Tag Archives: 2.4GHz

SilverStone ES01 PCI-E Remote PC Switch Kit

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Introduction

There are many forms of being lazy, or maybe we should rather call it an extra comfort feature that expands your abilities. Today I’m taking a closer look at SilverStone’s ES01 expansion card which allows you turn your PC on and off as well as reset it remotely. This can either be used as an extra security feature or as a simple addition to the already existing methods. The ES01 is available as both a PCI and a PCI-Express card, so you can make it work in almost any system. I’ll be taking a closer look at the PCI-Express x1 version today.

SilverStone’s ES01 is a convenient remote switch kit designed to wirelessly turn your computer on or off as well as reset it. It uses the existing 2.4GHz standard with RF wireless technology which is known to work great and offer a great range. The ES01 remote kit is rated for a range of up to 20 meters which is quite cool and allows you to work the magic from afar.

The adapter comes with an included Y-cable which ensures that your computer case’s own power and reset buttons can be used concurrently with the ES01. You normally wouldn’t want to rely purely on a remote for such a crucial function, and you don’t need to. However, at the same time the ES01 it can be used without connecting the Y-cable to the chassis buttons in order to add another level of security besides BIOS passwords and software solutions to which the ES01 can be a good alternative. It will mostly be users with computers located in hard to reach areas or systems with special usage scenarios that will find the ES01 remote switch kit to be very handy, but it is up to you how you’d like to use it.

The expansion card in itself is a low profile card and it isn’t very long either. It will easily fit into even the smallest chassis and comes with an included low-profile bracket too. All it takes is two screws to switch from the normal to the low-profile bracket, so that’s a job quickly done if needed.

The remote control uses a common CR2025 Lithium manganese button battery with a 3V voltage. It has a maximum measured EIRP of 3.76dBm and naturally operates on the 2.4GHz band. It is about the size that you would know from your car key with remote functionality, but weighs far less. It also comes with a convenient ring for attachment to key rings, backpacks, purses, and more.

Feature Highlights

  • Control your computer from anywhere in the room using 2.4GHz RF remote
  • 2.4GHz receiver PCI or PCI-E card included
  • Works as far away as twenty meter
  • Includes power / reset switch Y cable
  • Includes optional low profile expansion slot cover

Specifications

Package and Accessories

The SilverStone ES01 comes in a fairly simple package which is fitting for a simple device. The front teases the remote capabilities which doesn’t leave much left to the imaginations. You instantly know what it’s for.

The rear of the box contains the specifications and functionality in several languages. Everything extra that you might want to know before you make the purchase.

Inside the box, we find the add-in card with y-cable attached, a low-profile expansion slot bracket for use in SFF chassis, the remote control and battery for it as well as a small manual.

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Tenda Releases F3 Router Perfect for Large IoT Homes

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Tenda just announced the availability on their newest router called the F3 and while it might look a little weird to begin with, it certainly does have its benefits. The Tenda F3 is a slim and low-profile 2.4GHz 300Mbps router which might not sound like much when compared to flagship routers that come with all the bells and whistles attached, but it does have its benefits.

The 2.4 GHz band might not sport the high gigabit speeds you can get off  the 5 GHz band, but it does have a much better coverage and allows you to reach the furthest corners of your home without dead zones. Tenda amplified this feature by equipping the router with three external 5dBi antennas that can achieve a full coverage of a 200 square meter home.

The router is advertised as a mainstream router thanks its basic wireless features and low price of just $24.99 USD, but I see it more as the perfect router for the home of tomorrow and powered with all sorts of IoT (Internet of Things) devices. Networking your home appliances and connecting them requires a great connectivity that is both just stable and also covers each and every corner of your home. You need to be able to prioritize traffic and assign bandwidth limitations to make sure your vital IoT devices have uninterrupted and lag-free connections, and Tenda’s router OS has all the features for this built right into the easy-to-use interface.

Naturally, the router will be just as great for sharing your internet connection among all your PCs, smartphones, TVs, and what other devices you might have. The only downside is really the 100 Mbps LAN and WAN ports, but that can easily be rectified by adding a simple Gbps switch between your systems and the router.

Specifications

  • Dimension: 127.4mm*90.5mm*26mm
  • Antenna: 3x5dBi external undetachable antennas
  • Power Consumption: 1.9W(no load)~3.3W(full-load)
  • Power Supply: DC 9V 600mA
  • Button: WPS/RESET
  • LED: SYS, WiFi, LAN(1-3), WAN, T, WPS
  • Frequency: 2.4GHz
  • Interface: 10/100M auto-negotiation WAN port ; 3*10/100M auto-negotiation LAN ports
  • Standard: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n

ASUS Announces Travelair AC Pocket-Sized Wireless Flash Drive

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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ASUS has created a few products out of their norm lately and I think it’s nice to see them breaching into new product categories, especially when they create things that aren’t all that common yet. The newest product to be announced is the Travelair AC which is a pocket-sized wireless flash drive.

The ASUS Travelair AC features 802.11ac wireless network connectivity which easily is 3 times faster than the legacy 2.4GHz band that a lot of such devices operate on. The faster wireless connection doesn’t just provide better copy and streaming speeds, it also allows your devices to stay on a single network for less hassle.

Basic 2.4 GHz and 5GHz wireless connectivity is just one of the features in ASUS new portable flash drive as it also feature NFC technology for instant connection to NFC-enabled mobile devices for an even easier setup. The Travelair AC features 32GB built-in memory which in itself isn’t much, but it can be easily expanded through the built-in SD card reader.

The flash drive also features a micro USB connector for a wired connection to non-wifi devices as well as to charge the built-in 3000 mAh battery.

