The march of progress continues forward faster than ever, and it keeps bringing interesting new revolutions to the world of business networking.
The best part about this situation is that it's not just the large businesses that are benefitting from the fast rate of technological innovation in the area of LAN infrastructure. Plenty of new ideas are being brought to the market aimed specifically at making networking easier for small- to medium-sized businesses.
Currently, ADTRAN is the market leader in vWLAN, with a large line of high-quality products that take enterprise-level technologies and put them in small offices. They incorporate features specifically designed to allow firms to get more use out of what's on hand.
So today, we wanted to highlight a couple new technologies designed specifically for smaller, less-modernized offices.
I. ADTRAN ActivReach
ActivReach was created for businesses that still have substantial copper-wire infrastructure, and don't want to pay for newer cable drops. ActivReach destroys the traditional 100 meter cord length limit for Ethernet, allowing for 10/100BaseT speeds over copper at distances up to nearly 500m.
It can even be utilized over standard category 3 telephone wire. It also supports Power-over-Ethernet, further reducing cabling requirements.
For a multi-story business, this can be a lifesaver preventing hugely expensive cable drops and other equipment purchases. Otherwise, a standard Ethernet cable requires additional equipment every 100m to keep the data flowing.
1 - A growing business will still want to upgrade to Fiber Optics eventually. However, it can stave off this decision for several years. The good news is that you will not have to buy a replacement switch, because ActivReach does it all!
2 - ActivReach uses proprietary compression systems, an ActivReach Media Converter is required at the receiving end for the system to function.
For the right business, however, ActivReach offers functionality that no other switch currently matches, and there are options for either Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet speeds.
II. ADTRAN BlueSocket Wireless Access Points
The other radical new development from ADTRAN is the creation of the BlueSocket standard for Wireless Access Points.
BlueSocket aims to make the creation of a wireless WAN as simple as activating a BlueTooth device. When paired with ADTRAN's software, the network itself recognizes and configures your BlueSocket access point for you.
The entire setup process boils down to:
1 - Place the BlueSocket AP.
2 - Install the license.
3 - Plug it in to a PoE switch.
That's it.
Once your server software knows about the new BlueSocket WAP, it automatically initiates all your security settings and adds the WAP to your network infrastructure. The average time from unboxing to full functionality is about 10 minutes.
You're unlikely to see an easier deployment. Even highly complex network architectures are no challenge. The system takes care of everything.
A growing company needs a Wi-Fi network that's fast, stable, and always accessible. BlueSocket radically reduces the difficulties involved in expanding your WiFi coverage, making it as simple as plugging in a new device and you can manage it from anywhere in the world.
New Networking Advances Are For Everyone
Here at Hummingbird, we firmly believe that the world of 21st Century global telecommunications should be accessible to all businesses. These aren't simply the playthings of mega-corporations; instant communications are increasingly a necessity for any operation that wants to compete above a local level.
When you combine our expertise with the range of new technologies available at affordable prices, the result is a cutting-edge LAN that will put your business on a whole new level.
To learn more about how easy upgrading has become, or to investigate our low-cost leasing and refurbished options, just tell us where your business wants to go in the future!
