Cisco is introducing a new sub-brand of Wireless-N routers, aimed at people who are intimidated by the idea of setting up a home network. The networking giant believes that there are a lot of consumers who fall into that category, citing research from IDC Canada that pegs Canadian household penetration of Wi-Fi networks at 39%.

Cisco says it wanted its new Valet routers to deliver the same simplicity as its Flip Video digital camcorders. Cisco acquired Pure Digital Technologies, maker of the Flip, in March 2009. Pure Digital's Chairman and CEO, Jonathan Kaplan, became Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Cisco Consumer Products.

"Valet is home wireless made easy," Kaplan said in a prepared statement. "With complementary backgrounds and expertise, our Cisco and Flip teams have combined fores to change the rules for home wireless with a product line that empowers consumers to easily set up, enjoy and manage all of their wireless devices in the home."

Valet routers come with a USB thumb drive containing Cisco Connect software. Connect the router to your PC or Mac and to your high-speed modem, insert the thumb drive into your computer, and the software sets up your network. When you insert the thumb drive into other devices, Cisco Connect adds them to your wireless network. You can also use the software to restrict the time your kids can get on the Net, create a guest account so visitors to your home can get online, and customize security settings.

The Valet ($100) has four Ethernet 10/100 ports, while the Valet Plus ($130) has four Ethernet Gigabit ports for faster wired speeds. Priced at $70, the Valet Connector is a USB Wireless-N adapter for upgrading older computers to wireless.

Cisco is also introducing three new Wireless-N routers under its Linksys brand. At $70, the Linksys E1000 has four Ethernet 10/100 ports. The E2000 ($130) has Ethernet Gigabit ports and selectable 2.4/5GHz wireless networking. The E3000 ($160) features simultaneous 2.4/5GHz dual-band technology. All three models come with Cisco Connect software, but on an optical disc rather than USB key. The Linksys routers can also be configured using a Web interface.

Article Tags:  CIsco, Linksys, Valet, Flip Video, Pure Digital, IDC Canada, Wireless-N, router, Kaplan,