Los Gatos, Calif. – March 16, 2010 – Firetide Inc., the leading provider of wireless infrastructure mesh networks, today announced a strategic alliance and OEM (original equipment manufacturing) agreement with NETGEAR®, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions. Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, NETGEAR is licensing Firetide’s WLAN controller software for the company’s recently announced Pro-Safe® 16-AP Wireless Management System WMS5316.
“We chose Firetide’s WLAN controller because of its proven performance and scalability to meet the rigorous demands of data, voice and video applications in large integrated indoor and outdoor networks using the most advanced IEEE802.11n technology. By using Firetide’s controller technology we are able to re-invent wireless networking for growing businesses, delivering the benefits of centralized management and wireless 802.11n throughput with the ease of use required for the small business and education markets today while giving them a future-proof platform to build upon,” said Laurent Masia, NETGEAR product line manager for managed infrastructure products.
Firetide’s wireless mesh and broadband access technology has provided seamless wireless network management and control for integrated indoor and outdoor deployments in challenging environments for years. Firetide’s expertise in wireless mesh infrastructure has enabled the company to build controllers with better channel allocation and radio power control mechanisms to combat interferences and optimize network performance, eliminating deployment restrictions and allowing users to have greater flexibility in the management, control and expansion of their networks.
“NETGEAR’s selection of Firetide’s technology underscores the superiority of our WLAN technology against alternative solutions available in the marketplace,” said Bo Larsson, CEO of Firetide, Inc. “This OEM agreement is part of our partnering strategy, as we branch out into adjacent markets through strategic alliances with leading suppliers such as NETGEAR.”
At a fraction of the price of a typical wireless controller meant for larger businesses, NETGEAR’s ProSafe Wireless Management System offers reliable, secure and simple central wireless management for businesses and schools with 50 to 200 users. Working in concert with NETGEAR’s wireless access points, the Firetide-based WLAN Controller provides NETGEAR with the advanced functionality to enable deployment and management of an IEEE802.11N wireless network with innovative simplicity.
The NETGEAR WMS5316 product line will be available worldwide in March.
About Firetide Inc.
Firetide is the leading provider of wireless infrastructure mesh networks that enable concurrent video, voice, and data for municipal, public safety, and industrial applications. Firetide provides reliable high performance wireless infrastructure mesh and access solutions for video surveillance, Internet access, public safety networks and temporary networks wherever rapid deployment, mobility and ease of installation are required. Headquartered in Los Gatos, Calif., Firetide is a privately held company with worldwide product distribution. http://www.firetide.com
About NETGEAR, Inc.
NETGEAR (NASDAQGM: NTGR) designs innovative, branded technology solutions that address the specific networking, storage, and security needs of Small- to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) and home users. The company offers an end-to-end networking product portfolio to enable users to share Internet access, peripherals, files, multimedia content, and applications among multiple computers and other Internet-enabled devices. Products are built on a variety of proven technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and powerline, with a focus on reliability and ease-of-use. NETGEAR products are sold in over 28,000 retail locations around the globe, and via more than 39,000 value-added resellers. The company's headquarters are in San Jose, Calif., with additional offices in 25 countries. NETGEAR is an ENERGY STAR® partner. More information is available at http://www.netgear.com or by calling (408) 907-8000. Connect with NETGEAR at http://twitter.com/NETGEAR and http://www.facebook.com/netgear.