Western Multiplex today announced the expansion of its Tsunami family of wireless Ethernet bridges to include two new products. The Tsunami 45 5.3 GHz bridge is designed to enable data and voice connectivity and includes a separate T1 connection. The Tsunami 45 5.8 GHz bridge includes a separate E1 connection. These products provide connections between two Ethernet switches or routers that are located from one to more than 40 miles apart at speeds ranging from 8 Mbps to 420 Mbps full duplex. They also enable Voice over IP (VoIP) and Storage over IP (SoIP) network backup and network redundancy solutions, capable of handling communication traffic rerouted from accidentally severed fiber-optic cables.
The Tsunami bridges operate in the 5 GHz band, which has been recently allocated for license-exempt use in several world regions including China, Taiwan, Australia, Mexico, and most South American countries.
The Tsunami 45 5.3 GHz offers 45 Mbps full duplex data capacity. Effectively, this means that enterprises can aggregate data traffic using point-to-multipoint systems and channel the traffic into their networks using the 45 5.3 bridge. This 5.3 GHz bridge interoperates seamlessly with the 5.8 GHz bridge, avoiding interference with products supporting the IEEE 802.11b standard for WLANs. The company explained that customers can use the 5.3 to backhaul point-to-multipoint traffic in the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands.
The Tsunami 45 5.8 GHz wireless Ethernet bridge delivers 45 Mbps full duplex capacity and up to two wayside E1 channels for voice, video and data. Customers can use the bridge to connect LANs and PBXs located in buildings up to 15 miles apart.
IDC Enterprise Network analyst Jason Smolek stated that there is growing demand for such infrastructure solutions in Asia/Pacific, Latin America, and emerging countries in Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
The company stated that the Tsunami 45 5.3 GHz bridge is available immediately and that the 5.8 GHz bridge will be available in August 2001. Further information can be found at the company’s Web site.
In a related announcement, Western Multiplex revealed that recent tests of its Tsunami Wireless Ethernet bridges conducted by The Tolly Group confirmed the manufacturer’s performance claims. The tests, conducted on three of Tsunami’s models, confirmed the fact that the bridges provided throughput at maximum distance equal to or in excess of those achieved by comparable T1 or DS3 leased lines.
Western Multiplex, which commissioned the study itself, also revealed that the tests were conducted through to the application layer (layer 7). This was done to most closely emulate enterprise-level network based application like Web browser traffic, network backups, HR, ERP and network based e-procurement software.
The results of the tests showed that the Tsunami 10 provides 10 Mbps, the Tsunami 45 provides 45 Mbps and the Tsunami 100 provides roughly 100 Mbps at layer 2, while providing nearly wireline speeds at layer 7.
The Tsunami bridges adhere to the IEEE 802.3 standards and include SNMP management capability. The company claims that the bridges provide a lower cost solution than leased lines, without the service degradation associated with 802.11b wireless solutions. Performance results did not degrade even at maximum distances, according to the tests. Full details for the Tolly Group’s Test Summary Document No. 201106 including test configurations, methodology, and full results are available at the Western Multiplex or Tolly Group Web sites.