the Pipeline

Without a net

If you've taken the time and money to set up a wireless network, you probably don't want freeloaders tapping your signal so that they can surf Web sites devoted to bands such as blink-182 or that "Soul Plane" movie. If you're going to steal people's bandwidth, at least have some taste about it.

ActivCard Inc. officials recently announced the availability of the AAA Server with integrated wireless security, which should keep cybersurf punks off the network. The system helps organizations control and manage remote networks.

The server uses standards-based security to add strong authentication capabilities to the wireless network. It supports smart cards, passwords, tokens and other authentication technologies.

Cirond Corp. has released AirPatrol Mobile, a handheld device that detects unauthorized wireless access points on a network.

The product can pinpoint the location of the unauthorized access points on a building's floor plan so network engineers can shut them down.

Employees often install unauthorized access points, usually innocently. They believe that wireless access to the network would make their jobs easier. However, they may not realize that they are broadcasting data from behind the organization's firewall to anyone within range of the access points.

A Cirond official said that company representatives demonstrating the product at recent trade shows found 373 rogue access points at the Consumer Electronics Show, and more than 420 at Networld+Interop Las Vegas 2004.

Meanwhile, PhatWare Corp. released PhatNet, a network monitoring tool for Microsoft Corp. Windows PocketPC devices. It isn't directly focused on security, but the product enables managers to troubleshoot a wide range of packet-based networks.

PhatNet decodes and filters data transported over any kind of local-area network (LAN) or wide-area network, according to Phat officials. The tool can filter data by a number of factors, and it supports the creation of customized filters to aid in finding elusive network problems.

Running under the hoods and behind the scenes of the network is the cabling that transmits data from one place to another. CommScope Inc. recently released a set of solutions for enterprise and LAN applications under the name Uniprise.

Uniprise includes a range of coaxial cable, twisted pair wiring and fiber solutions, according to company officials.

Don't say 'cheese'

It seemed like a great idea — adding a camera to a mobile phone. Two tools in one and the ability to quickly show people at home offices what's happening in the field — or to show friends back home how much fun you're having on vacation.

But it opened up security risks that meant the devices could not be used by some federal employees. Sprint is trying to address that with a new Treo 600 smart device that lacks the camera.

The device includes a palmOne Inc. Palm-based organizer with e-mail, messaging and Web-browsing capabilities in addition to serving as a Sprint PCS phone. It is identical to another model except for the absence of the camera.

"This additional version of the Treo 600 gives mobile professionals a way to utilize the high-speed data capabilities of the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network and remain productive without worry of violating any company restrictions when they are visiting clients or back in their own offices," said Phil Bowman, vice president of integrated solutions at Sprint Business

Solutions.