CALABASAS, Calif., – December 6, 2004 – Strix Systems, a leading provider of intelligent wireless mesh networking systems, today announced the Access/One Network OWS (Outdoor Wireless System), a Wi-Fi cellular system designed for outdoor deployments in public safety, rural and metropolitan area networks. The Access/One Network OWS builds on Strix’s history of technical expertise in designing and manufacturing advanced managed mesh networking systems. Like Strix’s indoor mesh system, the Access/One Network OWS utilizes multiple radios, multiple channels, and multiple radio frequency (RF) technologies to build high performance mesh backbones and connectivity for clients.

“We developed the Access/One Network OWS in response to customer requests for an integrated system that supports both the mesh backbone and client connectivity in a high performance managed mesh,” said Audian Paxson, director product management and product marketing for Strix. “There is an explosion of metro area wireless network deployments, and the usage scenarios for these networks mandate a high performance mesh network that is easily deployed, scales efficiently, secure and manageable. Strix delivers with the Access/One Network OWS.”

The Access/One Network OWS utilizes a mesh algorithm designed by Strix that has been field tested for over a year with the Access/One Network in indoor and outdoor environments. Unlike single radio or single channel mesh networks that won’t scale, the Access/One Network OWS managed mesh uses multiple radios per node and multiple channels within the mesh, allowing it to deliver the highest performance over multiple hops. Using a modular design, the network is not only scaleable, but makes it easy to add system capacity or incorporate future technologies such as WiMAX.

“We deployed a multi-use network in the City of Jersey Village using Strix equipment,” said Palmer Greene, vice president and chief operating officer for Pexx, a Houston based integrator of outdoor wireless systems (www.pexx.net). “I believe the Access/One Network OWS is the only solution for a true mesh network that allows the even distribution of data rates at 5Mbps or more, so it fits in nicely with our public safety integrations. We have pre-ordered OWS for three deployments we are currently working on.”

The Access/One Network OWS supports link rates up to 108 Mbps between nodes, building mesh backbones in 802.11 a, b or g. The self-configuring, self-tuning, and self healing aspects of the Access/One Network OWS mesh ensure that data paths are optimized at all times and that the network can route around network congestion or interference in addition to overcoming network failures. Network integrity is guaranteed in the mesh using AES encrypted links and it supports the most advanced security schemes including 802.11i, 802.1x, and all flavors of encryption to the client devices. The entire network can be managed from a single browser-based management interface called Manager/One, or administrators can use carrier-class SNMP tools.  

“We have been deploying public safety networks for more than 20 years,” said Brian Purcell of IP MobileNet, an Irvine based designer, installer, and manager of wireless networks for public safety and mobile communications markets (www.ipmn.com). “We’re seeing an increasing need for mesh solutions in the public safety markets to augment existing wide area technologies. This allows our customers to better take advantage of the many emerging applications that often require greater bandwidth such as video and scene of incident technologies. We decided to partner with Strix because we believe they offer the only high performance mesh solution that will meet the needs of our customers today and in the future.”

Two enclosure options provide customers with complete flexibility when designing Access/One OWS networks. The field serviceable and upgradeable units supporting up to six radios, in combination with external antennas will deliver up to 1 watt total power per radio. Any combination of 802.11 a, b, or g can be supported both in the mesh backbone or to the client devices. With NEMA 4X-rated enclosures, the Access/One Network OWS is set to withstand severe weather conditions for deployments in any number of outdoor environments.

The City of Hermosa Beach has deployed phase I of a public access network using Strix’s wireless system. “We evaluated products from a number of vendors for our deployment and determined the Access/One Network was the most flexible and powerful mesh system available,” said Michael Keegan, Hermosa Beach City Council member. “Our integrator took the indoor Strix product and put it in outdoor enclosures for phase 1, and it has performed flawlessly. However, we are excited that phase II will use OWS product specifically designed for the outdoor environment, and we have already placed an Access/One Network OWS order with our integrator.”

Availability
The Access/One Network OWS is only available via Strix authorized integrators and resellers. Access/One Network OWS is currently in trials and will be generally available in Q1, 2005. Strix partners are currently accepting orders.

About Strix Systems
The Strix Systems Access/One Network family of products represent the next generation of wireless LAN products, leaping past the traditional access point and emerging switch architecture to mesh; a self-discovering, self-configuring, self-tuning, and self-healing wireless network incorporating robust security and comprehensive management. The Access/One Network family of products support all 802.11 RF technologies and offer multi-radio and multi-channel high performance managed mesh networking systems for indoor enterprise deployments and outdoor public safety, municipal and metropolitan networks.

The Access/One Network can be configured and managed via Manager/One, a comprehensive browser based management platform that allows IT administrators to control all key elements of their wireless network, or using Access/One Networks carrier grade support for SNMP based management. Additional features of the Access/One Network products include Virtual/Strix and Priority/One. Virtual/Strix supports deployments of multi-use or virtual networks where various user segments are sharing one Access/One network. Priority/One allows administrators of these multi-use networks to ensure quality of service by assigning varying class of service filters to any type of network traffic or user group.

Access/One Networks have been deployed in numerous environments throughout the world including; enterprise, hospitality, education, public safety, housing, and metropolitan area networks. For more information about Strix Systems, please visit www.strixsystems.com.