Linksys Returns with New Switches, Routers for SMBs

After nearly a year dormant, Linksys, the venerable provider of affordable networking gear aimed at consumers and small businesses, has resurfaced with a series of switches and routers aimed at SMBs.

Last January, Cisco Systems (CSCO) sold off Linksys to Belkin, the consumer and electronics peripherals giant, in a $500 million deal, effectively ending the networking vendor’s sketchy foray into the home market. Linksys hasn’t sold into the SMB segment for some time but, under the Belkin banner, the vendor has repositioned itself as a networking provider for that market.

The initial product suite in the Linksys Business series features seven unmanaged switches—including three with Power over Ethernet (PoE)—and two VPN routers. The new unmanaged managed Desktop Gigabit Switches include 5-, 8-, 16- and 24-port versions and 8-, 16- and 24-port versions that include PoE. The new Linksys LRT series integrates Gigabit firewall, site-to-site VPN and various remote access VPN technologies into two single solutions. Included in the series are a Gigabit VPN Router and a Dual-WAN Gigabit VPN Router.

“It’s with our commitment to honor the Linksys heritage by entering back into the SMB space to target SMB businesses and resellers with solutions that are purpose-built for SMB environments,” said Ben Thacker, Belkin Enterprise Business global vice president. “Our lineup of switches and VPN routers is the first in a series of high-performance business networking and security solutions to come from Linksys.”

Linksys’s lineup of unmanaged switches is available now through distribution but the VPN routers won’t start selling until early December, according to the company. Channel partners can access the vendor’s website for a list of distributors. Arrow (ARW), Avnet (AVT), Ingram Micro (IM), Synnex (SNX) and Tech Data (TECD) are among the 13 distributors who’ve signed on to handle the line.

Here’s a list of the new Linksys SMB products and list pricing:

Unmanaged Switches

Unmanaged PoE Switches

VPN Routers