MediaFlex Frequently Asked Questions
What products does RUCKUS Wireless manufacture and sell?
RUCKUS develops and manufactures the next generation of home network equipment that, for the first time, enables multimedia distribution throughout the home over common wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) technology. RUCKUS Wireless makes the RUCKUS Wireless multimedia router and multimedia adapter and has developed a number of patent-pending technologies that it licenses to third-party equipment manufacturers. These products were developed to enable the reliable distribution of multimedia content over standard 802.11 network technology. In addition to dramatically extending the range, increasing the throughput and eliminating dead-spots in 802.11 wireless networks (802.11 a/b/g/n), the RUCKUS system offers the industry’s first Wi-Fi solution capable of transporting IPTV and other real-time video applications smoothly and reliably, anywhere throughout a typical home.
How are the RUCKUS products connected to a home network?
The RUCKUS multimedia router connects to the broadband gateway/router via a standard Ethernet connection. The RUCKUS multimedia adapter connects to an Ethernet-equipped set-top box or similar Ethernet-equipped video receiver. RUCKUS has three different options of the routers and adapters (802.11a, 802.11g, and 802.11n). IPTV or other video content from the broadband network or a video server can be streamed through RUCKUS AP across the wireless LAN (WLAN) to the RUCKUS multimedia adapter, which forwards it to the video receiver. The RUCKUS AP (2825 and 2811) also supports data applications from PCs and other 802.11b/g clients.
Do I need both the RUCKUS adapter and RUCKUS AP to get the performance benefits?
Not necessarily. The appropriate model of the RUCKUS AP enables all standard 802.11 a/b/g/n attached stations to communicate over farther distances, at higher speeds, with fewer errors and retransmissions. For typical data applications such as Web surfing and file copying, the RUCKUS AP optimizes wireless performance by itself.
Likewise for typical video applications (non-IPTV), if the video receiver is already equipped with an 802.11 a/b/g/n port, the appropriate RUCKUS AP alone should deliver enough performance to sustain the video stream, provided that the receiver supports a good 802.11 a/b/g/n implementation. But if the video receiver does not have an 802.11 a/b/g/n port, or if its wireless port performs poorly, the appropriate RUCKUS adapter would be necessary.
Most of the laptops today come equipped with a 802.11 b/g wireless card. To allow these laptops to connect wirelessly, a RUCKUS AP (2825 or 2811) with the 802.11 b/g support is required.
What are the performance characteristics of the RUCKUS system?
RUCKUS Router (2825 and 2811) and Adapter (2111) support 802.11b/g (2.4GHz) standard, RUCKUS Access Point (5811) and Adapter (5111) support 802.11a (5GHz) standard, and RUCKUS Access Point (7811) and Adapter (7111) support 802.11n (5GHz) standard.
For typical deployment of Standard Definition video with data access, the customer generally uses 802.11b/g Routers and Adapters.
For video applications using RUCKUS 2825, 2811, or 5811, a RUCKUS multimedia network is optimized to assure transmission of 15-20 Mbps at 99% guaranteed packet delivery throughout a typical home (2500ft2 / 230m2). This performance target is designed to support up to:
(3) simultaneous MPEG-4/Microsoft WMV video streams or (1-2) DVD-quality MPEG-2 streams or a single high-definition MPEG-4/Microsoft WMV stream
For video applications using a RUCKUS 7811, a RUCKUS multimedia network is optimized to assure transmission of 40-60 Mbps at 99% guaranteed packet delivery throughout a typical home (2500ft2 / 230m2). This performance target is designed to support up to:
(4-6) simultaneous MPEG-2 high-definition video streams
What is unique about the RUCKUS Wireless multimedia system?
It’s the only solution on the market that delivers reliable multimedia transmissions simultaneously over standard 802.11 Wi-Fi.
Video streaming requires a network environment that behaves reliably - with uninterrupted, low-latency packet delivery. Typical off-the-shelf WLAN products are designed for bursty data applications which can tolerate a high degree of bandwidth fluctuation and transmission errors, which cause frequent and noticeable service interruptions for video viewing. The RUCKUS system by contrast, was designed specifically to manage video streaming applications, ensuring consistent and continuous bandwidth throughout a home. With the RUCKUS system, consumers can now stream videos from anywhere in their home (e.g., a PC video server in a bedroom or directly from their broadband modem in the study) to a media receiver located next to the television in the sitting room without installing new Ethernet cables.
Can’t I just use any Ethernet-equipped access point and adapter for Triple/Quad play IPTV/video applications in the residential market?
While it is possible to use off-the-shelf APs and adapters for wireless video streaming at very short distances (less than 20ft / 6m), most homes and apartments do not benefit from such conditions. Most urban home environments are very “noisy” with microwave ovens, cordless phones and neighbor Wi-Fi noise - all of which introduce interference and degrade wireless transmissions. In turn, off-the-shelf wireless solutions aren’t suitable for IPTV over Wi-Fi. This has been the central problem that has plagued Wi-Fi from being the universal networking infrastructure for all voice, video and data communications in the home. RUCKUS has solved this exact problem.
Don’t I just need a higher-speed 802.11n Wi-Fi product to make Triple/Quad play IPTV/video applications work in the residential market?
Not necessarily. Adding bandwidth to the Wi-Fi network will not automatically enable wireless video distribution. Video requires a consistent, low-delay availability of network bandwidth. Newer 802.11n WLAN technologies such as spatial multiplexing mode in MIMO increases the wireless data rate but will not guarantee bandwidth consistency. As radio signals ebb and flow (due to motion or interference from Bluetooth phones, for example) and other applications compete for the WLAN’s bandwidth, transmission errors and delays will still occur.