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Planex Communications Intros Wall-Socket WiFi Router

btarunr

btarunr

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Wireless network routers transitioned from big boxes with antennas to compact ones, and are now finding their way to the walls of households, blending with other utility connections that pass through walls (electricity, telephone/TV/cable/broadband, wired network, water, and gas). Japanese company is one of those pushing this change, with its MZK-KR150N WiFi b/g/n router that's designed to blend with other wall sockets.

The back-end of this router takes in AC power and WAN/uplink Ethernet cable. Its front-end has a hinged antenna, one downstream Ethernet cable, LEDs, and other configuration buttons. One of the six slots on the socket is blanked, so one can assume there's going to be a variant with two downstream Ethernet ports. The router offers wireless bandwidths with speeds of up to 150 Mbps, and wired bandwidths up to 100 Mbps. Slated for an April launch, the MZK-KR150N is priced at 9,800 JPY (US $118.4).



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While the antenna would help with signal at further distances, I'd wager it would be a liability waiting to be broken. Maybe a smaller internal antenna or using wiring that is in the walls as an antenna (speaking more as line laid apart from electrical so as to not interfere with the signal).


Also, no power output for anything but this in-wall wifi? Seems like it would just be taking up socket space (I tend to never have enough where I need them, and plenty behind bookcases...).
 
I think this router makes more sense with small apartments and hotel rooms/suites, not houses.
 
Looks neat!
 
btarunr said:
I think this router makes more sense with small apartments and hotel rooms/suites, not houses.
Click to expand...

I understand that, the dilemma with the antenna still stands though. It protrudes out and is a liability.
 
this would be great if the socket was high up the wall/on the ceiling
 
Mussels said:
this would be great if the socket was high up the wall/on the ceiling
Click to expand...

when we had ahouse built, some jerk technician ran out of cable and thus stuck a wall socket 2/3s the way up the wall.

This would totally make that useless socket make sense. lol
 
I am not sure why you guys are walking a few inches away from your wall as you seem to think you will some kick the antenna and brake it off. I think think this would be any more of an issue than standard plugs sticking out or a door stopper.

I think this is actually kinda cool as well. You needed one plug for the router anyway, so you are really only losing one plug here and you get to gain some shelf or desk space in the process. This would also be great for the home theater which is normally a two outlet job anyway. Us an adapter or surge protector on one outlet for the TV, console, blu-ray, etc. Then use this to connect your console, HTPC or whatever to the Wi-Fi as an Access Point.

While I agree this is best suite for a hotel or small apartment. I think it would be great for a two store home that had Ethernet wired into the walls. The other wires in the floor and walls can create a lot of interference that a simply Access Point or router acting as a signal booster would be great for.
 
I agree with TheLaughingMan. How often to you accidentally bump a plug out of the wall, other than getting tangled up in the cord...

I think this also makes sense in large-campus, low-budget organizations, like churches... I'm thinking about setting up a few of these per building in my church, giving me the same effective coverage of a $10-15K Cisco system for less than $1K...
 
TheLaughingMan said:
I am not sure why you guys are walking a few inches away from your wall as you seem to think you will some kick the antenna and brake it off. I think think this would be any more of an issue than standard plugs sticking out or a door stopper.
Click to expand...

That is a comment that only someone without kids would make. :p

Its an interesting product but has very limited application. It would be better as a light socket passthrough device.
 
MikeMurphy said:
That is a comment that only someone without kids would make. :p

Its an interesting product but has very limited application. It would be better as a light socket passthrough device.
Click to expand...

Live with children. They play with the door stopper I will admit, but they do not touch plugs in wall sockets. That lesson they learned.
 
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