Linksys

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Linksys
Type Private
Founded 1988
Founder(s) Victor Tsao and Janie Tsao
Headquarters Irvine, California, United States
Key people President: Ned Hooper
Products Network hardware for home and small businesses
Employees 700+ (as of March 2007)
Parent Cisco Systems
Website www.linksysbycisco.com
A 802.11b wireless Linksys router with a wired 4-port switch.
A Linksys BEFSR41 DSL router with a wired 4-port switch.

Linksys by Cisco, commonly known as Linksys, is a major provider of home and small office network products and was founded in 1988 and acquired by Cisco Systems in 2003[1]. Linksys also manufactures broadband and wireless routers, consumer and small business grade Ethernet switching, VoIP equipment, wireless internet video camera, AV products, network storage systems, and other products. Since 2008, all Linksys products sold are now packaged and branded as "Linksys by Cisco".

Contents

[edit] History

Linksys was founded in 1988 in a garage in Irvine, California. The founders, Janie and Victor Tsao, were immigrants from Taiwan who held second jobs as consultants specializing in pairing American technology vendors with manufacturers in Taiwan.[2] The company's first products were printer sharers that connected multiple PCs to printers. From this it expanded into Ethernet hubs, network cards, and cords. By 1994, it had grown to 55 employees with annual revenues of $6.5 million.[2]

The company received a major boost in 1995, when Microsoft released Windows 95 with built-in networking functions that expanded the market for its products. Linksys established its first U.S. retail channels with Fry's Electronics (1995) and Best Buy (1996).[3] In 1999, the company announced the first Fast Ethernet PCMCIA Card for notebook PCs. In 2000, it introduced the first 8-port router with SNMP and QoS, and in 2001 it shipped its millionth cable/DSL router.[3] By 2003, when the company was acquired by Cisco, it had 305 employees and revenues of more than $500 million.[2]

Since acquiring Linksys, Cisco has continued to invest to expand the company's product line. In April 2005, Cisco Systems acquired VoIP maker Sipura Technology and made it part of its Linksys division.[4] For a time, VoIP products based on Sipura technology were offered under the Linksys Voice System brand. (They are now sold by Cisco as part of the Linksys Business Series.[5]) In July 2008, Cisco acquired Seattle-based Pure Networks, a vendor of home networking-management software. Pure Networks had previously provided the tools and software infrastructure used create the Linksys Easy Link Advisor.[6] Pure Networks was integrated into Linksys, with employees remaining in Seattle and continuing to work on making it easier for users to set up and manage home networks.

[edit] Products and services

[edit] Partial list of hardware products

[edit] Routers

  • WRT54G is notable for having firmware based on the Linux operating system. Subsequently, a relatively large open-source community dedicated to modifying Linksys router firmware developed, with the 54G model being the commonly modded component.[citation needed] Since version 5, flash memory is reduced from 4MB to 2MB, and Intel's VxWorks was used instead of Linux. The original Linux model with 4MB is now available as WRT54GL.
  • WRT54G2 Router is an easy-to-set-up router that enables the user to use their internet connection without running wires. It contains a firewall that protects the user from some unwanted hackers that may try to take access to the network.[7] This router supports the 802.11b and 802.11g wireless standards.
  • Wireless-N (draft 802.11n) series products.
    • The Linksys wireless-N router lineup begins with the WRT160N which features a 4-port 10/100 switch. The claimed improvements are three times the range and nine times the speed over a standard wireless-G router.
    • The next step up is the WRT310N, which features a 4-port 10/100/1000 switch. The claimed improvements are four times the range and twelve times the speed over a standard wireless-G router.
    • The Linksys 610N is the company's flagship wireless router. It features a 4-port 10/100/1000 switch, broadcasts simultaneous dual (2.4 and 5 GHz) wireless bands, and a USB 2.0 storage link to accommodate an external hard drive. This model series is optimized for streaming multimedia contents.

