Wi-Fi Test System Evaluates Networks

Although Wi-Fi networks are increasingly being adopted by consumers and enterprises, ways to test these networks are still emerging. An example is CMC's EE-WPA multi-station test system. Using this system, designers, test managers, and network engineers gain the ability to perform sophisticated capacity, scalability, and load stress testing on WPA-enabled enterprise-class products and wireless networks. The system is for WPA-Enterprise with full support for 802.1x authentication, RADIUS, EAP-TLS, TKIP, MIC, and WPA-Personal pre-shared key mode. As a core member of CMC's EmulationEngine XT family, the EE-WPA delivers accurate 802.11 product and wireless-network performance and capacity stress testing. It uses multiple WPA-enabled stations and complete 802.1x authentication.

With enabled WPA, from one to 59 of the EmulationEngine's 64 virtual stations (vSTAs) can be selectively configured. The EE-WPA test system gives engineers the flexibility to individually select the security mode for each of the emulator's virtual stations, providing a mixed-mode 802.11 security environment that's comprised of virtually any combination of Open, WEP, WPA-PSK, and/or WPA settings.

Engineers can use EE-WPA to test the critical aspects of WPA-enabled 802.11 product and network design. Examples include: AP association capacity while the AP is in WPA mode; WPA security key caching, key exchange, and hand-shaking; WPA-PSK or legacy modes; the forwarding rate for WPA versus legacy systems; and the ability of multi-protocol APs, WLAN switches, and WLAN systems to respond to and scale with multiple stations. The EmulationEngine provides troubleshooting information that permits users to test product conformance with the 802.1x and WPA specifications.

CMC's new EE-WPA is available now for $9995. Volume discounts are available.