NETGEAR Breaks the Speed Barrier with New Wireless Networking Solutions

August 25, 2003 – NETGEAR today took wireless speeds to the next level with the introduction of the WGT624 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router and WG511T 108 Mbps Wireless PC Card. With wireless throughput up to ten times faster than 802.11b, NETGEAR's 802.11b/g-compliant 108 Mbps wireless networking solutions are designed to support the bandwidth-intensive entertainment applications of the next generation connected home.

"Over the next couple of years, we expect to see the rapid emergence of converged home networks. This growth in media client and server products will be driven by the rise in popularity of applications such as online gaming, digital audio sharing, and streaming video," explained Mike Wolf, Director of Enterprise and Residential Communications at In-Stat/MDR. "The bandwidth requirements of these new devices and applications extend well beyond those of the traditional data networking interfaces and will require the bandwidth and speeds that NETGEAR's 108 Mbps wireless solutions can easily provide."

"The introduction of 108 Mbps wireless speeds is shifting the paradigm that wired Ethernet is the only solution for high-speed network connectivity. When used together, we believe our WGT624 and WG511T are capable of data transfer speeds rivaling those of 100Mbps wired Ethernet connections," stated Patrick Lo, Chairman and CEO of NETGEAR. "With faster wireless speeds, not to mention extensive ease-of-use and security features, NETGEAR's 108 Mbps wireless networking solutions are a good choice for beginners and networking-savvy consumers alike."

NETGEAR built this next generation wireless solution on Atheros Communications' breakthrough, performance-enhanced chipset with Super G technology. NETGEAR's fast 108 Mbps wireless networking solutions complement its already diverse line of wireless networking products and is backwards compatible with the 802.11g and 802.11b wireless standards. In addition to faster wireless speeds, these latest products incorporate NETGEAR's popular Smart Wizard installation process designed to get a network up quickly and easily along with a new Smart Wizard Assisted Firmware Update feature to simplify unit upgrading. NETGEAR's 108 Mbps wireless networking solutions also offer a robust security and privacy feature set to protect the network, enhanced performance to deliver higher data rates at longer ranges, multimedia Quality of Service (QoS) to ensure that the performance of streaming media is not degraded due to simultaneous Web browsing or file downloading on other network computers, and WDS wireless repeater functionality through a firmware upgrade to support whole home wireless coverage.

WGT624 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router
Designed to effortlessly support multiple simultaneous wireless users, the long-range wireless transfer of bandwidth-intensive multimedia applications including digital images, videos and MP3 files, the fast WGT624 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router offers data transfer speeds that are double that of 802.11g equipment and up to ten times faster than 802.11b technology. Equipped with a four-port 10/100Mbps Ethernet switch, the WGT624 is 802.11g and 802.11b compliant and incorporates new technology that makes more effective use of the wireless range by providing higher data rates throughout the range of the WGT624 than what was possible with previous generation Wi-Fi equipment.

The WGT624, which features NETGEAR's Smart Wizard and interactive installation tutorial for ease of set-up, also includes a new Smart Wizard Assisted Firmware Update feature to simplify the downloading and upgrading to the latest firmware. In addition, the WGT624 offers over ten security and privacy features including a double firewall (NAT and SPI), 64- and 152-bit WEP encryption, multiple VPN pass-through support, intrusion detection, security logging with e-mail alerts, and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) support.

WG511T 108 Mbps Wireless PC Card
The WG511T 108 Mbps Wireless PC Card, which provides wireless network connectivity up to ten times faster than 802.11b technology when used with the WGT624 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router, is fully compliant with the 802.11g standard, ensuring interoperability with existing 802.11b and 802.11g-based Wi-Fi hotspots and networks.

In addition to incorporating new antenna technology that enables greater range than previous-generation products, setup is now made quick and easy with a new Smart Wizard install assistant for adapters. The WG511T provides the highest level of industry-standard 152-bit WEP encryption and is upgradeable to support WPA, giving the user the advantages of enhanced performance and security.

Both the NETGEAR WGT624 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router and WG511T 108 Mbps Wireless PC Card are backed by a one-year warranty and 24/7 technical support, and will be available starting in September 2003 via leading retailers, including Fry's, Best Buy, CompUSA, and Microcenter, as well as direct marketers, e-commerce sites, and value-added resellers at an estimated retail price of $149.99 for the WGT624 and $89.99 for the WG511T.

SOURCE Netgear