Network solutions provider Asante Technologies has announced the release of the FriendlyNET FR5000 Accelerated Cable/DSL Router. The new router lets you share any high-speed Internet connection at up to 100Mbps-10 times faster than conventional SOHO (small office-home office) routers, or approximately equal to two T3 lines, according to company spokesperson Karen Richardson,
The FR5007 offers the features of a NAS (Network Attached Storage) switch and router. What’s more, a dual Internet cache “dramatically” accelerates all subsequent accesses to the same Web sites, Paul Alleluia, director of East Coast Sales at Asante, said. It can quickly offload network print jobs by spooling huge print tasks to a 30GB hard disk, he added.
The FR5007 lets you back up your Mac or Windows systems’ local hard disks with full security. It eliminates the need for a separate server CPU, Alleluia said. And it can function as a one-stop network infrastructure, getting rid of the need for a separate router, server, Web caching/hosting device, or switch (switches may be added as needed for up to 48 ports to service additional users).
The router lets folks share frequently used files with integrated NAS facilities. Minimal configuration is needed, and, in fact, the computer doesn’t even have to shut down, Alleluia said. The FR5007 simplifies the configuring of the router by choosing from the eight most popular Internet connections (including DSL/PPP over Ethernet and cable modem). And it can tackle administrative functions from any Web browser, locally or from a remote Internet connection. If trouble pops up, the router automatically sends e-mail to notify the system administrator. The Friendly product lineup includes: