Reviews / previews
Linksys' quick-start networking package, the Etherfast Switched 10/100 Network in a Box, does exactly what it's supposed to do, and without the hassles of other network packages we've tried.
The package comes with everything you need hardware-wise: two Linksys PCI LAN cards, a five-port hub, and two15-foot network cables. (The LAN cards have a "wake on demand" feature. If one of the computers on your network is in suspend mode when another PC requests info from it, the PC will automatically power up.)
On the downside, the only game included was Descent III, but Linksys did throw in Acotec's Internet LanBridge Software for sharing a single Internet connection on both computers.
Installation involved plugging a LAN card into each computer (up to five with the purchase of additional cards) and running cables from the back of each card to the hub. The wonderful step-by-step instructions make sure even the greenest PC user will be able to set up a network.
The performance of a true network is impressive when compared to the phone line and USB networks on the market. The chart shows the Linksys package's great performance when placed beside D-Link's all-in-one package, the DFE-910. In a head-to-head, they were neck-and-neck. Quake II and Starcraft were impressively lag-free. And while I tore my hair at night listening to the Concorde-like fan of the D-Link's hub-and eventually just yanking the power cord--the Linksys package's hub is delightfully noise-free.
For true network performance and hassle-free operation, the Linksys package is the way to go.-- Danny W. Lam / GamePro
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