Killer Wireless xTend technology aims to boost WiFi using your gaming PC

This year during Computex, we saw several new systems boasting Rivet Networks' new Killer Wireless xTend technology, which is rolling out alongside the new Killer Wireless-AC 1550 chip. We'll be seeing this new wireless technology implemented in motherboards and laptops throughout the year, but what is it and what does it do?

Each year, people connect more and more in-home devices to the web, but often getting a good wireless signal throughout a house can be challenging. The most powerful of these devices more often than not, is the gaming PC. With Wireless xTend, devices will be able to not only prioritise gaming-related traffic over other connections, but it also be able to turn your PC into an additional access point for the home.

Once Wireless xTend is switched on, the home network is cloned to seamlessly extend your network for a better WiFi signal. With this method, wireless network range can be extended by up to 1,000 square feet.

Using the Killer Control Center application, users will be able to switch xTend on or off. Users will also be able to see a list of connected devices and where traffic is being used, similarly to what many third-party routers currently offer. Killer Wireless will also detect any time sensitive traffic, like streaming or gaming and automatically prioritise it for better performance.

Currently, we are expecting Killer Wireless-AC 1550 chips and xTend technology to roll out in several systems and laptops this year, with Alienware, MSI, Acer Predator, Zotac and Clevo already signed on as partners.

KitGuru Says: In some ways, xTend would be a simple replacement for something like an ethernet switch. It could also remove the need to set up an additional router in the house to boost a WiFi signal. We'll be looking forward to seeing this technology put to the test in the future, once it starts hitting the market. 

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