Linksys Introduces Its First 11AC Wave 2 Access Point With MU-MIMO Purpose Built For Small And Medium Businesses

PLAYA VISTA, Calif., July 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Linksys®, a leader in networking solutions for the home and business, today announced availability of its first MU-MIMO enabled Wireless AC access point (AP) purpose-built for small business – the Linksys Business Pro Series Wireless-AC, Dual-band MU-MIMO Access Point (LAPAC2600).

Linksys is the first to market a small business AP supporting MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple Output) technology, which helps improve overall performance and efficiency of a Wi-Fi network while providing dedicated bandwidth to MU-MIMO capable client devices as if they have their own dedicated router. Current Wave 2 APs are designed for the needs of large enterprises and cost more than $1,000, making MU-MIMO unaffordable and out of reach for small businesses. At an MSRP of $499.99, the LAPAC2600 is priced to provide the best value for resellers that cater to the small business market.

MU-MIMO is available in the next phase of 802.11ac (Wave 2) and provides higher bandwidth and greater throughput for wireless networks. With MU-MIMO, the entire office can simultaneously video conference, download large e-mail attachments and media content, sync large files from local fileservers or cloud storage service, stream presentations – without lag or buffering.

"The consumption of Wi-Fi in the office is growing rapidly and places heavy demands on wireless networks today. A robust network infrastructure is necessary to deliver bandwidth-intensive applications such as IP communications and HD Video," said Nandan Kalle, director of commercial networking, Linksys. "MU-MIMO is a game-changing technology that improves overall performance and efficiency of a Wi-Fi network, bringing tremendous benefits to businesses such as improved collaboration and employee productivity."

The new Linksys MU-MIMO access point is ideal for high-density environments where congestion issues are prevalent such as bullpens, open workspaces, and conference rooms. With the additional network capacity and higher data rates available with MU-MIMO, small businesses no longer have to suffer network performance issues and can give employees and customers a superior user experience.

Linksys Pro AC Dual-band Access Point Featuring MU-MIMO (LAPAC2600)

The LAPAC2600 features 4x4 Dual-Band AC (2.4+5GHz) delivering combined speeds of up to 2.53Gbps* to multiple connected devices, for faster, more robust wireless performance. Deployment and management of the AP is easy through an intuitive web interface, support for PoE+, and clustering, and advanced security features help to protect and secure wireless networks. Key features and benefits include:

• Next Generation AC Wi-Fi Connectivity – Allows multiple clients to transmit data simultaneously, improving performance and productivity in high-density wireless environments.
• Clustering (single point control) – Enables small businesses and IT Administrators to manage up to 16 APs through a single interface without a WLAN controller.
• Captive Portal (Secure and customized guest Wi-Fi access) – A fully customizable landing page for businesses to welcome visitors and provide wireless access in a branded environment that is separated from the core business network.
• Flexible Deployment – Can be deployed as a typical access point, as a wireless distribution system (WDS), or as a workgroup bridge to extend your wireless range coverage.
• Easy to Use with PoE+ – Integrated with 802.3at PoE+ capability to eliminate extra power adapters and offer optimal placement. It also provides an intuitive Web administrative interface, easy to set up and easy to use.
• Advanced Security Over Wireless – Includes Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2), 802.1X Supplicant Authentication, MAC and IP-Based ACL, Rogue AP Detection, SSID-to-VLAN Mapping, Wireless Scheduler, and more.
• Beamforming – Is designed to precisely adjust, steer and monitor the direction and shape of the Wi-Fi signals for better performance.

In this BYOD world, SMB users are bringing MU-MIMO enabled handsets and tablets to work – driving the demand for MU-MIMO in the business. According to a white paper by ABI Research The Importance Of Mu-Mimo In The Wi-Fi Ecosystem more than 84% of all wireless 5GHz chipsets will be MU-MIMO enabled by 2019.  

Kalle continued, "Given the replacement cycle of APs and the influx of MU-MIMO-enabled clients coming on the market, it only makes sense to deploy a network that supports them, or a small business runs the risk of negatively impacting company operations and giving employees and customers a degraded Wi-Fi experience. With MU-MIMO, small businesses can relieve congestion today while future-proofing their networks for tomorrow."

A pioneer of MU-MIMO products, Linksys represents the largest and broadest portfolio of MU-MIMO home Wi-Fi solutions on the market and is now incorporating the technology into its business-class wireless access points. Even legacy devices in the office can take advantage of MU-MIMO with the Linksys USB MU-MIMO Adapter. 

Linksys MAX-STREAM AC600 USB MU-MIMO Adapter (WUSB6100M) 

The Linksys AC600 USB Adapter is the first MU-MIMO enabled adapter on the market and a Best of CES 2016 Winner by Tom's Hardware. It enables users to connect their laptops and computers to a MU-MIMO access point for optimal performance, so users can easily stream high-definition video and make VoIP calls. Additional features include:

• AC Wave 2 - MU-MIMO (AC433/N150)
• Beamforming for more reliable connections
• USB 2.0
• Simple plug and play setup
• Works with Any Wi-Fi Router; Optimized with Linksys Max-Stream solutions

Pricing and Availability

The Linksys Pro AC Dual-band Access Point Featuring MU-MIMO (LAPAC2600) is immediately available at an MSRP of $499.99 through major distributors and resellers. SMBs and resellers can find a participating distributor at our website:  http://www.linksys.com/us/wheretobuy/distributors/

The Linksys AC600 MU-MIMO USB Adapter (WUSB6100M) is immediately available at an MSRP of $59.99 at Linksys.com and at leading retail and online retailers.

Linksys PartnerAdvantage Program
Linksys Small Business resellers can register for the Linksys PartnerAdvantage Program here. Resellers who register and qualify will benefit with new incentives to help drive sales, increase profit and better identify and generate new opportunities through sales training, rewards, marketing/sales support and much more. There is no cost to join and all previous Linksys CCN partners will need to apply to take advantage of the new program. 

About Linksys
The Linksys brand has pioneered wireless connectivity since its inception in 1988 with its leading innovation and engineering strategies, and best-in-class technology, design and customer service. Linksys enables a connected lifestyle for people at home, at work and on the move, and with its award-winning products, simplifies home control, entertainment, security and Internet access through innovative features and a growing application and partner ecosystem. For more information, visit linksys.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or watch us on YouTube.

*Maximum performance derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual performance may vary due to a number of factors, including lower wireless network capacity, data throughput rate, range and coverage. Performance depends upon many factors, conditions and variables, including distance from the access point, volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, operating system used, mix of wireless products used, interference and other adverse conditions. Specifications are subject to change without notice.  An active, customer-purchased Internet Service Provider broadband account is required for connection of these access points and adapters and other connected computers and devices to the Internet.  Some devices may require additional wireless adapters or an Ethernet cable to connect to these routers.
The standard transmission rates—1733 Mbps (for 5 GHz), 800 Mbps (for 2.4 GHz)—are the physical data rates. Actual data throughput will be lower and may depend on the mix of wireless products used and external factors.

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Linksys and many product names and logos are trademarks of the Belkin group of companies. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE Linksys

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