Joseph Moran

As any IT person will tell you, education is a critical component of the field, and becoming intimately familiar with new technologies often consumes a substantial amount of the average techie’s (increasingly) waking hours. Well, put a pot of coffee on–you’ve got some wireless LAN learnin’ to do. Your teacher will be “Wireless LAN Concepts”, […]

Model: ME103 Price: $169 Pros: 802.1x authentication, bridging (and soon repeater) functions, several antenna options Cons: No syslog support, requires RADIUS server The $169 Netgear ME103 ProSafe Wireless Access Point is the latest product in a trend to bring enterprise-oriented features to lower-priced WLAN devices. The ME103’s major claim to fame is support for 802.1x […]

At a conference in Tokyo this week, Sony released some additional data regarding its forthcoming PSP handheld console. Calling it a “21st century Walkman”, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Ken Kutaragi outlined some of the advanced capabilities of the product. “We will be using some challenging technologies including wireless LAN,” says Kutaragi. The statement would seem […]

Model: WBR-G54 Price: $99 ESP Features Performance Pros: Bridging function, 802.1x and AES encryption support Cons: Crude interface, poor long-range signal in some environments Buffalo Technology’s inexpensive AirStation WBR-G54 is back in a new-and-improved version, and it can boast being the first router to earn Wi-Fi Certification from the Wi-Fi Allaince for the final 802.11g […]

Model: WGR614 Price: $129 (ESP) FeaturesPerformance Pros: compact size, price, included 8-client software firewall Cons: firmware limitations currently affect range and performance in some modes, no WPA just yet The $129, Intersil PRISM-based Netgear Router WGR614 is the company’s 802.11g wireless router product. It provides a great many features, though the practical utility of some […]

Model: WP11A+ Price: $89.99 Rating: 4 out of 5 Features Performance At first glance, the $89.99 Compex WP11A+ NetPassage access point doesn’t look particularly noteworthy. After all, it’s only an 802.11b-based device, and doesn’t seem very glamorous given all the higher speed 802.11g products continually hitting the market. However, the WP11A+, which is based on […]

Model: F5D7230-4 Price: $129.99 Rating: 4 out of 5 Features Performance While the Belkin 802.11g Wireless DSL/Cable Gateway Router does not contain absolutely every feature one might want in a broadband router it comes close, and does offer a compelling mix of capabilities for its reasonable $129 price tag. Though many similar products may be […]

Model: F5D7010 Price: $79.99 Rating: 3 out of 5 The $79.99 Belkin 802.11g Wireless Notebook Network Card F5D7010 Wireless is the company’s 802.11g offering for laptops (you might have guessed that from the name). Shortly after getting the card, the 802.11g specification was finalized and I was able to download compatible drivers from Belkin’s Web […]

Model: MA111 Price: $59.95 (ESP) Rating: 5 out of 5 I’ve got to be honest with you–I just didn’t think there was much left that could be cool or interesting about an 802.11b NIC device. Receiving the Netgear 802.11b Wireless USB Adapter, model MA111, changed my opinion a bit though. While like most products, USB-based […]

Price: $69 (B-100); $119 (B-400) Rating: 4 of 5 The ZyXEL ZyAir B-100 and B-400 are two new WLAN adapters in a line that also includes the B-1000 access point and the B-2000 router. The $69 B-100 is a PC Card adapter, while the $119 B-400 is a wireless Ethernet adapter, commonly known as a […]

Model: B-1000 Price: $139 (MSRP) Rating: 4 out of 5 Features Performance At first glance, the $139 ZyAir B-1000 would seem to be a run-of-the-mill WLAN access point. After all, it only supports 802.11b, so it’s far from a speed demon, and its low $139 MSRP wouldn’t seem to betray any advanced features of any […]

Model: FVM318 Price: $799 Rating: 4 out of 5 Features Performance Many if not most broadband routers offer various levels of security and management functions. However, many of these same products distinguish themselves by an attractive price and easy setup, and to satisfy both requirements, the inclusion of comprehensive security and management capabilities are often […]