News Release
VIA and LocustWorld Extend the Reach of Broadband Internet
through Wireless Mesh Networking
Proven deployments in industrial and developing countries
deliver affordable broadband coverage to both remote towns
and major cities around the world
Taipei, Taiwan, 6 January 2004 - VIA Technologies, Inc,
a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies
and PC platform solutions, today heralded the success
of its collaboration with UK-based LocustWorld, the world's
leading mesh networking specialist, in providing urban
and rural areas with high performance, economical broadband
networking over a wide area using specialized mesh routers
based on VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboards.
LocustWorld has successfully deployed numerous mesh 802.11
networks, from isolated villages beyond the reach of local
ISPs to major urban areas, providing a low-cost invisible
blanket of WiFi coverage that delivers high-speed access
to the digital world of commerce, education and entertainment.
Towns and villages across Europe, the U.S. and Asia have
benefited from wireless mesh networks installed over the
past year, from Germany to Texas and Borneo, as well as
major cities such as London, UK.
"Getting more people online is a vital part of our
Empowered Connectivity strategy, enhancing economic and
educational prospects and promoting digital equality,
both in industrialized and developing nations," said
Richard Brown, Associate Vice President of Marketing,
VIA Technologies, Inc. "LocustWorld shows that with
the wireless mesh, broadband internet is within everyone's
reach. With their open standard, easy to install mesh
networking system based on VIA's embedded platform technologies,
LocustWorld has clearly established that the wireless
mesh is the most effective way of delivering broadband
internet services."
LocustWorld mesh routers are built around VIA EPIA VE5000
Mini-ITX mainboards featuring the VIA Eden Platform that
enables 24/7 operation in smaller, quieter routers with
full networking capabilities. LocustWorld and VIA are
working together on the next generation of routers that
will be based on the new VIA Nano-ITX form factor with
the VIA Eden-N processor, the smallest and lowest power
processor with enhanced hardware-based security features
for faster and more effective AES encryption.
"We have been overwhelmed by the demand for our
mesh routers, but working closely with VIA has given us
the confidence to respond to the needs of mesh operators
worldwide," says Richard Lander of Locust World.
"Moreover, LocustWorld has built up a great reputation
as the most secure wireless network available, and the
PadLock ACE cryptography tools in the new VIA Eden-N processor
will augment that by enabling us to build additional layers
of security into our wireless mesh without compromising
performance."
"VIA's embedded technologies, part of our Spearhead
Platform Initiative, are absolutely ideal for these mesh
routers due to their size, power consumption and connectivity,
enabling smaller, quieter and smarter systems that are
easier to install and offer greater security - key drivers
of mesh networking," said Steven Lee, head of VIA
Embedded Platform Division. "We are delighted that
LocustWorld are taking full advantage of our platform
and processor technologies, and especially in developing
a dedicated application for the PadLock ACE feature that
will facilitate much faster encryption and benefit all
users of mesh networks."
More information on the VIA Mesh Networking Platform
and LocustWorld please click here.
About Mesh Networking
Mesh networking is an innovative, scaleable approach
to building complex data networks easily and cost effectively,
comprising a series of smart digital routers based on
the x86 platform that are designed to carry broadband
wireless Internet over a wide area, with autonomous self-detect
to enable best-path transmission and ensure always-on
coverage.
Suitable for remote villages beyond the reach of ISPs
to industrialized cities, mesh networking is rapidly becoming
established as a viable and low cost way to deliver broadband
wireless Internet. Mesh networks can be configured in
numerous ways for commercial and non-commercial uses,
and in public or private networking environments.
About LocustWorld Mesh Routers
The LocustWorld Mesh Router is a digitally intelligent
device the size of a small video recorder and is based
on the VIA EPIA VE5000 Mini-ITX mainboard with a fanless
VIA Eden ESP5000 processor, thus containing no moving
parts, making for reliable and more cost effective operation.
Comprising several ports for device connectivity and at
least one on-board WiFi radio, it can create wide area
wireless broadband by sending data in multiple low-power
hops, enabling the data transmission to cover greater
distances.
Using the public AODV networking standard, each LocustWorld
mesh node is autonomous, discovering routes among other
routers in the mesh based on demand, enabling the network
to maintain full coverage even if one router goes offline.
LocustWorld mesh routers support 802.11, Bluetooth and
Ethernet connectivity.
The next generation of mesh routers from LocustWorld
will be based on the new VIA Nano-ITX form factor and
will feature the VIA Eden-N processor, the smallest, lowest
power fanless native x86 processor, and a new application
that optimizes advanced security capabilities of the PadLock
Advanced Cryptography Engine (ACE) that incorporates two
random number generators and an AES encryption unit directly
onto the processor die, greatly increasing the speed and
effectiveness of encryption yet using a fraction of processor
power.
More information on LocustWorld mesh networking can be
found at: www.locustworld.com
About LocustWorld
LocustWorld produces the MeshAP, providing hardware,
software and services that allow customers to build complete
mesh networking solutions. Based in the UK, LocustWorld
addresses the demand for mesh networking using their own
resources assisted by a network of regional service providers.
LocustWorld has gained world-wide recognition as the
leaders in wireless mesh networking, with live installations
and public references and many happy customers. Many of
these reference installations are described in detail
at www.locustworld.com |
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