ELI simplifies small office security

An enterprising start-up has hatched a plan to make wireless LAN security both simple and strong for small-business users, teleworkers and consumers.

The plan, from Electronic Lifestyle Integrator (ELI), marries an appliance that has an integrated set of network functions with a hosted security update service.

Users select one of several classes of security then the appliance downloads the settings and configures itself to support that choice. ELI's servers automatically update the appliance's built-in anti-virus, content-filtering and anti-spam applications several times a day

The Mount Laurel, N.J., vendor was co-founded by CEO Susan Lutz and CTO Robert Smith, who have sustained the fledgling company without any venture backing. Lutz co-founded secureIT, which focused on IT security solutions and was acquired by VeriSign, for which Lutz worked for five years. She also serves as CEO for Etsec, a company that focuses on enterprise security services and strategy. Smith remains CEO and CTO of Secure Networking Company a managed security services firm in Europe. He also worked for VeriSign as a product manager.

The initial model of the device, called Eli, has a DSL modem. The company says it will soon ship a cable modem version, and is designing a model that will have a PCM-CIA slot that can accept a cellular adapter card to connect with wireless data services. Each also has a four-port Ethernet switch, an 802.11b/g WLAN access point and USB port.