Setup was a joy with Intermec's MobileLAN access utility. We connected the AP to our test network and the utility let us easily assign the IP address. From that point we were able to connect from any network PC to the device's onboard Web-based management configuration pages. The WA22 also supports DHCP once a static address is set and you gain access to the device's Web-based management page. Management difficulties present in many large wireless deployments are alleviated with WA22 installations thanks to Intermec's MobileLAN Manager, an add-on Java-based administration tool.
The WA22 supports SNMP and boasts a feature set, including wireless bridging and load-balancing capabilities for the 802.11b radio, that should more than meet most enterprise needs.
Range results for the WA22 were a mixed bag. The 802.11a half ran neck-and-neck with Linksys and behind only Proxim, but, like D-Link's DWL-6000 and Proxim's Orinoco AP 2000, the 802.11b portion of the WA22 posted lesser range distances than did the 802.11a radio. The reason is difficult to pinpoint because the propagation characteristics of the 802.11b radio should allow for greater range than its 802.11a counterpart. Nonetheless, Intermec acknowledged that these results were in line with its testing. The company added that typical installations of WA22 use higher gain external 802.11b antennas and requested that we try testing the unit with separate Intermec dipole antennas. We tested with the extra antennas to simulate what Intermec says is a real-world installation of the WA22. Although the results were not included in our official range findings, the numbers improved drastically; with the new antennas, range results mirrored Linksys'.
The WA22 posted respectable results in our performance testing. The 802.11a radio came away with just short of 22 Mbps, while the 802.11b radios got 4.75 Mbps. With a total aggregate throughput of 26 Mbps, the WA22 can handle the load of both radios transmitting at the same time.
Intermec also includes a port for a 100-Mbps fiber-optic connection, which lets the unit be linked to a fiber network via an MT-RJ connector. The WA22 can receive power only via PoE. While this can make some deployments easier because AP placement can be decided without power-outlet considerations, Intermec's PoE injector is absurdly large. At roughly six times the size of Cisco's injector, Intermec's PoE block can create space issues, cluttering drop ceilings and wiring closets.
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