SMC Continues to Roll Out New Technologies for Home and Business

Maintaining the pace established in the first half of 2003, SMCs second half will bring exciting new products and solutions, from high-performance wireless to entertainment servers to high-end Gigabit desktop connectivity

IRVINE, CA (PRWEB) June 26, 2003 -- SMC Networks (www.smc.com) today announced that, as follow-up to an outstanding round of product introductions in the first half of 2003, the company plans to introduce new products and technologies that will expand the companys already extensive wireless and wired networking portfolio designed to deliver high quality and affordable solutions for homes and businesses in the second half.

Having recently introduced a host of 802.11a, b, g and Universal a/g wireless solutions to satisfy ever-increasing demand for easy to install and use networks for homes and businesses, SMC will continue to add to its portfolio of wired and wireless Ethernet solutions. In the first half of this year, SMC introduced a range-extending High-Power 200mW PC Card adapter that overcomes obstacles to make truly mobile connections in 802.11b environments. The recently announced Nitro technology upgrade for SMCs 802.11g products that extends wireless range and performance in the 802.11g space will begin shipping in June.

As wireless networking is adopted in more homes and small offices for Broadband connection sharing and communication, its utility will expand into the areas of entertainment and home automation, and SMC will begin introducing more products that capitalize on that expansion in the next couple of months. Platform-independent wireless adapters like the new SMC2671W that will begin shipping in June enable networked gaming over wireless connections for Microsoft® Xbox, Sony PlayStation 2 and other non-PC-based networkable technology. On the heels of the companys success with the award-winning Barricade Wireless Broadband Router, SMCs plans for the remainder of the year for the home market also include the addition of a fully-integrated cable modem gateway that is DOCSIS®-certified and CableHome-ready, the SMC8013WG, as well as products that tap-into todays networked home, including networked entertainment systems that support both audio and video applications.

The companys commitment to producing optimal, flexible wireless networking solutions for home and business applications is nowhere more evident than in its commitment to Universal wireless products-802.11a/g products that can connect on any 802.11-compliant network, whether 802.11a, 802.11b or 802.11g to optimize performance and connection potential. Having already introduced the SMC2336W Universal CardBus adapter, SMCs second half will bring a Universal wireless access point that can communicate simultaneously in 802.11g and 802.11a modes for seamless, optimal service. Flexibility its focus, the access point will also employ POE (power over Ethernet) to alleviate placement issues.

SMCs newest family of products, the Home Entertainment Networking line, will debut this summer, led by Digital Media Receivers, Universal wireless routers, and Universal wireless adapters optimized for audio and video transmission and playback. The media servers will range from high-end networked entertainment servers that stream, play and share audio (including Internet radio), pictures and video; to simple, portable, audio-only devices. Connected to the wireless network for access to Internet resources, broadband provider products and programs, photos stored on a computers hard drive, movies on the computers DVD player and more, it links to entertainment devices, including televisions and stereo receivers, via standard A/V connectors. Employing the latest in high-end wireless 802.11a/g technology for universal compatibility, speed and bandwidth that optimizes demanding wireless applications, SMCs Digital Media Networking products will deliver the broadest, best performing home entertainment networking solution available, exceeding those recently announced by Sony, Hewlett-Packard and Linksys/Cisco. SMCs Digital Media Networking products will be available in retail stores beginning in mid-summer, priced to make upgrading the home wireless network compelling.
The company will also continue to expand and enhance its wired and wireless business solutions, building upon the technology and applications successes that SMC achieved this past year in projects ranging from one that networked student laptops with wireless 802.11a connectivity in the classroom at the Military Academy at West Point; to deploying Extended Ethernet for ship-wide, in-cabin networking over existing telephone wiring for Silversea Cruises new entertainment and communication service.

The companys performance-enhanced Universal wireless 802.11a/g solutions for will provide flexible, portable, high-bandwidth universally-compatibility connectivity for businesses. In addition to the already-introduced SMC2336W Universal CardBus adapter and the Universal wireless access point to be released in the second half of the year, SMC will introduce wireless switching in Q4 that incorporates multiple key technologies that the company has introduced separately, including management, authorization, security and power over Ethernet (POE) in an economical, secure switching solution that meets the rigorous needs of businesses.

Gigabit connectivity is critical in many business applications as well. In the first half of this year, SMC introduced the 8624T 24 port standalone Gigabit L2 switch that brought the cost of Gigabit connectivity to a groundbreaking $90 per port. In Q4, the company will introduce a new TigerStack 1000 line of stackable 10/100/1000 L2 24- and 48-port switches that make the upgrade to Gigabit to the desktop significantly more affordable. Practical, economical Gigabit connectivity to the desktop will begin with a new line of affordable 10/100/1000 unmanaged desktop 5- and 8-port switches and NICs in July that bring Gigabit down below $25 per port.

Were happy with where weve gotten in the first half of the year, and are energized by those successes as we enter the second half," said Sean Keohane, SMC Networks CEO. Networking today is about bandwidth, distance, ease of set-up and use, compatibility, portability and practicality of cost. We will continue to strive to deliver these values to our customers in the small- to medium-sized business, enterprise and home networking markets."

For more information about SMC Networks or its products, visit www.smc.com, or call 800-SMC-4You (800-762-4968).