ASUS added a dual wireless functionality to the Travelair AC, so you won’t lose your internet connection when using this wireless flash drive. You simply connect the Travelair AC to your router and any device that connects to the drive will also automatically get the signal forwarding to your internet connection. Naturally this support also includes WPA2 security for secure connections both ways

The ASUS AiDrive app for Android, iOS, and Kindle devices allows for easy setup and connection, but the drive is also compatible with Windows and Mac OS devices. The built-in battery should provide up to 10 hours of multimedia content streaming to Wi-Fi-enabled devices per charge which should be enough for even the longest trips.

Pricing and availability of the ASUS Travelair AC are yet to be announced.

Specifications

  • Wi-Fi standards: IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz & 5GHz
  • Storage capacity: 32GB
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Micro USB, NFC
  • OS Compatibility: iOS 7 or higher, AndroidTM 4.0 or higher, Kindle Fire HD and HDX, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Mac OS X 10.6 or higher
  • Battery: 3000mAh
  • Colors: White
  • Size: 86 x 86 x 21mm
  • Weight: 120g

SilverStone Releases ES01 Remote PC Switch Kit

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Have you ever wished to turn your computer on and off from afar, much in the same way that you do when you unlock your car with your remote key? Well you can’t have been the only one as SilverStone just released the ES01 that is just that. The SilverStone ES01 is a remote switch for your PC that allows you to turn it on and off from a distance of up to 20 meters.

The SilverStone ES01 is a 2.4GHz wireless computer power and reset remote switch and that in itself says most. The receiver is in the form of a PCI-Express card and SilverStone included both a normal and a low-profile expansion cover. While the PCI-Express bus is the normal connector these days, in the past it was the previous PCI slot that dominated the machines. SilverStone also released a normal PCI version, so make sure you get the right one for your system. This in return means that you should be able to use this card and remote control for pretty much any system you wish, new or old and small or big.

The included Y-cable for the power and reset buttons make sure that you don’t have to rely solely on this remote control and can continue to use your normal case buttons as you did before you installed this card.

As previously mentioned, the SilverSTone ES01 has a range of up to 20 meters and the interference should be minimal on this band, but objects that are in the way will effect the range. The ES01 has an Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) of 2.76 dBm and the remote runs on a nomral CR2025 button battery.

The new SilverStone ES01 (SST-ES01-PCIe / SST-ES01-PCI) will be available around the world during this week and can be yours for a suggested end-user price of $14.96 USD

Wi-Fi Alliance Approves New 802.11ah Standard

Posted on by Ashley Allen
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The Wi-Fi Alliance has announced a new Wi-Fi solution that offers a greater range while using less power. The new 802.11ah standard, dubbed HaLow, operates on the unlicensed 900MHz band, boasting twice the range of the 2.4GHz standard, and offers greater wall penetration. It is hoped that HaLow will power the next generation of IoT (internet of things) devices, since it will require less power of its devices, while able to transmit across larger distances.

“Wi-Fi HaLow extends Wi-Fi into the 900MHz band, enabling the low power connectivity necessary for applications including sensor and wearables,” the announcement on the Wi-Fi Alliance website reads. “Wi-Fi HaLow’s range is nearly twice that of today’s Wi-Fi, and will not only be capable of transmitting signals further, but also providing a more robust connection in challenging environments where the ability to more easily penetrate walls or other barriers is an important consideration.”

“Wi-Fi HaLow will broadly adopt Wi-Fi protocols and deliver many of the benefits that consumers have come to expect from Wi-Fi today, including multi-vendor interoperability, strong government-grade security, and easy setup,” the statement adds.

“Wi-Fi HaLow is well suited to meet the unique needs of the Smart Home, Smart City, and industrial markets because of its ability to operate using very low power, penetrate through walls, and operate at significantly longer ranges than Wi-Fi today,” Edgar Figueroa, President and CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance, said at CES 2016 during the reveal of HaLow. “Wi-Fi HaLow expands the unmatched versatility of Wi-Fi to enable applications from small, battery-operated wearable devices to large-scale industrial facility deployments – and everything in between.”

SilverStone Releases Aftermarket High-Gain Antennas and Magnetic Base

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Our routers and wireless network cards come with replaceable antennas, at least a lot do, and SilverStone released two new antennas and one magnetic Wi-Fi antenna base for the scenario that you’ll want to upgrade your existing antennas for performance or placement reasons.

The SilverStone WAD17, pictured above, is a high-gain MIMI 2T2R Wi-Fi antenna for improved wireless connectivity. It has a 5 dBi gain on the 2.4 GHz band and 7 dBi on the 5GHz bands which makes it a dual-band antenna. The Dipole antenna features a default SMA plug RP connector and has an impedance of 50 ohms.

The SilverStone WA219 2T2R high-gain Wi-Fi antenna is only for the 2.4 GHz band but comes with an impressive 9 dBi gain for that extra range and signal strength into the furthest parts of your home.

The SilverStone WAB1B is a circular magnetic base for SMA plug RP antennas and it has a 1.5-meter long cable for optimal placement. It allows you to place the antennas on a more optimal position than let’s say on the rear of your PC chassis which is placed under the desk. Having the antennas on top of the chassis or even the desk itself will greatly improve the Wi-Fi performance. Both the plug on the stand and on the cable are gold plated for optimal connection and the cable used is a low loss CLF 100.

All three new SilverStone Wi-Fi accessories are available now for a recommended end user price (excl. VAT) of $10.08 USD, $8.51 USD, and $8.51 USD respectively for the WA219, WAD17, and WAB1B.

CHERRY Introduces New Wired and Wireless Mice for Office Work

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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CHERRY is mostly known for their keyboard and keyboard switches, but they have a full line-up of items that also includes mice. Now they introduced two new wireless mice, the MW 2310 and the MW 2110, as well as an updated version of the wired MC2000. All these three mice are fully compatible with the new Windows 10 and come with a precise infrared sensor and an ergonomic shape.

