Honeywell last month introduced the CabinLAN II, a file server it claims is designed to improve the efficiency of onboard networks based around high-speed data satcom systems. Serving as the communications gateway between the satcom system, laptop computers, printers and other onboard devices, the CabinLAN II server creates a network environment for wired or wireless file and equipment sharing that Honeywell said is tailor-made for the airborne office.

CabinLAN II supports dual 64-kbps connections through Inmarsat’s Swift64 data service allowing multiple ISDN interfaces to be bonded to provide the equivalent of 128-kbps air-to-ground access. Using the server, passengers are able to send print jobs to an onboard printer and access conferencing applications such as Windows NetMeeting and videoconferencing to share files and hold meetings with remote users.
CabinLAN II, said Honeywell, provides built-in network security functions and the server automatically assigns Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to computers on the network, so passengers do not have to load special software or reconfigure their computers to use the system.