New outdoor access point with integrated directional antenna for high-performance 300-Mbps wireless bridge links

London, UK, December 7, 2010 — Networking specialists LANCOM expand their outdoor wireless LAN portfolio with a highly integrated 802.11n access point with integrated directional antenna. The LANCOM OAP-321 transmits two data streams simultaneously, achieves net data rates of up to 150 Mbps, and it is approved for BFWA. It is the ideal solution for broadband site connectivity and for providers using wireless LAN to take high-speed Internet to rural areas. The access point is optionally available as a single unit or as a complete Wireless Bridge Kit for installing wireless bridge links.

The LANCOM OAP-321 promises maximum cost-effectiveness for point-to-point operations. It is the first outdoor access point in its class to have high-performance 5-GHz polarization-diversity directional antennas integrated directly into its housing especially for cost-effective point-to-point links (17dBi antenna gain). There is no need of external directional antennas with their associated costs and antenna-cable attenuation losses.

MIMO technology and a Gigabit-Ethernet interface enable the LANCOM OAP-321 to produce net data rates of up to 150 Mbps over wireless bridge links spanning up to 20 km. Providers benefit from BFWA support, meaning that the device is certified to transmit at an increased power output of 4 watts. For other uses, such as for public wireless hotspots, the omni-directional antenna supplied with the unit can be used as an alternative to the integrated directional antenna, as can any other sector antenna from the wide range of antennas in the LANCOM outdoor portfolio.

The access point has a highly robust IP66 protective housing and operates in temperatures ranging from -30°C to +70°C. It operates in the 2.4-GHz or 5-GHz frequency bands in compliance with the IEEE 802.11agn WLAN standard. Heating and cooling of the LANCOM OAP-321 is passive thanks to the specialized housing construction and high-quality components, meaning that the device can be powered by standard PoE (IEEE 802.af).

The device is supplied with a complete set of accessories: Mounting materials, outdoor cables and a standards-compliant 802.3af PoE adapter. The Wireless Bridge Kit contains two LANCOM OAP-321 access points and an accessory pack, plus two AirLancer Extender SA-LAN surge arrestors.

A wide range of security functions (802.11i, WPA, WPA2) keep the OAP-321's transmissions safe from attack—without any loss in performance. 802.1x and TACACS+ offer additional security and the professional management of administrators. Up to 8 SSIDs provide additional flexibility.

The LANCOM OAP-321 is available as of late December at a price of EUR 1199 excluding VAT. The LANCOM OAP-321 Wireless Bridge Kit is available at EUR 2579 excluding VAT.

The terms under which BFWA may be operated and the permitted transmission powers vary from country to country.

Providers wishing to deploy BFWA should refer to the relevant authorities for the valid specifications in their respective country.

Further information is available from the LANCOM web site www.lancom-systems.com.