Fortinet has introduced a secure wireless LAN strategy with a new enterprise-class FortiAP thin access point (AP) product line. The FortiAP-210 and FortiAP-220, which support the latest IEEE 802.11n standards, are designed to provide wireless networking capabilities for mid-enterprise and service-provider customers with a total user-base or distributed networks of 250-5,000 users.

 

The FortiAP line will work in conjunction with Fortinet’s FortiGate multi-threat security appliances, acting as the thin access-point controller to provide a single platform. In addition, the FortiGate platform enables customers to have a highly scalable infrastructure with the ability to manage a few to several thousand access points within a wireless LAN.

 

Today, wireless LANs are as at risk, if not more so, than wired networks. In fact, some of the recent high-profile hacking cases have involved “drive-by” trolling of exposed wireless networks of retail establishments, resulting in the theft of thousands of consumer credit card accounts. In addition to mid-enterprise organizations and service providers, retail industry customers will find the FortiAP/FortiGate solution ideal for meeting PCI DSS Wireless Guidelines, which require the detection of rogue wireless access points and intrusion prevention.

 

Until now, there have been few options for organizations that want to protect both their wired and wireless LANs with the same network and application security solution. The new FortiAP thin access points, together with the FortiGate product line, enable an integrated threat management schema for wireless networks in the same way that Fortinet has been able to provide for wired networks. In fact, wireless traffic needs more protection because it is a shared medium, which provides greater opportunity for network risks such as data leakage, denial of service attacks or the overuse of bandwidth causing network performance degradation. 

 

The FortiAP/FortiGate architecture will tunnel all the wireless traffic back to the UTM engine to undergo intrusion prevention and cleansing, identity-aware policy, and Layer 7 application prioritization to achieve a high-performing, “fortified” wireless LAN infrastructure. In addition, FortiAP uses standards-based CAPWAP (Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points) protocol for connecting thin access points as compared to proprietary methods used by competitors.

 

All FortiGate appliances from the FortiGate-60 Series on up will be able to act as controllers for the FortiAP, giving customers flexibility and scalability to choose from the broadest range of controllers offered by any single vendor. FortiGate appliances will also be able to act as a single point of management for both wired and wireless LANs. In addition to the existing broad security feature set offered on FortiGate devices, the FortiGate access point controllers will also include WLAN management and wireless IPS.

 

Each FortiGate platform is capable of delivering centralized management of all access points and devices. From a single console, customers can control network access, quickly and easily update policies, and help monitor regulatory compliance.

 

Existing customers with valid support agreements will be able to upgrade their FortiGate operating system to act as an enterprise WLAN controller at no additional charge.