Gamers need high-end mice that have the best of the best features, buttons, and resolution – but office work doesn’t require that kind of hardware. You need something solid, but you don’t need the absolute precision of gaming equipment. So why should you pay for anything more than you need? The symmetrical design offers optimal control for both left-handed and right-handed users.

These mice still offer some great hardware, although not gaming grade. The MW 2310 and MW 2110 offer a three-stage adjustable sample rate where you can choose between 1000, 1500, and 2000 DPI while the resolution on the MC2000 is fixed at 1600 DPI. The MC 2000 features a 4-way scroll wheel that allows horizontal and vertical scrolling without additional buttons which the two wireless don’t.

The wireless MX 2310 and MX2110 utilize 2.4GHz technology for the connection. This energy-conserving transfer method coupled with built-in energy saving features will allow you to use the MW 2310 for up to three years on one battery pack. The MW 2110 can’t run as long, but still an impressive 12 months on one charge.

Colour wise you can get the MW 2310 and MW 2110 as deep black version while the MC 2000 will be available in a white-grey colour. All three mice are immediately available in the market for a very reasonable price. The MW 2310 will be sold for €20.00 and the MW 2110 for €15.00. The wired MC 2000 forms the entry-level model with a price of just €10.00.

Tenda A301 Wireless N300 Universal Range Extender Review

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Introduction

Wireless networks are great and they allow us to enjoy the world with fewer cables and restraints, but they still pose a very real limitation and that is the range. There are several ways that you can combat this and increase range, coverage, and performance and one of them is through Wireless Range Extenders. Today I’m taking a closer look at Tenda’s A301 Wireless N300 Universal  Range Extender that is a solution for just such a scenario.

The Tenda A301 wireless N300 Universal Range Extender is designed to optimize and extend your existing wireless network to the furthest corner of your home. It delivers transmission rates up to 300Mbps, it features a wall-mounted design, smart signal indicators, and two external antennas.

The plug design allows you to place the Tenda A301 directly in any power outlet and enhance your wireless signals from there on. Whether your home is too big for your current routers coverage or you’ll want to enjoy your WiFi in the garden or on the porch, a range extender is a good idea.

You are already half way done with the setup when you have plugged the A301 range extender into a wall socket or extension cord. The built-in WPS button is the only thing that’s left to press once it’s ready. You’ll have to press the WPS button on your router first tho, but the setup guide explains all that in case you don’t already know it.

Tenda also included a manual setup option for the rare instances where the WPS should fail or your router doesn’t feature a WPS button and function. The sticker on the rear of the unit will tell you how to connect to the setup interface where you manually can connect it to your WiFi network as well as define various settings.

Tenda also added an LAN port to the bottom of the A301 and that allows you to extend the functionality of the device even more. For example, you could have a PC system located at the far end of your home that doesn’t have any wireless network card. Running a cable that far could be troublesome for several reasons and with the A301, you don’t need to.

Connect the PC’s LAN port to the A301’s LAN port and the system is connected to your wireless network without any further setup. For the PC, it is seen as a normal wired connection and the Tenda A301 takes care or the rest.

The Tenda A301 will work fine with any standard WiFi router and is capable of HD video streaming and gaming alike. I would, however, say that it’s mostly for web surfing due to the older standards used. The wireless range extender is using the 2.4GHz band and it is compatible with 802.11 b, g, and n devices. With just 300 Mbps at our disposal with maximum coverage, the N300 standard surely isn’t the fastest.

The WPS button is located directly on the front and it is surrounded by an LED field with four sections. The LEDs have two colours to show more details and are easy to recognize. It will show whether it has power, is connecting, how good the wireless signal is and also show when the LAN port is being used.

The two external antennas help with a better coverage over those who only have internal antennas. You can angle them up to 90 degrees, but they can’t be turned nor replaced with aftermarket antennas. It would have been nice if that would have been possible too.

The wireless performance of the A301 is rated for a max EIRP to route of 58mW and max EIRP to device of 98mW. The range is rated for up to 100 meters indoor and up to 300 meters outdoors. It is compatible with 64 and 128-bit WEP, WPA, WPA2, Mix WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK wireless encryptions of AES, TKIP, and TKIP&AES types. Wireless Access Control is also included and so is MAC filtering.

Features

  • Wireless transmission rate up to 300Mbps
  • Compatible with 802.11b/g/n devices
  • Supports WEP, WPA, and WPA2 encryption mechanism to enhance security level
  • Wall-mounted design makes it easy to deploy and move flexibly
  • 2 External antennas & Range Extender Mode boost WiFi to backyard, porches, and garage
  • Smart Signal Indicator helps to find the most accurate location to place the range extender
  • Easily expand wireless coverage at a push of Range Extender button

Packaging and Accessories

The Tenda A301 comes in a small packaging that shows the basic information such as product name and image as well as transfer speeds on the front. We also see the Broadcom logo indicating that it uses one of their chips on the insides.

The rear of the package explains how easy it is to set up and you can also see which plug version it is at the bottom. Make sure you get the right one for your location or it might not fit into your outlets, at least not without adapters.

Inside the package is an install guide, wireless declaration an LAN cable and a small disk with a PDF version of the manual.

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Netis E1 N300 WiFi Range Extender Review

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Introduction

Wireless networks have one big flaw and that is their coverage. The longer the distance, the slower the transfer speeds will get. There are two ways you can combat this, you can either get completely new equipment with stronger signals or you can get a wireless range extender to boost your signal. For today’s review, I’m taking a look at Netis E1 N300 WiFi range extender.

The Netis E1 is a very basic unit, both feature and design wise. It has the same shape, size, and design as the Netis Power over Circuitry kit that I reviewed not long ago and it would go well with that. Then again, the design doesn’t really matter here and it is very likely that it will be more or less hidden once set up. However, it is nice that it is a small unit and that it won’t take up so much space around the plug it is inserted into.

