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AirMagnet First to Integrate Spectrum Analysis to Dramatically Improve Accuracy of Wireless Site Surveys

New AirMagnet Survey 3.0 and Spectrum Analyzer 2.0 Eliminate WLAN Dead Spots

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--Feb. 6, 2006--AirMagnet today introduced the industry's first-ever integration of radio frequency (RF) spectrum analysis into the 802.11 site survey. This breakthrough allows network architects to identify wireless LAN (WLAN) interference and other potential performance, security or compliance issues prior to the installation process to ensure a reliable network is built 100 percent of the time.

Wireless site surveys are now an absolute necessity for organizations hoping to build secure, reliable WLANs. "Organizations are no longer under the delusion that they can set up a reliable wireless LAN without a site survey -- it's crucial to WLAN performance," said Joel Conover, principal analyst for Current Analysis.

AirMagnet has integrated its new site survey solution -- AirMagnet Survey 3.0 -- with the newly redesigned AirMagnet Spectrum Analyzer 2.0 to give users the most comprehensive, predictive view possible of the root causes of wireless LAN performance problems. Jed Ortner, a network technician at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., used AirMagnet Survey to set up wireless LANs on each floor of Sacred Heart's 15-story hospital. "The integration of spectrum analysis is a tremendous advantage for the site survey," says Ortner. "Before AirMagnet Survey, we had no way to predict how each access point would perform before we installed it. AirMagnet's competitors estimate or model important data, but AirMagnet's active survey capability gives us a far more accurate prediction of any problem that might arise. I wouldn't recommend installing a wireless network without it."

AirMagnet Survey 3.0 integrates Microsoft MapPoint® and the ability to map to GPS coordinates, which gives companies a literal blueprint to build reliable outdoor wireless networks. This capability is essential for accurate surveys of mesh networks and other outdoor Wi-Fi implementations, built in growing numbers by cities and municipalities across the U.S. to provide public Wi-Fi access to residents and businesses. AirMagnet Spectrum Analyzer 2.0 distinguishes between Wi-Fi and non-Wi-Fi devices, which, in combination with AirMagnet Survey, allows users to pinpoint the severity of interference caused by specific devices. "The addition of spectrum analysis to AirMagnet Survey 3.0 improves the user's ability to identify potential performance issues before they become problems, and uniquely differentiates AirMagnet's solution in the industry, adding a level of RF analysis and insight that is simply unavailable in competing products," says Conover.

AirMagnet Survey 3.0

AirMagnet Survey 3.0, formerly AirMagnet Surveyor, is the industry's first and only site survey solution to integrate spectrum analysis capability. The new product adds a range of other new capabilities that significantly improve its ability to predict and troubleshoot potential WLAN performance or usability problems. Highlights of Survey 3.0's new features include:

AirWISE®. AirMagnet's patent-pending expert engine is integrated into Survey 3.0 for the first time to allow users to automatically identify areas that fail to meet the security, performance and compliance requirements of their networks. AirWISE supplements these requirements with detailed explanations of discovered problems and automatically recommends specific solutions.
Capacity Planning. This new feature helps users see how clients will be served by individual access points (APs), allowing users to easily identify overloaded APs, balance network load and ensure adequate bandwidth for all end users. Overloaded APs are among the most common causes of poor WLAN performance.
Integrated Spectrum Analysis. Spectrum analysis allows users to collect and view data and statistics on Wi-Fi spectrum activity by location. Spectrum analysis helps users identify ideal locations for APs by identifying spectrum overuse or interference that could cause performance problems.
Automated Outdoor Surveys. Survey PRO 3.0 integrates with Microsoft MapPoint to map any outdoor location. Survey overlays MapPoint data with GPS coordinates to quickly and accurately survey any geographic location in the U.S. It is difficult, if not impossible, to perform accurate surveys of outdoor mesh networks without this feature.
Centrino Support. AirMagnet Survey 3.0 also supports Intel® Centrino® Wi-Fi technology, eliminating the need for users to buy a separate Wi-Fi card.

AirMagnet Spectrum Analyzer 2.0

AirMagnet Spectrum Analyzer is redesigned in version 2.0 to isolate more specific sources of RF interference and diagnose other performance problems that would otherwise be undetectable. Spectrum Analyzer's new features include:

802.11 Dashboard. This new view in Spectrum Analyzer better organizes findings to make it much easier for users to immediately identify problems and instantly distinguish Wi-Fi devices from non-Wi-Fi devices.
Expanded Device Classification. Spectrum Analyzer, which already identified more devices than any other product in the category, now identifies 15 new devices and interference sources, including 50 Hz microwave ovens, European Bluetooth devices and devices using FSK, OFDM, QAM, FM, CW and other common modulation protocols. Device classifications make it easy to eliminate or modify the use of specific devices that negatively affect network performance.
Spectrum Data Record and Playback. Spectrum Analyzer records real-time spectrum data that can be played back on-demand to track unusual RF interference and identify intermittent WLAN performance issues.
"The wireless site survey is only as valuable as the information gathered from it," said Dean Au, president and CEO of AirMagnet. "As the first solution to contribute spectrum analysis to the site survey, AirMagnet Survey 3.0 gives its users more specific information about their wireless LANs than any other product. AirMagnet Survey 3.0 is the best predictor available of a reliable wireless LAN."

Pricing and Availability

AirMagnet Survey 3.0 and Spectrum Analyzer 2.0 will be available this month. Survey 3.0 PRO is priced at $3,695. A standard edition of the product with fewer features is available for $1,995. Spectrum Analyzer 2.0 is priced at $3,995. Survey 3.0 PRO and Spectrum Analyzer 2.0 are also available as a bundle for $6,995. All prices are applicable in North America only. For additional information on international pricing and availability, or for any other questions about the products, please contact AirMagnet at 408-400-0200 or sales@AirMagnet.com.

About AirMagnet

AirMagnet Inc. is the world leader in wireless LAN security, performance and compliance. The company's wireless LAN monitoring and analysis products -- available in handheld, laptop and enterprise configurations -- are designed to provide an integrated set of solutions to plan, set up, secure and manage wireless networks. AirMagnet customers -- more than 4,000 organizations worldwide in industries as diverse as manufacturing, financial, retail, service, health care, utility, transportation, education, government and technology -- include 75 of the U.S. Fortune 100. AirMagnet solutions solve Wi-Fi connection problems, block unauthorized access, simplify site surveys and guarantee WLAN security, performance and compliance. Additional information about AirMagnet and its products is available at www.airmagnet.com.

©2006 AirMagnet Inc. All rights reserved. AirMagnet® and AirWISE® are registered trademarks, and the AirMagnet logo is a trademark, of AirMagnet Inc. All other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

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