T3 India

Networking

Linksys E5600 is a budget-friendly Wi-Fi router promoting working from home

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Linksys E5600 (AC1200) Wi-Fi 5 router, which can cover up to 1000 square feet, can handle up to 10 devices at a time at speeds of up to 1.2Gbps. It’s affordable pricing also makes it a solution for those who are seeking for better solutions to work from home.

This router is integrated with a dual band AC1200 which means that it is capable of providing 866Mbps speeds at 5GHz in addition to 300Mbps on 2.4GHz. The Linksys E5600 has 4 internal antennas and is equipped with the OFDMA technology, with Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5.

The E5600 is powered by a 880 MHz Dual-Core processor with 128MB RAM and 128 MB Flash. Connectivity-wise, the router is equipped with 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports which are essentially 1 WAN and 4 LAN ports. It provides a personal WPA2 and SPI Firewall as security measures as well. The E5600 also provides Parental Controls and Guest Access to ensure that the network is always secure.

Linksys has also mentioned that ‘all E-series routers will also have the ability to support EasyMesh by 2021. This means that users can future-proof and expand their home network by adding any other EasyMesh compatible routers’.

“Working and learning from home has created a whole new dynamic in the Indian networking industry. For Linksys, India plays a pivotal role in our overall global strategic plans and the E5600-AH AC 1200 router is a reflection of that goal. We specifically had the customer in mind when we wanted to create and design a beautiful, yet affordable, well-functioning router tailor made for average size Indian homes”, says Mr. Kartik Bakshi, Country Manager, Linksys India

The Linksys E5600 Wi-Fi 5 router is available on Amazon for Rs. 4,999 (SRP Rs. 3,499). For more information, please visit this page.

Review: TP-Link RE505X

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Not the usual Wi-Fi range extender
Rs. 5,999, tp-link.in

It’s safe to say that most of us have a wireless router at home but there have been instances where the Wi-Fi network is spotty in some areas compared to another in your home. One can address these deadspots is by installing a repeater or use mesh routers. Both TP-Link and Asus allow transforming select regular routers into mesh ones but TP-Link has gone a step further by allowing repeaters to act as mesh network nodes. This month we have the RE505X, which does exactly that. It works as a repeater for any non-supported OneMesh router but transforms into a mesh node with a compatible one.

Clad in white, the RE505X has a design similar to most other repeaters in the market but two things that set it apart are the external antennas for better reception and its sheer size. The RE505X is a giant compared to other repeaters but sports a clean, streamlined design. There are four status LEDs on the front with the WPS button and reset key on the right whereas the gigabit ethernet port is placed on the left.

One can setup the repeater via the web interface or can download the Tether app from the respective app store. The RE505X can be used as an access point or as a repeater. Irrespective of the modes you use, setup is a cinch. The only thing we did not appreciate is the fact that it does not allow to set a separate password of the extended network. It allows to create a separate SSID but keeps the same password as the network that is being repeated.

The RE505X is an AX1500 range extender, which means it supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard. Needless to say, older devices are compatible as well and supports theoretical speeds of up to 300Mbps on 2.4GHz band and up to 1200Mbps on 5GHz.

The RE505X delivers decent coverage to eliminate deadspots and even comes with handy features like Location Assistant that is accessible via the app. A quick scan will tell if the repeater is placed in a good wireless coverage area of the main router. There’s an intelligent signal light on the device as well that indicates the same. The app and the web interface gives granular controls to get the most out of the RE505X. One can control the wireless coverage and access, enable/disable high-speed mode that repeats the router’s connection via one frequency band and transmits on the other. OneMesh works with compatible TP-Link routers and all it takes a single to transform the RE505X into a mesh node.

That said, RE505X is a power-packed range extender that delivers on what it is intended for. Get a compatible OneMesh device and you can create a cost-effective mesh network of your own.

RATING 4/5
WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance
WE’D IMPROVE Set separate passwords
THE LAST WORD A power-packed repeater that can be transformed into a mesh node with OneMesh support.

TP-Link Expands Omada Cloud Solution with Software Defined Networking options

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TP-Link Omada is a cloud solution for business networking platforms and now, TP-Link have now upgraded Omada with new Software Defined Networking (SDN) solutions that encompass the use to new SafeStream gateways, JetStream switches, and Omada Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 access points.

TP-Link claims that these solutions ‘are specially designed for hospitality, education, retail, office and other industries, providing scenario-baed products and extensive benefits’. Through the Omada SDN, the cloud management is fully centralized, and all connected devices can be controlled from a single interface.

Some other features offered by TP-Link’s Omada SDN are: Zero-Touch Provision, Easy Network Monitoring, AI-Driven Technology for ‘stronger performance and easy network maintenance’, Automatic Channel Selection, Power Adjustment, higher security, high-density Wi-Fi deployment for HD Series and AX Series access points.

