Share your home broadband connection across multiple devices.

One option is to use the disk that came with the router. Most vendors ship a CD in the packaging that contains a program that will locate the router and set things up automatically for you. I recommend you use it if you do not understand much about networking as it will really simplify everything and give you exact instructions on what to do for your make and model of router.

If this is not an option you will likely need to log in to your router via your browser. There will be an instruction booklet showing you how to plug your computer and modem into the router. The modem’s network cable will plug into the socket labeled “WAN.” Your computer will plug into one of the numbered sockets. I like to physically connect the computer and router for this part because it’s easier to use wires for this setup than attempt to connect via wireless.

Once everything is plugged in, look in your routers manual for the default settings. There will be a default user name and password listed, as well as a default IP address. The address is usually 192.168.1.1. You will enter this into your Web browser with the http:// in front, and you should be prompted for a user name and password. Enter these and it will take you to the administration screen.

The first thing you will want to do is set a new router password. This is the password that lets you into the router administration panel. It is not related to wireless or network settings. There should be a link to set a password either in the menu, or perhaps as part of the basic settings page. As every brand of router has slightly different menus, you may have to hunt a little bit for these settings. When in doubt, read the instruction manual or refer to the documentation link in the administration page.

In the basic settings menu you’ll find many different options. For most of these settings, you will want to use the default settings. The exception is if you use DSL and have to enter a login and password to enable your Internet connection. You will want to enter that information.

I would also recommend that you leave any of the IP address settings as default. There are certain IP address subnets that are blocked off for private network use. These include the 192.168.x.x addresses, as well as 10.x.x.x addresses. You will likely see the 192.168.1.1 listed here as a gateway address. You will probably also see a subnet mask field. If your gateway IP is 192.168.1.1, your subnet mask should be defaulted to 255.255.255.0. A subnet mask is basically used to determine which network a device belongs to.

In addition, you will also want to make sure that the router is acting as a DHCP server. What this means is that it will be assigning IP addresses automatically to any device that you attempt to connect to the network. Usually there will be fields to enter the starting address for the DHCP. if your gateway is 192.168.1.1, your starting address will likely be 192.168.1.2.

Cisco Plumbs Home Wireless Market With New Routers

Cisco Systems Inc. said it will begin selling a new line of home-market wireless routers that the networking giant is touting for its modest design, ease of use and potential for widespread appeal.

The vendor is offering its fresh brand of consumer routers, called the Valet, in two versions at different functionality and price points.

Cisco also added to its roster of home-focused wireless routers with four new units under the Linksys E-Series banner.

Cisco differentiated the Valet and Linksys offerings in part based on technical complexity, positioning the E-series as suitably powerful for its core audience of technology-minded users, while still retaining the simplicity that consumers require.

The basic Valet model is aimed at the small- to medium sized home market containing primarily wireless devices, and is priced at $99.99. The Valet Plus unit is aimed at medium- to large-sized homes containing a mix of wireless and wired devices, and is priced at $149.99.

The Valet Connector, priced at $79.99, upgrades older computers to wireless and is offered as a complementary device to the Valet routers.

Cisco said that the Valet routers are available now at Amazon.com, Staples and at the Cisco web site. Retailers Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart and others ultimately will sell the units, Cisco said.

The introduction of the Valet routers marks a departure in Cisco’s strategy for the home wireless market as the vendor previously has sold consumer-oriented routers only under its Linksys brand.

New Linksys consumer routers

Cisco’s new Linksys E-series consists of four routers ranging in price from $79.99 to $179.99 and includes the Cisco Connect software. Officials said that the E-series allows users to customize and control their wireless network settings to match their preferences.

An entry level model, called the E1000 Wireless-N router, priced at $79.99, connects devices at transfer speeds up to 300 Mbps, uses Faster Ethernet ports, and is aimed at general wireless Internet use; the E2000 Advanced Wireless-N model, priced at $119.99, includes four Gigabit Ethernet ports, features dual band technology, and is aimed at connecting computers, gaming consoles, HDTVs and Blu-Ray players.

In addition, the E2100L Advanced Wireless-N router with Linux OS, also priced at $119.99, uses the Linux operating system for network customization, features four Fast Ethernet ports and built-in UPnP AV Media Server to stream media content to an Xbox 360, PS3 or other device. At the top of the line is the E3000 High Performance Wireless-N router, dual band, priced at $179.99, and containing all the high performance features of the other models.

