Cisco Debuts New Linksys Entertainment Bridge for the Ultimate Home Theater and Gaming Experience

IRVINE, Calif., July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cisco today announced a simple and powerful new way for consumers to enjoy the latest in video and home entertainment with its new Linksys WES610N Wireless-N Dual-Band Entertainment Bridge.  Building on its leadership in home networking and the recent launch of its acclaimed Linksys® E-Series family − a complete suite of powerful and easy-to-use next-generation wireless-n routers − the new Linksys Bridge enables consumers to effortlessly connect multiple home entertainment devices to their wireless networks for optimum performance in streaming 3D/HD video and music, gaming online, and more.  

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"With Internet video usage exploding and sales of wireless-enabled products steadily growing, consumers need more from their home networks than ever before," said Brett Wingo, general manager, Cisco Home Networking business unit. "The new Linksys Entertainment Bridge delivers our trademark wireless simplicity and is the perfect way to supercharge a wireless home network for a high quality entertainment experience."

Market data underscores the growing consumer demand for wireless-enabled connectivity in the home. A recent survey by Opinion Research on home wireless devices revealed that, in the U.S., sixty six percent of consumers surveyed had a game console connected to their wireless network and forty seven percent of those with a wireless network wanted to stream shows or movies on a TV or other device. With more entertainment devices in the home, such as game consoles and Internet-enabled televisions, a wireless bridge offers a simple solution for connecting multiple wireless home entertainment devices to the Internet and for high quality wireless streaming of 3D/HD media.

The Linksys Wireless-N Dual-Band Entertainment Bridge features a high-speed wireless connection (up to 300 Mbps*), superior range with multiple antennas, four Ethernet ports to connect up to four devices, and a dual-band option (operates in either the 2.4 or 5 GHz radio bands) designed to avoid interference from competing networks and devices. In addition, Quality of Service (QoS) provides traffic prioritization for smooth video viewing, music streaming and gaming performance.    

The new Linksys Entertainment Bridge also features WPA2 Security and a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button for easy pairing with a wireless router.  

Pricing and Availability:

The Linksys WES610N Wireless-N Dual-Band Entertainment Bridge is now available at the suggested retail price of $129.99. Linksys also currently offers the WET610N Wireless-N Bridge for $99.99, which includes one Ethernet port. For the ultimate entertainment experience and optimal network performance, Cisco recommends pairing the bridges with a Dual Band-N Router like the Linksys E2500, E3200 or E4200, but it also works with other a/b/g/n wireless routers. The full line of Linksys routers, switches and bridges is available at retailers nationwide and on the Linksys website at www.linksys.com/store.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Cisco's vision for the consumer is to enable people to live a connected life that is more personal, more social, and more visual. Further information about Cisco and its full line of consumer products including Linksys can be found at www.linksys.com, and www.cisco.com/consumer.

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*The maximum performance for wireless is derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual performance can vary, and might result in lower wireless network capacity, data throughput rate, range and coverage. Performance depends on many factors, conditions and variables, including distance from the access point, volume of network traffic, environment building materials and construction, operating system used, mix of wireless products used, interference and other adverse conditions.  

Cisco, the Cisco logo and Linksys are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

SOURCE Cisco Consumer Products