The Wireless USB Hub and Adapter kit from IOGEAR (product number GUWH104KIT) provides the ability to wirelessly access a collection of USB-based peripherals--such as cameras, external drives, printers, etc.--from a PC up to 30 feet away. Up to three separate PCs are able to access the USB peripherals; each associated user selects their assigned button (1, 2 or 3) when accessing the peripherals to avoid contention with the other users.

The primary components of the kit are the hub and the adapter. The adapter is a USB dongle that plugs directly into Windows XP-based machines (Vista support is expected in the fall) and facilitates the wireless connection to the hub. The hub, on the other hand, has four physical USB ports for the connection of the individual USB peripheral devices and transmits communications to and from the PC adapters. The adapter can work at distances of up to 30 feet from the hub and speeds of up to 480 Mb/sec; metrics that the vendor notes represent the maximum limits of the technology and will be lowered by actual network and environmental factors. Adapters are powered by the PC USB ports they are plugged into; while the hub is powered via an external (included) power supply.

The platform supports USB 2.0 with backwards compatibility to USB 1.1; and a built-in sleep mode automatically deactivates the adapters when they are idle.

The platform is not based on 802.11 technology, but instead complies with the Multi-band OFDM UWB 1.0 specification; prompting the vendor to claim that the kit does not interfere with other wireless devices, including cell phones, microwaves, and Bluetooth (as well as providing the basis for the extended speeds up to 480 Mb/sec). Further, the vendor notes that the platform is compatible with current and future Certified W-USB devices.

The kit is available now--including a single hub, hub power supply, hub antenna, and a single adapter--for a suggested price of $199.95.

Contact IOGEAR for further information.

product submission by EITPlanet Staff

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