I personally really like this design and hope that Netis will continue it in future products. It reminds me both of a futuristic style that we often see portrayed with everything round as well as a flashback to the 60s and 70s. It’s a universal design that will fit almost anywhere.

The Netis E1 doesn’t feature the newest dual-band technology, but it rather relies on the older and very reliable 2.4GHz band with theoretical transfer speeds of up to 300 Mbps. The 2.4GHz band already has the advantage of a great coverage area and with a range extender like this you can let it reach into the furthest corners of your home.

The installation is as easy as it could be, insert it into a plug and press the WPS button on your router and the device. The two will pair and remember the settings. If that should fail or your router doesn’t have a WPS button, then the Netis E1 features a little web server where you can connect it to your WiFi network manually.

Netis built two antennas into the range extender, although they aren’t visible. The E1 has a maximum transmit power of 20 dBm and supports all common WiFi encryption standards.

Should you still run hardware that utilizes older standards than the IEEE 802.11n, then you don’t need to worry; the unit is of course backward compatible with both b and g standards.

A lot of people reading this will sit for a bit, look at their AC1200 or AC1900 router and think, this is to slow. But it doesn’t have to be and it can still be quite useful. The bandwidth here is plenty for both HD video streaming, video calls, email, calendars, and browsing.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

Netis packed the tiny E1 N300 range extender into a little box and put all the basic information on the front along with an image of the range extender itself.

The rear of the packaging shows possible usage scenarios as well as the basic installation guide. It is so simple that it doesn’t require anything more than that.

Inside the package is a quick installation guide that will explain both the manual and automatic setup procedures and a declaration of conformity is also included.

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Tenda D301 Wireless N300 ADSL2+ Modem Router Review

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Introduction

Once in a while I get a product in for review that isn’t the newest and today is one of those times. I’m taking a closer look at Tenda’s D301 ADSL2+ Wireless Modem Router. This isn’t one of those routers one would run out and buy, but it could very well be the one your internet service provider is giving you.

The feature with the Tenda D301 is that is a combination of modem and router in one, effectively giving you an ADSL 2/2+ modem with router functionality and 4-port switch in one device. This certainly beats having both an ADSL modem and a router next to each other.

It comes with two external 5dBi antennas and supports MIMO technology that uses signal reflections to reduce dead spots and provide better wireless performance, coverage, and transmission rates.

The security part is covered pretty well with port filter, URL filter, and MAC filter. The wireless connection can be encrypted with a 64 to 128-bit WEP, WPA, or WPA2 password. Speaking of wireless, the Tenda D301 Wireless Modem Router only provides the 2.4GHz band with a transfer rate of 300Mbps.

IPTV is also supported on this router and it comes with a built-in USB 2.0 port for easy file sharing from flash drives to all connected devices, that could be both PCs and mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

The four LAN ports are only 100Mbps, but that isn’t all to bad when you think about it. If you only got an ADSL connection and only use the network to connect to the internet, then you don’t need any more. The fourth LAN port doubles as a WAN port when used as just a router and the first LAN port has built-in functionality for IPTV. VLANs are supported and so are virtual servers and PPPTP, L2TP, and IPSec VPN pass-throughs.. It supports Dynamic IP, Static IP. PPPoE, and IPoA internet connections.

You get individual LEDs for every port and function as well as a 6000V lightning protection that will help to protect connected devices from overcurrents in case the installation should be the victim in a thunderstorm.

Key Functions

  • ADSL2/ADSL2+ Modem, Router and 4-port Switch in one
  • IPTV support
  • USB Sharing
  • Lightning Protection

Packaging and Accessories

The packaging looks like what those of most routers do. An image of the device on the front as well as a basic summary of the key functions.

On the rear of the package, you find a little more information about what it does, where you could connect what and all that in several languages.

Inside the box, we find an RJ45 LAN cable, an RJ11 cable, and an ADSL splitter as well as the power supply unit. There’s also a manual disk with a user guide and setup wizard for quick installation and a printed quick install guide.

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TP-Link Archer C9 AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router Review

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Introduction

There is no shortage of routers on the market and today I’m taking TP-Link’s Archer C9 AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router, a beautiful and simple looking router capable of handling the newest AC connection standard.

The Archer C9 looks like it could have it all, powerful dual-band wireless for up to 1900Gbps total transfer speeds, Gigabit Ethernet ports for both LAN and WAN, USB 3.0 for file sharing and an easy to use setup and configuration interface.

Archer C9’s strength doesn’t just come from the support for the 802.11ac standard, the next generation of Wi-Fi, and the combination of the 2.4GHz 600Mbps and 5GHz 1300Mbps connections for a total available bandwidth of 1.9Gbps, but also in the added features and functions such as USB file and printer sharing as well as beamforming technology for the best possible connection between your devices.

The Archer C9 has three detachable dual band antennas for maximum and omni-directional wireless coverage as well as reliability. The signal strength is further boosted by the built-in beamforming technology for an even better and efficient wireless connection between the router and the connected devices. The router will focus the strength of its signal where it is needed.

To achieve all the power needed to handle all that traffic speed, TP-Link built the Archer C9 with a dual-core 1GHz processor that is able to handle a lot of simultaneously wired and wireless tasks at the same time.

On the rear of the unit, you’ll find a USB 2.0 port for older legacy storage devices and printers and it also comes with a USB 3.0 port on the side for modern and high-speed storage. The built-in FTP server and file-sharing allows you to easily access the stored files and media from any device connected on your network.

The built-in FTP server, media server, and Samba file-sharing allows you to easily access the stored files and media from any device that is connected to your network.

There is a separate LED for almost every part of the router from power over the two wireless signals to LAN, WAN and an individual for each of the USB ports. The only thing that you can’t see quickly on the LEDs is which of the four LAN ports that’s active.

