First Look: U.S. Robotics Wireless Networking Products

Wayne N. Kawamoto
Managing Editor, www.smallbusinesscomputing.com

U.S. Robotics announced its complete line of 22 megabits per second (Mbps) wireless access networking products, which promise to deliver a performance increase and backwards compatibility with popular 802.11b 11 Mbps products.

The U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access PC Card, U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access PCI Adapter and U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access Point should deliver high-speed, Plug-and-Play connectivity and networking solutions for the home, small office/home office (SOHO) and the small- to medium-sized business (SMB) markets.

U.S. Robotics’ 22 Mbps wireless access networking suite, for users of wireless networking equipment, includes products designed for quick and easy installation and should allow users to securely share Internet access, files and printers. The products are capable of networking multiple PCs without the hassle of running cables or wires, expanding an existing 802.11b wireless local area network (LAN) or creating a new wireless LAN capable of up to 22 Mbps wireless speeds.

U.S. Robotics’ newest wireless access networking portfolio is based on Texas Instruments Incorporated ACX100 802.11 technology. According to the company, TI technology enables its products to be 802.11b compliant, backwards compatible with all current 11 Mbps devices and have the fastest wireless speed available in a 2.4-gigahertz radio spectrum. Additional features include a bridging function to support building-to-building roaming and networking, a 256-bit WEP encryption and MAC address authentication for security and privacy and up to 70 percent better area coverage than conventional 11 Mbps wireless products.

– The U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access Point should let users securely share files, Internet access and peripherals with multiple users. The access point offers fast data rates up to 22 Mbps when combined with a U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access PC Card and the U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access PCI Adapter Card. It also provides full compatibility with existing 802.11b 11 Mbps devices. This product will be available in June 2002 at a suggested retail price of $199.99.

– The U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access PC Card, for laptop computers, supports peer-to-peer networking with up to three computers without an access point. Combine the card with a U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access Point for networking four or more PCs. This product will be available in June 2002 at a suggested retail price of $99.99.

– The U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access PCI Adapter Card, for desktop computers, supports peer-to-peer networking with up to three computers without an access point. Combine the card with a U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access Point for networking four or more PCs. Everything needed to add wireless capability to a desktop PC is included in the box and will be available in June 2002 at a suggested retail price of $119.99.