Cisco Wireless Router and Switch Services

While the preceding devices are the most common that organizations use in constructing and maintaining a WLAN, Cisco offers other devices that can help your organization provide a robust, feature-rich wireless solution.


Cisco 3200 Series Wireless and Mobile Routers

To connect mobile networks to a wireless network, Cisco offers its Cisco 3200 Series wireless and mobile routers, shown in Figure 1-19. Contained in rugged enclosures and offering 802.11g functionality, these small devices (they are about as wide and long as a pen) can fit in vehicles or in outdoor locales. They offer the capability to transfer voice, data, and video across mobile wireless networks.


These routers are targeted at public safety, homeland security, defense agencies, and transportation agencies that need a durable router in a compact design that can be installed in vehicles.


Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches

The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches are a popular line of Cisco switches. In addition to serving wired clients, these switches can also be upgraded with a WLAN Services Module (WLSM). The WLSM is a key component of the Cisco SWAN architecture and enables fast, secure WLAN roaming within and across IP subnets. It also enhances WLAN security and smoothes out WLAN deployment and subsequent management.


Cisco Wireless 7920 IP Phone

Convergence is bandied about in the world of technology. Think of convergence as a techie's Swiss Army knife. We have cellular telephones that can play video games and MP3s players that can take pictures. Who knows what else they will be able to do in the coming years. Cisco is no stranger to the world of convergence. In the realm of wireless networks, one of the more compelling and useful devices is the Cisco Wireless 7920 IP phone. This telephone, shown in Figure 1-20, looks like a cellular telephone; however, it connects via the WLAN infrastructure (through an Aironet AP, for instance) then to the organization's gateway to allow VoIP telephone calls.

The phone uses the 802.11b protocol and Cisco CallManager. The product is ideally suited for environments in which users need telephony, but are constantly on the move and cannot be pinned down to a hardwired telephone. For example, hospitals, warehouses, universities, and retailers are ideally suited for these telephones.


Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX)

As wireless technology has exploded in popularity, Cisco has seen the necessity for providing a mechanism through which third-party vendors can ensure compatibility among products. As a result, Cisco developed the CCX program.

Through the CCX program, WLAN vendors licensefree of chargeWLAN technology from Cisco. After that technology is implemented into the vendor's product, it is tested at an independent, third-party lab. If the product passes the testing procedures, the vendor is allowed to add a Cisco-compatible logo with the product, indicating that it not only works with Cisco equipment, but also takes advantage of advanced features. Intel is an example of this program in action. The company earned Cisco-compatible status with its Centrino mobile technology. This has been integrated in a number of laptop computers, such as Dell, Hewlett Packard, and Toshiba, among others.

The CCX program has been rolled out in three iterations. The requirements of CCX Version 2 build on the requirements of Version 1. For example, Version 1 of CCX security demands:

• WEP
• IEEE 802.11 and 802.1X
• Wi-Fi compliance
• Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL)

Version 2 also requires WPA compliance.

From connection for two wireless clients working in ad hoc mode to a hospital nurse connected via a wireless IP phone; from an enterprise connecting its clients and office buildings in a MAN to police cars equipped with wireless routers, Cisco has a number of devices that enable a plethora of wireless networking functionality.

Version 3 includes EAP-FAST, wireless multi-media, CCKM for EAP-FAST, and single sign on.