Amped Wireless announces 2 additions to its professional wifi solution range-- the SR600EX smart repeater and AP600EX access point, which the company claims both boost wifi signal coverage to up to 1.5 miles.

The 2 devices are ideal for both indoor and outdoor use, complete with weatherproof enclosure, 600mW amplifier, high gain directional antenna and included wall mount and pole mounting kit.

The SR600EX repeats signals from a wireless access point or router, and carries a bi-direction antenna and x2 network ports for connecting additional PCs, network switches and other devices.

Meanwhile the AP600EX adds extreme range, high speed wifi access for existing wireless networks with a simple plug-and-play setup for both indoor/outdoor use and building-to-building applications.

Go Amped Wireless SR600EX Smart Repeater

Go Amped Wireless AP600EX Access Point

In-Stat reports the WW wifi network equipment market remains "relatively flat" compared to Q1 2011, with revenues staying at around $1.6 billion.

The 802.11n segment accounts for 68% of total wifi shipments, reaching 5.27M units with strongest growth-- shipments increase by 17% Q-o-Q and revenues grow by 7% Q-o-Q.

USB wifi devices also seen an increase of 8.6%.

TP-Link leads the global wifi market, with 26% market share. Netgear takes second place, with 19% share, while D-Link follows with 17%.

Linksys is at 4th place (7% market share) and Pace takes the 5th (5%).

Go Q2 2011 Wifi Equipment Tracker (In-Stat)

Netgear launches the N900 wireless dual band router, handling wifi speeds to up to 900Mbps (with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands delivering data at 450Mbps).

It carries x6 internal antennas with "ultra-high-power radio amplifiers" providing more wifi range-- and wireless speeds at any given distance-- according to Netgear.

Two USB ports provide further connectivity, and an improved processor should increase data saving and retreiving speeds by up to 30%.

The company also includes a number of additional features-- Genie network monitoring, Live parental controls, printer sharing, video stream optimisaion, DLNA, gigabit wired ethernet, guest access, WPA and WPA2 security protocols, usage meter and shutoff timer.

Go Netgear N900 Wifi Router

At CEDIA in USA, KanexPro will introduce its HDBaseT employed Long-Runner with Power over Ethernet.

For routing full HD 1080p/60 signals up to 100m anywhere in the house, it supports full 3D (all formats) and resolutions up to 4Kx2K (4X 1080p), multi-channel audio and IR extension over a single low cost CAT6 cable.

Power over Ethernet not only eliminates excess or unwanted power drain but also provides power to the receiver at the remote location, giving the freedom to the display or projector from being tethered to the AC outlet. Fully compliant with HDCP, EDID and CEC controls this Long-runner HDMI extender is a solution for HDMI connectivity and extension needs over long distances.

All of this makes it ideal home theater applications.

Go HDBaseT Long-Runner with PoE

The HomePlug Alliance, Wifi Alliance, HomeGrid Forum and ZigBee Alliance form a SEP 2 interoperability consortium aiming to create a consistent test plan for SEP 2 certification.

The joint certification and test program will certify both wireless and wired device supporting IP-based smart energy application and end-user devices (such as thermostats, appliances and gateways).

It will also address devices using one or more of a number of connectivity technologies-- providing application and device interoperability assurances for the smart energy ecosystem.

The Consortium for SEP 2 Interoperability is currently inviting participation from other trade associations interested in interoperable smart grid development.

Go HomePlug Alliance, Wi-Fi Alliance, HomeGrid Forum and ZigBee Alliance Lead Development of Breakthrough Certification Program for Smart Energy Profile 2

GreenPeak releases its first reference design for a ZigBee RF4CE USB stick, integrating ZigBee technology with PCs, STBs, TVs and media players.

The company says the design should allow users to easily upgrade their devices to accept RF4CE commands from either RF4CE remote controllers or wireless keyboards.

The USB stick itself should be quite compact, according to GreenPeak.

GreenPeak's reference design includes hardware and software tools OEMs need for a quick time to market-- including ZRD (ZigBee Remote Control profile) and ZID (Zigbee Input Device profile) software stacks and certification tools, with a radio architecture robust against wifi and Bluetooth interference.

Go GreenPeak Launches ZigBee RF4CE USB Stick