A high-performance, Wireless-N USB adapter, priced at $69.99, also is available.

The E-series models are available at the same outlets as the Valet line and at the Cisco web site.

In unwrapping the Valet and Linksys E-series routers, Cisco officials pointed to increased consumer demand for wireless products, offering up statistics from researcher International Data Corp. that slightly more than 30 percent of U.S. homes are set up for wireless use, along with data from ABI Research on the heft of the market, specifically that some 264 million wireless-enabled products--including mobile phones, gaming systems and music players, shipped worldwide last year.

802.11n: Lessons Learned - Part 1

Since early 2008, Xirrus has deployed over 1,000 802.11n Wi-Fi networks for universities, K-12
school districts, enterprises, hospitals, conventions centers, and other customers. During the
design and implementation of these networks, Xirrus has gained a wealth of experience and
knowledge in 802.11n technology and what it takes to successfully install and operate high
performance, resilient 802.11n networks.
This White Paper outlines key lessons Xirrus has learned from our 802.11n deployment
experience. Every network is different, but as our experience has shown, following several key
guidelines will help optimize new 802.11n networks to achieve maximum performance and
robustness towards the ultimate goal of using wireless to replace wired networks.
Network Design
Proper planning is crucial prior to deploying 802.11n networks. Appropriate planning is a good
idea with any 802.11 network, but it is especially important with new 802.11n networks because:
1. 802.11n will be used more often as the primary network connection compared with
802.11abg
2. 802.11n has more flexibility and configuration options than legacy Wi-Fi, so network
designs must take into account end-user needs in order to optimize performance and
robustness.
There are five key parameters to look at for a proper 802.11n network design, as reviewed in the
sections below.
Site Survey
Executing an active site survey prior to deploying Wi-Fi equipment (whether a Xirrus Array or
other AP) is important because it lets the network administrator know exactly where equipment
needs to be placed prior to deploying. With an active site survey, real equipment is taken on site
and used to determine the best placement prior to pulling cables and drilling walls for the actual
installation. Rather than doing an active site survey some Wi-Fi vendors and network designers
merely guess at the location of APs by looking at floor plans and assuming that the RF
propagation of all buildings is the same. Active site surveys are always important with Wi-Fi, but
they are especially important with 802.11n networks for the following reasons.
MIMO
To improve throughput, 802.11n networks use Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO). MIMO
increases overall throughput by using multiple antennas and signals to send the traffic. With
MIMO, rather than having a single high-powered stream carrying the data traffic, there are 2 or 3
lower powered streams carrying the data traffic. In general, MIMO increases network and station
performance, however because of MIMO 802.11n penetration, characteristics are more
dependent on the environment; MIMO can be affected by wall and other objects differently than
standard transmission techniques. Before deploying an 802.11n network, it is imperative to see
how 802.11n radios will behave in the current environment and not assume that the RF
propagation will be the same as existing 802.11abg networks.

 Lesson Learned: Because of MIMO, 802.11n RF propagation can be
significantly different than with traditional 802.11abg networks. An active site
survey should always be done to tests the RF characteristics of the
environment prior to deployment.
Dual-band Coverage
A discussed in the RF Design section later in this White Paper, operating 802.11n in the 5GHz
band is a key requirement to fully realizing the benefits of 802.11n. When doing a site survey, it is
imperative that readings be taken for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. In most environments, 2.4GHz will
propagate further than 5GHz. If 5GHz is to be used in 802.11n networks (as is highly
recommended), the survey should take readings in both bands and both should be seen from all
areas to be covered.
The diagrams below show the results of a standard survey for 802.11n. As can be seen, the
coverage characteristics of 2.4GHz and 5GHz are different, with 2.4GHz providing coverage
where 5GHz does not. Adjusting equipment location or adding additional equipment may be
necessary to provide full 5GHz band coverage, and hence realize the benefits of 802.11n’s high
performance.

2.4GHz Coverage 5GHz Coverage

 Lesson Learned: When doing site surveys, look at both 5GHz and 2.4GHz
bands. 802.11n can operate in both bands and to fully realize its benefits, both
bands should be supported throughout the entire network.