[edit] Modems

  • WAG200G is an all-in-one solution for connecting your home to the Internet. It has a 211MHz AR7 MIPS32 CPU with 4 MB of flash memory and 16MB of DRam on the PCB. The WAG200G measures 5.5 X 5.5 X 1.25 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 0.77 pounds. The WAG200G all-in-one device functions as a high speed ADSL2+ Modem, a Wireless G Access Point, router and 4-port Ethernet switch. The built-in wireless Access Point function complies with the specifications of the 802.11g standard, which offers transfer speeds of up to 54 Mbit/s. It is also backwards compatible with 802.11b devices at speeds of 11 Mbit/s. The Access Point can support the connection of up to 32 wireless devices. It also offers 4 built-in 10/100 RJ-45 ports to connect Ethernet-enabled computers, print servers and other devices

[edit] USB Wireless

  • WUSB54G series of USB wireless adapters use the Ralink RT2500 chipset.[8] They support the 802.11b and 802.11g wireless network standards, and have Open Source drivers available for Linux.[9]

[edit] Powerline Network Adapter

Linksys by Cisco Powerline Adapter Kit

Linksys by Cisco PowerLine Adapters provide consumers an easy and secure way to connect devices to their home network leveraging their existing electrical wiring and outlets, eliminating the need to drill holes and run wires through wall. These products are Ethernet-to-Power line communication bridges that enable IP data packets traveling on Ethernet to be converted to signals that can travel on unused wavelengths of a home electrical circuitry. HomePlug AV technology is designed into the PowerLine AV Network family lineup to give you fast transmission speeds of up to 200 Mbps and HomePlug 1.0 Turbo Technology is designed into the regular PowerLine Network family lineup to give you speeds of up to 85Mbps.

Set up is as easy as connecting a device, like a game console for example, to the PowerLine adapter with an Ethernet cable and the PowerLine adapter to the electrical outlet. Existing power outlets within the home transmit digital contents throughout the house. Secure connections can be created using 128-bit encryption by running the included installation CD.

The following are the available PowerLine Adapters from Linksys by Cisco:

  • PLTE200 – Powerline Network Adapter
  • PLTS200 – Powerline 4-Port Network Adapter
  • PLTK300 – Powerline Network Kit
  • PLE300 – Powerline AV Network Adapter
  • PLS300 – Powerline AV 4-Port Network Adapter
  • PLK300 – Powerline AV Network Kit

[edit] Wireless Home Audio

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The Wireless Home Audio system is an integrated family of components that is designed to let you access, stream, control and enjoy your digital music via your home wireless network. Enjoy different songs in different rooms at the same time, or the same one everywhere in Party Mode – all in precise synchronization. The components are designed to work with your existing system to create a complete home-filling music experience – no drilling, no stringing wires. However you listen, you can configure a Wireless Home Audio set-up ideally suited to your space, tastes, and existing audio equipment. The components of this system include:

  • DMC250 - The Director / Wireless-N Music Player with Integrated Amplifier is designed to enable your existing audio equipment or speakers to play your digital music. As part of the Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio family, it can become part of a complete, customized full-home music experience. The Director accesses the digital music libraries on your computer, on a networked hard drive, or from the Internet. The Director can connect to the Stereo Speaker Kit or to other speakers you own. The Director also has an integrated amplifier, so it can efficiently deliver rich, full sound to tower speakers. The Director also comes with an IR Remote Control designed to give you direct push-button control over Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio devices.
  • DMP100 - The Player / Wireless-N Music Extender is designed to connect to a stereo system, surround-sound receiver or powered speakers to play your digital music. Now, everyone in your family can access the thousands of songs in your collection or millions of songs from the Internet. This convenient, compact extender is designed to fit with your systems wherever they are and connect them to your wireless home network. A great way to enhance your home theater, premium audio configuration, office bookshelf unit, or any other way you’re currently enjoying music. Connect a player to each one and enjoy a multi-room music experience. It Includes an IR Remote Control.
  • DMC350 - The stylish Conductor/ Wireless-N Digital Music Center is an all-in-one Wireless-N music center that is designed to receive and play digital music streams over your wireless network. Its built-in amplifier drives its built-in speakers. It includes a CD-player if you want to simply pop in a disc. Light and easily portable so you can move the Conductor from room to room wherever you want your music to play: good in the garage, perfect for the patio, cool for the kitchen. Command your digital music wherever you want in your home.
  • DMRW1000 - The crowning touch of the Wireless Home Audio experience, the Controller / Wireless-N Touchscreen Remote is designed to give you complete and colorful command of your entire Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home system, from any room in your house. The sleek, stylish Controller puts complete command of your Wireless Home Audio system in the palm of your hand. Its large, color touchscreen, thumbwheel, and engaging interface is designed to let you easily control your Wireless Home Audio components, from anywhere in your home, even when they’re out of sight. Select listening sources, create and control listening zones and cue lists, browse and find playlists or individual songs, and more. Wireless Home Audio frees your music; the Controller frees you.
  • MCCI40 - Your iPod is a key part of how you enjoy your music. Now it can be a part of your Wireless Home Audio listening experience. This wired accessory makes it a snap to connect your iPod to a Linksys by Cisco Director or Conductor. Control the iPod from the Director, the Conductor, or with either the IR Remote or the Controller. Share your favorite tunes, podcasts, even audio books. It even recharges docked iPods. Perfect for when friends drop by and want to include their iPods in the wireless fun. It includes adapters for most common iPod types.
  • DMSPK50 – Optional Stereo Speaker Kit is designed to complement the Director / Wireless-N Music Player. Pair them to create a complete, high-quality wireless sound system and experience your digital music all around your home, sounding great and at your control. Wireless Home Audio: the fun, easy way to let your digital music out to play. These elegantly designed, high-performance vented stereo bookshelf speakers are tuned and optimized to deliver excellent music reproduction. When connected to the Director Wireless-N Music Player, they create a quality wireless audio system which you can place wherever you want in your home.

