Media-enabled home with Linksys by Cisco

BANGALORE, INDIA: Cisco today announced the Linksys by Cisco Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router (WRT320N), designed for consumers to create a media enabled network at home.

Equipped with Cisco’s media optimized networking technology, the WRT320N is a great choice for families that demand more from their wireless network. Streaming a movie wirelessly into your living room becomes reality with this latest addition to Cisco’s consumer wireless networking portfolio.

Highlights:

* The new Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router WRT320N helps users to build a home network that is prepared for multimedia streaming.

* The WRT320N is equipped with Gigabit for wired connections and 802.11n grade wireless operating in either the 2.4GHz wireless band or the wider 5GHz band.

* The 5GHz band is less crowded then the 2.4GHz band that is used by other devices like DECT phones or microwaves and therefore better suited for carrying latency sensitive data like video and audio.

The WRT320N is shipped with Linksys EasyLink Advisor (LELA). LELA helps consumers to get their network up and running and helps keep their network updated and secure. The included set-up CD is compatible with both Macintosh and Windows computers.

The router also comes with Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) support. WPS is an optional certification program from the Wi-Fi Alliance that is designed to make devices on wireless local area networks more secure and to make the set up as easy as possible. The WRT320N features a button that enables consumers to add additional devices to their network by simply pushing it and the corresponding button on the other certified product.

Cisco’s media optimized networking technology helps deliver a premium experience when users share and access multimedia content. The WRT320N is designed so that network performance is fine-tuned to give priority to High-Definition video without the need for manual configuration. PC users can customize their networks to give priority to certain devices, like gaming consoles, over others.

Suresh Balasubramanian, national sales director, India, Cisco Consumer Business Group, said:  “The Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router WRT320N brings the dual band technology to a level that is accessible to a more mainstream audience. With our current range of N-routers we enable the consumer to choose the solution that best fits their needs. The WRT320N compliments our Wireless-N product family.  Now we have a solution for everybody, from the novice user to the savviest of technology experts and gamers.”

Pricing and availability

The Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router WRT320N is planned to be available in India in late June from authorized Linksys by Cisco distributors and key retailers for a manufacturer’s sales recommended price of INR 8999.