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Business users have been among the first to
jump on the 802.11g bandwagon, as the new standard offers increased security
over the previously flawed implementations of WEP.
90% Rating: 
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Gigabyte GN-A17GU |
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Capabilities and features
 A single
antennae projects the 2.4GHz signal. As the GN-A17GU is an access point and
not a home routing device, it has only a single wired Ethernet port
to connect it to the wired LAN.
Generally you would connect this RJ45
port either to a network device such as a hub or switch, or to a PC that
was acting as a gateway between your wireless network and the rest of your
business.
The power adaptor is pleasingly small. A plastic
cover on the top of the device hides the add-in PCMCIA card slot which can
support a single additional wireless 802.11a or 802.11g compatible Gigabyte
product.
Wireless Access Points
(WAP) are essentially similar to home routing devices, with some additional features added
and some removed. For starters, wireless access points are simply intended to act
as a gateway between your wired and wireless networks, so they
do not contain the firewall and Internet sharing abilities that routers
boast.
What WAPs can do is link to other access points within range.
By doing this, you can create a large WiFi network consisting of
several access points linked together, allowing users to roam seamlessly between
them.
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| The hidden slot for a PCMCIA wireless adaptor allows the Gigabyte GN-A17GU to connect to another standard, like 802.11a for example. The Wireless Access Point does not need the card to operate, and if you choose not to use it, the built in antennae will still support 802.11g signals. |
As a product targeted towards business users, the GN-A17GU
to supplies ample security features and the ability to co-operate with other
access points. In fact, it gives the user the option of up to 152-bit
WEP encryption and the
ability to use point-to-point and point-to-multipoint modes to communicate with
other access points (APs).
With an
upgrade to the AP Manager software (see Gigabyte's website)
which is bundled
with the device, the newest form of wireless encryption,
called Wireless Protected Access or
WPA can
also be used. Other security features include MAC address filtering, and
the very useful ability to hide the SSID of your wireless
network.
An SSID is the name that identifies your network,
which any client must have in order to connect, and by hiding this from being
broadcast you can help prevent intruders from easily associating with your
access point. The GN-A17GU is also compatible with RADIUS authentication to aid
businesses in separating their wireless networks from the rest of the
company.
In terms of performance, the Gigabyte GN-A17GU
is an 802.11g/b-supporting product, capable of transferring data at a maximum
of 54 megabits per second. Of course, as with all
wireless products, you are unlikely to see anything close to that
level of throughput in real-world usage, but most 54mbps products
fall into the 18-25mbps average range.
Like
other 802.11g products, the Gigabyte GN-A17GU access point is fully backwardly
compatible with 802.11b devices so you don't
have to reinvest in new wireless cards if all you
have is 802.11b NICs. The GN-A17GU also offers support for two
additional proprietary modes, 802.11g super and 802.11g turbo. Both of these need specialized
wireless network adaptors (available from many vendors, including Gigabyte) to
connect and offer increased transfer speeds.
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