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TP-Link jumps aboard the mesh WiFi bandwagon
Mesh networking is a pretty big trend in home WiFi these days. Google, Netgear, Plume, Eero and Linksys are all current offering routers that make it super simple to add another router and expand your WiFi coverage, and now TP-Link is getting in on the action. The "Deco M5" system consists of three access points for your WiFi-enabled devices to switch between, depending on which one is offering the best speeds at any given time.
This crowdfunded router updates its own security
It's really, really, really hard to make a router sound exciting, but the folks behind the Turris Omnia are betting the device's focus on keeping your sensitive data secure might grab you. The manufacturer's IndieGogo campaign still has 45 days to go, but it's already proved incredibly popular: over a thousand backers have pledged some $274,598 as of this writing. That's 275 percent higher than the threshold for funding the project. The router itself runs Turris' open source operating system (based on the OpenWRT project) which auto updates as soon as any type of vulnerability is discovered by its cadre of developers.
Feedback Loop: Warming up to ads, killing tablets and more!
In this week's edition of Feedback Loop, we take a look at the possibility of Google bringing ads to home appliances, discuss whether Microsoft is trying to kill the tablet, as well as the reasoning behind Nintendo pulling the plug on its Wi-Fi Connection and older online gaming services. Add to that our impressions of Steam's new streaming service, troubleshooting a weak home network connection and a whole lot more. Join us below.
Insert Coin: Skydog brings cloud-based networking to the home
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. It's safe to say that most people's idea of home networking involves the following steps: buy a wireless router, set it up with an SSID and a password, and then never ever think about it again as long as the WiFi keeps working. But if you're one of a dedicated few who want deeper IT admin-level control over your family's internet usage, then a new Kickstarter campaign from PowerCloud Systems just might be right up your alley. The product is called Skydog, and while you do get a slim and compact dual-band 802.11n five-port Gigabit router out of it, Skydog is really more about the cloud-based platform than the physical hardware. Customers are able to visually survey who and what device is on their home network, manage permissions based on that information, allocate bandwidth priority, troubleshoot network issues with ease and more. PowerCloud Systems is no stranger to cloud-managed networking -- it's been providing just such a solution to enterprises such as hotels, schools, multi-dwelling units and retail chains ever since 2008 when it was spun out of Xerox PARC. In order to bring that level of sophistication to the home audience, however, the company needed consumer-facing software to simplify the process for the masses, and that's exactly what it has tried to do with Skydog. After the break, we offer a tour of the service and interview the people behind it to see just why they're seeking funding via Kickstarter.
Qualcomm Atheros announces StreamBoost technology to improve home networks, router performance
Tired of gadgets fighting for bandwidth around your humble abode? Well, the outfit behind the Killer Wireless-N technology that we took a gander at back at E3 is looking to oblige. Qualcomm Atheros has unveiled its StreamBoost router technology with the goal of making in-home streaming experiences all the more enjoyable. By allocating optimum bandwidth to each device and app on a network, StreamBoost shapes and prioritizes the traffic stream to insure that your Netflix viewing of Sons of Anarchy gets ample attention. This also insures that intense gaming sessions won't be interrupted by Hulu Plus or other apps jostling for a download thanks to a constantly updating bandwidth allocation. A user interface offers a hub for monitoring traffic and all of the devices / apps on a given network while a cloud-based service will increase router intelligence on the regular -- automatically sorting new devices as they're added. StreamBoost will be in action next week at CES, where Alienware and D-Link will be showing off the goods with routers built around Qualcomm's VIVE 802.11ac WiFi technology. Until then, the full announcement resides just past the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Netgear adds R6200 router and A6200 USB adapter to its 802.11ac family
In its ongoing battle against internet bottlenecks -- or let's face it -- techie bragging rights, Netgear has launched two more devices with that sweet, sweet 802.11ac data flow. Joining its recently announced R6300 router, is the R6200 model, which supports a combined WiFi speed of 1200 Mbps, has a USB port for networking devices, and of course also rides the a, b, g and n waves too -- if you don't have any 802.11ac kit just yet. Well, as it happens, Netgear thought of that, and has also announced the A6200 dual band USB WiFi adapter to, literally, bring your existing kit up to speed. If you want in on the action, you'll need to spend $179.99 and $69.99 respectively when they launch in Q3 this year. Full specs in the PR after the break.
Microsoft Research wants to automate your house, introduces HomeOS
Ever wondered if you could control your house's climate, security, and appliances -- along with your PCs and peripherals -- using Microsoft software? That day may soon dawn, as its Research arm has started testing its home automation software, called HomeOS, in twelve domiciles over the past few months. The budding system views smartphones, printers and air conditioners as network peripherals, controlled by a dedicated gateway computer. The project even has a handful of apps in play, which perform functions like energy monitoring, remote surveillance and face-recognition. This growing list of applications, available through a portal called "HomeStore", will allow users to easily expand their system's capabilities. So how does it all work out in the real world? Head past the break, and let Redmond's research team give you the skinny.
