Wireless security vendor AirTight Networks has released a wireless intrusion prevention system (WIPS) for 802.11n networks, which it hopes will remove one of the barriers to enterprise deployments.

Earlier 802.11a/b/g WIPS could not always fully detect threats on 802.11n networks, making the technology less attractive to enterprise buyers, said AirTight's product management vice president Sri Sundaralingam.

"We could partially detect and identify rogue 802.11n systems, but with our new 802.11n system we can also locate and prevent 802.11n threats, as well as giving firms the ability to monitor and optimise their 802.11n WLANs."

The SpectraGuard 802.11n system will help users with their pre-deployment planning and provide better security monitoring and optimisation for 802.11n wireless local area networks (WLAN), he added.

Newly deployed 802.11n networks promise to give business faster data rates, improved throughputs and capacity, as well as an improved coverage range of at least twice that with older (802.11a/b/g) WLAN systems.

But that increased range could also add a security headache. "Rogue 11n clients are becoming more of an issue now especially since Intel's Centrino 2.0 chipset has 802.11n built-in," said Sundaralingam.

The software running on AirTight's appliance-based system is SpectraGuard Enterprise, which has been upgraded from version 5.5 to 5.7 to cater for the new 802.11n sensor hardware.

The system is backward compatible with existing a/b/g WLANs and complies with the IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard, he added. The new system also reduces sensor density by as much as 30 per cent.

The system will be generally available in September.

AirTight also launched version 5.0 of its SpectraGuard Planner package supporting 802.11n networks, and is providing a free utility via its website designed to calculate firms' 802.11n radio footprint – called 802.11n WLAN Coverage Estimator. AirTight can also deliver a planning service for enterprises who wish to outsource its WIPS deployment.

The SpectraGuard SS-300-AT 802.11n sensor costs £745 + VAT and the SpectraGuard Enterprise Starter Kit with a standard appliance is priced at £5,750 + VAT and includes an AirTight SpectraGuard Enterprise SA-220 Appliance, and two SpectraGuard SS-300-AT 802.11n sensors.

The standard edition of SpectraGuard Planner costs £1,435 + VAT for a single seat license and the Professional version, which includes outdoor planning support, costs £2,300 + VAT.