Asante Partners With Apple and Broadcom to Break the $1,000 Barrier for Gigabit Ethernet Switches.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

MACWORLD Expo NY 2000

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 2000

The New Standard for Ethernet is Now Available at Less Than

$250/Port

Asante Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASNT.OB) today announced that it has partnered with Apple Computer (NASDAQ: AAPL) to introduce the most affordable Gigabit Ethernet switch to date. The Asante FriendlyNET(tm) GX4 Gigabit Ethernet over copper switches were designed to work with the new Apple(R) Power Mac(R) G4 systems. Asante also worked with Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM) to incorporate its industry standard BCM5400 Gigabit Ethernet transceiver into the FriendlyNET GX4 switch. With Gigabit switching priced at less than $250 per port, workgroups can now afford to upgrade to 1000BaseT, the new standard for Ethernet. Asante has made Gigabit Ethernet the ideal choice for connecting Power Mac G4 digital design workstations and servers.

Driving the Gigabit Ethernet Revolution

"Apple and Asante have teamed to provide the most powerful Gigabit Ethernet technology for Power Mac G4 customers. The FriendlyNET GX4 is the perfect complement to leverage Apple's Gigabit Ethernet port on the new G4s," stated Clent Richardson, Vice President of Developer Relations for Apple Computer, Inc. "At 1000 Mbps, Power Mac Gigabit Ethernet networks will provide great performance and productivity improvement for workgroups handling very large files for prepress or rich content development," explains Richardson.

"Asante's leadership in developing low-cost Gigabit Ethernet switches now makes Gigabit Ethernet technology affordable for any small business and workgroup," said Martin Colombatto, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom's High-Speed Networking Business Unit.. "We are pleased that Asante has incorporated the industry standard BCM5400 Gigabit Ethernet over copper transceiver into their new FriendlyNET GX4 switch. Broadcom's BCM5400 is the only Gigabit Ethernet transceiver in production today, and is the engine driving the Gigabit Ethernet revolution," explained Colombatto.

"As the world leader in Apple connectivity solutions, Asante is proud to be setting new standards," explains Wilson Wong, Asante's President and CEO. "The new FriendlyNET GX4 switches deliver a new cost/performance level, to make next-generation technology affordable today," notes Wong.

"Apple's new Power Mac G4 systems are the first personal computers to ship standard with Gigabit Ethernet," said Clent Richardson. "The FriendlyNET GX4 is the perfect complement to the G4's new Gigabit Ethernet interface and provides incredible performance for workgroups handling large publishing images and digital video files."

Connecting Workgroups Faster

Compared with traditional Fast Ethernet hubs, the FriendlyNET GX4 Gigabit Ethernet switches deliver ten times higher bandwidth per port using the IEEE 802.3ab 1000BaseT Gigabit over copper standard. When connecting high performance workstations to prepress equipment, the FriendlyNET GX4 can send at 1000 Mbps and receive at 1000 Mbps simultaneously and concurrently on every port. Using Broadcom's advanced DSP technology, the GX4's features "self-correcting" Gigabit Ethernet over copper connectivity, where the transceiver automatically detects and corrects common wiring errors and negotiates the highest possible transfer rates. The innovative AsanteQ(tm) link quality monitor evaluates and adjusts for dynamic cable conditions without complex management or diagnostic equipment.

Showcasing Gigabit Technology at Macworld NY

"The new FriendlyNET GX4 switch is ideal for prepress and other digital media environments," proclaims Jim Hsia, Asante's VP of marketing. "Switched Gigabit Ethernet over copper provides maximum bandwidth for MP3, QuickTime and Quark files. This week at the Macworld NY Exposition, we'll show users how this exciting product can relieve network bottlenecks," notes Hsia.

Asante will be showcasing FriendlyNET Gigabit Ethernet solutions at booth No.1319 at the Macworld Exposition. The exposition runs from July 19th through 21st at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th Street, NY.

Pricing and Availability

FriendlyNET GX4-400 features four 100/1000 Mbps ports and sells for $1,299. For Apple Power Mac G4 customers, a $300 end user rebate is available from Asante resellers, e-commerce sites, system integrators, and buyasante.com. In addition, Apple customers may purchase the GX4-400 switch directly from the Apple Store for $999 (after $300 instant rebate). The GX4-400 switch is shipping now.

About Asante

Asante Technologies is the leading provider of network solutions for small offices/home offices, education (K-12 and higher education) and enterprises. The Company's FriendlyNET products simplify networking and provide Internet access for mobile and office professionals. The Company's IntraCore products support multi-service applications for large enterprises. For additional information, visit www.asante.com or call 800/566-6680 for FriendlyNET products or 800/303-9121 for IntraCore products.

Note to Editors: Broadcom(R) and the pulse logo are trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and certain other countries. Asante, AsanteQ and FriendlyNET are trademarks of Asante Technologies. All other brand names and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.