Issue TOC Print full article Print this page Download as PDF E-Mail this URL Discuss this article Flame the author     In this article Introduction Cisco Systems Aironet 1200 Series Dual AP Other Products Reviewed Executive Summary How We Tested 802.11g Adds to the Mix Report Card

Ninety percent of 2001 WLAN shipments were 802.11b, but by 2007 more than two-thirds will be dual-band--802.11b or 802.11g and 802.11a, according to Gartner.

We'll buy that. After all, dual-mode APs offer the best of both worlds--11b's range with 11a's bandwidth, a match made in heaven. We evaluated six dual APs in our Syracuse University Real-World Labs®, from Cisco, D-Link, Intel, Intermec, Linksys and Proxim. All the devices tested supported both specs, and some had the bonus of an easy upgrade path to 802.11g.

We tested features, functionality, range and performance and, even after factoring in price, awarded Cisco's Aironet 1200 our Editor's Choice thanks largely to its all-around strong showing with enterprise needs in mind. At $1,399 the 1200 isn't cheap, but for demanding installations especially, cost is relative--you can pay more up front, or you can add APs later to compensate for poor range, poor throughput, and extra time spent compensating for lightweight management tools. For the more budget conscious, Linksys' WAP51AB, our Best Value award winner, lacked some bells and whistles but held its own against rival APs in range and performance, for the reasonable price of $279.