new buffalo router brings enterprise performance to the smb market
Buffalo Technology has launched the first commercial wireless router to come pre-installed with DD-WRT firmware, providing optimised WLAN features, performance and security to ISPs as well as the SMB and SOHO market, at an affordable price.
The AirStation Wireless-G MIMO Performance Router with DD-WRT (WHR-HP-G54DD) is the first product to come from Buffalo’s partnership with firmware developer NewMedia-NET. Targeted at ISPs, systems integrators and resellers, the new router brings enterprise-level features to the small business market.
“While a lot of Buffalo’s products have been positioned in the end-consumer segment we have found that there is a growing application of our products in the SOHO/SMB market especially in the Middle East region,” said Kevin Vine, General Manager, EMEA. “This new product created from our recent partnership with NewMedia-Net will help our resellers integrate our products into the solutions they already offer to this segment. It will also expand our existing distribution network to add resellers and integrators.”
It is estimated that one million DD-WRT® based routers are already in use worldwide, however, to date, users have had to install the firmware at their own risk, thereby nullifying the manufacturer’s warranty. The new product is covered by Buffalo’s two-year manufacturer’s warranty and full technical support.
For ISPs, key applications of the Buffalo product include:
• Hot Spot portal that allows authentication and accounting for small businesses that want to provide a Wi-Fi hotspot without being tied into terms and conditions set by major broadband providers. This incorporates the following features:
o Five QoS levels – bulk, standard, express, premium and exempt – in order to guarantee bandwidth for essential applications by prioritising traffic
o Multiple service set identifier (SSID)
o Wi-Fi multimedia (WMM)
o Dynamic DNS
• Mesh networking application, which includes:
o Optimised link state routing (OLSR). This is a table-driven and proactive protocol, which exchanges topology information with other nodes of the network regularly, and therefore computes optimal forwarding paths locally so as to establish mesh networking.
o Wireless distribution system with WPA security to allow interconnection of wireless access points with WPA Wi-Fi protected access security.
o Spanning tree protocol
For resellers and systems integrators, who wish to offer a comprehensive solution to the SOHO and SME market, key applications are:
• Data transfer application, including the following features:
o VPN functionality
o Pass-through feature for IP security
o PPTP protocol support to allow point-to-point VPN connection
o Link aggregation
o WMM
o QoS
o DDNS
• Network divide application through multiple SSIDs
• Wireless IP telephony application, incorporating:
o Beacon period
o DTIM
o 802.11 retry limit
• Management applications, including features such as:
o Remote network status logging for centralised monitoring of system events
o Remote web management via HTTPS
o Remote command line access via SSH
o Support for network management
o Simple web-based backup and restore for easy configuration
o Complete router management via command line, when web access is unavailable or connection throughput is low
o Wake-on LAN functionality
o Options to configure the router as access point or as client
o Access restrictions
o Integrated RFlow/MACupd for centralised traffic monitoring
A full technical specification is provided below.
The AirStation Wireless-G MIMO Performance Router and Access Point with DD-WRT (WHR-HP-G54DD) is priced at $90 and is available immediately from authorised Buffalo channel partners in the Middle East.
