Linksys®, a division of Cisco Systems, Inc., the leading provider of broadband, wireless and networking hardware for the consumer and Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) markets, today announced the release of the WGA11B (Wireless-B Game Adapter) and WGA54G (Wireless-G Game Adapter), the first network adapters of their kind designed strictly for use with gaming consoles. The Wireless-B Game Adapter and Wireless-G Game Adapter allow gamers to wirelessly connect their PlayStation®2, Xbox™, or GameCube™ consoles together for head-to-head gaming and to the Internet for live online multi-player gaming.

Both Game Adapters address two common customer needs:

1. Connecting game consoles to the Internet wirelessly for online game playing.
2. Maintaining high-speed connectivity for multiple game consoles so play can resume without latency.

In most homes, the Internet connection is not in the same room as the game console. For example, the game console may be in the bedroom or family room whilst the Cable or DSL Internet connection is located in the downstairs study. Game enthusiasts who want to access live gaming sites such as Xboxâ„¢ Live* or play direct head-to-head Internet games, face the difficult task of running Ethernet cables. The Wireless-B and Wireless-G Game Adapters solve this problem by enabling connectivity from the games room to the broadband connection without stringing wires.

(* Xbox Live and other online game sites require subscriptions. Linksys does not provide subscriptions to these services)

Gamers are all about frags, high scores and fast play, so Linksys offers two game adapters to support both 11 and 54 Mbps (megabit per second) speeds. The Wireless-B Game Adapter enables wireless game play at up to 11Mbps. For more “speed-hungry� gamers, the Wireless-G Game Adapter provides the latest wireless 802.11g speeds at up to 54 Mbps.

A pair of game adapters can also form a “cable-less cable� between two game consoles for head-to-head gaming in the same room or from across the hall. Since the game adapters do not require drivers, they are extremely easy to set up.

“As part of our vision for the Wireless Home, the wireless network delivers content and entertainment to a wide variety of consumer electronics devices,� said Mike Wagner, Director of Marketing at Linksys. “These game adapters connect the popular gaming consoles to the Wireless Network, saving the customer the time and hassle of running cables between their consoles and their high speed Internet connection. Starting at £65.00 these are ‘must have’ accessories.�

Pricing and Availability

The Wireless-B Game Adapter (WGA11B) is immediately available through retail, E-commerce, catalogue, direct response and distribution channels at an estimated street price of £65.00 excl. VAT.

The Wireless-G Game Adapter (WGA54G) is immediately available at an estimated street price of £99.00 excl.VAT.