Linksys takes the findings from a commissioned Wi-Fi study of channel partners that service small and medium-sized businesses conducted by IDC. "Small businesses are increasingly frustrated and want to address slow (wireless) network connection speeds, coverage gaps, and security concerns," said Ray Boggs, VP, Small and Medium Business Research at IDC. Linksys will further align her portfolio to the SMB needs and ensure that aging networks will no longer hold back SMB growth.
A complete and secure network includes three elements: (1) security with firewall protection and VPN- access at the edge of the network, (2) a wired network to connect desktop PC’s and servers and (3) a wireless network for mobile employees and guests. Linksys will realign the pricing of the current portfolio to cater especially to smaller companies, and encourage thm to bring their technology up-to- date. A complete network including VPN-router, Gigabit switches and Wireless AC Access Points accommodating a 100-person strong office is now up to 20% better priced. An office environment of 10 people can be up to 35% better off for a brand-new Linksys future proof network. Linksys has a network portfolio tailored to SMB organizations, including security devices, switches and access points. The Security devices of Linksys comprise of VPN routers with built-in firewall functionality, with an optional second WAN-port for a back-up internet connection. The switch series of Linksys all offer Gigabit speed. Varying in port-density from 5 to 52, they can be divided in three categories: managed switches, smart managed switches and unmanaged switches. Additionally, in each category Power over Ethernet (PoE) switches are available. PoE switches of Linksys standard support the PoE+ standard which means they offer twice the power per port than standard PoE switches.
The third and final segment of the portfolio are access points. The top model access point of Linksys offers MU-MIMO technology (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) to accommodate multiple connections simultaneously. Furthermore, Linksys offers a complete range that offer SMB companies the right solution for every stage of growth they are in. All models come with a complete feature-set, especially targeting SMB needs that support future growth of the company and network.