Multiple Radios
Another consideration when doing a site survey is ensuring that multiple radios are available at a
sufficient RSSI level (Xirrus recommends -72dBm or greater for most applications) from every
area to be covered by the Wi-Fi network. For a resilient, dynamic connection there should be
multiple radios from which a station can choose in case one of the radios is heavily utilized or if
one of the radios goes down. The table below shows the signal readings from a sight survey of
an actual Xirrus customer survey. As one can see, multiple 2GHz and 5GHz channels can be
seen with strong signal coverage (-72dBm or higher).

Configuring Your Wireless Network

Setting up a wireless network used to be very complicated and beyond most non technical people. Today, however, as long as you have the right tools, setting up and configuring your wireless network is a breeze.

Plugging everything in is an important part of setting up your wireless network, but believe it or not, that's not the end of it. The next step in the process is configuring your wireless network, and sometimes that can be easier said than done. There are a number of things that can stand in your way, so let's discuss some of them, and when the time comes, you should be able to move past them with relative ease.

First of all there are the wireless network drivers. A wireless network installation is going to require drivers, so if your wireless network PC card did not come with those drivers, you will need to search the internet. Luckily you won't have to look very far, because for the most part the original manufacturer's website will have these drivers. The only time that this will not be true is in the event that you somehow have a legacy network card and the original manufacturer has discontinued both the hardware and the drivers. In this case you will have to dig a bit deeper. For example you might need to seek out a third party driver website. Either way you should be able to find what you need so long as you look hard enough.

If you want to connect more than one network, then you might consider using a wireless network bridge so that you can see the other network and share files with it. This will come in handy if for some reason you have decided to set up a print server on another network. You can probably already see the potential benefits of this, so it would be wise to begin researching the way in which your current operating system handles bridges.

If you want to take full advantage of your wireless network, then a wireless network PC card would be a great idea. There are many laptops that have a card built in, but sometimes these cards do not live up to their name. It would be best to have a PCMCIA card in your laptop because these types of cards typically have a much longer range and transmit a more powerful signal to the router. These are normally much preferred over USB cards, but in time, providing that USB cards become more powerful, the PCMCIA card may fade into the past like the floppy drive and zip drive before it.

Wireless network configuration does not have to be difficult, and as long as you have all the right wireless network tools and equipment, you should find that the process is relatively painless, even to the computer novice. So go forth and find a way to set up your wireless network. Soon enough you will be surfing the net and sharing your files faster and easier than ever before.

Wireless Sensor Network Topologies and Mesh Networking

The NI Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) system is built on an IEEE 802.15.4 wireless mesh network. The 802.15.4 radio in each NI WSN device provides for low-power communication of measurement data across a large network of devices. NI-WSN software builds on top of that to provide network configuration and reliable communication from the host PC or Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) to the NI WSN-32xx node devices.

1. Wireless Sensor Network Components
2. Mesh Networking
3. Configuring Your NI WSN System
4. Additional Information

Wireless Sensor Network Components

A wireless sensor network (WSN) is a wireless network consisting of spatially distributed autonomous devices that use sensors to monitor physical or environmental conditions. These autonomous devices, known as routers and end nodes, combine with a gateway to create a typical WSN system. The distributed measurement nodes communicate wirelessly to a central gateway, which acts as the network coordinator in charge of node authentication, message buffering, and bridging from the IEEE 802.15.4 wireless network to the wired Ethernet network. where you can collect, process, analyze, and present your measurement data. Figure 1 shows a typical NI Wireless Sensor Network, in which the three WSN measurement nodes are configured as end nodes.

Figure 1.  Basic WSN System with End Nodes, Ethernet Gateway, and Host PC

End Nodes vs. Routers

NI WSN measurement nodes can be configured to act as end nodes or routers using the NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) utility.  In both configurations, the nodes can collect measurement data from sensors, control their DIO channels, or be programmed using LabVIEW WSN for more advanced capabilities.  One trade-off to consider when configuring nodes is power consumption. To preserve battery power, an end node will reside in a low-power sleep mode most of the time (depending on its user-defined sample interval), waking up only to sample and transmit data, along with other housekeeping information.  A router node, however, is always awake and can relay data from other nodes back to the gateway.  This allows you to extend distance and reliability in your wireless sensor network.  Because they are always transmitting data, router nodes are designed to use external power at all times to send, receive, and buffer messages to and from end nodes.

