The 3Com 11 Mbps Wireless LAN Access Point 8000 (AP 8000)is just that - an access point. But with added security features, it does more than just allow users to see their network files. The AP 8000 supports Wi-Fi, 802.11b, and 802.1x wireless networking standards, as well as your standard Ethernet connections.

The AP 8000 has an embedded HTTP Web management server in each access point that works with any web browser that supports HTML and Java Script. This makes it easy for web configuration, management, and firmware upgrades. While the antenna will support a transmission distance of up to 300 meters, you can configure the range to meet specific coverage requirements, minimizing interference. Managing the AP 8000 with your existing network software is also possible, for it supports SNMP, HP OpenView, and 3Com Network Supervisor.

As for the security features, the AP 8000 supports 40-bit WEP encryption, 128-bit shared encryption, and RADIUS (Remote Access Dial-In User Service). It also supports Extensible Authentication Protocols (EAP) that can integrate with the network infrastructure. If you use the AP 8000 in conjunction with 3Com's 11 Mbps Wireless LAN PC Card with XJACK antenna, you can also take advantage of Dynamic Security Link technology, which creates a unique security key every time a user logs in for a session.

The AP 8000 supports up to 256 simultaneous users, and shifts data transmission rates between 11, 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps according to distance and network conditions. DHCP support automatically assigns IP addresses to devices that come on the network.

The AP 8000 measures 8.172 x 5.673 x 3.321 inches with the antenna perpendicular, and 9.966 x 5.673 x 1.610 inches with it parallel.

Pricing and Availability

The 3Com 11 Mbps Wireless LAN Access Point 8000 is currently available for $899.00.