Comms vendor Siemens announced plans earlier this month to release 802.11n equipment that is designed to make deployment of the high-speed wireless networks easier and more affordable.

Siemens said a key feature of its forthcoming HiPath 802.11n access points (APs) is their ability to work with the same 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) systems that many firms already use to power older 802.11a/b/g APs, while still delivering full 802.11n functionality.

Siemens wireless vice president Luc Roy said 802.11n deployments require firms to “overcome the challenge of integrating with existing PoE LAN infrastructure”. This means not breaching the current Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3af standard, which allows a maximum of 15.4W to be delivered to network devices requiring PoE, over 100m of Category 5 copper network cabling.

Roy said that unlike rival 802.11n kit, Siemens’ HiPath technology uses around 12W and supports 802.3af without compromising coverage, throughput or the distance between the AP and WLAN controller.

According to Siemens, the only other option open to organisations looking to take full advantage of the 802.11n standard is to wait until the arrival of switches based on the IEEE’s 802.3at PoE spec, which is due to be ratified later this year. PoE switches based on 802.3at will provide at least twice the power of 802.3af kit, but will cost significantly more. Roy said most organisations have been deterred from implementing 802.11n systems by the perceived need to also invest in costly 802.3at PoE switches.

The HiPath APs will be available in March, Roy said, adding that “our wireless LAN controllers only need a software upgrade to cater for 802.11n and our wireless intrusion prevention system sensors can be software upgraded as well”.

Meanwhile, according to new figures from research firm Infonetics, the g lobal market for WLAN infrastructure equipment was worth $870m for the third quarter of 2007. Infonetics predicts WLAN switch and controller revenues will triple between 2006 and 2010.
Infonetics wireless analyst Richard Webb pointed out that Cisco still leads all three market segments ­ consumer, enterprise and service provider ­ although he did point out Aruba Networks’ improved performance in the enterprise market. “Cisco has an increasingly dominant position that looks unassailable, though other players such as Aruba Networks continue to improve their performance in the enterprise segment quarter on quarter,” he said.

One factor in Aruba’s favour could be its recent acquisition of WLAN management vendor AirWave Wireless. Quocirca analyst Rob Bamforth said that although Aruba would find it difficult to dent Cisco’s dominance, “the [AirWave] deal does give it opportunities in the enterprise market to place itself in front of customers who have Cisco kit, but use AirWave’s management platform to run their WLANs.”