Linksys WMA11B Digital Media Adapter

| Commentary | On Monday, Linksys finally announced their new wireless home networking product - the Wireless-B Media Adapter. Although it's an early example of the future of home networking, the WMA11B isn't half as hot as it might first appear.

Digital media adapters like this one use standard Wi-Fi home networking technologies, but instead of connecting computers to other computers, the WMA11B connects computers to home appliances like stereos and televisions. One can use the WMA11B to play digital music files on their stereo system, or to show digital photos on their television.

Too bad Linksys locked in their design to the slower 802.11b standard even though 802.11g is now officially on the scene. It means the WMA11B doesn't support streaming of video files to the television, as next generation digital media adapters certainly will. Ultimately, this is a Linksys product, not a Cisco product. That makes a difference, too.