Cisco has announced two new Linksys® HomePlug AV Powerline products that help consumers overcome two popular home networking challenges.
Smart TVs, Blu-ray players or game consoles come with great on demand apps and services but need to be connected to the Internet to be enabled. The new Linksys Powerline AV 4-Port Network Adapter Kit, available this month, can be used to transform any electrical socket into an Internet connection and can connect up to four multimedia devices simultaneously.
The second challenge is the need for additional wireless range to use products such as tablets and notebooks around the home. For this Cisco developed the Linksys Powerline AV Wireless Network Extender Kit, available in May, to increase the range of an existing wireless network.
Both solutions are HomePlug AV certified and are well suited for music and video streaming as well as online gaming. By using existing electricity wiring and wall sockets; network connectivity can be delivered into rooms such as home offices, basements, attics, garages and back houses that may have limited wireless signal due to the location of the room or the use of building materials, such as concrete and steel.
“Our new Powerline products provide a plug-and-play answer for two challenges that many consumers are facing: the need to connect all these new smart devices around the home to the Internet and need to increase wireless network coverage around the home,” said Jens Hofmeister, director product management for Cisco’s home networking business.
Linksys Powerline products are easy to set up: just plug in one adapter in an electrical wall socket near the home router and plug in the other adapter where you want to connect your devices. After plugging in both adapters, advanced security can be enabled by pushing the HomePlug Simple Connect button on both ends.
