Belkin Introduces N1 Wireless Networking Line

Belkin had the best wireless router out, in my opinion, with their Pre-N Wireless router. Their follow up was the Wireless Plus MIMO which sold for a few dollars less. In the last few weeks the competition introduced their "draft N" routers which also used the multiple antenna technology for ever faster speeds.

Never one to sit on their laurels, Belkin is raising the ante with the N1 Wireless Networking line:

May 01, 2006 – You can now share your Internet connection wirelessly while running several applications simultaneously with the Belkin N1 Wireless networking line. Because of the increased speed of up to 300Mbps*, N1 Wireless lets you run multiple applications off one router without any connection drops. The N1 Wireless networking line will ship in North America on June 1, with launches in Asia, Europe, and Australia to follow shortly.

With the N1 Wireless Router, you can now run the following applications at the same time:

• Stream HD video
• Listen to digital music
• Play online games
• Transfer photos and home videos
• Shop online and surf the Web
• Email and chat
• Handle multiple VoIP phone calls

Based on the 802.11n draft**, N1 Wireless enables multiple receivers and transmitters to send and receive data through the air, using Intelligent MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) spatial multiplexing techniques. This smart-antenna technology builds upon the widely deployed 802.11g standard by increasing speed, coverage, and reliability of wireless systems. N1 Wireless offers a link rate of up to 300Mbps in 40MHz Channel Mode and up to 150Mbps in 20MHz Channel Mode*. Providing greater range and faster speeds, N1 Wireless offers a quick and efficient way for people to distribute video, music, photos, and files among the networked computers in their homes.

The N1 Wireless Router is based on Atheros’ XSPAN™ technology that delivers a superior Wireless LAN user experience with up to six times the throughput of legacy 802.11g and 802.11a/g products, enabling a wider array of new consumer wireless applications such as multi-media streaming.

The N1 Wireless Router features a Network Status Display that shows the status of your network. The icons represent each component of your network, indicating whether or not each device is working properly to help you easily troubleshoot. When the icons are blue, this indicates that your network devices are working properly. And, when a device is not working properly, the icon representing that device will turn amber. Guidance for correcting the problem is included in the installation guide that is provided with the Router.
The Belkin N1 Wireless line includes:

• Router (F5D8231-4) – $149.99
• Notebook Card (F5D8011) – $99.99
• Desktop Card (F5D8001) – $119.99
• USB Adapter Card (F5D8051) – Available Q3 2006

Additional Features

* Security: WPA2-Personal, 64-bit, 128-bit WEP encryption, enhanced firewall
* Backward-compatibility with 802.11b and 802.11g networks

*The standard transmission rate—150Mbps and 300Mbps—is the physical data rate. Actual data throughput will be lower.

**Belkin N1 Products: N1 Wireless Router (F5D8231-4), N1 Wireless Notebook Card (F5D8011), N1 Wireless Desktop Card (F5D8001) are compliant to the IEEE 802.11n draft specification. Although Belkin incorporates all mandatory elements of the IEEE 802.11n draft specification and designs the software to be upgradeable once the standard is finalized, Belkin cannot guarantee upgradeability.

I noticed a few things right off the bat. One, it comes in a cool black shiny "Lord Vader" finish. Two, the speed has been almost tripled from the Pre-N router. Next, it has a digital readout on the device. Finally, their is a USB adaptor planned, which was not available in the Pre-N line.

We'll work on getting one in the lab and giving it the twice over to see if Belkin can retain their crown!

More.

--Jonas