There isn’t a way to mount this router on your wall, it instead comes with a stand that will make the router stand at a small backward angle. The rubber feet may not be large, but they are enough to keep the router where you place it.

The addition of a power button is a nice touch. You rarely need it on a router, but it is a lovely feature to have when you do. There is plenty of room on the device, so why not.

All four LAN ports and the WAN port are Gigabit ports for the usual great LAN speed and without limitation on faster than 100MB/s internet connections that are making their entry in more and more location and markets. The WPS button also works as reset button at the same time.

I really like the design that TP-Link applied to the Archer C9. The gentle curves give the router a simplistic yet almost sophisticated look. But it doesn’t just look great, it’s also a well-crafted unit made with great parts.

On the side of the unit you’ll find the USB 3.0 port where you easily can connect your fast portable storage and share it over your network. It’s also where the button is located to turn the WiFi on and off. No need to have it running when not needed, especially when it’s so easy to access and switch.

The Archer C9 also supports guest network connections for people who only need access now and then and to whom you might not want to give your normal and more static password. Parents can also rest assured that their kids won’t visit sites that they shouldn’t and on hours where they should be asleep thanks to the parental control.

Other features include IPv6, Dynamic IP/Static IP/PPPoE/PPTP/L2TP/BigPond WAN connections, 64/128-bit WEP, and WPA/WPA2, WPA-PSK/WPA-PSK2 encryption. It has built in firewall, bandwidth control, supports direct setup for dynamic DNS services and VPN passthrough.

iOS users will also have access to easy management through the Tether APP while anyone can enjoy quick and hassle free installation via the web interface via any computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Within the box you find everything you need to get started with your high-speed wireless network: the router itself with its three antennas, a AC/DC power adapter, a RJ45 LAN cable to connect it to your internet connection, manuals, resource disk, and a quick installation guide to get your started and running as quick as possible.

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Asus EA-AC87 Media Bridge and Access Point Comes with 1734 Mbps Speeds

Posted on by Gabriel Roşu
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Asus has announced a new access point and media bridge, the EA-AC87, which is a dual-purpose wireless AC-1800 that uses a 4×4 MIMO antenna array. The company states that when it is paired with a 4×4 router, the EA-AC87 is able to deliver the world’s fastest 5GHz speeds of up to 1734 Mb/s.

The EA-AC87 also features the Asus AiRadar, a universal beamforming technology that helps the device ensure a reliable and fast connection over an area of 465 m² or 5000 ft. This means that the latest device has a 33% performance increase compared the previous Wi-Fi antenna generations that use 3×3 antennas.

In terms of connectivity, the EA-AC87 provides five Gigabit Ethernet ports, giving it the ability to connect to a wide range of devices. In addition to the latter, Asus states that future firmware updates will add support for multi-user MIMO, enhancing the product performance in multi-device environments.

In access point mode, the EA-AC87 is said to provide the ultimate 802.11ac standard extension, extending the capacity to handle more devices as well as extending the wireless coverage of the router it is coupled to. The EA-AC87 is the perfect solution for a single-band 2.4 GHz router, having it add the benefit for 5 GHz connectivity which adds ultra-fast speeds and less interference than in congested 2.4 GHz environments.

In media bridge mode, the EA-AC87 provides five LED indicators on the front panel which act as signal quality indicators. This provides real-time feedback upon the wireless signal quality and ensures that the user benefit from the optimum connection speeds and reliability.

Asus is making the EA-AC87 available in May 2015, having set a recommended price tag of €159.

Thank you Guru3D for providing us with this information

Adesso iMouse E10 – 2.4 GHz RF Wireless Vertical Ergonomic Mouse Review

Posted on by Peter Donnell
3

Introduction

The peripheral market is booming, there’s a huge range of products with a wide range of features available between each device, so finding something suitable for your needs shouldn’t be too difficult. Naturally, not all products are created equally and some are designed for a more niche part of the market than others, such as the iMouse E10 which we have in for review today. The E10 is one strange-looking mouse, with a design that is almost vertical. It has been crafted to help prevent or alleviate wrist strain while using your desktop computer; much in the same way that an ergonomic keyboard better suits the natural angle of your arms and wrists.

I’m not expecting the greatest performance in the world from this mouse, although the specifications do suggest that it’s pretty capable for day-to-day use in home or at the office, I don’t have huge expectations for using it in a gaming environment; although I’m still going to try.

Specifications:

  • Tracking Method: Optical Sensor
  • Connectivity: 2.4 GHz RF Wireless Technology
  • Resolution: 3 Levels (1000/1500/2000 DPI)
  • Buttons: 6 Buttons (Left & Right Click, Back & Forward, DPI Switch, Scroll Wheel)
  • Hand Orientation: Right Hand Orientation
  • Power: AAA Batteries
  • Dimension: 3.0″ x 4.7″ x 2.5″ (75 x 125 x 63 mm)
  • Weight: 0.3 lb. (113 g)

The Adesso E10 comes equipped with wireless 2.4 GHz RF technology, it can be hooked up to any system with a compatible receiver/transmitter, or you can use the included USB dongle. Adesso also includes a pair of AAA batteries in the box.

There’s no other way of saying it, this mouse looks freaking weird! It’s unlike any other computer mouse I’ve ever seen or used. The layout isn’t all the different from any other mouse, there’s still two mouse buttons on the top and a nice quality rubber grip scroll wheel in the middle, but obviously the whole mouse is twisted and looks like it’s stood almost on its side.

The other side looks just as strange. The base of the mouse and the top part are heavily curved, giving a vast ergonomic recess that provides a nice space to rest your hand.

There are two buttons on the side for forward/back navigation, and a third button at the top which can be used to toggle the DPI level.

The mouse is designed for right-hand use, it would be near impossible to try to operate it with your left hand.

