Entropic Communications, a leading provider of silicon and software solutions for connected home entertainment, announced its collaboration with Qualcomm Atheros to deliver home networking solutions and products based on the recently approved IEEE P1905.1 Draft Standard for Convergent Digital Home Networks, which provides a single protocol for unifying networks based on Ethernet, MoCA(R) (Multimedia Over Coax), Wi-Fi and HomePlug Powerline. Networking products that take advantage of a P1905.1-based architecture simplify the configuration and setup complexity when using multiple types of network technologies in a single home.
The companies are unveiling a joint reference design that enables service providers and consumer electronics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and original device manufacturers (ODMs) to build home networking products that improve whole-home coverage by using the MoCA network to extend the range of Wi-Fi. This reference design is the first step toward leveraging the in-home MoCA network to automatically authenticate and configure Wi-Fi Access Points (AP) into an extended service set (the “auto-configuration” feature in P1905.1), enabling seamless roaming of mobile client devices such as tablets, notebooks and smartphones — from AP-to-AP — throughout the extended whole-home Wi-Fi coverage area. Entropic and Qualcomm Atheros are collaborating to make this solution fully compliant with the IEEE P1905.1 Draft Standard.
“The convergence of broadcast and broadband content, especially video, benefits from the smart usage of the leading wired and wireless media available in the home,” said Patrick Ribardiere, director of product management, Qualcomm Atheros. “Through broad collaboration with Entropic, we are enabling OEMs and operators to extend the range of MoCA-enabled home networks by wirelessly connecting to any mobile, computing or CE device throughout the home.”
The reference design is built on Qualcomm Atheros’ widely adopted two-stream dual-band XSPAN 802.11N system-on-chip (SoC) with Entropic’s market leading MoCA-based silicon and software solution. With the combined technologies, the reference design will enable service providers and OEM/ODMs to deliver MoCA-to-Wi-Fi range extender products that will create a high performance whole-home network using existing coaxial cable infrastructure.
“In the United States, MoCA penetration is expected to exceed 25 million households by 2014, allowing existing MoCA home networks to quickly expand,” said Vinay Gokhale, senior vice president, Marketing and Business Development, Entropic Communications. “The high throughput and reliability offered through integrated Wi-Fi and MoCA networking makes use of the strengths of each technology to support robust HD streaming to tablets, smartphones, and other connected devices. Many companies talk about overcoming convergence challenges, but Qualcomm Atheros and Entropic are taking the lead to make this a reality.”
Entropic will be demonstrating the MoCA-to-Wi-Fi reference design, which incorporates Pre-1905.1 features during CES2012, booth #31253, January 10-13, 2012, in Las Vegas. The reference design will be available in Q1 2012.
For more information, visit Entropic at www.entropic.com