Wireless access point from Sophos supports 5 GHz connections

Sophos has announced the availability of the Astaro AP50, a new dual-band/dual-radio capable wireless access point. The new addition supports both WLAN frequency bands at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, and enables fast and reliable wireless networking which is virtually impervious to radio interference.

Support for dual-band connections allows organisations to segment their wireless networks by radio frequency spectrum (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz). Users who require fast and seamless wireless connections with little interference, for example for VoIP telephony, may use the 5 GHz network, while others may use the 2.4 GHz network for daily business tasks.

“This type of WLAN segmentation optimises performance and delivers a superior user experience even in congested WLAN environments,” says Brett Myroff, CEO of Sophos distributor, NetXactics.

To maximise the WLAN performance, the AP50 also features a Gigabit Ethernet interface and supports MIMO technology with two detachable antennas, delivering data rates up to 300 Mbit/s under best conditions. That way, the AP50 supports at least up to 50 users. For more deployment flexibility, the AP50 comes with a single port Gigabit PoE-injector that powers the access point over the Ethernet cable. Both the AP50 and the PoE-injector support the latest Power-over-Ethernet standard 802.3at (PoE+).

“With the proliferation of wireless networks customers need a way to maintain maximum wireless network performance for a variety of different applications and also to support more users on the wireless network. The AP50 answers those requirements,” Myroff says.

The AP50 is centrally managed through Astaro Security Gateway, which acts as a wireless controller.