From the back of the mouse, you can see just how extreme the shape or the mouse is. Overall the mouse is actually quite tall, but the way it curves out towards the bottom means that it still has as much contact with the mousepad as most other desktop mice.

The base of the mouse is equipped with four small slipmats to provide extra glide on your surface of choice. Towards the front you’ll find a master power switch, while the back of the mouse has a small recess for the USB dongle; handle if you’re traveling with this mouse as it helps keeps everything together.

The base of the mouse can be flicked off with your finger nail, giving you access to the battery compartment.

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Synology Introduces RackStation RS815(RP)+ and DiskStation DS2415+

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Synology announced the RS815 (RP)+ and the DS2415+ NAS for Small and Medium Businesses so “businesses no longer have to decide between performance and security.” These new NAS devices are designed to provide speedy encryption, performance, and scalability on the fly.

The three new models feature an Intel Atom C2538 2.4GHz quad-core with AES-NI encryption engine, up to 6GB RAM and four Gigabit Ethernet ports with Link Aggregation and failover. The result is reading speeds exceeding 389 MB/s for the RS815+/RS815RP+ and 451 MB/s for the DS2415+, making them capable of handling requests from a great number of users simultaneously. For encrypted files, RS815+/RS815RP+ delivers 388 MB/s (11 times faster than the previous generation) while DS2415+ reaches 451 MB/s (13 times faster than its predecessor) in reading speed.

As with most Synology devices, you can expanded with the RX415 and DX1215 expansion units and all three have the SSD read/write cache that allows a considerable boost in throughput while minimizing investment. Certified by VMware, Citrix, and Microsoft Hyper-V, the three NAS servers can be seamlessly integrated into a company’s virtualization environment and act as a powerful central storage.

The new Synology RackStation RS815+, RS815RP+ and DiskStation DS2415+ are now shipping globally and should be available very soon. US customers will have to wait a little longer due to import.

Thanks to Synology for providing us with this information

QNAP Partners with AMD for TVS-x63 Golden Cloud Turbo vNAS Series

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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This one almost slipped through my net with all the news going around after CES in Vegas, but it is a big one. QNAP has partnered with AMD to create the TVS-x63 Golden Cloud Turbo vNAS series, including the TVS-863+ with built-in 10Gb Ethernet. The rest of the series is ready for 10Gb Ethernet, but come born without.

Using a 64-bit AMD Embedded G-Series quad-core 2.4GHz processor with support for up to 16GB RAM, these NAS devices promise great performance. Speed isn’t everything, and the TVS-x63 also come with a highly efficient hardware encryption, SSD cache acceleration, and advanced AMD Radeon graphics for the ‘other side of these NAS devices’.

“QNAP is renowned for providing comprehensive cutting-edge NAS solutions with high-quality features for users, and we feel very honored to cooperate with QNAP to release the new TVS-x63+ series NAS, powered by AMD embedded solutions,” said Scott Aylor, corporate vice president and general manager, AMD Embedded Solutions. “The AMD Embedded G-Series SoC provides high performance while being energy efficient and meets the requirements of a NAS designed to deliver 24/7 continuous and reliable services.”

The new series comes as 4, 6 and 8 bay solutions with varying amount of memory between 4GB and 8GB, but all support up to 16GB total RAM. The drives connect through SATA 3 ports and network is covered by dual Gigabit ports. As previously mentioned they are all 10GbE capable, but only the TVS-863+ has it built in.

“The TVS-x63+ series is solidly built with a state-of-the-art design and topped off with a stylish gold finish for added distinction. The Turbo vNAS with AMD quad-core processor performs outstandingly in file transfer efficiency, business and multimedia applications, and more, while brining 10GbE capabilities for budget-conscious organizations and professionals,” said Y.T. Lee, vice president of QNAP.

The other side of these NAS devices is the QvPC Technology. Users can use the TVS-x63+ series as a PC by plugging in a keyboard, mouse, and HDMI monitor to directly access data stored on the NAS, run multiple applications on Windows, Linux, UNIX, and Android-based VMs, surf the web with multilingual keyboard input, watch 1080p videos with up to 7.1 channel audio with XBMC, and much more.

The previous paragraph contained a lie, well at least not the full truth. The TVS-x63+ series also supports 4K Ultra HD output for use with the QvPC Technology, thanks to the AMD Radeon Graphics. You can connect the NAS to a 4K UHD monitor too and enjoy those extra pixels.

The TVS-x63+ series includes more anticipated features for a better audio-visual experience, including hardware-accelerated transcoding, offline transcoding and dual HDMI outputs that allows users to connect to two monitors or TVs for simultaneous playback.

Key specifications

  • TVS-863+: 8-bay tower model, 8GB RAM, one pre-installed 1-port 10GbE PCI-E NIC
  • TVS-863: 8-bay tower model, 4GB RAM, PCI-E expansion slot
  • TVS-663: 6-bay tower model, 4GB RAM, PCI-E expansion slot
  • TVS-463: 4-bay tower model, 4GB RAM, PCI-E expansion slot
  • AMD Embedded G-Series quad-core 2.4 GHz processor, DDR3L-1600 SO-DIMM RAM (expandable to 16GB); 2.5”/3.5” SATA 6Gbps HDD/SSD, hard drives hot-swappable; 5 x USB 3.0; 2 x Gigabit LAN ports; 2 x HDMI (mirrored display); LCD panel.

The best of all is, the new QNAP TVS-x63+ series Golden Turbo vNAS will be available later this month at most retailers. If all this shouldn’t be enough, you can expand with the two QNAP expansion enclosures UX-800P and UX-500P to increase the total storage capacity to 192TB.

Thanks to QNAP for providing us with this information

Gigabyte Release Force K7 Wireless Keyboard

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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GIGABYTE has released the FORCE K7 Wireless keyboard, a cable-free version of the well-received FORCE K7 keyboard that was released last year. The new wireless keyboard is designed with comfort in mind, but it also packs a couple useful features for people that want to play some games with it.