Mesh Networking

The gateways and nodes work together to form a mesh network. The gateway maintains a list of nodes (by serial number) that have been authorized for network access. When a node powers up, it scans for available networks, locates either a gateway or router, and attempts to join it. If the gateway has the node in its list, the node joins the network, downloads the latest configuration from the gateway, and begins its normal operation of acquiring measurement data and controlling DIO.

Since each node joins a network instead of a particular router or gateway, it can find a new path back to the gateway in the event that the signal is lost or blocked to its existing network route. In this way, the mesh network is inherently self-forming and self-healing. However, this may also cause network throughput to decrease, as there is no way to force a router or end node to join to a particular device in the network. Each time a node joins through a router, the overall throughput of that node is halved, due to the fact that the node must hop to get its messages back to the gateway. Figure 2 shows an example of one possible mesh configuration.

Figure 2.  Mesh Configuration #1 with Router Nodes and Gateway

In this configuration, R1 (a router) and R2 (a router) both communicate directly with the gateway. Measurements taken by both devices can directly reach the gateway without having to hop through another node. However, the configuration above does not always mesh in the same way. Figure 3 shows another possible configuration for the same network.

Figure 3.  Mesh Configuration #2 with Router Nodes and Gateway

In this configuration, R1 can still communicate with the gateway, but R2 is now connected through R1. This means that all measurements taken by R2 must hop through R1 before making it back to the gateway. In addition, R1 is now not only responsible for sending its own measurement data, but also the R2 data. This configuration is considered a worst case 1-hop system, as R2 and R1 both have the possibility of meshing through a router that is connected to the gateway. NI recommends configuring your system for no more than three hops. Configuring multiple nodes as routers and placing them within close proximity introduces the possibility that your system could mesh inefficiently. Figure 4 shows how a system could mesh efficiently, yet also have the possibility of meshing inefficiently.

Figure 4.  Same Topology - Two Ways to Mesh (Inefficient vs. Efficient)

This network can be improved with two separate techniques:

1. Convert some routers to end nodes.
2. Set up the network to prevent the routers from being in range of each other (spatially separated by distance, or introducing objects that increase radio interference such as buildings).

Another advantage of the mesh network is the ability to extend the distance of the end measurement from the wired gateway. By placing mesh routers throughout the space where you wish to acquire signals, you can expand the area and distance across which measurement data can be acquired and sent. In an outdoor environment with line of sight, a single communication hop can extend up to 300m.  NI recommends no more than three hops from any device to the gateway, meaning you can extend your measurements up to 900m from the gateway.

Figure 5.  Using Router Nodes to Extend Network Distance

Configuring Your NI WSN System

As discussed in the Mesh Networking section, creating a reliable and efficient wireless sensor network requires an understanding of the physical environment the network will reside in, as well as an understanding of the expected meshing configuration. Additionally, the following consideration needs to be taken into account: parent devices (routers and gateways) can only have a maximum of eight end nodes connected to them at a given time.  This means that to achieve the maximum density of 36 nodes per gateway, you must include router nodes in your topology.  

If you wish to implement a star topology, in which no routers are utilized, you can only connect eight end nodes to your gateway, as seen in Figure 6.

Figure 6.  Maximum of Eight End Nodes in a Star Topology

To achieve the 36-node limit for WSN gateways, you can introduce router nodes into your system.  Architecting your system will depend on your application, but the two most common 36-node mesh topologies can be seen below.  In the topology illustrated by Figure 7, measurement points can be scattered among a large area that is only 2 hops from the gateway.

Figure 7.  High-Density, Medium-Distance Mesh Topology Example

If distance is more important than measurement density in your application, you can architect a topology in which end nodes are three hops from the gateway, as seen in Figure 8.

[+] Enlarge Image

Figure 8.  Medium-Density, High-Distance Mesh Topology Example

Keep in mind, however, that the 8:1 end node to parent ratio limit introduces a potential issue known as the stranded node problem. The stranded node problem exists when a node configured as an end node has the possibility of not being able to join a device. Figure 9 shows a network consisting of one gateway, two routers, and nine end nodes. 

Figure 9.  Mesh Topology Without Stranded Node

In this case, all nodes have properly meshed, and all nodes can communicate with the gateway. However, this network could potentially strand end nodes. Figure 10 shows another possible mesh of the same network.

