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| Ruckus Wireless Delivers MetroFlex Ruckus Wireless has announced the commercial availability of MetroFlex, the first high-performance 802.11b/g wireless access gateway specifically designed to give consumers better in-home connectivity to outdoor metro-scale Wi-Fi networks - a key problem facing service providers deploying city-wide Wi-Fi networks. The Ruckus MetroFlex system provides wireless broadband connections into homes and offices, delivering better than DSL speeds. In addition, the company said its MetroFlex system is being deployed by several metro-scale Wi-Fi providers throughout the U.S., will be resold by Expressnets, a customer premise equipment supplier and systems integrator, and is compliant with Tropos Networks' Metro Compatible Extensions Specification program. The Ruckus MetroFlex solution also significantly increases client-side performance for subscribers of any metro-scale Wi-Fi system, regardless of the mesh equipment deployed. Designed to work with any standard metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh network, the Ruckus MetroFlex system is the most sensitive and reliable in-home Wi-Fi receiver in the world. It has demonstrated the ability in rural environments to sustain above 5 Mbps at one kilometer away from the nearest Wi-Fi node. Additionally, unique software developed by Ruckus Wireless specifically for its MetroFlex product determines the fastest Wi-Fi node with which to associate, based on the best data rates and strongest Wi-Fi signal. MetroFlex solves a potential problem for broadband providers and their subscribers who require long-range and reliable indoor connectivity to outdoor metro-scale Wi-Fi networks, and helps ensure an outstanding subscriber broadband experience. While metro Wi-Fi networks continue to grow at a rapid pace around the world, the variability of Wi-Fi client devices represents a real challenge in establishing reliable connections to these outdoor Wi-Fi nodes, often hundreds of feet away from subscriber's homes. Conventional Wi-Fi access points and receivers are designed to send and receive Wi-Fi signals in all directions at once. However, as signals propagate out, they quickly weaken and degrade, thereby limiting the distance and speed at which users can connect. In addition, obstacles such as trees, walls and buildings, as well as other Wi-Fi networks, have the potential to diminish the indoor propagation characteristics, resulting in less than optimal wireless broadband experience, and increased customer service efforts. The Ruckus Metroflex is a high-powered and purpose-built wireless device used by broadband wireless providers to reliably extend outdoor Wi-Fi signals into subscriber homes. MetroFlex effectively eliminates metro-scale Wi-Fi connection problems using state-of-the-art "smart Wi-Fi" technology. Ruckus Wi-Fi technology sends and receives Wi-Fi transmissions farther and faster using automatically tunable high-gain antennas known as a smart antenna array. This smart antenna array sends and receives Wi-Fi signals over the best possible RF path at any given time. If the Wi-Fi environment changes, the Ruckus MetroFlex tunes itself by steering signals around problem areas or interference, thereby avoiding connection problems and poor performance. The Ruckus MetroFlex is capable of receiving signals down to -100 dBm. The Ruckus MetroFlex is equipped with a high power amplifier and dual (vertically and horizontally) polarized directional antennas that combine to deliver unprecedented range and performance. The MetroFlex supports the latest data encryption (WPA PSK), 802.1x authentication and dynamic channel selection. Automatic firmware updates allow product upgrades without any user intervention. In downlink testing, the Ruckus MetroFlex consistently outperformed competitive products with throughput gains of up to 150 percent. In locations where other wireless CPE devices were simply unable to connect, the Ruckus MetroFlex consistently delivered reliable broadband connectivity. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Networking News :: home page |