The Omada SDN is dedicated to aid smoother network management by overcoming challenges like distribution of network information over multiple devices, readjusting networking infrastructure and more.

TP-Link mentioned that, “Omada SDN is a network with a controller as the core so as to realize automatic deployment of network services and automatic data distribution across gateways, switches, and access points.”

For more information, please visit this page.

ViewSonic’s myViewBoard Classroom adapts to the ‘New Normal’ in the pandemic-hit education sector

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Amidst the pandemic and even in a post-pandemic world, different industries and sectors are now forcibly adapting to the ‘new normal’ and everything associated with it. People have adapted to virtual calls and meetings for work-related activities and it is no different in the education sector. With that in mind, ViewSonic have launched ‘myViewBoard Classroom’ that enables teachers and students adapt to the extraordinary circumstances as the idea of reopening schools still seems to be a few months away.

The myViewBoard Classroom is designed by prioritising the teacher as it comes with a complete digital whiteboard canvas enabling them to share it with the students. Teachers also get to control when students can speak, make comments and ask questions. There are engagement options for students as well, with a ‘Hand Raise’ push-to-talk feature and a student’s access to remote writing tools.

Through ViewSonic’s multi-functional tool, it’s also possible for the students and teachers to have independent breakout group discussions via virtual grouping. Each group can be assigned its own canvas to work on. The product video of the myViewBoard Classroom also shows how this is possible but it’s safe to assume that several students won’t receive the product, due to a plethora of reasons, and it’d mainly be in the hands of the teachers. Teachers can also access only a single location which has all the lesson content and the Google Classroom.

In a country like India, where high-speed internet is a privilege, it is very difficult for many students to access online lectures and this problem has also been prominent in the news nowadays. myViewBoard Classroom, however, has a ‘low-bandwidth’ feature too, which can potentially help students who don’t have high-speed internet connections at home. But it still remains to be seen on how effective this feature really is.

“We at ViewSonic decided to develop a hybrid teaching tool that provides teachers and students a virtual space to keep going during the pandemic and offers teachers the capabilities to continue teaching and inspiring their students to learn regardless of their location and the current situation. The education sector is one of the worst-hit sectors in this pandemic, and to ensure it doesn’t affect the education system, the best and only option is virtual/online learning,” said Mr. Eric Wei, Senior Sales Director Asia Pacific.

ViewSonic also mentioned that, “In a show of support for schools during the initial outbreak, ViewSonic provides myViewBoard free-of-cost to schools, colleges, and universities as of March 2020. After receiving positive feedback from schools and educators, ViewSonic decided to make myViewBoard Entity for education complimentary to all education institutions permanently”.

For more information of myViewBoard Classroom, please visit this page.

Linksys Velop MX5300 is a premium Wi-Fi 6 mesh router for smart homes and small offices

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Linksys has launched its first-ever Tri-band AX WiFi router, the Velop MX5300 that strives to provide 4x faster speeds and capacity and at the same time expand the wireless range to reach every nook and corner. The MX5300 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh system provides three WiFi signals – one 2.4GHz and two 5GHz ones that provide a good balance and throughput speeds for different connected devices. This impressive router is a premium option for smart homes and offices and is priced currently at Rs. 34,999.

With the ability to connect up to 50 devices to the internet, the Velop MX5300 is not only a great option for today’s spacious homes and creators and gamers but also for small offices or home offices in India.

The Velop MX5300 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh weighs is capable of providing strong connections to spaces of 3000 square feet per node, with up to 5.3Gbps speeds. The MX5300 is the newest addition to Linksys’s Velop family that has an in-built orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) technology that helps reduce latency in high-density environments.

The Linksys App available on Android and iOS, helps set up the Velop MX5300 with relative ease. The app also enables users to manage Wi-Fi smartly, with options and features like guest access, parental controls, device prioritisation and it also provides helpful tips on how to make the most of the Linksys devices.

The Velop MX5300 has 5 Ethernet ports: 1 WAN and 4 LAN and offers a WPA2 and a WPA2/WPA3 Mixed Mode security. It runs of a 2.2GHz quad-core processor with 1GB RAM and a 512MB Flash. But more importantly, the MX5300 comes with a MU-MIMO technology that allows downloads and uploads simultaneously which is preferred for 4K/8K streaming, gaming and the use of other data-heavy apps.

This system can be used with other Linksys routers like Velop Dual Band and more, and can be used as a master node or child node. Kartik Bakshi, the Country Manager of Linksys India, said, “Whether it is being connected seamlessly for those endless virtual meetings or enjoying streaming content, playing online games or attending webinars, the Linksys MX5300, ensures that there is no compromise on connectivity with multiple devices working together flawlessly”.

The Linksys Velop MX5300 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh is now available on Amazon for a price of Rs. 34,999.