Netgear today announced the a Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender that uses powerlines to link 802.11g access points. The compact kit consists of the new WGX102 54 Mbps Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender and the XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge.
It utilizes a combination of HomePlug and 54 Mbps 802.11g wireless technologies. Used in tandem, the products extend the range of a wireless network to any area in the house where an electrical outlet is available, enabling whole-home coverage.
The first step is for the user to connect the NETGEAR Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge to an existing router, from any vendor, to activate all of the home’s wall outlets with Internet connectivity.
To complete the network extension, the user plugs the NETGEAR Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender into a convenient outlet. A wireless “dead” spot can now gain WiFi net access.
The Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender Kit is interoperable with 802.11b and 802.11g, and even wired routers. It incorporates technology from Intellon, whose integrated circuits enable consumers to share Internet connections, stream digital audio and video, and network PC and consumer entertainment devices by simply plugging into existing power outlets. Intellon’s PowerPacket technology was selected by the HomePlug Powerline Alliance as the basis for its industry specification 1.0. HomePlug uses AC power circuits to connect devices at 14 Mbps or so. Tom’s Networking reports Intellon will bump HomePlug speed to 85 Mbps next spring.
The Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender will be available in early October at a retail price of $149.99.
Meanwhile, competitor Belkin has a different approach to house-wide, high speed wireless. Belkin is about to release a “pre 802.11n” solution with multiple input/multiple output antennas. Their Wireless Pre-N Router ($159) and Pre “N” network card ($109) claims to increase range (and/or speed) up to 4 times. Ordinary WiFi cards aren’t likely to benefit much from a MIMO access point, but the combination of MIMO clients and APs may have advantages for some applications.
Atheros has also announced MIMO chipsets.
Atheros claims that their dual-band (11a/b/g) AR5005VA chipset will support “multiple DVD-quality links (6-8 Mbps each) or a combination of HDTV (19-24 Mbps each) and DVD-quality links throughout homes of up to 6,000 square feet (550 square meters)”.
Belkin and Atheros use different (and incompatible) “pre-N” “standards”. (Gosh, I’m wearing out my “quote” key).
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