Mercusys

A network switch is device that connects multiple computers or smart home accessories such as lights, heating, cameras or storage in the home; or for connecting PCs, workstations, servers, storage and IP-enabled security or surveillance devices within a business environment. Each scenario allows communication within the home or organisation and shares and access the Internet connection to the wider world.

These switches are ideal for the home or small business, where faster network speeds and some degree of traffic management is required, with some offering Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) support to ease device placement and reduce cabling.

A network switch is device that connects multiple computers or smart home accessories such as lights, heating, cameras or storage in the home; or for connecting PCs, workstations, servers, storage and IP-enabled security or surveillance devices within a business environment. Each scenario allows communication within the home or organisation and shares and access the Internet connection to the wider world.

These switches are ideal for the home or small business, as they provide simple plug & play connectivity as faster network speeds, with some offering Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) support to ease device placement and reduce cabling.

Wireless access points (WAPs) are standalone devices designed to be connected to a wired router or plug socket in the case of HomePlug WAPs, to provide wireless access for portable devices such as laptops and smart phones. In the home access points are usually built in a broadband router, however in business separate access points are common as they offer flexibility of placement (often featuring PoE technology) and better coverage when multiple units are deployed.

These access points’ range and speeds will vary depending on the wireless standard they are based on - either 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7), 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi 6E), 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) or 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4).

Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard which allows two-way data transfer over short distances between electronic devices and computers. Originating in 1998, since then Bluetooth has evolved into various revisions, adding support for progressively higher transfer rates, improved security and additional features.

These Bluetooth adaptors add Bluetooth connectivity to devices without it built-in, via a USB connection. They are popular for connecting wireless keyboards and mice.

A broadband connection into the home is now almost a given’s more devices such as smart phones, tablets, laptops, PCs, smart TVs, heating, lighting and security devices are increasingly able to take advantage of an Internet connection for online gaming, remote operation or monitoring. A broadband router with increasingly powerful wireless capabilities is key to home and smart home connectivity.

These routers are based on the 802.11ac wireless standard (Wi-Fi 5) and offer greater speed and range than previous 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) routers. They feature dual-band (2.4GHz / 5GHz) capability for segregating device connections for better performance, although it is important to remember that quoted Mbps speeds per bandwidth cannot be combined.

A broadband connection into the home is now almost a given’s more devices such as smart phones, tablets, laptops, PCs, smart TVs, heating, lighting and security devices are increasingly able to take advantage of an Internet connection for online gaming, remote operation or monitoring. A broadband router with increasingly powerful wireless capabilities is key to home and smart home connectivity.

These routers are designed for the larger home where coverage from a standard router access point may be insufficient. Mesh access points work to create a more expansive coverage area by working together to reduce dead spots and create more consistent coverage. Overall speed, however will still be governed by the wireless standard the system is based on - either 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7), 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi 6E), 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) or 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4).

HomePlug devices are designed to transmit a network signal over the mains power cabling within your home. They offer an alternative to wireless technologies in areas where there may be obstacles to good wireless coverage - thick walls, line-of-sight or other interference. Much like wireless technologies, subsequent generation have increased in speed. HomePlug adapters can feature multiple network ports for greater connectivity options or a wireless access point enable portable devices in a distant part of your home.

These HomePlug adapters are based on the AV2 standard supporting speeds of up to 1.3Gbits per second.

A broadband connection into the home is now almost a given’s more devices such as smart phones, tablets, laptops, PCs, smart TVs, heating, lighting and security devices are increasing able to take advantage of an Internet connection for online gaming, remote operation or monitoring. A broadband router with increasingly powerful wireless capabilities is key to home and smart home connectivity.

These devices are for converting PCs or workstations to wireless connectivity via a PCIe slot, as this is rarely standard on desktop computers where wired Ethernet network connectivity is the norm. The wireless speed of any adapter will vary depending on the wireless standard it is based on - either 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7), 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi 6E), 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) or 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4).

Wi-Fi 7 features will expand upon the innovation of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E to not only enable faster speeds, but dramatically improve responsiveness and reliability for future usages that demand extreme consistency and precision. Wi-Fi 7 enables significantly faster speeds by packing more data into each transmission. 320 MHz channels are twice the size of previous Wi-Fi generations—which is somewhat like using a semi-truck to move boxes, compared to a moving van