Symbol Technologies will soon release a Linux powered, multi-protocol, multi-frequency wireless switch. The RFS7000, expected early next year, aims to help business deploy and centrally manage devices throughout the RF (radio frequency) spectrum, Symbol says.

Few technical details are available, but the RFS7000 appears to be a standard “wireless switch” — that is, a wireless access point that uses some logic in assigning client/host associations, for example to balance traffic loads, or permit roaming.

The RFS7000 will apparently support a variety of RF frequencies and wireless protocols, through add-on modules. Supported protocols will include RFID, 802.11a/b/g/n, voice-over-wireless LAN, and WiMAX, among others, according to the company.

Symbol calls its centralized approach to RF switching “Wi-NG” (wireless next-generation, presumably). The company says the RFS7000 “provides separation between infrastructure, services, application, and management layers,” which it describes as a “conceptual leap” aimed at adding scalability and performance.

Each RFS7000 will support 256 802.11a/b/g “access ports,” according to the company, while Wi-NG networks will scale to “more than 2,000 access points.”

Anthony Bartolo, Symbol's GM of wireless infrastructure, stated, “The industry's first RF switch will provide the platform to integrate and manage current and future mobile devices and wireless technologies.”

Availability

The RFS7000 RF Switch will ship in Q1 of 2007, Symbol says. Pricing was not disclosed.

 
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