB Flash
Dimensions: 198x121x25mm
Frequency band: 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrums
Wi-Fi standards: 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g
Management Web browser: Telnet, CLI, Proxims WNM, SNMP, MIB-II
Number of ports: 1 x serial port; 1 x 10/100-Base-Tx
Warranty: Access point - one year RTB; ComboCard - three years RTB

Price details:

AP-600 £549 (ex VAT)

ComboCard £70 (ex VAT)

Inexq ISW054U

Alex Arias — 2004-06-23T12:05:07.000Z

Alex Arias, PC Magazine, Wednesday 23 June 2004 at 12:05:07

SoHo wireless router.

As broadband continues to grow in popularity, the combination of a high-speed Internet connection and wireless networking becomes even more appealing. Inexq meets this need with the ISW054u, designed for the home or small office with a cable or Ethernet-based ADSL modem.

Its silver casing includes a NAT firewall, a four-port auto MDI/MDIX switch and a USB printer port. The wireless access point is based on the 802.11g standard.

Installing the device is fairly straightforward. The manual gives you the default IP address, which can then be used to connect to the browser-based management interface.

The interface won?t win any awards for design, but it is easy enough to navigate to the appropriate configuration pages with a mouse click or two. The basic wizards get you on to the Internet but they won?t help you set up the wireless LAN.

A built in DHCP server automatically allocates IP address to both wired and wireless clients. IP filtering allows you to manage traffic based on IP addresses. Basic URL filtering can be applied, but there?s no anti-virus option.

Wireless security is based on MAC address filtering and the ability to prevent the broadcast of SSID. Standard WEP encryption is supported up to 128-bit. WDS (wireless distribution system) can be used to aggregate additional access points.

It?s a solid product, and its combination of core functionality and price make it an attractive entry-level product.

Contact: Inexq

www.inexq.com

Specifications:

Firewall: NAT
Protocols supported: DHCP, PPoE, TCP/IP, VPN pass-through
Printing protocols: TCP/IP Windows LPD
Ports: Four 10/100Mbit/s auto switching; one WAN port
USB connection: USB 1.1 printer port
Wireless standard: 802.11G, 2.4GHz
Warranty: One year RTB

Netgear Prosafe FWG114P

Alex Arias — 2004-03-11T12:04:45.000Z

Alex Arias, PC Magazine, Thursday 11 March 2004 at 12:04:45

Not just a SOHO router.

Network appliances for the small office/home office (SOHO) sector should offer low cost and easy administration. Netgear's FWG114P multifunction appliance meets both these criteria and offers extra features that cover many of the requirements for home or small office use.

Designed for broadband, it's a lot more than a basic router, with an integrated firewall, 802.11g access point and a print server. Like other Netgear products it is easy to install, using helpful wizards, and has a clear, Web-based interface.

To make the upgrade process easier if you have an existing broadband modem or router, it supports MAC address cloning, so you don't have to re-register with your ISP.

The product is based on a stateful packet inspection firewall and provides intrusion detection - a safer approach than just NAT - that offers advanced content filtering capabilities.

It also allows you to establish access policies, for instance based on the time of day. Port forwarding, DMZ and Dynamic DNS support more advanced uses such as running a web server.

Wireless connectivity uses the 2.4GHz, 54Mbit/s 802.11g standard, and provides backward compatibility and a degree of longevity. As with all wireless environments, security is an issue and Wi-Fi Protected Access is available as a firmware upgrade. As standard it offers 128-bit WEP encryption or MAC address access lists.

Up to 64 wireless clients can connect to the AP, although the limited bandwidth of 802.11g makes that impractical. Up to 253 LAN clients are supported. It lacks WDS (Wireless Distribution System) support, although this isn't really an issue for the target market.

Software is provided for the print server, with a USB 2.0 connection on the unit for the printer. It supports peer-to-peer or Windows printing, but this was fiddly to set up. It's also worth checking which printers are supported as it's not comprehensive, although most popular Canon, HP, Epson and Lexmark models are on the list.

The four-port switch offers scope for connecting additional PCs. Redundancy isn't usually found in this price range, but the FWG114P has a failover DB9 serial port for an ISDN or analogue modem, with extensive hardware support. The serial port also supports a single RAS (Remote Access Server) client.

Management information is gathered via logs that can be emailed to administrators, and remote management is possible over an SSL connection.