The FORCE K7 wireless is using a slim profiled scissor-key structure to minimize the gap between keycaps and ensure short actuation distance and stable key presses while minimising typing effort. The keyboard has a ‘fn’ system for media and hot-key functions as well as windows-key lock for gamers. It has two scroll wheels at the top centre for zoom and audio levels while the WASD area features anti-ghosting for the gamers.

There is no need for drivers, setup or pairing as the Force K7 Wireless is fully plug and play. Availability should be now, but it may take some time until stock arrives at your favourite shops. One place that already has them in stock is NewEgg where you can pick it up for $59.99.

Thanks to GIGABYTE for providing us with this information

Images courtesy of GIGABYTE

LG Introduces Music Flow Wireless Speaker Series

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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LG will be introducing their new Music Flow series of wireless speakers at CES 2015 in Las Vegas, consisting of the companies first battery-powered wireless speaker, normal speakers, and soundbars. The LG NP8350 is the company’s first wireless speaker with a built-in battery for easy portability from one room to another in the home, or on the go. The battery is pretty much what sets this one apart from the other ones, so anything else goes for them all.

The Music Flow series makes it real easy to create your personalized wireless home cinema. Each soundbar allows you to connect two speakers wireless (left and right) and each speaker allows the connection of another speaker with the dual band 2.4 and 5GHz WiFi connections. Just place your speakers where you desire, connect them, and immerse yourself in optimal surround sound. LG’s BP550 Streaming 3D Blu-ray Player or LAB550W SoundPlate can also both be connected to the Music Flow speakers to stream sound from any CD or a connected USB drive.

The Music Flow speakers further increase the convenience factor with the Android or iOS compatible mobile apps. When your phone comes within on foot of the speakers, they can take over the playback running on it. This means that when you get in the door while singing along to your favorite tune playing on your earpieces, you just place it near a speaker and they will take over. They also come with LG’s HomeChat feature that allows you to SMS text commands to your speakers or integrate it into your alarm system.

The lineup that will be presented includes the company’s first battery-powered Portable Wi-Fi Speaker; model H4 (NP8350) additional Portable Wi-Fi Speakers; models H7 (NP8740), H5 (NP8540) and H3 (NP8340); and upgraded Sound Bars; (models LAS950M, LAS851M and LAS751M).

Thanks to LG for providing us with this information

Images courtesy of LG

Netgear Unleash Tri-Band Nighthawk X6 AC3200 WiFi Router – Up To 3.2Gbps

Posted on by Ryan Martin
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Routers may not be the most exciting consumer products on the market but the latest WiFi router from Netgear is pretty darn cool if I do say so myself. The Netgear “Nighthawk” X6 AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi router (R8000 for short) is an absolute beast of a WiFi solution. The Netgear R8000 offers six high performance antennas across three network bands: one 2.4GHz and two 5GHz offering 600 + 1400 + 1400 mbps respectively – that’s a staggering 3.2 Gbps of WiFi capability. The dual 5GHz bands means the router can allocate different types of traffic to different antennae, gaming traffic and video streams can have separate 5GHz bands for example, to optimise the overall network experience.  The Netgear R8000 is powered by a dual core 1GHz processor with three additional offload processors to offer a ridiculously powerful solution. Netgear’s R8000 also supports Beamforming+ WiFi signal focusing technology and comes with a USB 3.0 storage port for easy sharing of USB 3.0 storage drives over the network. As if all that wasn’t enough Netgear also offer you VPN support with your own remote access URL gateway, an SPI and NAT double firewall and a separate pre-configured guest network. As you might expect all that power and networking prestige doesn’t come cheap, the R8000 will set you back a whopping $299.99.

Source: Netgear PR, Via: TechPowerUp

Image courtesy ofNetgear

Linksys WRT – A Legend Is Reborn As Shipments Begin

Posted on by Chris Hadley
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When it comes to iconic computer hardware, software and peripherals, there a numerous points on the technology time-line that stand out and when we focus more closely on consumer networking, there is without a doubt only one product that stands above everything else. This is of course the blue and black WRT54G the Linksys brought to the market way back in December 2002 – that’s just over 11 years ago. What started out as a single router eventually turned out to be a one of the greatest success stories in Linksys’ history. Due to their [at the time] high levels of performance, flexibility, ease of use and much more, this line of routers has seen deployment not only in the home but all across the world in numerous different situations – be it in an office or directly out in the field. When DD-WRT came to light in later years, customisation and modification of these routers went berserk as users found multiple ways to get that bit extra from their kit – I should know as I was one of those users.

This router has made such an impression on the market and it has shown its worth so much that even today we find that some of them still in use today.

As time as moved on though and wireless technology has evolved to a point where it is now faster than Gigabit LAN, Linksys now as a part of Belkin have been working to rekindle the essence of the WRT product line and gives the world once more the ultimate wireless router that will put virtually every other product out there on the market to shame. The WRT1900AC has been born.

Earlier in the year at CES we caught a glimpse of what the new router had to offer and what is clear above all else is that Linksys want people to know that this router owes all its heritage and design to the former market leader. First things first though, just take a look at it, I mean it’s not everyday that I say that I love the look of a product so much, but when it comes to rekindling the good ol’ times, Linksys have hit the proverbial nail right on the head with this one. Not only do we get the classic blue and black plastic housing, we get a more modern twist on the design with broad angles and the image that this unit means business.

So what’s new with the WRT1900AC? Well before we even get on to the hardware side of things I have to mention the firmware. What made the WRT54G what it is today was the open source aspect of its firmware and OpenWRT was a project that was based around hacking into the original WRT lineup to introduce more power and more features into the already powerful hardware. Linksys are fully aware of this appeal and as a result they have been working very closely with OpenWRT to ensure that the 1900AC is capable of giving users the option to chose between the default firmware or to use the open source alternative.

