Belkin's new Pre-N wireless networking line
encompasses a router/4-port switch, a PCI card for desktops, and a
PCMCIA card for laptops ($160, $130, $110 respectively).
Dipping
into the alphabet soup for a moment, "Pre-N" signifies that it's being
launched in advance of the impending IEEE 802.11n specification, likely
to be ratified in early 2007 as a 108Mbps successor to the familiar
802.11b (11Mbps) and 802.11g (54Mbps) wireless specs. Using
multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) radio technology-the Pre-N has
three receivers and two transmitters-multipath, or the tendency of
signals to bounce around and arrive at different times, is turned from a
problem into an advantage.
By sending and looking for data
simultaneously in two or more streams, MIMO provides greater wireless
range and throughput than its predecessors-particularly indoors, where
walls and metal objects both attenuate signals and bounce them around.
The Pre-N is compatible with earlier b and g gear, but full MIMO
benefits require Pre-N end-to-end. Because there are several approaches
to MIMO (to be resolved in the final spec), you may not get MIMO
performance if you mix Pre-N with other manufacturers' MIMO units-or
final 802.11n gear, for that matter.
All of the Pre-N units come
with good installation wizards for PCs. The router allegedly includes a
Mac wizard, but it was missing from the CD, and I had to download it
from Belkin's support site. Unfortunately, only the router is
Mac-compatible at this point, but Belkin claims to be working on Mac
drivers for their PCI and PC cards.
Installation was
straightforward, though it still required the usual incantations and
restarts of the various boxes to get everything talking and connected to
the Internet through my cable modem. My most serious problem was with
the PCI card, whose transceiver (a PC card identical to the laptop
version) had to be plugged in 180 degrees opposite of both logic and
instructions, resulting in much cursing and a couple of bent pins before
I tried upside-down. Like most routers these days, the Pre-N has full
configuration and security features and can be managed from a web
browser; the interface and instructions are good.
I did a lot of
testing, comparing the Pre-N with earlier b and g routers. Belkin's
claims of a 20 percent improvement when used with older gear proved
accurate, and unlike many routers, mixing b and g in the network doesn't
slow everything down to b levels. End-to-end Pre-N was gratifyingly
speedy-under good conditions not much slower than my wired 100Mbps
Ethernet. And range was notably improved; I can finally get a usable
signal nearly everywhere in my three-level house and half-acre yard.
Equally impressive, from most spots the Pre-N punched through
microwave oven interference with barely a slowdown--this brought my b
and g networks to their knees. --Ken Henningsen
________________________________
As a look at the ads in any Sunday
newspaper will demonstrate, the growing phenomenon of multiple-computer
homes with broadband Internet connections has led to a similar explosion
of wired and wireless networking gadgets at much lower prices than only
a couple of years ago.
However, in spite of great improvements
in installation ease and general user friendliness, home networking
still means descending into a geeky underworld of impenetrable acronyms
and sometimes plug-and-pray setups. And particularly with wireless,
wizard-driven installations and a "What, me worry?" attitude may result
in a network that's dangerously susceptible to outside misuse and attack
unless one learns the meaning of some of those acronyms and takes some
precautions. So how to navigate safely and competently through these
often poorly mapped and sometimes dangerous shoals?
One way is to
start with a good primer on the subject, and I've just worked my way
through one such book: "Home Networking:
The Missing Manual," by Scott Lowe (O'Reilly
ogue Press). A
worthy addition to O'Reilly's Missing Manual series, Lowe's approach
combines a breezy writing style with clear and accurate descriptions and
instructions.
He starts with the basics and builds to some
fairly sophisticated operations, such as interfacing a network with home
entertainment gear. A welcome departure from many similar tomes, Lowe
describes networking procedures in Mac OS 9 and X as well as in Windows.
He also has good chapters on both firewalls and wireless security,
helping you make sure you don't become a target of all those miscreants
out there.
Bottom line, while this is a fairly basic book that
won't satiate Geek Squad types, it's just the ticket to get us mere
mortals started. --Ken Henningsen