This tiny box certainly pulls its weight, and is suitable for a wide range of uses in even quite large SOHO environments. Although it's targeting a highly competitive market, its ease of use and extensive features are compelling.

Contact: Netgear 01344 39702

www.netgear.co.uk

Specifications:

Dimensions (DxWxH) 32 x 188 x 124mm
Firewall type Stateful packet inspection
Protocols supported NAT, DHCP, PPoE, TCP/IP, VPN pass through
Printing protocols TCP/IP, Windows LPD
Ports 4 x 10/100Mbit/s Auto Uplink LAN, 1 x 10/100Mbit/s Auto Uplink WAN
USB interface USB 2.0
Wireless standard 802.11G, 2.4GHz
Physical security Kensington lock slot
OS support Windows 95 or above, Netware, Linux, Unix, Mac
Warranty 3 years RTB

Netgear FSM726S

Alan Stevens — 2002-06-19T11:27:55.000Z

Alan Stevens, PC Magazine, Wednesday 19 June 2002 at 11:27:55

An Ethernet switch that pushes down the cost of managed networking.

The FSM726S is Netgear's first managed Ethernet switch. Delivered in a rack-mount format, the switch features 24 10/100Mbit/s and two Gigabit Ethernet ports.

All of the ports come supplied with UTP interfaces, along with a pair of GBIC slots for optical cabling on the Gigabit ports. In addition, there are two independent stacking ports available for expansion.

Up to six units can be stacked in total, the independent interfaces avoiding the need to use any of the front-panel Ethernet ports.

The management features of the FSM726S, however, are of the most interest. The new switch offers support for all the key management protocols, including Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and remote network monitoring, as well as port trunking, Spanning Tree, quality of service and virtual local area network configuration.

As such, it can be managed and monitored using all of the leading SNMP consoles, including the likes of Hewlett Packard's OpenView, IBM's Tivoli and others.

In addition to this, Netgear has implemented its own embedded web-based graphical user interface to simplify the management process for smaller businesses.

Price: £599 (ex. VAT)

Contact: Netgear 01344 397 021

www.netgear.com

3Com OfficeConnect Cable/DSL Gateway

Alexander Arias — 2002-05-27T16:28:51.000Z

Alexander Arias, PC Magazine, Monday 27 May 2002 at 16:28:51

Firewall protection makes this a useful networking product.

The latest addition to the 3Com OfficeConnect range of small-business networking products is a Cable/DSL gateway.

This slimline unit can share a broadband cable or DSL connection with users on a local network. Firewall protection is an added bonus.

There's no cable or DSL interface built into the broadband gateway. Instead, a separate cable or DSL modem is required, to which the gateway connects using the supplied 10Mbit/s Ethernet connection cable.

An integrated Ethernet switch then allows the gateway to communicate via existing local area network infrastructure or, on a small network, direct to up to four desktop PCs.

A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server is built into the gateway to assign local IP addresses if required. There's also support for port and network address translation.

Additionally, the 3Com Gateway offers security through an integrated firewall, enabling small businesses to block hack attacks. Specifically, the gateway can protect against denial of service attacks, where the network is flooded with traffic, and other common scenarios.

In addition, the gateway enables secure encrypted traffic of a Point to Point Tunneling Protocol or IPSec virtual private network to pass through unblocked for remote office and remote access applications.

A device discovery wizard makes for easy installation, while a choice of predefined configurations means that the gateway can be up and running in a matter of minutes.

Ongoing management is via an intuitive and clearly set out browser-based interface, with help boxes to provide instant explanations for each option.

With network address translation turned on, outside access is effectively blocked, but there's a virtual server capability to allow internal web, email and other servers to be accessed via the wide area network port.

Support for File Transfer Protocol and Microsoft NetMeeting is also built in, with a pull-down menu allowing traffic for applications to be passed by the gateway. Remote management is also supported and users can specify an individual IP address to allow management across the internet.

Status and diagnostics LEDs at the front help troubleshoot any problems and there's a comprehensive downloadable log file. As with other 3Com products, a lifetime limited warranty is provided with online firmware upgrades also available.

Price: £108 (ex. VAT)

Specifications:

Wan ports: 1 x 10Mbit/s Ethernet

Lan ports: 4 x 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet, auto MDI/X detection

Power supply: External adapter

Contact: 3Com 01442 438000

www.3com.co.uk