It should be clear to everyone by now that the wireless-LAN shakeout is in full swing, with AirFlow Networks Inc., Bermai Inc., and Legra Systems Inc. all hitting the "eject" button over the course of last week (see Bermai Butts Out, AirFlown?, and Exit Legra, Stage Right).

But in the game of life, Bob, there are both losers and winners. And WLAN-switch startup Airespace Inc. looks like this week's big winner.

The latest wireless-LAN shipments report from the Dell'Oro Group says that the startup is starting to challenge more established players like Proxim Corp. (Nasdaq: PROX) in the overall enterprise wireless LAN space, not just in switch sales.

Greg Collins, senior director of wireless LAN research at Dell'Oro, says that if you include Airespace's OEM partner sales, the firm's shipments are "slightly under Proxim for the second quarter.""For the third quarter they're growing fast... I haven't done the numbers yet," Collins says.

But even without the big numbers, the switch/appliance sales for the second quarter tell a story. Taking Airespace's own brand shipments alone, Dell'Oro puts the startup second only to Symbol Technologies Inc. (NYSE: SBL) in this fast growing market.

Table 1: Total Worldwide WLAN Switch / Server / Appliance Revenues

— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Unstrung