Figure 10.  Mesh Topology With Stranded Node

In this mesh configuration, eight end nodes in range of both R1 and R2 join with R1. This leaves one end node stranded from the network. This can be corrected in the following two ways:

1. Move the set of 8 end nodes to where they can only communicate with R2. This prevents them from
   possibly joining R1.
2. Add an additional router that is in range of the single end node. This introduces the possibility of
   creating additional hops in the network, but also guarantees coverage of all end nodes.

Additional Information

Wireless Sensor Networks are an exciting technology that can solve a variety of applications.  To get started with NI Wireless Sensor Networks, purchase an NI WSN Starter Kit.  Or to learn more, visit the NI WSN homepage.  

Wireless-N shocker! Cisco announces E-Series line of home routers

If we know you, you're about ready to bathe your place of residence in some of those 802.11n waves you've been hearing so much about. Well, you're in luck -- the cats at Cisco have announces the Linksys E-Series line of routers for your home, flat, or small business. All of these bad boys feature the all new Cisco Connect software (with exhaustive parental control and a separate password-protected guest network). Priced between $80 and $180, select models include Gigabit Ethernet, UPnP AV Media Server, external storage via USB, Linux, and more. Available now at Amazon, Staples, and Linksys. For the whole sordid tale, peep the PR after the break.

Set up the Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter

To install the software for a Wireless N Networking Adapter
1. If an Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter is connecting to your device, unplug it.
2. Put in the installation CD integrated with the Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adaptor into your Xbox 360 device.
3. Turn off the device.

4. Turn the device back on. The software update should start automatically. If the update does not start automatically, the software may already be installed.
5. When you are prompted to install the software, pick Yes, update now.
6. If a network cable is connecting in to the back of your device, disconnect it.
7. Once the installation is over, connect the Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adaptor into the USB port.
8. Remove the installation CD from the disc drive.
9. Turn off your device and after that turn it on again.

Freeing the iPad from AT&T

AT&T isn't the only company hoping to cash in on wireless service for Apple's iPad.

In the runup to the Apr. 3 U.S. release of Apple's (AAPL) highly anticipated tablet computer, Wi-Fi service providers and cellular carriers are angling to sell consumers and small businesses that buy iPads add-on wireless data services. The services would be alternatives to monthly 3G cellular plans from AT&T (T), which is Apple's chosen data-plan provider for the iPad.

Boingo Wireless, which sells Wi-Fi access in airports, convention centers, and other public places, on Mar. 29 announced it would begin selling $2-an-hour access to more than 125,000 Wi-Fi hotspots for iPad users. Consumers can purchase the access directly through Apple's iTunes online store. Boingo Chief Executive Dave Hagan says he expects especially strong demand in New York and San Francisco, where AT&T's cellular network has suffered from congestion. "If it's not working very well, Wi-Fi is there," he says. The iPad "is going to be a very big opportunity for companies like ours."

Other wireless service providers see a market, too. Sprint Nextel (S), the third-largest U.S. cellular carrier, plans to market to iPad owners its Overdrive mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, which for a $60-a-month subscription lets users connect as many as five mobile computing devices to its next-generation 4G cellular network. "In our view the iPad will make a very compelling 4G device," says Sprint spokesman Scott Sloat. Sprint says its 4G network offers download speeds that are as much as 10 times as fast as AT&T's 3G network.

Customers of Verizon's (VZ) FiOS Internet access service already receive free, Verizon-branded access to Boingo's hotspots and could use the service with their iPads as well, according to Boingo's Hagan. Verizon Wireless declined to comment.

"LOOKING OUTSIDE OF AT&T"

Analysts estimate that Apple could sell anywhere from 2 million to 6 million iPads this year. One million to 2 million buyers "will be looking outside of AT&T" for wireless service, estimates independent wireless industry consultant Chetan Sharma.

The iPad will let users interact with a touchscreen to browse the Web, use e-mail, view photos and videos, and perform other tasks. Apple plans initially to sell three models, starting at $499, with built-in support for Wi-Fi wireless networking. Three additional models that can communicate over high-speed 3G wireless networks will go on sale later in April, and start at $629.

The iPad will ship configured to readily purchase data plans from AT&T. Buyers of the 3G-enabled iPads will be able to access AT&T's cellular network for $15 or $30 per month depending on how much data they plan to consume. Those plans will also include access to AT&T's more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in the U.S. AT&T typically charges users who don't subscribe to its data plans, such as those for the iPad and iPhone, $4 per session or $20 per month to use its hotspots.