These components are designed to work with the optional speakers or with the existing audio system in the home. The music files are streamed through the home's wireless network to each Player located throughout the home.

[edit] Network Attached Storage

  • NSLU2
    Main article: NSLU2
    The NSLU2 is a network attached storage device with 8 MB of flash memory, 32MB of SDRAM, a 100Mb Ethernet port, and two USB ports. The NSLU2 was discontinued in 2008, but is still in demand because of the numerous enhancements developed by open-source community projects.

[edit] Network Media Hub

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Linksys by Cisco Network Media Hub 400 Series

The Media Hub 300 and 400 series is a network attached storage device that allows the user to share digital video, photos, and music across the network. Once the media hub is connected to the network, it will search for media content residing within the network and aggregates it into one centralized location. Through the intelligent user interface, you can easily organize and share your contents. Intelligent aggregation automatically finds, copies and organizes media from all the UPnP devices on your network – even collecting songs from the same CD stored in different places into one virtual album. Built-in Media Reader lets you directly import photos from compact Flash devices, SD cards and memory stick without the need of a computer. Within its stylish, compact design, the hub’s high capacity can store hundreds of hours of video, hundreds of thousands of photos and songs. With a 1 Terabyte hard drive and additional drive bay, the Media Hub (model NMH410) is set to grow along with your media collection. Full-color LCD makes it easy to manage your storage space. The Media Hub capacity options are 500GB or 1 TB, with an extra empty bay.

The intuitiveness of the Media Hub comes from the GUI (graphic user interface) that makes images, music, video, and files easy to locate. It gives a holistic view of the media located on your network regardless of where the actual file is located. Albums are consolidated, artwork, track numbers and other metadata is downloaded, and all of the information can be sorted by a variety of different criteria. The Media Hub also includes the capability to search your network for other UPnP devices and automate the task of consolidating all of your digital media into one location without affecting the performance of the network. The included Automated Backup Software helps preserve your music, movies and memories with manual and continuous backup of all of your computers’ media material. The software comes in the packaging and is easy to install. Simply insert the disc onto your PC or MAC, following the instruction and you're ready to go.

[edit] VoIP

  • Linksys PAP2 (and PAP2T) is an analog telephony adapter (commonly referred to as ATA), which allows for the connection of one or two “normal” telephones to a VoIP provider using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) protocol.
  • SPA3102 is a gateway router with both a FXO & FXS port.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Cisco acquires Linksys for 500M, Clint Boulton, March 20, 2003
  2. ^ a b c "Entrepreneurs of the Year". Inc.com. January 2004. http://www.inc.com/magazine/20040101/linksys.html. Retrieved 2009-03-10. 
  3. ^ a b "About Us". Linksys by Cisco. http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/aboutus. Retrieved 2009-03-10. 
  4. ^ "Cisco Systems to Acquire Sipura Technology". Cisco System. April 26, 2005. http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2005/corp_042605.html?CMP=ILC-001. Retrieved 2009-03-08. 
  5. ^ "Cisco Small Business IP Phones (Linksys Business Series)". http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10033/index.html. 
  6. ^ "Cisco Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire Pure Networks". Cisco press release. 2008-07-23. http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2008/corp_072308.html. Retrieved 2009-03-10. 
  7. ^ Wireless-G Broadband Router
  8. ^ "Ralink chipsets based wireless devices". rapla.net. 08 Jul 2007. http://ralink.rapla.net/. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  9. ^ Marc Abramowitz (2007-02-20). "Setting up a Linksys WUSB54GC WLAN adapter in Ubuntu". http://marc-abramowitz.com/archives//setting-up-a-linksys-wusb54gc-wlan-adapter-in-ubuntu/. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 

[edit] External links

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