BiPAC 7402 adds 802.11n and 1Gb LAN support to 3G ADSL2+ router range

Broadband product specialist Billion has boosted the wireless speed and reach of its 3G-capable ADSL2+ routers by adding support for the IEEE 802.11n draft protocol for wireless Local Area Networks.

The new Billion BiPAC 7402NX, with a $499 RRP, is due in Australia next month through the national reseller network managed by Billion's Australian distributor PC Range. Product images for the BiPAC 7402NX can be downloaded from http://www.impress.com.au/content/view/259/67/.

The BiPAC 7402NX is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) firewall router that can communicate via both wired and wireless Wide Area Networks (WANs). In wired mode, it uses an ADSL2+ broadband service over a copper telephone line, but if that link is disrupted, the 7402NX can stay online wirelessly through automatic failover to a 3G mobile telephone network.

Billion's innovation is that the 7402NX also supports the latest draft of the 802.11n wireless Local Area Network protocol from the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Due to be finalised next year, the draft protocol delivers wireless speeds as fast as 300 megabits per second (Mbps) with coverage three times further than current WiFi networks.

The BiPAC 7402NX also incorporates a four-port one-gigabit switch, making it an advanced, fully integrated networking product for SOHO and office users.  Additionally, an integrated IPSec VPN function allows users to encrypt connections of as many as 16 VPN tunnels to transmit data over the Internet securely.

PC Range managing director Raaj Menon said the launch of the BiPAC 7402NX completed Billion's range of Wireless N routers. "The beauty of the BiPAC 7402NX is that it delivers uninterrupted connectivity by using either an ADSL2+ service or a 3G network," he said.

"Billion had a great response to the launch of its first Wireless N products last month, so adding 3G connectivity to the mix should make it even more attractive. The 7402NX allows you to create your own mobile hotspot for WiFi access wherever a 3G connection is available - in a meeting or at a trade fair. The router is also equipped with a built-in four-port gigabit switch, which allows amazingly fast LAN transmissions for bandwidth-hungry applications such as video streaming and file sharing."

Billion is the dominant broadband device brand in Australia. For the past two years, Billion has topped the hardware popularity table in the Australian Broadband Survey, conducted by tech-savvy website Whirlpool. Last year, 23.7 per cent of the nearly 18,000 survey respondents nominated Billion as their preferred hardware brand, twice as popular as the next placed brand.

Billion product review offer (full product details at http://www.impress.com.au/content/view/313/67/)

Current Billion products available for two-week trials for product reviews include

• Billion BiPAC 5200N Draft 802.11n ADSL2+ Firewall Router (RRP $238)

• Billion BiPAC 7300N Draft 802.11n ADSL2+ Broadband Router (RRP $264)

• Billion BiPAC 3010N Draft 802.11n Wireless USB Adapter (RRP $105)

About PC Range www.pcrange.com.au

PC Range is the exclusive Australian distributor for technology convergence products including:

• Billion broadband networking devices

• Minitar wireless networking devices.

About Billion Electric Co. Ltd www.billion.com.au

Founded in 1973 and listed on the Taiwanese stock exchange, Billion Electric Co., Ltd. (Taiex #3027) is one of the leading providers of network equipment and power supply products in the Asia Pacific rim. Since its Communication Division was established in 1992, Billion has acquired a considerable customer base across Europe, America, Middle East and Africa, and in the Asia Pacific markets.