Proxim Launches ORiNOCO AP-700 Wi-Fi Access Point with 802.11i support



ORiNOCO AP-700 Offers Enterprise-Class Features at Affordable Price Point; New Software Release Brings Advanced Security and Performance to Proxim?s Entire Family of APs

SUNNYVALE, Calif.-/29 September, 2004 - Wi-Fi Technology News/- Proxim Corporation (Nasdaq: PROX), a global leader in wireless networking equipment for Wi-Fi and broadband wireless networks, now enhanced its portfolio of ORiNOCO Wi-Fi access points with a new, entry-level model that gives small to medium-sized enterprises, as well as service providers who are deploying hotspots, a cost-effective, enterprise-class wireless LAN solution.

The ORiNOCO AP-700 enables secure, high-performance wireless networks with important new features including support for IEEE 802.11i with AES encryption, and more advanced rogue AP and client detection. The new security and performance features of the AP-700 are part of Proxim?s Release 2.5, a major software enhancement that is now available across the entire family of ORiNOCO access points. Finally, the ORiNOCO AP-700 and AP-4000 now include the draft IEEE 802.11e for prioritized access to wireless media, enabling voice, data and video applications with advanced Quality of Service (QoS) and fast roaming capabilities.

The ORiNOCO AP-700 offers the features and benefits of an enterprise class AP at a price point designed for small to medium-sized businesses. In addition, with the new Release 2.5 software, Proxim?s AP-700 and the entire ORiNOCO family of access points, are setting a new standard for security and performance ? two areas that are becoming increasingly important to smaller enterprises.

?Small to medium-sized businesses are no longer content with access points designed for small offices and home users, as they typically lack the kind of features that are critical to these businesses,? said Aaron Vance, Senior Analyst at Synergy Research Group. ?These enterprises are demanding the same feature set ? in particular, rigorous security capabilities ? that larger enterprises have always sought from wireless access points. Delivering an entry-level access point, with the same advanced security and performance of its entire family of products, is a wise move for Proxim and one that should resonate with the SMB market.?

Robust, Proactive Security
With Release 2.5, the AP-700 and all of the Proxim ORiNOCO access points, now offer support for IEEE 802.11i, the most advanced, standardized Wi-Fi security implementation available, to give enterprise customers reliable, wireless security. IEEE 802.11i provides support for AES encryption and mutual authentication based on IEEE 802.1x, ensuring the highest level of security for an enterprise. Furthermore, Proxim is the first company to offer built-in rogue AP detection, in both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, in a single radio access point. In conjunction with Proxim Wavelink Mobile Manager ? part of the Proxim Smart Wireless Suite that was also announced today ? now even small enterprises can take the important step of detecting unauthorized access points and clients without the expense of an overlay sensor network.

Unprecedented Performance
With Release 2.5, all Proxim ORiNOCO access points now support Super Mode for 802.11g and .11a, allowing customers with Atheros a/b/g client cards to achieve throughput performance of up to 30 Mbps, a significant increase over what today?s access points provide. This mode is simultaneously compatible with clients that don?t support Super Mode, allowing enterprises to take advantage of the performance increase without denying access to other clients.

Pricing and Availability
The ORiNOCO AP-700 is Wi-Fi CertifiedTM. It is available now at a list price of US $599 MSRP. Release 2.5 is available now for all ORiNOCO access points. Existing customers can download the new software release from the Proxim website at http://www.proxim.com free of charge.

About Proxim
Proxim Corporation is a global leader in wireless networking equipment for Wi-Fi and broadband wireless networks. The company is providing its enterprise and service provider customers with wireless solutions for the mobile enterprise, security and surveillance, last mile access, voice and data backhaul, public Wi-Fi hotspots, and metropolitan area networks. More information about Proxim can be found on the Web at http://www.proxim.com.