WD My Net AC1300 Router
Image: WD
Lawyers seeking more bandwidth and backup targets can look to the latest releases from WD, an Irvine, Calif.-based Western Digital Corporation company, that produces external storage and networking technology. WD's My Net AC1300 HD Dual-Band Router and My Net AC Bridge offer faster Wi-Fi by merging next-generation 802.11ac wireless technology with the company's FasTrack quality-of-service (QoS) technology, which prioritizes high-bandwidth applications such as Skype and YouTube. The company has also announced the latest version of its My Book Studio external hard drive, with USB 3.0 and up to 4 terabytes capacity.
With 802.11n wireless providing speeds of up to 450 Mbps on a 2.4 gigahertz freqency band and 802.11ac wireless at 1300 Mbps on a 5 gigahertz band, the My Net AC1300's dual bands work together to speed the delivery of high-definition content to media players, smart TVs, laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets, and other Wi-Fi connected devices.
The router has four gigabit Ethernet ports to connect wired devices such as network attached storage, as well as two USB 2.0 ports for external hard drives, printers and scanners. Setup is easy: plug the AC1300 in and run its integrated automatic setup via a selected device's web browser. AC1300 is Windows 8 certified and supports Universal Plug and Play device for detecting and connecting other Wi-Fi devices at the touch of a WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) button on the router. The My Net AC Bridge lets users convert up to four devices from wired-Ethernet to wireless, cutting down on cabling while maintaining Ethernet throughput.
In addition to its USB 3.0 capability, the latest My Book Studio external hard drive works with Apple Inc.'s Time Machine for backup, allows encyrpted password protection using WD Security, and supports 256-bit encryption. For legacy systems, WD will still offer My Book Studio with Firewire 800 connectivity and USB 2.0.
The manufacturer's suggested retail price for the My Net AC1300 Router is $189.99; $149.99 for the My Net AC Bridge. The My Book Studio drive is priced per terabyte, with the 4 terabyte model at $299.99.
Michael Roach is LTN's associate editor. Send email.
