SMC Introduces 200mW High Power Wireless PC Card

Newest EliteConnect 2.4GHz 802.11b High Power Wireless PC Card provides 3 times the range of standard cards, and with greater signal clarity for better quality and throughput

IRVINE, CA , March 25, 2003 , SMC Networks (www.smc.com), the company that takes the work out of networks with high-performance, easy-to-use connectivity products for business and home, today introduced the first member of its new EliteConnect High Power family of wireless networking products: the SMC2532W-B 2.4GHz 802.11b High Power Wireless PC Card. The new High Power Wireless PC Card increases mobility and flexibility for wireless networking by providing 802.11b connectivity with up to 200 milliWatts (mW) of transmit power , nearly four times the power of standard PC Cards and twice the power offered by any other PC Card on the market today. The new SMC2532W-B 2.4GHz 802.11b High Power Wireless PC Card will be available at the beginning of April at an MSRP of $139.99.

The highest-powered PC Card on the market today, the new SMC2532W-B features transmit power of up to 200 milliWatts (mW) and excellent receive sensitivity. With an operating range of up to 2,700 feet "almost three times greater than standard 802.11b wireless clients" the SMC EliteConnect 802.11b High Power Wireless PC Card overcomes significant indoor multipath distortion to provide dramatic improvements in networking quality and throughput. The already superior range of the SMC2532W-B can be increased even further by attaching an optional high-gain antenna to one of the two available MMCX connectors.

Its EZ Installation Wizard makes setting up the SMC2532W-B quick and easy. Fully IEEE 802.11b-compliant and Wi-Fi certified, it can be configured to operate in Ad-hoc (Peer-to-Peer) or Infrastructure (communication to the wired network via an Access Point) mode, and operates seamlessly on any 802.11b network. Profile management software lets users of the new high power wireless PC Card save multiple wireless profiles "the office, home, the coffee shop" so that moving around is easy, and its built-in scanning utility detects and displays available network access points. Connections are secured via 64/128-bit WEP encryption and, with a simple update available in Q2, 2003, the new Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). Also included in the Q2 update, 802.1x user authentication ensures that only authorized users can access the resources of the wireless network.

"We're excited to be leading the market with a 200mW wireless PC Card, and about the fact that this is just the first member of our new High Powered line of products," said Jon Bettino, SMC Network's Product Marketing Manager. "Range and security are the two biggest issues in wireless networking today, and the new SMC2532W-B EliteConnect High Power Wireless PC Card succeeds beautifully on both counts."

About SMC Networks
SMC takes the work out of networks, with high-performance, easy-to-use connectivity products for businesses and homes. Leveraging its more than 30 years market and technology experience with strong attention to end-user and reseller feedback, SMC Networks has set the standards for quality, reliability, ease-of-use, and affordability in network solutions and components. The company continues to bring to market a host of affordable, high-performance products that benefit from the combination of its strong internal R&D resources, global manufacturing resources and strategic relationships with technology innovators. From basic to leading-edge, SMC Networks' portfolio of products provides solutions for small-to-medium sized businesses, corporate workgroups, branch offices, and home and small office environments.

The company's commitment to providing unsurpassed service with a personal touch is backed-up by limited lifetime warranties and 24/7 technical support for all of SMC's products. Headquartered in Irvine, California, U.S.A, SMC Networks supports its worldwide market through regional offices located throughout the United States and 20 other countries. For more information about SMC Networks or its products, visit www.smc.com, or call 800-SMC-4You (800-762-4968).