Cisco 1800 Series integrated services routers are the next evolution of the award-winning Cisco 1700 Series modular access routers. The Cisco 1841 router (Figure 1) is designed for secure data connectivity and provides significant additional value compared to prior generations of Cisco 1700 Series routers by offering more than a fivefold performance increase and integrated hardware-based encryption enabled by an optional Cisco IOS ® Software security image. The Cisco 1841 dramatically increase interface card slot performance and density over the Cisco 1700 Series while maintaining support for more than 30 existing WAN interface cards (WICs) and multiflex trunk cards (voice/WICs [VWICs]-for data only on the Cisco 1841 router).

The Cisco 1841 router features secure, fast, and high-quality delivery of multiple, concurrent services for small-to-medium-sized businesses and small enterprise branch offices. The Cisco 1841 router offers embedded hardware-based encryption enabled by an optional Cisco IOS Software security image; further enhancement of VPN performance with an optional VPN acceleration module; an intrusion prevention system (IPS) and firewall functions; interfaces for a wide range of connectivity requirements, including support for optional integrated switch ports; plus sufficient performance and slot density for future network expansion and advanced applications as well as an integrated real-time clock.