BelAir Networks Unveils BelAir200 Release 2.0; Only Wide Area Wi-Fi Solution to Support Multiple Private and Public Networks over Single System.

KANATA, Ontario -- BelAir Networks, the leading supplier of Wide Area Wi-Fi solutions, announced today Release 2.0 of its flagship BelAir200 wireless networking platform. The enhanced product strengthens BelAir's industry-leading scalability, reliability and flexibility with authentication and security features that allow service providers to easily deploy multiple private and public access networks over a single BelAir wireless infrastructure.

Developed in response to customer demand, Release 2.0 of the BelAir200 includes new features such as Multiple Service Set Identifiers (MSSIDs); support for 802.1x authentication; rogue access point detection; enhanced backhaul security; and streamlined network management capabilities. The new system software is now shipping with all new products and available as a software upgrade for any BelAir200 systems already in the field.

"The BelAir200 is our core 802.11 technology, and we are thrilled with its expanded capabilities," said Mitch Gonzalez of Cheetah Wireless Technologies, Inc. (CWTI). "We chose the BelAir system for several reasons, first among them was its cost vs. performance in dense urban areas and unparalleled capacity. Release 2.0 adds to these benefits by enabling us to support 16 secure private and open public applications simultaneously on the same wireless infrastructure - a crucial capability for CWTI's business model because it gives up the ability to develop multiple revenue streams to help pay for the system."

Using the BelAir200 Release 2.0, Gonzalez' company now provides Wi-Fi public access on a public port for temporary use while providing its paid subscribers with a private VLAN that is not advertised to the public. This feature also allows CWTI to prioritize services, which enables more sensitive applications such as accounting, utility applications and other public safety applications to coexist privately on the same CWTI network.

"Clearly, Wi-Fi is here to stay and network operators must learn how to develop solid business models for Wi-Fi networks that capitalize on their current popularity while laying a foundation for future applications, such as Voice over WLAN, video, and cellular/Wi-Fi convergence," said Roberta Wiggins, industry analyst with Yankee Group. "System enhancements, like those found in the BelAir200, may result in a solution that gives service providers and businesses the ability to create profitable wireless networks that will scale alongside user demand."

About the BelAir200 Enhancements

The new release allows customers to organize their wireless infrastructure into multiple, secure, independent networks according to business needs.

For example, a large hotel or resort can leverage the system to simultaneously provide secure networks for hotel operations as well as high-speed Internet access for the public. Hotel guests can get Wi-Fi internet access through an SSID (a network name) that is open to the public; check-in and guest services can be assigned a private SSID that takes them to a different, secure Virtual LAN (VLAN); hotel housekeeping can use a third SSID for Wi-Fi enabled PDAs that provide immediate room readiness information to the check-in system; hotel restaurants can access a fourth private network for Point-of-Sale wireless systems; and hotel security can use a fifth for security surveillance cameras.

Multiple SSIDs allow different user groups to be mapped into separate VLANs with different security policies even though they share the same physical infrastructure. The combination of this plus Rapid and Multiple Spanning Tree enables management and segregation of traffic in BelAir's wireless backbone. Each of these networks can run multiple applications at the same time - including data, voice and video--and be managed from a centralized location.

"By adding the ability to easily run, manage and secure multiple private and public access networks on the same system the upgraded BelAir200 fits seamlessly into service provider and large enterprise networks." said Phil Belanger, vice-president of marketing, BelAir Networks. "Many of these new enhancements were developed in response to customer feedback from our initial deployments."

Each new BelAir200 supports 16 simultaneous MSSIDs, I public and 15 private; tagging of SSIDs and users to VLANs; capacity for 256 simultaneous associations and up to 50 active users per node. The new solution includes support for 802.11x authentication on the access radio module. This enables operators to support multiple authentication methods for different types of users.

Additional security features include rogue AP detection capabilities for the access network and Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) encryption on the wireless backhaul links. Streamlined networking and network management features make it easier for network managers to deploy, maintain, and upgrade the network system-wide.

Also available as an option to customers is the optical line interface module (LIM), which allows for a direct connection between BelAir Wide Area Wi-Fi networks and existing fiber optic networks.

About the BelAir200

The BelAir200 is a modular, four-radio, wireless internetworking platform that enables Wide Area Wi-Fi networks with the highest network capacity and broadest reach, especially in challenging deployments such as high-density downtown areas, large hotels and resorts and campuses.

Built specifically for outdoor deployment, the BelAir200 can be mounted directly on buildings on light poles in parking lots or city streets. Each BelAir200 includes up to three backhaul radio modules that create 5 GHz point-to-point links to form the wireless backhaul mesh that interconnects all of the BelAir200 nodes. The BelAir200 access radio module supports Wi-Fi client access in the 2.4 GHz band and includes integrated antennas that project Wi-Fi signals over a large area or into multi-story buildings from the outside. The resulting system delivers unmatched capacity, security and scalability for multi-application Wi-Fi networks.

Shipping since March 2004, the BelAir200 has been deployed in high-density downtown regions, hotels and resorts, and educational institutions throughout the US and North America.

About BelAir Networks

BelAir Networks is the only company to offer scalable, Wide-Area Wi-Fi. The BelAir Networks solution provides the industry's highest capacity for data, voice and video services. Built specifically for outdoor deployments, BelAir Networks' patented solution delivers the lowest cost per user and deploys in days, blending into the physical infrastructure of downtown business districts, hotels and resorts, and college campuses. Founded in 2001, BelAir Networks is a privately held company headquartered in Kanata, Ontario. For more information, please visit www.belairnetworks.com.