Actiontec Using Entropic's MoCA to Eliminate Deadzones in the Home

The personal home computer is still very relevant today, even though many have pronounced its demise. The vast majority of people that have desktop PCs use it to perform most if not all of their computing tasks, but that is not to say mobile technology is not making headway in the home. One of the problems with mobile devices in the home is Wi-Fi deadzones, which cripples the device if it is being used for online access. Actiontec Electronics, developer of broadband-powered solutions with gigabit Ethernet fiber routers, high speed VDSL gateways, DSL modems, and home networking solutions, has chosen Entropic, provider of semiconductor solutions for the connected home to address wireless computing usage within the home.

Actiontec will be using the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) silicon, the EN2510, to power its WCB3000, a MoCA-to-Wi-Fi network adapter as part of the company's whole home wireless portfolio.

To emphasize the problem home users have with their wireless connection, Actiontec has released its Spring 2013 Connected Home study on U.S. domestic Wi-Fi habits. The study surveyed 1,200 participants and 72 percent of them reported at least one issue with their wireless Internet, while 67 percent experienced dropouts with their Wi-Fi while checking e-mail. The demand placed on home Wi-Fi networks is expected to increase as multi-screen services are adopted by more people. The demand on the bandwidth can result in subpar performance, which will result in dropped connections and deadzones in the home.

The WCB3000 will extend Wi-Fi signals using Entropic's MoCA technology by covering the entire home, distributing broadband coverage using the coax wiring in the home. With this installation home owners will be able to achieve strong signals, faster speeds, and better coverage.

The WCB3000:

Leverages the coax backbone already in place in the home: more reliable and higher performing than wireless Wi-Fi repeaters

Features dual-band concurrent 2 GHz and 5 GHz radios

Supports TR-069 remote management

Zero-config installation when used with an Actiontec router/gateway

"Consumers should be able to stream movies, surf the web and enjoy online gaming without buffering, dropped signals or packet-loss. Actiontec's advanced WCB3000 incorporating our EN2510 MoCA chip empowers a new generation of devices to ensure subscribers can go beyond 'best effort' wireless coverage to reliably enjoy entertainment services in all corners of their home," said Al Servati, vice president of marketing for Entropic.