January 2nd, 2008
D-Link announces dual-band Draft N router for CES launch
D-Link is the first wireless networking vendor to break the wave of CES Wi-Fi announcements with the launch of a new dual-band router designed to handle high-definition media streaming and gaming. D-Link did not immediately have pricing on the router, but it looks like it’s going to be costly: Several online sites have the router posted at a presale price of $286.
The D-Link Xtreme N Duo Dual Band Wireless Router (DIR-855), which D-Link says will be available in a few weeks, is engineered to enhance speed and range when running multiple devices, including high-definition media players, gaming consoles, and PCs. It employs Draft 2.0 of the 802.11n spec and uses both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands to create two channels for various networking tasks. For instance, it would choose the 2.4GHz band for general Web browsing and e-mailing, but employ the less-crowded 5GHz band for demanding tasks like streaming movies or music. Dual-band routers use the 5GHz range for video because, unlike the 2.4GHz range, it’s not susceptible to interference from devices like cordless phones and baby monitors. The D-Link router is backward-compatible with 802.11g devices, of course.
The new D-Link Draft N router also will use advanced Quality of Service (QoS) hardware and software technology to prioritize high-bandwidth, latency-sensitive wireless data traffic like video and gaming.
D-Link also announced a suite of new entertainment devices that it would launch at CES in a bid to create an end-to-end home networking solution. Some of these devices include:
The D-Link MediaLounge PConTV (DPG-1200) will allow users to stream popular Web-based content from PC to a TV over a wireless connection—and without the use of a proprietary player. The device supports a wide range of formats and works seamlessly with PC media players like iTunes, Nero, Windows Media Player, and RealPlayer. It can stream video content at resolutions up to 1280×720.
The D-Link Internet Photo Frame (DSM-210) is a networked 10-inch LCD frame that enables users to wirelessly stream photos from PC to picture frame. It has a built-in wireless adapter and a widget for the computer desktop that lets you drop an image onto the widget to automatically transmit to the frame.
D-Link Green Ethernet technology purports to save energy by adjusting power usage in the absence of a cable link by putting the port in a sleep mode. And the technology can also detect cable length and assign less power to a short cable. The Green Ethernet line includes 5- and 8-port switches (DGS-2205 and 2208), with 16- and 24-port models expected to ship in the first quarter of 2008.
For the past 15 years, Rik Fairlie has covered technology and the business of technology for numerous publications and Web sites. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