Knowing that the WRT-Cult are going to want more from a new router, Linksys have beefed up the specification of the 1900AC to include a dual-core 1,2GHz CPU, 128MB flash memory, 256MB of DDR3 RAM,  USB and eSATA ports, four Gigabit LAN and a single Gigabit WAN port, four external & replaceable antennae and on top of all that, dual-band wireless offering speeds of up to 1300Mbps 802.11ac on the 5GHz band and 600Mbps 802.11n on the 2.4GHz band. All in all we are looking at some of the best specifications on the market today.

On the software side of the router, the features keep on coming in. Out of the box the WRT1900AC ships with Linksys’ latest Smart WiFi setup and management tools, with a more intuitive and flexible user interface as well as the option to remotely manage the system from anywhere in the world through either a web interface or the optional mobile application. Other features both new and old include the ability to share connected storage devices and printers to the local network through the USB3.0 or 2.0 port or even eSATA ports, share content via FTP to external connections, Dynamic DNS setup options such as No-IP, DynDNS and TZO, various operating modes such as router / gateway / range extender or bridge, parental controls, guest networks and parental controls.

Further more there is the obvious ability as mentioned to upgrade to OpenWRT firmware where there are a host of additional features on hand, giving the WRT-Cult all the power that they want and will need for many years to come.

Whilst shipments have just started, sales of the WRT1900AC wil not commence until the 13th April with Best Buy stocking units with an MSRP of $279.99. Alternatively you can purchase the new router from Linksys directly through their online store. Now whilst the price may seem expensive; and compared to other routers it is a lot more to pay, if you’re a WRT fan and follower such as myself then this is just a small price to pay for what is likely to be the best bit of networking kit that we are likely to see all year.

Finally all I have to say is watch this space for a review where I aim to put the new WRT1900AC router to the test to see how the spirit of WRT has been reborn.

Source: Press Release

Netgear R6250 Dual Band Gigabit Smart WiFi Router Review

Posted on by Chris Hadley
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Introduction

Over the last couple of years the internet has been going through a radical increase in speed and with some connections passing well over the 100Mbps mark, many people are now looking for the next generation of routers that can keep up with the high-speed connections that are on offer. As part of the connection process, every ISP (Internet Service Provider) tends to provide us with their own branded routers such as BT’s ‘Home Hub’ and Virgin’s ‘Super Hub’ (in the case of the two leading Internet providers in the UK); but let’s be honest, whilst they all claim that their wireless router is the better than everyone else’s – they’re not necessarily the best.

When I took a look at Netgear’s R6300 Wireless AC router back towards the start of the year, the performance that I experienced both on the local network and through the internet was far superior to my BT Home Hub that I was provided with – especially when I saw my connection speed to the internet go up by around 5Mbps. This is generally the same story across the board for many people. We are on the whole demanding more from our wireless routers and the ISP provided equipment is not matching our needs, so it is soon being replaced by after-market alternatives that have so much more to offer. Netgear are one such brand that is considered by many. Having been one the of the industries leading infrastructure manufacturers for many years and the consumer level products have been a major part of their business model, with high customer ratings and renowned reliability proving they are one of the best out there.

As the internet has grown to be faster and faster, Netgear have been pushing to come up with a router that not only meets the demands of today’s heavy users, but with features that are ready for the next generation of wireless devices. After many months of R&D (Research and Development), towards the start of this year, a line of dual-band Gigabit wireless was brought to market and the R6300 was one of these.  Delivering super fast, dual band wireless with speeds of up to 1300Mbps across an AC connection it has soon become one of the best routers on the market. The user interface also saw a massive overhaul with all the connectivity and configuration options that the end-user may need – laid out in an intuitive design. Once you top off the package with USB port(s) for connecting printers and storage devices to, enabling them to be accessed across the network or remotely through Netgear’s ReadyShare functions, it becomes apparent that Netgear are offering a little more than your run-of-the-mill router.

Like many routers, Netgear’s package is simple and to the point. With little more than a DC power adaptor and a CAT5e Ethernet cable to connect the router to a modem needed, a simple pack of paperwork rounds off all the bits that you’ll need to get things up and running.

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Asus RP-N53 Dual-Band Wireless N600 Range Extender Review

Posted on by Chris Hadley
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Introduction

Imagine a scenario that I’m sure many of you already encounter. You’ve just got a lovely new high speed internet connection and as part of the package you’ve received a new ISP branded router that promises to offer the best wireless coverage of any internet provider that spreads to every corner of the globe (slight exaggeration may be found here). You feel chuffed by this but soon after you’ve got everything set up, you soon start to realise that the coverage is not as great as you was expecting.

This is something that many people experience and soon after moaning at the ISP for false advertising with their routers signal, they realise that it’s not so much a fault with the equipment but more a case that the wireless signal is not able to penetrate through the walls and floors due to the type of construction or materials used to build the house. Concrete, bricks and metal work for example are all items that wireless signals hate. My home as I’ve mentioned before is a typical example of this. Having solid brick walls all over the place is bad news for me when I’m trying to get online from the front of the house. Whilst there is a signal there, the speed that I experience has dropped considerably and when I’m trying to use interactive services on my TV, the poor signal has an effect on the QoS (Quality of Service) that I experience.

One option is to setup a powerline, but not only are these more targetted for wired devices, but they require two plugs and a little extra cost to get everything going. I’m not ruling them out as I think that they are fantastic bits of kit, so much so that we use them in the office and I use them at home. For wireless devices such as mobile phones, tablets, ultrabooks and so on, they really need the strength of the signal to be boosted and consequently we find items such as the RP-N53 Range Expander from Asus come in to play.

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