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Trendnet ships first 450Mbps Wireless-N adapter
Three-stream (3x3) Wireless-N routers capable of offering the new 450Mbps speed (as opposed to the 300Mbps of most N routers) have been available for a while (examples: the Linksys E4200 or the Trendnet TEW-691GR ). But unless you have a laptop with a built-in Intel 6300/5300 Ultimate N adapter, you can't take advantage of this faster speed. Until now.
Trendnet announced today that it's shipping what it calls the first USB 3x3 Wireless-N adapter on the market: the 450Mbps Dual Band Wireless N USB Adapter (model TEW-684UB). The device lets you upgrade your computer to support the faster wireless speed.
Like most recent N devices, the adapter features advanced multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology. Its antennas, however, can handle three streams, instead of two, and therefore generate a maximum wireless throughput of 450Mbps. The device is dual-band, meaning it can work with both 2.4GHz or 5GHz wireless networks, and incorporates Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) that allows for connecting to wireless networks with the touch of a button.
Unlike most wireless adapters, which are shaped like a thumbdrive, the Trendnet TEW-684UB is much larger, about the size of a mini router and requires a separate USB cable to connect to a computer. This design means it's better suited for desktop computers than laptops. Apart from 450Mbps wireless networks, it's also compatible with existing regular 300Mbps and lower speed Wireless-N routers.
The 450 Mbps Dual Band Wireless N USB Adapter TEW-684UB adapter comes with a three-year warranty. It's available now and estimated to cost around $80.… Read more
