Finally, as in any wireless deployment, management is key. Most of the products we tested support SNMP--a step in the right direction. Enterprises with large installations of dual-mode APs will find Intermec's and Cisco's devices enticing because they offer central management suites that can be purchased separately.
With these issues in mind, we gave Cisco's Aironet 1200 AP our Editor's Choice award despite it being the priciest AP we tested: At $1,399, it's more than five times the cost of the least-expensive unit. In its favor, the 1200 offers an excellent mix of performance, range, ease of configuration and installation, and management options. Linksys' WAP51AB snagged our Best Value award because it held its own against rival APs in range and performance, all for just $279.
Cisco's Aironet 1200 Series AP, true to its Aironet heritage, delivers superior performance, impressive range and a strong feature set to give administrators plenty of control over their networks' wireless segments. We tested the 1200 configured with dual 802.11b and 802.11a capabilities; it's also available in single 802.11b and 802.11a builds.
Encased in a sturdy cast-aluminum shell, the 1200 features mounting brackets that accommodate almost any installation. This coupled with the 1200's plenum-rating and support for PoE (Power over Ethernet) mean the device can be installed in nearly any location. Clearly overengineered to meet future needs, the 1200 is based on a modular radio design that will stave off obsolescence by letting future radio chipsets, like the upcoming 802.11g standard, be incorporated via field upgrades.
The 1200's 802.11b capabilities are handled by an internal mini-PCI card. Once the standards have been finalized, this module will be supplanted by an 802.11g-capable card, Cisco says. As for 802.11a, the 1200 was the only AP we tested that didn't incorporate the ubiquitous Atheros chipset. Instead the 11a module, developed in-house by Cisco through its acquisition of Radiata, is a PCMCIA card with an attached paddle antenna capable of both omni- and directional-patch configurations. Marrying the antenna to the radio complicates the installation somewhat, but that's a requirement for FCC certification of 5-GHz products that make use of the lower four nonoverlapping channels. To thwart thieves, the module can be padlocked to the AP, though nothing keeps passersby from altering its omni or patch orientation, which could prove to be a headache.
We got the 1200 running quickly. After connecting to our test network, the 1200 grabbed an IP address from our DHCP server. We could then access the device from any PC on our network. Cisco offers an impressive range of functionality via the 1200's Web-based management interface, though we found it somewhat cluttered and difficult to navigate. Managing to sidestep a shortcoming of many dual-mode APs, Cisco nicely integrated options for both radios into its configuration pages.
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