D-LINK® first to market with 2.0 upgrades for DRAFT 802.11N products

D-Link’s Latest Product Updates Bring Draft 802.11n 2.0 Compliance and ’Connect with Intel® Centrino®’ Certification.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif,— D-Link®, the end-to-end networking solutions provider for business and consumers, today announced immediate availability of 2.0 product upgrades for its award-winning Draft 802.11n Xtreme N™ product line. In addition to providing compliance with the latest version of the 802.11n specification, the firmware and driver upgrades have achieved ’Connect with Intel® Centrino®’ certification to ensure compatibility and interoperability with Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N.

The 2.0 draft of the 802.11n specification brings the industry closer to final ratification, providing the next set of technical requirements for enhancing existing draft 11n products. The technical changes occurring between the draft 1.0 and 2.0 deal primarily with the protection of the legacy devices, including the requirement for Clear Channel Assessment (CCA), which D-Link was already offering in 1.0 products when the protection mechanisms were still optional. D-Link’s commitment to providing the best performance and protection in the industry for both new draft 11n and legacy 802.11b/g products has enabled the company to be first to market with the 2.0 upgrades.

To secure the “Connect with Intel Centrino” certifications, D-Link’s Xtreme N router and wireless adapters were rigorously tested and verified for compatibility with Intel’s Next-Gen Wireless N, utilizing intensive real-world testing conducted in typical home and enterprise environment scenarios. In Intel’s testing process, which was conducted over the period of several months, D-Link’s Xtreme N products met or exceeded Intel’s requirements for performance, extended range, co-existence with other 802.11b/g clients and access points, and the ability to eliminate Wi-Fi dead spots.

“Intel’s ’Connect with Centrino’ program ensures that users of Intel Centrino processor technology platforms receive the rate, range, and robustness in their wireless home network promised by Draft 11n,” said Randy Nickel, director, wireless networking, mobile products group at Intel Corporation. “D-Link has demonstrated its commitment to promoting and advancing the full capability of the 802.11n draft standard having completed Intel’s meticulous certification program.”

“We’re happy to be first to market with draft 2.0 11n products and to associate with Intel in delivering products and technologies that deliver on the promise of convergence in home networking communications,” said AJ Wang, chief technical officer of D-Link. "Introducing the next stage of technology with the 2.0 draft compliance along with passing Intel’s rigorous pathway to certification validates the efforts that D-Link has invested in its products to meet the 802.11n specification in terms of high speed, extended range, reliability and interoperability.

D-Link’s 1.0 products and 2.0 upgrades are based on Atheros’ XPAN® draft 11n technologies which feature legacy protection with Clear Channel Assessment.

Now available, D-Link’s products compatible with the 2.0 802.11n draft and certified in the “Connect with Intel Centrino” program are:

* D-Link Xtreme N Gigabit Router - DIR-655 - Connected to a cable or DSL model, this router provides high-speed Internet access to multiple computers, game consoles and media players and creates a secure wireless network to share photos, files, music, videos, printer and network storage. MSRP: $179.99
* D-Link Xtreme N PCI Express Desktop Adapter - DWA-556 - Delivering unrivaled wireless performance for PCI Express-enabled desktop computers, its interface provides superior performance over a standard PCI interface, allowing users to share a high-speed internet connection, photos, files, music, videos, printers and storage. MSRP: $149.99
* D-Link Xtreme N Notebook ExpressCard - DWA-643 - This wireless client for notebook computers comes with an available Express Card slot and provides the ability to share a high-speed Internet connection, photos, files, music, videos, printers and storage. MSRP: $119.99
* D-Link Xtreme N Desktop Adapter - DWA-552 - This wireless client delivers unrivaled wireless performance for desktop computers, allowing users to share a high-speed Internet connection, photos, files, music, videos, printers and storage. MSRP: $141.99
* D-Link Xtreme N Notebook Adapter - DWA-652 - This wireless client delivers unrivaled wireless performance for notebook computers and provides the ability to share a high-speed Internet connection, photos, files, music, videos, printers and storage. MSRP: $119.99

Pricing and Availability

Firmware and drivers for the entire D-Link Xtreme N product line are now available and posted on www.dlink.com. Upgrades for all of D-Link’s draft 802.11n products will be available this quarter.