We tested the AF7500 for enterprise networks. Despite its power, it is a compact 1U, rack-mountable unit weighing just eight pounds and 12 inches deep.
The client software encrypts and decrypts data sent to and from the device.
Installation was very intuitive, although it required some simple steps to configure the system, including the level of encryption desired (it is triple-DES by default) as well as the operating mode, which includes the option for FIPS protocol.
We tested the product on laptops, but the software is designed to protect most mobile devices, including PDAs, industrial scanners and IP phones.
AirFortress products can be used in isolation, but the suite excels when the ACS is used. The software, designed to sit on a dedicated server behind the wireless security gateway, is simple to use and offers an extended degree of access control for your wireless network.
Two forms of authentication are provided: device and user authentication. The device approach identifies computers through the physical device identifier assigned when the client software is installed. System administrators can allow individual devices access to the network.
The user approach is more traditional, with a user entering a user ID and password when accessing the network. These are assigned by the system administrator and the ACS can be configured to interoperate with existing Radius servers, LDAP or NT domain authentication systems.
