In an attempt to enhance the experience of HD streaming media like movies and gaming for its customers, the external storage solution providers and maker of the popular WD TV media player family -- Western Digital has taken a step further and entered the home networking business with a new line of wireless routers.
The new routers, dubbed 'My Net', are informed by the company as a part of a family of home networking products that accelerate HD streaming performance using Western Digital's FasTrack technology. This new technology will target traffic on the network and "fast-forwards" it to other devices like gaming consoles, smartphones and tablets.
According to the company's press release, the My Net product line consists of five wireless routers, including the My Net N900 Central, the My Net N900, the My Net N750, the My Net N600 and the My Net Switch.
The My Net N900 Central, which will be priced at $299.99 for 1 TB and $349.99 for 2 TB, offers accelerated HD streaming along with storage for remote access and wireless backup. The dual-band storage router provides speeds up to 900 Mbps, where there's 450 Mbps on each band, two USB 2.0 ports, and a seven-port gigabit ethernet switch.
The My Net N900, which is $179.99, offers the same specs, but adds 3D media streaming and online gaming instead of just HD.
Then there's the mid-range My Net N750, which runs $119.99, and doesn't have network storage. However, it offers a 5 GHz network performance, gigabit ethernet, and an additional USB 2.0 port.
The My Net N600 ($79.99) and the My Net Switch ($69.99) do not have network storage either. The My Net N600 offers speeds of 300 Mbps on each band, a five-port 100/100 ethernet switch and one USB 2.0 port while the My Net Switch provides an eight-port gigabit ethernet switch. However, the Switch doesn't support Wi-Fi.
"With so many people within the home simultaneously watching movies, playing games and browsing the Web via their iPad, iPhone, Xbox and other devices, the network demands placed on today's connected home has grown exponentially," states Jim Welsh, executive vice president for WD's branded products and consumer electronics groups.
"Our successes in creating Connected Home solutions with our WD TV media players and personal cloud products have given us valuable insights into the network-overload problems of home wireless users, and entering the wireless home networking market offers WD an exciting opportunity to strengthen our Connected Home offerings that are aimed at enhancing the home entertainment experience for consumers."
All models except the My Net N900 Central will be available June 14 at select U.S. retailers and online at wdstore.com. My Net N900 Central will be available for purchase by the next quarter.
