SMC Amplifies EliteConnect's Appeal

MC Networks has rolled out new wireless gear that it said makes it easier for VARs to outfit their small-business customers with WLANs.

The latest additions to SMC’s EliteConnect 802.11b/g wireless networking menu are a Power-over-Ethernet amplifier, a wireless omni-directional antenna and an outdoor weatherproof box for access points and wireless bridges, according to SMC, Irvine, Calif.

The EliteConnect Power over Ethernet Amplifier is a 2.4GHz, 500mW system that boosts the signal strength and transmission distances for SMC’s suite of access points, bridges and antennas. It eliminates placement restrictions created by lack of electrical power because the amplifier draws power directly from CAT5 network cabling. Pricing starts at about $500.

SMC’s EliteConnect Wireless Omni-Directional Antenna is a high-gain, 5dBi system priced from about $85. And for about $100, the new SMC EliteConnect Outdoor Weatherproof Box can protect any of SMC’s access points and bridges, according to SMC.

Alan Gale, CEO of Deep Blue Wireless, Menlo Park, Calif., said the combination of the new amplifier and antenna technology simplifies the deployment of WLANs for his customers while saving them money.

“We can basically cover one building with two APs instead of having to use 20 APs, without compromising signal strength or clarity,” Gale said.

Gale added that the cost-savings would be passed on to his customers. “We base our company on the ongoing management and maintenance of a network, and so we are able to win more jobs because we can provide a lower up-front cost,” he said. executives at Lexmark, Lexington, Ky., told analysts that the company’s profitability suffered a hit during the second quarter in part because of aggressive pricing.