Lucent ORiNOCO Adds Innovative Network Management and Security Features To Enterprise Level Wireless Networking - Lucent Technologies' ORiNOCO 6.0 software

Cambridge Telcom Report, June 5, 2000

Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) Tuesday announced the availability of its version 6.0 ORiNOCO software that provides HP-OpenView network management and configuration tools and adds RADIUS-based media access control (MAC) authentication for the ORiNOCO high-speed wireless networking system. ORiNOCO is Wi-Fi compliant and provides secure, high-speed (11 megabits per second) wireless networking and secure Internet access to the home, small offices, enterprises and public hot spots such as airports, hotels and business centers.

The new software features the innovative ORiNOCO PRO Manager tool that integrates the existing ORiNOCO management tools with an HP OpenView-based enterprise network management system. Unlike most other wireless networks that require each access point's parameters to be individually updated, a single ORiNOCO HPOV management station can configure an entire wireless network. This enables simultaneous management of multiple WavePOINT-II devices and system-wide updating of security keys, network names, bridge configuration settings and software upgrades as well as full network mapping. These updates can be scheduled to run at the IT manager's convenience, i.e. during evenings and on weekends.

"Our customers have been asking us for a standard tool that would enable them to centrally manage hundreds of access points, all in different locations," said Angela Champness, Director of Product and Business Management. "With the new HP OpenView-based ORiNOCO PRO Manager, we are providing such a tool, with the same look and feel they are used to for their wired networks."

Another new feature is a MAC address based authentication scheme that utilizes a centrally-maintained, RADIUS-based database to record the users who are permitted to have access to the network. Network administrators can now easily manage and update their wireless networks because they only need to manage a single database to control which users get access and what level of access they receive. Using a MAC address-based authentication can also help prevent unauthorized access of the corporate network by visitors with their own portable wireless devices. Adding a new user to an entire network of wireless access points now only takes seconds. If a laptop or desktop computer is stolen or misplaced, the unit's MAC address can easily and quickly be deleted.

The MAC authentication is included in the new 6.0 software as well as tools to make it easier to install, to monitor system performance, and to add and change users throughout the entire network. These tools include a new Control Panel Applet, an updated WaveMANAGER/Client and the newly introduced Comms Quality Indicator.

The new software now includes support for Windows 95, 98, NT, and 2000.

ORiNOCO has been certified as being fully Wi-Fi compliant by the WECA Organization (Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance) and will fully interoperate with other Wi-Fi compliant systems from manufacturers like Apple and Cabletron.

The 6.0 software is a free download from the ORiNOCO web site. The new version 6.0 software, including the RADIUS-based MAC security and PRO Manager software is available at http://wavelan.com/support/software/index.html.> Lucent Technologies is a global leader in wireless data communications, with installations in more than 50 countries, and is a proven leader in meeting the networking challenges of the enterprise and ISP markets.

Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, designs and delivers the systems, software, silicon and services for next-generation communications networks for service providers and enterprises. Backed by the research and development of Bell Labs, Lucent focuses on high-growth areas such as optical and wireless networks; Internet infrastructure; communications software; communications semiconductors and optoelectronics; Web-based enterprise solutions that link private and public networks; and professional network design and consulting services. For more information on Lucent Technologies, visit its Web site at http://www.lucent.com.