Connect your PCs to share Internet access, files, printers and more with the Intel® Anypoint" Wireless II Network.

Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is a technology that makes home networking invisible to the user. UPnP builds on existing Internet standards to enable PCs and intelligent networked devices in the home (such as audio/video devices and Internet gateways) to automatically connect with one another without requiring complicated network settings. As the name implies, devices with UPnP technology are simply "plug and play". UPnP can work with essentially any networking technology in the home, wired or wireless.

One product in particular that benefits from UPnP is the Internet Gateway. Most gateways today allow a single Internet connection to be shared by multiple computers in the home. Unfortunately, this technology prevents many compelling applications, including multiplayer games, file sharing, and real-time communications (like Internet phone), from working correctly without extra tools and advanced knowledge of gateway and networking configurations.

UPnP, on the other hand, allows an operating system like Windows® XP to detect the presence of a gateway, learn about its capabilities, and then automatically configure applications accordingly. UPnP is the only solution available today with this functionality.

Researchers at Intel research and development are working with other industry leaders to make this vision of easy home networking a reality. Intel is a founding member of the UPnP Forum, a consortium comprised of over 380 member companies from a variety of consumer industries. Intel has also created an open source Linux* software developers kit that enables manufacturers of home-networked devices to add UPnP functionality to their products.

UPnP is an OS-independent specification that does not require a computer, however, a Pentium� 4 processor-based PC will dramatically increase the capabilities and power of a UPnP-based home network and provide the richest user experience.

UPnP has already gained broad industry adoption, and products featuring the UPnP logo are expected to ship in 2002.