"One thing that will attract people is our great pricing," says AT&T spokesperson Mark Siegel. "It's all prepaid, done on the device itself, and charged to your credit card."

PRICE PRESSURE

Yet 3G-enabled iPads could conceivably work on other carriers' networks, including that of T-Mobile USA, which uses similar network technology as AT&T. There are no technical limitations that would preclude that, says Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris. She wouldn't comment on whether Apple is in discussions with other U.S. carriers to offer iPad service plans. T-Mobile didn't return a request for comment.

The push by wireless service providers to grab a piece of the iPad service pie from AT&T could benefit consumers by pushing down prices for wireless access, analysts say. "I'd be surprised if, before [the iPad's launch], one other player doesn't come in with Wi-Fi presence," says Richard Doherty, research director of tech industry consultant The Envisioneering Group.

Wireless service providers are hoping that competitive prices and a choice of hotspots may be enough to peel some customers away from AT&T's fold.

Cisco CRS-3 Router To Make Internet Faster

Do you already have the fastest internet in your area?  Can you imagine being able to download the entire printed collection of the Library of Congress in just over ONE second?  Things like steaming the newest released movies to your computer or television can be done in just 4 minutes.  That is where Cisco’s new router comes in.

Today, Cisco announced a next generation router that will revolutionize the internet by increasing downloadsto unheard of speeds.  Since the internet is largely becoming the place for downloaded videos and live streaming events, Cisco is certainly on the right track with their technology.  One issue remains though and that is when the heck are we going to be able to take full advantage of this wonderful advancement?

Apparently, AT&T has been discussing the deployment trials with the CRS-3 and will hopefully be getting the internet to their users faster within the next calendar year.

What would this mean for the average internet user? Well, average Joe isn’t going to be making a big deal about it, but there are plenty of college kids that use the internet as entertainment and might like getting a streaming movie to their desktop a bit faster.  Companies like Netflix, that allow users to stream live from over 12,000 titles, will benefit from technology like this without any doubt.  Apple’s iTunes will also benefit from this allowing them to get files to their users even faster.

Keep an eye out for this to become reality, the only bad thing is that ISP’s will have to upgrade and for some, it might not be worth it.

Cisco Intends to Simplify Home Wireless Networking with its Wireless Router Lines

Cisco introduced its two latest 802.11n wireless router lines: the Valet and Valet Plus. The target of the company is to make home wireless networking more accessible with the help of these two router lines.

The Valet which has a price tag of $100 is considered to be a wireless networking newcomer. If you do not want to configure a large number of settings by means of a complicated Web-based interface, it is possible to use the Cisco Connect software which is added to the Easy Setup Key USB flash drive. Due to it you are able to take advantage of a secure wireless network along with Internet access within five minutes.

As for the Valet Plus, it has similar functionality, but it also has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports as well as an additional antenna that improves wireless coverage. Moreover, the Valet product line offers the Valet Connector which is regarded to be a USB Wi-Fi dongle. In fact, it is used for older PCs which lack a Wi-Fi networking ability.

Furthermore, apart from basic network setup, the Cisco Connect software spots a couple of additional features. Users are able to set content- and time-based access limitations in order to avert children and teenagers as well from getting access to mature content. Also there are Safe Browsing security features due to which you will be warned about possible viruses and malware.

The four new Linksys E-Series routers are designed for more advanced users. All of them come with the Cisco Connect software that simplifies the process of setup. There are no extras on the entry-level Linksys E1000, the device has four 10/100 Ethernet ports used for wired networking. The E2000 offers dual-band functionality which means that one can use the 2.4GHz or 5GHz spectrum. As for the high-end E3000, it has a USB port and UPnP media server.

ZigBee radio chips could allow remote use of home electronics

The wireless networking technology, which uses far less power than Bluetooth and Wi- Fi, is likely to show up first in smart meters and the remote controls of high-end TVs. 

You probably have a mobile phone with a Bluetooth radio in it, and you may have a Wi-Fi network as well. Soon, you could be using a third wireless networking technology in your house.

It's called ZigBee, and it eventually might find its way into more devices than Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combined.

