access point

Do you travel a lot? If so, you've probably encountered hotels that have weak or non-existent Wi-Fi, or that charge extra for it while offering Ethernet-based connectivity for free.

A good travel router can save the day, turning that laptop-only Ethernet connection into a Wi-Fi hot spot for all. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Mwave has the Powerlink PT-AP2403 mini travel router for $19.99 shipped. It sells elsewhere for as much as $35.

Update: Aaaand...sold out. Sigh. But it's worth checking back later in the day in case Mwave releases more inventory. Trying … Read more

Many smartphones or other devices do not support the same network configuration that is easily shared from laptop to laptop.

This guide can show you a free way to share your network connection with these devices without also needing to install any third-party software on Windows Vista or 7 (though it's possible on XP too). Keep in mind that this works best when your laptop is connected via a cable. Ultimately, this method is ideal for sharing the Internet connection in a hotel room (many rooms have only one ethernet cable) from your laptop to other devices.

All you'… Read more

LAS VEGAS--Netgear did it a while ago with the Powerline AV 200 Wireless-N Extender Kit, and now Trendnet has just joined the club. The networking vendor announced today its first HomePlug AV 200Mbps power-line Wireless-N access point, the TPL-310AP.

The full name of the product is the 200Mbps Powerline AV Wireless-N Access Point, and it's essentially a HomePlug AV power-line adapter that can also work as a 300Mbps Wireless-N access point at the far end of the power-line connection.

This is a single unit and therefore will work only in homes where a power-line connection exists. The device will … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Just a month ago, Trendnet debuted the first 500Mbps power-line adapter kit, the TPL-401E2K, and earlier than that, Netgear introduced the first 200Mbps power-line kit to incorporate a wireless access point, the AV 200 Wireless-N Extender Kit XAVNB2001.

Now, as predicted, it seems we will soon have the first product that combines both of these: Trendnet announced today the 500Mbps Powerline AV Wireless-N Access Point, model TPL-410AP. It's a 500Mbps power-line adapter that can also work as a Wi-Fi extender.

Similar to Netgear's XAVNB2001 kit, the TPL-410AP combines a high-performance 500Mbps power-line adapter with a 300Mbps Wireless-N … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Trendnet is one of a few networking vendors that's been strong on being green. During CES 2010, the company expanded its GreenNet technology networking portfolio to hubs and switches and now it announced at CES 2011 the integration of energy efficient Green Wi-Fi technology in its wireless networking products.

Green Wi-Fi is designed specifically for wireless networking products. The company claims that this would result in the reduction of power consumption in its applicable wireless routers, access points, and adapters by up to 50 percent.

The GreenNet technology, which was introduced back in 2008, determines and supplies the … Read more

As if offering what appears to be the first 450Mbps Wireless-N router on the market, the TEW-691GR, weren't enough, Trendnet today announced that it's shipping the first access point offering the same speed, the 450Mbps Wireless-N TEW-690AP.

An access point, which doesn't have routing functionality, is designed to add wireless capability to a nonwireless router or network. A wireless router has both routing functionality and a built-in access point. The new Trendnet access point, therefore, is a good solution for an existing network that doesn't have wireless capability or one that has legacy wireless, such as Wireless-G or Wireless-B. It's also good for those who want to replace their existing 300Mbps Wireless-N networks with a faster one.… Read more

For the majority of homes and apartments, a home router such as the D-Link DIR-855 or Linksys WRT320N would make a viable wireless network. However, if you want to share the Internet with a few neighbors or cover a warehouse with a wireless signal, you'd need an enterprise-class access point. The problem is this type of access point is generally expensive.

Ruckus Wireless wants to change this fact and announced Monday its new line of enterprise-class access points, the ZoneFlex 7300 series, which includes two products, the ZoneFlex 7343 and ZoneFlex 7363. The former is a single-band (2.4GHz) Wireless-N access point that offers speeds up to 300Mbps and costs $499. According to Ruckus, this is the only sub-$500 enterprise Wireless-N access point on the market.

The ZoneFlex 7363, on the other hand, has support for the dual-band standard (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and offers the maximum bandwidth of up to 600Mbps. For this reason it costs $100 more than the ZoneFlex 7343.

According to Ruckus, the ZoneFlex 7300 series models are the first access points in their class to integrate Ruckus patented smart antenna array and dynamic beam-forming technology, called BeamFlex, designed to deliver high throughput speeds at long range.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--If you want to upgrade your wired network to wireless-N, you probably want to wait for the newest access point from D-Link.

The company unveiled at CES 2010 its most powerful consumer access point ever, the D-Link Rush (DAP-1560) wireless-N access point.

According to D-Link, the DAP-1560 will bring home networking to a new level of performance for those who demand the fastest streaming of high-definition content, such as movies, HD video, and photos. The new access point features a 4x4 antenna design that helps boost the power of any existing router with up to 600Mbps wireless speed and … Read more

Known for offering one of the biggest wireless mesh networks for regular hot spot users and being the first that brought Wireless-N to the outdoors, Meraki on Monday showed that it can also mean serious business with its new enterprise class wireless local area network (WLAN) solutions.

WLAN is nothing new. Buy a wireless router to set up at home and you have one. However, it's a lot more complicated and expensive when it comes to the enterprise-class WLAN, where both large coverage and high performance are needed.

What Meraki introduced offers just that, plus lower price points. For … Read more