Cisco Adds to Media-Enabled Home with New Linksys by Cisco Dual-Band Wireless-N Products

Wireless-N Ethernet Bridge with Dual-Band, Simultaneous Dual-Band Wireless-N Router, and Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router Enhance the Award-Winning Product Portfolio

IRVINE, Calif., March 5 /PRNewswire/ — Cisco today announced the Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N Ethernet Bridge with Dual-Band (WET610N), Simultaneous Dual-Band Wireless-N Router (WRT400N), and the Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router (WRT320N). These new offerings extend the Award-Winning Linksys by Cisco Wireless-N family of products to further advance the Media-Enabled home. The WET610N Wireless-N Ethernet Bridge can add high-speed Wireless-N connectivity to Ethernet-enabled devices such as set top boxes, game consoles, and televisions for on-demand broadcast, online gaming, or media streaming throughout the home. Both the WRT400N and WRT320N Dual-Band routers help consumers realize the benefits of using the 5GHz wireless spectrum to connect their devices to the network with a lower price of entry. The WRT400N offers connectivity in both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz spectrums at the same time, while the more value-priced WRT320N allows the user to select which band they prefer to use.

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WET610N Facts/Highlights:

        --  Connect Ethernet-Enabled Devices Wirelessly
            Consumers can get better range and speed for streaming video
            and gaming applications by using the WET610N to connect
            Ethernet-enabled devices to their high-speed Wireless-N home
            network without running new cables.
        --  Dual-Band Wireless Capabilities
            The WET610N is ideal for home theater and gaming applications
            because entertainment content can be sent over the less crowded
            5GHz spectrum, separating it from other network traffic that
            transmits in the 2.4GHz spectrum.
        --  Optimized for streaming video, home theater and gaming
            applications
            By using enhanced Quality of Service functionality, the WET610N
            helps reduce video glitches to provide faster and more reliable
            video streaming and network performance.

WRT400N Facts/Highlights:

        --  Simultaneous Wireless-N Bands
            As a simultaneous Dual-Band Wireless-N router, the WRT400N can
            operate in both the 2.4GHz wireless band and the wider 5GHz band,
            essentially providing two full wireless networks for the price of
            one.
        --  WiFi Protected Setup
            To simplify the process of adding to the home network, the WRT320N
            includes WiFi Protected Setup--a push button feature that
            simplifies the process of setting up and configuring security for
            new network devices.

WRT320N Facts/Highlights:

        --  Selectable Wireless-N Bands
            Configurable to operate in either the 2.4GHz wireless band or the
            wider 5GHz band, the WRT320N offers consumers more options for
            configuring their home network.
        --  Gigabit Connectivity
            The WRT320N includes four Gigabit ports for quicker transmission
            of data when using a wired connection to a device within the home.

Products:

        --  Wireless-N Ethernet Bridge with Dual-Band WET610N
            Provides consumers higher performance by bridging Ethernet-enabled
            devices, such as televisions, digital media adapters, digital
            video recorders, digital set top boxes, networked attached storage
            devices or game consoles to the home network via Dual-Band
            Wireless-N.
        --  Simultaneous Dual-Band Wireless-N Router WRT400N
            Provides Simultaneous Dual-Band Wireless-N network capabilities at
            a price point suitable to mainstream consumers.
        --  Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router WRT320N
            Provides Dual-Band Wireless-N and Gigabit wired network
            capabilities at additional savings

Supporting Quotes:

        --  Greg Memo, vice president and general manager, products, Cisco
            Consumer Business Group.

            "As a number of top consumer electronics and game console
            manufacturers continue to bring to market Ethernet-enabled
            products, there is a clear need for a high-performance wireless
            solution that enables these devices to access the most demanding
            content and applications, such as HD video streaming and on-line
            gaming. The WET610N Wireless-N Ethernet Bridge provides for an
            easy and reliable way for consumers get the most out of these
            entertainment device purchases and further demonstrates the
            evolution to media enabled home, where a number of consumer
            devices are accessing rich media and internet services beyond
            just PCs."

            "The WRT400N and WRT320N bring Dual-Band capabilities to a more
            mainstream audience and empower the consumer to choose the
            Wireless-N solution that best serves their needs. They round out
            our Wireless-N product family and provide router options for
            everyone from the novice network user to the savviest of
            technology experts."

Worldwide Market Trends:

        --  According to Parks Associates, eight million households in the
            U.S. have entertainment devices connected to the network in the
            home. This is expected to grow to more than 30 million households
            by year-end 2013.

        --  Approximately 5.92M entertainment devices are wirelessly connected
            in the home (U.S. Statistics).

Pricing and availability:

The WET610N is available now in the United States from authorized Linksys by Cisco retailers, authorized resellers, and VAR partners at an Estimated Street Price of $99.99. Availability in other regions is anticipated later in 2009.

Also available now from authorized Linksys by Cisco retailers, authorized resellers, and VAR partners in the United States, the WRT400N and WRT320N have Estimated Street Prices of $149.99 and $129.99 respectively. Availability in other regions is anticipated later in 2009.

Supporting Resources:

• Product Web page – http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/products/WET610N http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/products/WRT400N http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/products/WRT320N
• Podcast with Ned Hooper discussing the Cisco Consumer strategy
• Read the Cisco news feature on the media-enabled home.
• Learn more about consumer products for a media-enabled home at www.linksysbycisco.com and www.linksysbycisco.com/forums.
• Become a Facebook fan of Cisco “LinksysbyCisco” and “Digital Cribs” and invite your friends to join the conversation.

Technorati Tags: Cisco, Consumer, Linksys by Cisco, Media-Enabled Home, Wireless-N, Dual-Band, Streaming, Ethernet, Gigabit, WiFi Protected Setup

About Cisco Systems

Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Cisco’s vision for the consumer is to enable people to live a connected life that is more personal, more social, and more visual. More information about Cisco and its line of consumer products can be found at www.linksysbycisco.com and www.cisco.com/consumer.

Cisco, the Cisco logo, Linksys by Cisco and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.

SOURCE Cisco