Linksys gets pretty with draft 802.11n home networking gear

Linksys is keeping us busy with their new Ultra RangePlus family of home networking gear. Announced are the draft 802.11n Gigabit Router ($130 WRT310N, pictured), the draft-N Broadband Router ($100 WRT160N), and a trio of Dual-Band draft-N products including a USB Notebook Adapter ($80 WUSB600N), an ExpressCard Adapter ($80 WEC600N), and new Gaming Adapter ($90 WGA600N). The WRT310N and WRT160N both feature new un-Linksys designs with a dumbed-down, flash-based user interface and enhanced RangePlus internal antenna to keep the clutter down. The dual-band gear split the load between 5GHz (HD streaming or gaming) and 2.4GHz (everything else). The WGA600N, WUSB600N and WEC600N will be available soon, the others now.

[bsm0f0 @ Jan 7th 2008 4:32PM]

One can only hope that "new look" extends to the GUI inside ...

[aguiluz @ Jan 7th 2008 6:01PM]

Yeah... So it has good specs but why in the heck you guys at Linksys needs to make it like a toilet seat!?

[jus10 @ Jan 7th 2008 4:40PM]

I suppose the real question is: are we going to be able to DD-WRT on this thing?

[jonathan @ Jan 7th 2008 4:42PM]

^ Agreed....we need DD WRT...if it can't run it...forget about it.

[The_Steven @ Jan 7th 2008 4:51PM]

It was great when all Linksys devices were stackable one on top of another. It looked nice and took up less shelf space. Now with stuff like this, more shelf space, more stuff to dust, and different colors drom the same manufacturer. What happened to consistancy?

[kjb434 @ Jan 7th 2008 4:59PM]

I don't know about you, but stuff like routers and hubs i keep hidden in a closet. I try to hide as much of the computer gear I don't interact with directly.

[Davis Collins @ Jan 7th 2008 4:53PM]

I thought Cisco dropping the Linksys branding?

[Jeff @ Jan 7th 2008 5:01PM]

I want a router that looks like a router. Not a manta ray.

[Jeff @ Jan 7th 2008 5:01PM]

I want a router that looks like a router. Not a manta ray.

[Jeff @ Jan 7th 2008 5:02PM]

Grr, sorry for the double post - first one took me to a blank page.

[Wwhat @ Jan 7th 2008 5:13PM]

This 'draft' status nonsense is the most embarrassing thing in the industry I think, and there's some competition in the area of idiocy, takes them 5 years to hammer out a semblance of a standard.. pathetic.

[billy @ Jan 7th 2008 5:16PM]

I assume this is a four port router? If so, is it gigabit? Many homes have a hybrid of desktop/notebook setups. I know lots of people that use port replicators etc... With the intro of things like WHS, running a gigabit house becomes an increasingly nice feature .. yet many computers and routers still only run at 10/100.

[Prokanda @ Jan 7th 2008 5:51PM]

the first sentence is: "Announced are the draft 802.11n Gigabit Router ($130 WRT310N, pictured)....." and there are lights on the front of it numbering 1-4..........


......hrm.

[Umut @ Jan 7th 2008 7:10PM]

Linksys documentation says: "There's also a built-in 4-port full-duplex 10/100 Switch to connect your wired-Ethernet devices together." on http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1175239525280&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid=2528039789B02

It could be documentation issue.

[jonathan @ Jan 8th 2008 8:41AM]

ehhh still junk....stupid linksys...no one could design a better looking router? Come on...jeez.