NETGEAR kit adds N Wi-Fi to networks, PCs
updated 10:15 am EDT, Wed July 30, 2008
NETGEAR Wireless-N Up Kit
NETGEAR today rolled out a new two-piece offering for bringing a whole home up to speed with 802.11n Wi-Fi. The Wireless-N Upgrade Kit adds dual-band access point to any existing wired or wireless network that supplies the faster Wi-Fi connection, using either the faster and interference-free 5GHz band or else the more compatible 2.4GHz band. It supports the same features as most full-feature routers with near-automatic Wi-Fi Protected Setup and optimizations for time-sensitive data like gaming or VoIP calls. The access point itself can be managed from virtually any modern operating system.
Equally key to the package is a USB adapter to get Windows PCs online; it too supports dual bands and carries micro antennas that give it the same range as many earlier adapters without requiring the large external antennas that used to be necessary.
NETGEAR prices the Upgrade Kit at the same price of some stand-alone routers, selling the combo today for $149.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2005
Why?
This just seems like a bad idea. If a home user wants to upgrade to N they just have to replace their existing base station. Adding another base station means that they now have two points of failure, two things to configure, two potential security holes.
Even if you can't get rid of your old base station you can generally add an N base station simply by plugging it in to the old one. The base station doesn't know if it's hooked up to a cable modem or chained to another base station.