Ruckus Wireless, a new entrant into the wireless networking market, is making major waves with its products both for the SOHO and enterprise space. Biztech2.com, in association with Chip magazine, decided to try this product and get to the bottom of its functionality.

Features

When it comes to features, Ruckus’ Access Point (AP) is as rugged as it gets. Built to have a minimalistic look, the router has fantastic capabilities even for long ranges.

One of the most talked about features of this device is its capability to deliver HD IPTV wirelessly.

Specifications

Band: 5GHz; Port: 1 10/100 Ethernet; Antenna array: 6 high-gain elements, 63 omni patters; IGMP snooping: up to 32 multi-cast groups and up to 48 receiving stations; Security: WPA and WPA2 (AES); Channelisation: 40MHz channel bonding supported.

Dimensions (WxHxD): 122 x 75 x 142 mm; Weight: 200 g; Wi-Fi Standard: 802.11n (5GHz).

Test

We’ve specifically been working with various routers from competitors like Linksys, and were quite surprised with Ruckus’ performance. It would generally take me close to an hour to download a 1 GB file, over my office network; however, when we tried the same download with Ruckus’ gear, the download was done in 45 minutes flat. That’s the kind of performance we’re talking about here.

Intended primarily for high-definition wireless media streaming, the Ruckus Mediaflex 7000 Series is specifically designed for IPTV. It uses the 802.11n standards to stream HD content. It consists of the 802.11N Multimedia Smart Wi-Fi access point (MediaFlex 7811) and receiver (MediaFlex 7111 adapter). It installs in minutes and is perhaps the best solution for doing away with costly, cumbersome cabling and installation time in luxury homes and offices.

Procedure

Connect the access point to the router, the IPTV STB to the adapter and leave the rest to the device’s intelligent networking features. If you have multiple TV sets at home and need to use additional STBs, deploy additional 7111 adapters and the network is complete. MediaFlex can be used for wireless Internet and network/ audio/ video servers. The device is based on the 5 GHz band and provides flawless wireless streaming for your HD media content.

Verdict

Now although this is a great product, it comes with a hefty price tag (Rs 19,604 to be precise). However, this product is definitely aimed at the higher end of the market, and can be extremely useful for networks that are used to deliver media content. The beam-forming technology allows this router to seamlessly connect across all access points, while simultaneously minimising network noise.
Even with its hefty price tag, we give it a thumbs up, and would urge you to invest in it, if you have a requirement for a good, solid wireless networking device based on the 802.11n standard, and are dealing with specific deliverables.

Rating: 5/5

Contact: Ruckus Wireless

Phone: 080-4030 0609

e-Mail: sboosupalli@ruckuswireless.com