BIOS: Technology Means Business

SMC Networks has announced a new line of 802.11g wireless networking products that leverage MIMO. MIMO (multiple input, multiple-output) technology speeds data transmission, improves reliability and increases range of wireless networks by using multiple transmitter and receiver ‘smart’ antennas that send and receive multiple data streams simultaneously.

SMC’s staged roll-out of MIMO-enabled products will begin with three MIMO-enabled wireless networking products built on the Ralink chipset that can build speedy, long-range, secure wireless networks or extend existing 802.11g or b networks with increased performance.

The range comprises the Barricade g 802.11g MIMO Wireless Cable/DSL Broadband Router (SMCWBR14-GM), the EZ Connect g 802.11g MIMO Wireless Cardbus Adapter (SMCWCB-GM), and the EZ Connect g 802.11g MIMO Wireless PCI Adapter (SMCWPCI-GM).

SMC’s first set of MIMO-enabled products provide the speed, coverage, and security that today’s demanding users seek, says the company. They accelerate communication, download or upload of large files, streaming audio and/or video and a host of other bandwidth-intensive applications.

Based on an advanced Ralink MIMO 802.11g chipset, the IEEE 802.11g-compliant SMC MIMO product set enables speedy data transfer - up to 20 times faster than older 802.11b wireless networking devices in MIMO-to-MIMO communication (a MIMO adapter used in its MIMO mode with a compatible MIMO router or access point).

At the same time, the products are 100 per cent backward-compatible with standard 802.11g and 802.11b devices - and can even increase performance in mixed-mode (802.11g MIMO and 802.11g or b) networks.

SMC’s first family of MIMO-enabled 802.11g wireless networking products will include a broadband router, a Cardbus adapter and a PCI adapter. The SMC Barricade g 802.11g MIMO Wireless Cable/DSL Broadband Router (SMCWBR14-GM) is a platform-independent multi-functional router that combines a 4-port 10/100Mbit/s dual-speed switch with Automatic MDI-MDIX feature and a high speed 54Mbit/s wireless access point.

And, wireless connections are secure, with support for 802.1x for authentication, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2), MAC address filtering and 64/128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), as well as Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall, network management, and support for Virtual Private Network (VPN) pass-through.

The SMC EZ Connect g 802.11g MIMO Wireless Cardbus Adapter (SMCWCB-GM) and the EZ Connect g 802.11g MIMO Wireless PCI Adapter (SMCWPCI-GM) enable computers and other network-capable devices to connect to an 802.11g, b, or g-MIMO network. Both include SMC’s EZ Installation Wizard for quick and easy setup.

Both adapters provide a high level of security with support for both 64/128-bit WEP encryption and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2). Both adapters also include a WLAN utility that scans for all available wireless networks, with profile management that allow you to save names and settings of multiple networks, so travelling connections should be easy and instantaneous.

SMC’s first MIMO-enabled 802.11g products will begin shipping in April. The Barricada g 802.11g MIMO Wireless Cable/DSL Broadband Router (SMCWBR14-GM) will cost £69. The EZ Connect g 802.11g MIMO Wireless Cardbus Adapter (SMCWCB-GM) will be £35 and the EZ Connect g 802.11g MIMO Wireless PCI Adapter (SMCWPCI-GM) will also be £35.

[Best Wireless Network Pricing UK]
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