In the near term, you're likely to see it show up in the smart meters that utilities have begun to use and in the remote controls of high-end televisions. In the not-too-distant future, you could be using ZigBee networking to control the lights in your home, monitor your elderly parent's health or turn off your air conditioner during periods of peak energy use when no one's home.

"ZigBee is regarded as a fairly robust, good technology for many applications," said Sam Lucero, an industry analyst at ABI Research, a technology research firm.

ZigBee operates over the same 2.4-GHz frequency range as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Unlike those technologies, though, ZigBee transmits at much lower data rates. It's made for sending simple commands, such as turning on a TV, or small bits of data, such as whether a door is locked.

Thanks to the low data rate, ZigBee tends to use far less power than other networking technologies. The battery life of a ZigBee device can often be measured in years, rather than hours in the case of Wi-Fi or days with Bluetooth.

Also, ZigBee's standard utilizes mesh networking, which allows ZigBee devices to automatically connect with and transmit data through one another without having to go through a central gateway like a router.

ZigBee has been around for about seven years. It's primarily been used in commercial and industrial settings in alarm and monitoring systems and in expensive houses for custom-installed home-automation systems. But the technology's backers -- and analysts who follow the industry -- think it's about to hit the mainstream.

The number of ZigBee radio chips shipped has been doubling every year in recent years, hitting 20 million last year, said Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance, a nonprofit standards body that helps oversee and promote the technology. The group, whose members include Intel Corp., Marvell Technology Group and Cypress Semiconductor Corp., expects 100 million ZigBee chips to be shipped this year.

Part of that expected growth is driven by power companies. To better track and potentially regulate in-home energy use, PG&E Corp. and other utilities are installing millions of smart meters in California and around the country.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has recommended that the technology be included in such meters nationwide.

That agency and other ZigBee backers envision it being used to create home-area networks. Such a network might link a thermostat, major appliances and outlets to the smart meter, allowing consumers to monitor and control the energy use of particular devices. It could also allow a power company to turn down the air conditioning in many of its customers' homes to help prevent a power outage.

ZigBee "has a good chance to be one of the primary technologies in the home for smart-energy management," said Lisa Arrowsmith, a market analyst with IMS Research, which focuses on the electronics industry. "There's a lot of enthusiasm among utilities in the U.S. to proceed down the ZigBee route."

But ZigBee is also likely to start making its way into consumers' homes via their televisions. TV and other consumer electronics manufacturers are developing remote controls that use ZigBee and other radio-frequency, or RF, technologies in place of infrared emitters and sensors.

Infrared is a line-of-sight technology that doesn't work if someone or something is in the way, or if you have your remote pointed in the wrong direction. In contrast, an RF remote will work in any direction and even from another room. 

The advantage of using ZigBee over other RF technologies is that it uses so little power that you may need to replace your television before you would have to swap out the batteries in your remote, said Cees Links, who helped develop the Wi-Fi standard and is now chief executive of Green Peak, which designs ZigBee chips.

What's more, ZigBee technology could eventually lead to a universal device to control not only your TV but also such things as your automatic window blinds and your thermostat -- and monitor how much energy you're using.

Links and other industry figures expect the first ZigBee remotes to hit the market later this year, probably as a premium feature of higher-end televisions.

Cisco M20 Valet Plus 802.11n Wireless Router: Simple Networking for Home Users

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/31/AR2010033103198.html

Cisco's new Valet Plus wireless router doesn't promise a whole bunch of fancy features or apps. What it does promise is that you can set it up and have a secure, working wireless Internet connection going in minutes. That's why, when you first open the box, you see a USB thumb drive and a device that looks like a cross behind a Honda Civic and an Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station--and nothing else.

Once you take the Valet Plus out of the box, of course, you'll find the ethernet cable and a power cord. Instead of a manual, you get a small, fold-out pamphlet that shows off all the things you can do with your new wireless router (share files). No complicated instructions, no lengthy disclaimers--it tells you on the inside flap just to stick the USB drive in your PC (or Mac) and go.
The Valet Plus is the higher-end cousin of Cisco's Valet router; the main difference between the $100 Valet and the $150 Valet Plus (prices as of March 31, 2010) is the latter's extra radio antenna and gigabit ethernet ports, which make for a stronger signal and faster wired-networking speeds. Otherwise, the features, the setup process, and the software are identical.

