Safe and Easy Internet Connectivity for a LAN
Instant Internet is sold by
April System Design in Sweden and Finland.
If you need to connect the PCs on your Local Area Network to the Internet, but are worried
about the following problems:
- How can I cope with the administration of another LAN protocol i.e. TCP/IP.
- How can I guarentee security, so that hackers cannot come into my LAN from Internet.
Instant Internet is an ingenious solution, that gives all the networked PCs full
access to the Internet without requiring them to use TCP/IP with leased lines and
the security risks this gives rise to.
Instant Internet was developed by Performance
Technology in San Antonio, Texas and is imported to Sweden by their part-owned
sister company april system design ab in Solna.
Operation and Security
Instant Internet is a box with a LAN connection on one side (Ethernet 10-base-T
or 10-base-2, ARCNET or Token-Ring) and an internet connection on the other side.
The box functions as a "winsockets gateway". Windows workstations communicate
with the box via winsockets over Novell IPX or NetBIOS and the box communicates
with Internet via its TCP/IP stack. There is only a single
TCP/IP-adsress required, and this is in the box, giving an inbuilt
"firewall". From the outside, on the Internet, it is possible to echo
messages from the box ("ping" it) but it is not possible to gain access to the LAN.
Includes Network License for WinWeb, E-Mail and News-Reader
With Instant Internet you can connect up to 50 concurrent PC users
to the Internet. The package includes network licenses for the
WinWeb WWW browser (including an FTP client), a Usenet News Reader, and
Eudora (a popular Internet e-mail client).
Dial-up or Leased Connections
Between ten to fifteen simultaneous users can run interactive applications
such as e-mail and www with suficient performance over the inbuilt 28,800
bps modem. If applications with a more demanding band-width usage are required,
then the Instant Internet box can be connected to the internet via ISDN,
a router or a leased line.
Quick and Easy Installation
The installation for the whole Local Area Network takes about
a half hour, without needing to update a single AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file
and without affecting the workstation's environment other than the addition
of those Windows icons needed for Internet. There are connection scripts for the
most common internet providers including Telia's TIPNET and Tele2's SWIPNET.
Operating costs are low because Instant Internet can use a normal SLIP
subscription for approx. 150 Swedish Kronor per month. Support is also
provided for PPP.
Winsock 1.1 compatible
Instant Internet provides a WINSOCK 1.1 compatible interface to application programs
running in your PC. Any Windows program with an interface which conforms to this API
should work with Instant Internet.
Instant Internet also supports 32-bit WINSOCK (WSOCK32.DLL) on Windows95.
Instant Internet version 3.0 adds many new features to enhance the administarion, manageability
and user accountability.
Robust administration with user and group management
Access control can be defined by individual user or group. Instant
Internet automatically recognizes NetWare users and groups when Instant Internet is
installed on a NetWare LAN. Each user/group can then be further configured for Internet access
through Instant Internet admin facilities.
Tight control of Internet access
Tight controls restrict not only when users can get onto the Internet, but where
they can go and what they can do once they get on. User and group access can be restricted
by day of week, and time of day. Users/groups can be restricted to specific destinations, or
can be allowed to go anywhere except for a set of specific destinations. In addition, per
destination, specific activities, such as browsing or file transferring (ftp) can be restricted.
Accountability through logging
Logging can be "turned on" on a per user basis. Logged info per user includes last
access time and cumulative duration of use, amount of data sent and received, and to which
destinations the user has gone. The log data can be dynamically viewed, and/or pulled into
Excel or another utility for further manipulation for cost charge-back to departments, for
example.
Manageability through dynamic monitoring
A dynamic monitoring program shows data throughput rates, connection status, users
connected (by name), and usage information for one or multiple Instant Internet units. An
SNMP agent has also been implemented for monitoring capabilities through available SNMP
tools.
A Range of Models to Meet Your Needs
Instant Internet is available in a range of models to meet your needs.
Choose one of the following Local Area Network connections:
- Ethernet
- Token-Ring
- Arcnet
The following Internet connections are available:
- 28.8 Kbps Modem
- ISDN
- Ethernet Router
- 28.8 Kbps Modem & Ethernet Router
- ISDN & Ethernet Router
Now you understand what we mean by "Instant Internet" !!!
Download the latest upgrade for Instant Internet from our FTP server.
Back to April's Home Page
Please send comments to: keith@april.se
