The new NAS strategy focuses the entire LinkStation line on consumers and the TeraStation products on small to medium business uses. Both product lines will include multi-drive RAID products.
The TeraStation lineup now includes the new TeraStation Duo and TeraStation III. Both feature hot-swappable drives, Apple Time Machine support, folder replication and hot spare and dual gigabit Ethernet ports. They also support Buffalo’s Web Access feature for easy remote access via local LAN or Internet.
The TeraStation III will be available this month in 2TB (TS-X2.0TL/R5), 4TB (TS-X4.0TL/R5) and 8TB (TS-X8.0TL/R5) models. No pricing or availability yet on the TeraStation Duo and no pricing for the TeraStation III.
For consumers, the LinkStation Pro features a new, faster processor and gigabit Ethernet port with jumbo frame support. It also supports Web Access, scheduled backup to external USB drives or other Link or TeraStations and comes bundled with Memeo client backup software.
The Pro will be available this month at estimated street prices of $209.99 for the 500GB (LS-XH500L) and $299.99 for the 1TB (LS-XH1.0TL).
LinkStation Pro
The bigger news is Buffalo’s re-entry into the U.S. consumer wireless market after getting the permanent injunction previously awarded to Australia’s CSIRO stayed. Buffalo’s wireless line includes two single-band draft 11n routers, an 11g router, a dual-band Ethernet client and three single-band draft 802.11n USB adapters. Unfortunately, Buffalo didn’t say when any of the wireless products would be available.
The WZR-HP-G300NH Wireless-N Nfiniti High Power Router & Access Point ($99.99 estimated street) is the top end of Buffalo’s WLAN introductions. It’s a single-band draft 802.11n wireless router with a four port 10/100 switch that Buffalo says has a "hi power" amplifier for improved range. It also supports WDS repeating / bridging, Buffalo’s AOSS and standard Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) automatic wireless security and WEP, WPA and WPA2 wireless encryption.
Next up is the WHR-G300N Wireless-N Nfiniti Router & Access Point ($79.99 estimated street), positioned as the "entry level version" of the WZR-HP-G300NH. Features are similar, but it looks like the high power amplifier and WDS repeating aren’t supported.
Wireless-N Nfiniti Router & Access Point (WHR-G300N)
The third router is a reintroduction of its mainstay 802.11g router, the WHR-HP-G54 Wireless-G MIMO Performance Router & Access Point ($59.99 estimated street). It has increased transmit power, AOSS / WEP / WPA / WPA2 wireless security, supports WDS repeating and has a four port 10/100 switch. (See the slideshow.)
WHR-HP-G54 Wireless-G MIMO Performance Router & Access Point
The WLI-TX4-AG300N Nfiniti Dual Band Ethernet Converter ($89.99 estimated street) has a four port 10/100 switch and supports AOSS, WEP, WPA and WPA2 security. Of course, it’s backward-compatible with 802.11 a, b and g routers.
WLI-TX4-AG300N Nfiniti Dual Band Ethernet Converter
For wireless client adapters, Buffalo has assembled a completely USB lineup of three draft 802.11n single-band adapters: WLI-UC-G300HP Wireless-N Compact USB 2.0 Adapter ($79.99 estimated street); WLI-UC-G300N Wireless-N Compact USB 2.0 Adapter (lower power version of the for $69.99 estimated street); and WLI-UC-GN Wireless-N Compact USB 2.0 Adapter ($59.99 estimated street). All support WEP, WPA, WPA2 and AOSS wireless security.
