D-Link DWL-8600AP
Unified Wireless PoE Access Point, Simultaneous Dual Band 802.11n

Overview:

The D-Link® DWL-8600AP is the next generation Unified Access Point supporting the IEEE 802.11n standard with Plenum-rated metal chassis. Versatile and powerful, this device can be flexibly deployed as a standalone wireless Access Point or as a managed Access Point (AP) managable from a wireless controller or unified wireless switch. Businesses can start with an intelligent DWL-8600AP that provides many advanced Wireless LAN functions, then migrate to a centrally managed system anytime later by integrating the same DWL-8600AP with a D-Link unified wireless switch or controller.

Blazing Wireless Speeds

IEEE 802.11n offers up to six times increased throughput when compared with existing 802.11a/g networks. The DWL-8600AP is also fully backwards compatible with 802.11a/b/g clients. While operating at 802.11n it allows for a 2x2 configuration with two Tx and Rx streams for each radio. Multiple In Multiple Out (MIMO) and wider bandwidth channels increase physical transfer rates while using 802.11. MIMO allows for more information to be coherently resolved by using several antennas instead of a single antenna. By employing the DWL-8600AP today, you can prepare your business for the future generation of wireless devices and mobile applications.

Advanced Power Saving

The DWL-8600AP features scheduled and unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery (APSD). Unscheduled APSD (U-APSD) is a power management method that is more efficient than older 802.11 Power Save Polling. The primary benefit of U-APSD is that it allows for the voice client to synchronize the transmission and reception of voice frames with the AP, thereby allowing the client to go into power saving mode when not sending or receiving packets. The DWL-8600AP is fully compliant with 802.3af even when operating at maximum power.

Centrally Managed From Unified Wired/Wireless Switch

The DWL-8600AP can operate in conjunction with a D-Link unified wireless switch or controller. In this mode, multiple DWL-8600APs can connect directly or indirectly to a DWS-4026 to provide unparalleled security and wireless mobility for wireless clients. Each DWL-8600AP can be tuned by these switches to provide optimal Radio Frequency (RF) channels and transmission power for all mobile clients, giving them the best wireless signalsin both 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bandsfor uninterrupted connectivity.

When operating in conjunction with a Unified Wireless Switch or Controller, the switch automatically configures every reachable DWL-8600AP in it’s AP database so no configuration is necessary during installation. If a DWL-8600AP needs to be replaced, the replacement DWL-8600AP automatically inherits the same configuration, making the replacement process a simpler one.

Intelligent Standalone Access Point

The DWL-8600AP has everything on board that enables network administrators to set up a secure wireless network and to connect to any Ethernet-compliant switch and router. Advanced wireless functions that the DWL-8600AP supports include: WEP data encryption, WPA/WPA2 security, client MAC address filtering, AP load balancing, QoS/WMM (Wireless Multimedia), and Rogue AP Detection. Security configuration settings can be locally stored on the DWL-8600AP itself. Wireless connections can easily be expanded by adding more DWL-8600APs or other 802.11a/g/n compliant APs to the site. With AP Clustering, up to eight APs can form a cluster for convenient management and configuration of all APs. Businesses without complicated network requirements can use the DWL-8600AP to get a wireless network set up and running without the need for any additional special hardware.

Flexible Dual Band Wireless LAN Connectivity

The DWL-8600AP delivers concurrent wireless performance and maximum wireless signal rates in both frequency bands simultaneously. With dual band connectivity, two wireless networks are created both running at full bandwidth speeds, offering a significant increase in total network capacity. At the same time, the DWL-8600AP remains fully backward compatible with the 802.11b standard in the 2.4GHz frequency.

Optimal Wireless Performance

The architecture of most current wireless LAN controllers requires wireless traffic to return to the controller for centralized processing, providing unnecessary traffic delay. The DWL-8600AP, when operating with a D-Link Wireless Switch or Controller, offers administrators extra options. Depending on the wireless application, wireless traffic can either be tunneled back to the switch for better security control or locally forwarded at the Access Point for optimal performance. This device offers administrators maximized flexibility with options to tunnel guest traffic to the switch for centralized security control, and forward VoIP traffic delivery from the Access Point for optimal performance.

The DWL-8600AP furthermore supports AP Clustering andWireless Distribution System (WDS).WDS allowsfor the AP to act as a wireless bridge, connecting two different networks to each other without the need for a cable.

Total Security & Quality of Service

The DWL-8600AP can continuously scan both frequency bands and their associated channels to detect rogues while simultaneously providing wireless connectivity to mobile clients. If a rogue is detected, it reports the result to the Unified wireless switch or controller that manages it. From a management console, administrators can identify the rogue AP and take appropriate action. The DWL-8600AP supports 64/128-bit WEP data encryption, WPA/WPA2 security and multiple SSID per RF band. Connected to the Unified wireless switch or controller, these functions along with wireless user MAC Address Filtering and SSID Broadcast Disable can be used to set up security and limit outsiders’ access to the internal network. The DWL-8600AP supports 802.1Q VLAN Tagging and WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) for important wireless transmissions such as VoIP and streaming media applications, delivering critical user-based services,such as prioritized delivery of voice traffic.