London, UK. September 1, 2011 – Cisco has introduced the Linksys® X-series, a range of hybrid home wireless products that help consumers to simply create a high speed wireless home network that works with both DSL and cable broadband connections. The Linksys X-series reportedly enables consumers to access the internet and enjoy reliable wireless access on all their wireless devices around the home such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, game consoles and internet-ready televisions.
The Linksys X-series is designed for consumers who want to go wireless with their fixed broadband connection or who want to upgrade to wireless-N. The new hybrid solutions give consumers the flexibility to connect to cable and DSL broadband connections when moving to a new home or switching service providers.
“The number of Wi-Fi enabled devices in the home exceeds 1.1 billion[1] today and is growing by the minute,” said Jens Hofmeister, director product management at Cisco. “Consumers need to connect more and more devices, including TVs, Blu-ray players, game consoles and set-top boxes, to their wireless networks, proving the importance of wireless connectivity for today’s home entertainment experience. Viewing a video clip or streaming music is not fun when your wireless connection drops periodically or when wireless coverage is not available at all.”
Linksys X-series products are shipped with Cisco Connect™ software, and are claimed to enable users to set up their wireless home networks in a few easy steps. Cisco also says that consumers can customise and control their wireless settings to match their individual preferences. The introduction of Cisco Connect software within Cisco’s home networking products last year has improved the end-user wireless experience, and the company has experienced significantly fewer technical support questions since the introduction of Cisco Connect software for the installation of its Linksys wireless routers.
Once set up, users can use Cisco Connect to:
· Add additional devices to the network
· Set parental controls
· Provide visitors with internet access on a separate guest network
· Measure the broadband connection speed with the Broadband Speed Meter
· Check for automatic firmware and software updates
A recent report[2] from research firm IDC shows that in 2011 the installed base of wireless-N home networks in Western Europe will grow to almost 27% of the total installed base of nearly 47 million wireless home networks. This year wireless-N device shipments will also outgrow wireless-G in retail and service provider channels combined.
The new Linksys X-series will be available starting from September. Linksys X2000 Wireless-N ADSL2+ Modem Router has a Manufacturer’s Recommended Price of UK£84.99, roughly EUR 97.00. It is said to be:
· Ideal for sharing Internet access, surfing the web, emailing, printing wirelessly and connecting to a DSL connection or cable modem.
· Includes a Wireless-N router with wireless transfer speeds up to 300 Mbps*
· Equipped with Fast Ethernet ports to connect wired devices
· Includes Cisco Connect software that helps consumers set up their wireless network in a few easy steps on a Windows or Mac computer.
The recommended price for the Linksys X3000 Advanced Wireless-N ADSL2+ Modem Router is UK£109.99, or EUR125.00. This system also benefits from being equipped with:
· A StorageLink USB-port to connect and share storage devices over the network
· Gigabit Ethernet ports to connect wired devices and transfer files or stream media at higher data rates.
*The maximum performance for wireless is derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual performance can vary, including lower wireless network capacity, data throughput rate, range and coverage. Performance depends on many factors, conditions and variables, including distance from the access point, volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, operating system used, mix of wireless products used, interference and other adverse conditions.
[1] Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices 2010
[2] IDC Worldwide Home Networking 2011– 2015 Forecast, May 2011
