Press Release

Back to Press Releases

Control4 is First to add Cloud-Based Management for Connected Homes to High-Performance Routers

With BakPak release, Control4 aims to make remote network management within reach for every connected home

Salt Lake City, UT – February 1, 2017 9:00 a.m. ET – Control4 Corporation (NASDAQ: CTRL), a leading global provider of connected home solutions, announces the release and immediate worldwide availability of BakPak on Pakedge RK-1 Routers. A first for the industry, the integration of the latest release of BakPak management software with the router enables Control4 dealers to offer more homeowners the benefits of a monitored, intelligent home network.
 
BakPak proactively manages both the IP network and smart home devices, delivering real-time visibility of network health, allowing diagnostics and troubleshooting before problems happen to mitigate downtime, service calls, and unhappy customers.  Now integrated with the ubiquitous network device, the router, Control4 is arming its dealers with a more robust tool to help them manage their customers’ systems remotely.
 
“With BakPak monitoring the home network, the automation system, and all of the devices connected to it, remote management becomes standard for dealers,” said Martin Plaehn, Control4 CEO. “The connected home is a reality; with an ever-increasing number of connected devices, integrators need more sophisticated services to meet the expectations of customers. That is why we are including BakPak on every RK-1 Router as well as every NK-1 wireless controller, to provide our dealers with the remote management tool they need for every customer.”
 
With BakPak available on both the Pakedge RK-1 Router and NK-1 wireless controller, dealers neither have to justify a monthly bill to their customers nor do they need to absorb recurring monitoring fees as a cost-of-doing-business in order to deliver exceptional customer service for the home network and automation systems. BakPak enables dealers to reduce the number of onsite support visits, adding to business efficiency and customer satisfaction.
 
BakPak offers the ability for dealers to also remotely-monitor home automation products including those connected via ZigBee, Z-Wave, Ethernet, and WiFi – bringing all connected devices into a single interface. New BakPak features, released today, enable dealers to bring a new customer network online quickly through a new wizard-based approach. New troubleshooting and alert features include diagnostic information for ZigBee and Z-Wave signal strength and mobile alerts for diminished internet speed tests.
 
The Pakedge RK-1 Router is a high-performance router for the connected home. The RK-1 Router includes a powerful dual-core processor and CPU to manage simultaneous streams of high bandwidth, low latency multimedia traffic including 4K and HD video, uncompressed audio, running Voice over IP (VOIP) telephone services, streaming video camera feeds, and supporting Control4 system applications. The enterprise-grade residential router has five LAN ports, two WAN ports for failover, plus two USB 3.0 ports.


Pricing and Availability
The RK-1 Router with BakPak pre-configured to manage and monitor an unlimited number of connected devices within the home is available today without any license or subscription fees for $750 US MSRP. Existing homes running an RK-1 Router can be upgraded to BakPak without additional license fees.
 
The Pakedge NK-1 Wireless Access-Point Controller also supports BakPak and is available today without license or subscription fees for $500 US MSRP.  Existing homes running an NK-1 WAP Controller can also be upgraded to the latest firmware with BakPak support without additional license fees.
 
All 5,000 independent authorized Control4 and Pakedge dealers have access to Pakedge networking products including high-performance routers, switches, wireless access points (WAPs), wireless controllers, and power distribution units (PDUs).
 
For more information on Control4 visit www.control4.com and www.pakedge.com.
  
About Control4
Control4 [NASDAQ: CTRL] is a global provider of automation and networking systems for homes and businesses, offering personalized control of lighting, music, video, comfort, security, communications, and more into a unified smart home system that enhances the daily lives of its consumers. Control4 unlocks the potential of connected devices, making networks more robust, entertainment systems easier to use, homes more comfortable and energy efficient, and families more secure.  Today, every home and business needs automation horsepower and a high-performance network to manage the increasing number of connected devices. The Control4 platform interoperates with more than 10,000 third-party consumer electronics products, ensuring an ever-expanding ecosystem of devices will work together. Control4 is now available in 91 countries. Leveraging a distribution channel that includes over 3,900 custom dealers, retailers, and distributors authorized to sell the full-line of Control4 products, with over 1,100 additional dealers and distributors that are authorized to sell our Pakedge branded networking solutions only, Control4 is delivering intelligent solutions for consumers, major consumer electronics companies, hotels, and businesses around the world. 
 
Control4 Press Contact
Kimberly Lancaster, Caster Communications
[email protected]
401-792-7080
 
# # #
Copyright ©2017, Control4 Corporation. All rights reserved. Control4, the Control4 logo, the 4-ball logo, 4Sight and Pakedge are registered trademarks or trademarks of Control4 Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other names and brands may be claimed as the property of their respective owners. All specifications subject to change without notice.
 
Source: Control4