Cisco-Linksys WUSB300N Wireless-N USB Network Adapter

The Wireless-N USB Network Adapter uses the very latest wireless networking technology, Wireless-N (draft 802.11n). By overlaying the signals of multiple radios, Wireless-N's Multiple In, Multiple Out (MIMO) technology multiplies the effective data rate. Unlike ordinary wireless networking technologies that are confused by signal reflections, MIMO actually uses these reflections to increase the range and reduce Dead Spots in the wireless coverage area. The robust signal travels farther, maintaining wireless connections up to 4 times farther than standard Wireless-G. With Wireless-N, the farther away you are, the more speed advantage you get. It works great with standard Wireless-G and -B equipment, but when both ends of the wireless link are Wireless-N, the throughput can be increased even more by using twice as much radio band, yielding speeds up to 12 times as fast as standard Wireless G. Your wireless connection is protected by industrial-strength 256-bit encryption. The included Setup Wizard will walk you through configuring the adapter to your network's settings, step by step.The Linksys WUSB300N Wireless-N USB Network Adapter lets you access the fastest and most advanced wireless solutions currently available. With this unit enabling your PC or laptop, you can run media-intensive applications at amazing speeds, without the hassle or expense of stringing a lot of wires.

The Linksys Wireless-N USB Network Adapter uses the very latest in wireless networking technology, Wireless-N (draft 802.11n). By overlaying the signals of multiple radios, Wireless-N's Multiple-In, Multiple-Out (MIMO) technology multiplies the effective data rate. Whereas ordinary wireless technologies are confused by signal reflections, MIMO actually makes use of these reflections to increase the range while reducing dead spots in the coverage area. This means the signal travels farther, maintaining wireless connections at up to three times the distance of standard Wireless-G, so the farther away you are, the more speed advantage you get. This Wireless-N adapter is fully backward compatible, so it works great with standard Wireless-G and -B routers, but when both ends of the wireless link are Wireless-N enabled, you can experience increased throughput by using twice as much radio band, which allows speeds up to 15 times that of standard Wireless-G.

To help protect your data and privacy, this wireless adapter can encode all its wireless transmissions with iron-clad, 256-bit Wireless Protected Access (WPA2) encryption. Yet, despite a robust and deep set of features and functionality, configuration is simple and easy with an included web browser-based configuration utility. The incredible speed of Wireless-N networking is ideal for media-centric applications like streaming video, gaming, and voice-over-IP telephony, and gives you plenty of headroom to run multiple media-intense data streams at the same time, without worrying about a degradation in performance.

The Linksys WUSB300N Wireless-N network adapter is easy to use, and can be plugged in to any open USB port. To experience the full advantages of Wireless-N technology, it is highly recommended that you use USB 2.0. This unit is FCC, CE, and IC-03 certified, receives power through its USB connection so it doesn't require an external power supply, and is backed by a manufacturer's limited three-year warranty. Read more

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Charting the Networking Market's Rebound - Networking news from Channel Insider

Charting the Networking Market's Rebound - Networking news from Channel Insider

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http://www.marketwatch.com/story/crossbow-japan-introduces-next-generation-rs485-wireless-mesh-network-system-2010-03-28?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Crossbow Japan Introduces Next Generation RS485 Wireless Mesh Network System

 Crossbow Japan Ltd., a subsidiary of Memsic, Inc., along with strategic partner Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd. announced today the availability of the RS485 Wireless Mesh Network System. The System enables users to convert existing wired RS485 systems into wireless networks just by replacing the wired connections to the wireless WS-Z5000A node.

Using leading-edge wireless sensor networking technology the RS485 wireless connection offers versatility for industrial use of 1:1 or 1:N. The WS-Z5000A can be easily configured within the software enabling the user to easily adopt the WS-Z5000A into a wide range of different RS485 wired protocols.

Crossbow Japan, who has been supplying customized wireless energy solutions to the Japanese market for several years, has now expanded the flexibility of its solutions with the introduction of the WS-A5000A for equipment requiring RS485. This system is a cost-effective solution for users in industries faced with wiring costs and line noise problems. The need for a solution that quickly and easily facilitates the multipoint digital system is here. MEMSIC/Crossbow-Japan's expertise in sensing and wireless network solutions have shaped WS-Z5000A and launched an advanced system for smart and effortless industrial links.