The Packet Monster (PacMON) VTX1100 is a fully integrated, eight-port Ethernet packet that supports Home Phoneline Networking Alliance (HomePNA) applications. It's also intended for affordable high-speed networking applications. The VTX100 connects directly to HomePNA transceivers to supply a low-cost solution for connecting computers, peripheral devices, and other information appliances to each other and the Internet. At the same time, it works with standard telephone services using the same wires. Sharing existing phone lines with plain old telephone service (POTS) like this provides high-speed data networking without costly rewiring of established buildings.
The device also supplies a cost-effective Layer 2 switching solution for standalone or chassis-based MDU concentrator applications, bringing the price of HomePNA cards down to less than $15 per port. It comes with eight 1/10-Mbit/s serial ports with direct interface to HomePNA PHYs, or eight 10/100-Mbit/s RMII ports, and one 10/100-Mbit/s auto-negotiating MII/serial port as an uplink. And, it supports WinSock 2.0, as well as Windows 98 and Windows 2000 smart applications.
Product samples, reference systems, and complete design kits are now available. The VTX1100 costs $16 each in 10,000-unit quantities.
Vertex Networks, 16842 Von Karman Ave., Bldg. 200, Irvine, CA 92606-4950; (949) 252-8880; fax (949) 252-8868; Internet: www.vertex-networks.com.