Data Sheet
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Award-Winning Security
The Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series has achieved National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) FIPS 140-2 level 2 validation and is in process for Common Criteria validation under the
National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) program.
The Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series supports 802.11i, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), WPA2, and
numerous Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) types. WPA and WPA2 are the Wi-Fi Alliance
certifications for interoperable, standards-based WLAN security. These certifications support IEEE
802.1X for user-based authentication, Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) for WPA encryption,
and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for WPA2 encryption. These certifications help to
ensure interoperability between Wi-Fi-certified WLAN devices from different manufacturers.
The Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series hardware-accelerated AES encryption supports enterprise-
class, government-grade secure encryption over the WLAN without compromising performance.
IEEE 802.1X authentication helps to ensure that only authorized users are allowed on the network.
Backward compatibility and support for WPA client devices running TKIP, the RC4 encryption
algorithm, is also supported by the Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series.
Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series Access Points operating with LWAPP support Cisco Unified
Intrusion Detection System/Intrusion Prevention System (IDS/IPS), a software feature that is part
of the Cisco Self-Defending Network and is the industry’s first integrated wired and wireless
security solution. Cisco Unified IDS/IPS takes a comprehensive approach to security—at the
wireless edge, wired edge, WAN edge, and through the data center. When an associated client
sends malicious traffic through the Cisco Unified Wireless Network, a Cisco wired IDS device
detects the attack and sends shun requests to Cisco wireless LAN controllers, which will then
disassociate the client device.
Autonomous or unified Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series Access Points support management frame
protection for the authentication of 802.11 management frames by the wireless network
infrastructure. This allows the network to detect spoofed frames from access points or malicious
users impersonating infrastructure access points. If an access point detects a malicious attack, an
incident will be generated by the access point and reports will be gathered on the Cisco wireless
LAN controller, Cisco WCS, or CiscoWorks WLSE.
Applications
Designed for rugged environments and installations that require antenna versatility, the Cisco
Aironet 1240AG Series features antenna connectors for extended range or coverage versatility
and more flexible installation options. Manufacturing applications, for example, can place WLANs
in hazardous locations and remotely place antennas in the hazardous locations while securing the
Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series Access Points. The access point without wired connection will use
the 5-GHz radio to wirelessly connect to the other access point for backhaul to the network.
The metal housing and industrial-grade components of the Cisco Aironet 1240AG Series provide
the ruggedness and extended operating temperature range required in factories, warehouses, “big
box” retail environments, and similar facilities. High transmit power, receive sensitivity, and delay
spread for both 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz radios provide the long range and large coverage area
consistent with these applications. 5-GHz radios are used as wireless bridges between access
points for backhaul to the network.
