SINGAPORE - Networking firm Linksys has launched its new EA8100 wireless router (worth $329) with local telco StarHub.
From tomorrow (7 July), customers who renew or sign up for a StarHub 1Gbps fibre plan will receive the Linksys EA8100 router for free.
The Linksys EA8100 is making its global debut in Singapore. The firm says the router will be exclusive to StarHub for an indefinite period, though it will launch the router in other markets soon.
The Linksys EA8100 is a dual-band router with a combined wireless bandwidth of up to 800Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1,733Mbps for the 5GHz band. It supports the latest wireless technologies such as MU-MIMO, which lets the router transmit data to multiple compatible client devices at the same time. What sets it apart from most routers is a dynamic frequency selection (DFS) feature to overcome network congestion.
"The typical Singaporean household today has anywhere from 10 to 30 devices operating simultaneously, which puts a strain on the home network. This is compounded by interference and airspace congestion from different routers in HDBs, or high-rise condominiums," said Ms Jenny Ng, Linksys' Asia Pacific vice-president.
DFS-certified routers are able to use 5GHz wireless bands that are reserved for radar systems. They constantly scan these reserved bands to check that they are not being used by radar before tapping these bands.
Because these reserved bands are not used by most routers, they are less congested than public wireless bands. Hence, home users should enjoy better and more stable performance when their DFS-certified router is using one of these reserved bands. But there is a catch - a minority of client devices may not support this feature.