Qualcomm's sounding off about powerline networking for 2012
Qualcomm's taking to the stage at CES to unveil a new chip designed to make power-line communications less of a last-resort for people in lead-lined houses. The Qualcomm Atheros QCA6410 is a single chip designed to make powerline gear much smaller and cheaper than current models. It's also taking the moment to throw weight behind the IEEE 1905.1 hybrid networking standard, which'll be supported in the Hy-Fi portfolio of networking CPUs that coordinates WiFi, Powerline, Ethernet and Multimedia over Coax connections to make sure you can tweet about your new t-shirt in every square inch of your home. PR's after the break, folks.
Motorola joins HomeGrid Forum, gets on board with G.hn powerline networking
Sure, we'd all like to have our home's wired with cat 5 cable, but that's not an option for most of us. Good thing there's powerline networking, and the HomeGrid Forum's G.hn powerline home networking standard just got another big name on board by adding Motorola to its list of supporters. With Moto in the fold, it's looking like IEEE's competing standard, P1905, has some catching up to do if it wants to win the hearts and minds of powerline aficionados everywhere. Get all the G.hn good news in the PR after the break.
D-Link's Amplifi networking suite keeps the whole mansion connected
Between our TVs, PCs, game consoles, and even refrigerators, most every room of our homes have devices needing an on-ramp to the information superhighway. To keep these gadgets connected, D-Link has debuted its Amplifi home networking equipment to bathe every square foot of your abode in ample bandwidth. There's the $150 HD Media Router 1000 that does 802.11n WiFi at 300 Mbps and has QoS technology to make sure your HD video streams and games are lag-free, plus four Gigabit Ethernet ports and an SD card reader. The Whole Home Router 1000 is $120 and sports similar specs sans the SD slot, but also packs D-Link's SmartBeam technology that tracks devices and "focuses beams of bandwidth" to keep you connected in every room. D-Link's $160 WiFi Booster also uses SmartBeam tech to extend your network's range via the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands and put four more Gigabit Ethernet ports anywhere you choose. Lastly, the Powerline AV 500 Adapter ($100) and Gigabit switch ($200) give you screaming 500Mbps speeds from any electrical outlet. Interested? Well, they're all available now, except for the laggard Whole Home Router 1000, which isn't available until August. PR's after the break.
HomePlug and IEEE want our home networks to play nice, talk to each other
HomePlug hasn't exactly struck it big on the home networking scene but, with so many disparate options (none of which play very nice together) it's not hard to see why. The Powerline Alliance is throwing its support behind a new IEEE standard, P1905, that may ease our consumer pain and make the outlet connectivity tech a better fit for our dungeons living rooms. The goal is to create a layer that sits atop the various wired and wireless hookups that blanket our homes and let them easily share data. Bridging the gap between HomePlug, HomePlug AV, Ethernet, WiFi, and MoCA is an ambitious task to tackle, but we've got faith our gadgets can get along.
WD intros HomePlug-compatible powerline networking package
Western Digital's bread and butter is (and will likely remain) storage, but as we all know, all the storage in the world is useless if you can't access it. It only makes sense, then, that the company would get behind the HomePlug bandwagon for networking all your connected devices over your home's existing electrical power lines. The WD Livewire Powerline AV Network Kit includes two HomePlug AV adapters with four Ethernet ports each, boasting data transfer speeds up to 200 megabits per second. And it's HomePlug compatible, meaning your previous investments in the technology won't go to waste. Available now for $140. PR after the break.
