Malaysia (15 January 2015) – D-Link, one of the world’s biggest suppliers of home networking products launches the latest D-Link DAP-2660 Wireless AC1200 Simultaneous Dual-Band PoE Access Point, the newest addition to D-Link’s Access Point (AP) family. Designed to support networking for small to medium business or enterprise environments, it provides administrators with secure and manageable dual-band wireless local area network (LAN) options, while utilising the cutting-edge speed of Wireless AC.
“Our newest 802.11ac AP supports advanced radio management features, such as band steering and load balancing,” said Mr Jonathan Quek, Marketing Director for D-Link International. He added, “Since access points need to connect to a variety of wireless clients that support different speeds and standards, these advanced features are integral to ensure optimal network performance. DAP-2660 packaged in a discrete, low profile white housing which ideal for ceiling or wall mount applications in schools, office buildings, hospitals, government facilities, hotels, and more.”
Fast Wireless AC Performance with Dual-Band Technology
The DAP-2660 delivers reliable, high-speed wireless performance using the latest 802.11ac standards with maximum wireless signal rates of up to 300 Mbps over the 2.4 GHz band, and 867 Mbps over the 5 GHz band. With band steering, the AP is able to detect if the wireless client is dual-band capable. If so, it will push the client to connect to the 5 GHz band which is typically less traffic-congested by actively blocking the client’s attempts to associate with the 2.4 GHz network. Such band steering ensures that clients on the 5 GHz band can achieve maximum performance without being bottle-necked by legacy 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n clients. This way, one can make the most of Wireless AC technology, while at the same time having backwards compatibility with existing wireless equipment.
The gadget is also designed with Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) Quality of Service (QoS), making it an idea AP for audio, video and voice applications. To prevent overloading of connected devices, the gadget also supports load balancing by limiting the maximum number of users per AP for maximum performance.
Versatile Functionality with Multiple Operation Modes
Allowing easy access and configuration for network administrators, the AP is able to de-ploy a highly manageable and extremely robust simultaneous dual-band wireless net-work. The device is able to provide optimal wireless coverage over either the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bands (on 802.11b/g/n and 802.11a/n/ac respectively). Housed in a sleek, subtle white casing, the gadget can be ceiling-mounted, wall-mounted, or placed on a desktop to meet a variety of wireless demands. For users who are doing more advanced installations, the gadget also has integrated 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) support for installation in areas where power outlets may not be readily available.
The AP also value adds and can be configured to optimise network performance based on its multiple operation modes – AP, wireless distribution system (WDS) with AP, WDS/bridge (no AP broadcasting) and wireless client. With WDS support, network administrators can set up a scalable system by having multiple DAP-2660s throughout a facility and configuring them to bridge with one another, while simultaneously providing network access to individual clients.
Boasting versatile functionality, the device also has advanced features such as load balancing and redundancy, for smooth and fail-safe wireless connectivity.
Various Security Features for Enhanced Network Protection
To help maintain a secure wireless network, the device supports both personal and enterprise versions of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and WPA2 encryption. With support for Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) server backend and a built-in internal RADIUS server, it allows users to create their accounts within the device itself. This AP also includes media access control (MAC) address filtering, wireless local area network (LAN) segmentation, service set identifier (SSID) broadcast disable, rogue AP detection, and wireless broadcast scheduling to further enhance protection for one’s wireless network. In addition, support is also included for up to eight virtual LANs per band for implementing multiple SSIDs. This helps to segment users on the network and ensure smooth connectivity. A wireless client isolation mechanism also limits direct client-to-client communication, and Network Access Protection (NAP), a feature of Windows Server 2008, enables network administrators to define multiple levels of network access based on individual client’s needs.
Easy Network Management for Administrators
Administrators have a variety of options for managing the device, including web (HTTP), Secure Socket Layer (SSL), which provides for a secure connection to the Internet, Secure Shell (SSH), which provides for a secure channel between local and remote computers, and Telnet. The AP is also equipped with a power-saving wireless scheduler feature, which turns off wireless functionality when it isn’t needed.
Price and Availability
The D-Link DAP-2660 Wireless AC1200 Simultaneous Dual-Band PoE Access Point will be available in February 2015 at authorized retailers, resellers and distribution partners.
For more information, log on to www.dlink-intl.com.
