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Cisco Systems ramped up its wire- less network management efforts last week with plans for products to make it easier for large companies to install and manage Wi-Fi networks. The Cisco Structured Wireless-Aware Network consists of software and wireless-aware switches and routers designed to make managing a wireless LAN as easy as managing a wired one.

Cisco products have lacked critical tools for managing wireless LANs, such as radio-frequency management and support for large numbers of access points, Burton Group analyst Mike Disabato says. "I haven't been a real big fan of Cisco's network-management tools. But they got this one right."

New versions of CiscoWorks Wireless LAN Solution Engine will have features such as site-survey tools that help determine where access points should be placed for maximum coverage, rogue access-point locators that search for unauthorized Wi-Fi hardware, and interference finders that locate other hardware broadcasting interfering signals. Version 2.0 is due in July and 2.5 in the fall.

Products available now include smarter Aironet 1400 access points, priced at $4,999, and the $11,995 CiscoSecure Access Control Server Solution Engine, which handles network authentication.