Innoband HomePlug AV+802.11n AP Starter Kit review
HomePlug has been around for years now, nearly as long as mobile broadband, Windows Mobile and sliced bread... combined. Unlike any of those three, however HomePlug hasn't exactly caught fire in the industry. For those unaware, the general principle with these devices is to send network signals (or other signals, we suppose) over a home's existing power network. In theory, this would prevent someone from being forced to run a 50 foot Ethernet drop, instead using the 50 feet (or more) or power wiring that already resides within the walls of a given abode to transmit the same signals. For whatever reason, early models were plagued with flaky performance and speeds that were far less than advertised. Granted, things have progressed quite aways since the HomePlugs of old, but has the tech finally reached a place where it could be adopted en masse? We recently had the chance to test out Innoband's HomePlug AV+802.11n AP Starter Kit, which is a two-piece solution that consists of a transmitting unit (which connects to your router or modem via Ethernet and plugs into a nearby wall outlet) and a 802.11b/g/n WiFi transceiver, which is designed to be plugged into a different wall socket where you need an Ethernet connection or extended wireless coverage. Curious as to how things stacked up? Tap that 'Read More' link for the rest of our review. %Gallery-88705%
Netgear's Home Theater Internet Connection Kit spreads content on power lines
Not so fond of those wireless streaming solutions? Unable to strew Ethernet cables all across your abode for fear of an SO beating? Fret not, as Netgear's now-shipping Home Theater Internet Connection Kit has you covered. The $179.99 bundle consists of an XAVB1004 Powerline AV Ethernet switch and a single Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter (XAV101) to get you started; just connect your web-ready wares to these adapters via Ethernet, and connect said adapters to your home's vast array of power outlets. It's magic, really.[Via HotHardware]
HomePlug fires back with powerline IEEE P1901 Draft Standard adoption
Highly variable real-world performance aside, the lack of a well-defined standard for powerline networking isn't helping the technology take off; but sticking consumers between the warring G.hn and HomePlug AV factions doesn't help anybody. In the latest round of the fight, the IEEE P1901 reached Draft Standard acceptance, and -- wouldn't you know it -- the onus of coming up with compliance and interoperability testing for products will fall upon the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. Just to raise the stakes, the Draft Standard is aiming for backward compatibility with existing devices. Sounds like herding cats to us, but with finalization of the Standard slated for 2010, it looks like things are going to heat up in the coming months.
Ralink and Celeno team up on HD WiFi home networking wares
We've known for some while that Celeno had a thing for high-def over WiFi, and that favoritism has never been more clear. Today, the outfit is announcing a partnership with Ralink that will hopefully lead to an array of WiFi home networking designs that are optimized for HD video distribution. The first solution will combine the CL1300 and CLR230 802.11n chipsets along with Ralink's RT2880 and RT2850 chips. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem as if Celeno is announcing any set-top-boxes to contain said solution just yet, but hopefully that's just a few months away. Hey, CEDIA ain't too far off, is it? Full release is after the break.
Netgear's MoCA coax-ethernet adapter kit now available, explained with bizarre cartoon
Netgear's coaxial-hijacking adapter kit MCAB1001 MoCA is now available. The pair of devices, which turns your cable outlets into a home networking solution with transfer speeds up to 270 Mbps, is retailing on the company's online shop for a penny under $190, and if you'd like to watch an infomercial on how it works, chock full of oddly-chosen metaphors and trippy visuals, we've got the perfect read link for you just below.Read - Product pageRead - "MoCA in a Nutshell" video
D-Link ships $139.99 PowerLine HD Ethernet Adapter Starter Kit
While we wait for the phenomenon that is wireless HD to actually matter, D-Link's forging ahead with technology that's here, now. Starting today, the outfit is shipping a new PowerLine kit that can stream high-def footage throughout a home's integrated electrical wiring system. In other words, it's not wireless, but it's far from being messy. The PowerLine HD Ethernet Adapter Starter Kit (DHP-303) includes a pair of wall plugs / adapters which convert power sockets into access points for streaming media across the network. D-Link promises that users will see up to 200Mbps of throughput, and of course, the tried-and-rarely-true "plug-and-play" buzzword is thrown in as well. Assuming it actually works, the $139.99 asking price ain't too bad.
Linksys by Cisco PLTK300 Powerline kit is pretty, sluggish
And to think, this here box had so much promise. At first glance, it's easy to fall head over heels with the PLTK300 Powerline box. After all, it features a four-port adapter that easily manages game consoles, Blu-ray players, AV receivers, etc., and passes those signals along your home network via power wiring. The rub? It's based on the older 85Mbps standard and not the fresher, speedier 200Mbps protocol. In other words, you may see dropped frames and the like if trying to push too much HD through here at once. Ah well, at least that news makes the Asia-only availability that much easier to live with.Update: So, these seem to be shipping now in the US. Huzzah! [Thanks, Dave!]
UPA and HomeGrid Forum agree to support G.hn networking standard
While wireless HD / HDMI attempts to find itself a place in the market, G.hn is racking up its fair share of support from those who still get along with wires. Universal Powerline Association and the HomeGrid Forum have just announced an agreement to support the G.hn wireline networking standard. If you'll recall, G.hn was just recently ratified by the ITU as a new global standard for HDTV home networking, and while it's tough to tell how it'll react to HomePlug AV vying for those same customers, we can already see a battle shaping up. Still, a universal format for transmitting 1080p content around the home is certainly something that's easy to dig -- it's getting everyone on a single caboose that's difficult. Full release is after the break.
