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By Brett Johnson
(6/19/02)
Today, home-networking products come in all sorts of colors, shapes, and sizes. While selecting one to complement your home decor is important, choosing the right technology to match your networking needs is vital. How large is your house or apartment? How many computers do you want to network? Are you concerned about security? These questions are just the tip of the iceberg, but they'll help you decide which networking technology will work best for you. If you're still not sure, look for our comprehensive networking feature next month, where we'll examine the different technologies, help you get started, and offer tips on making your network secure.
Until then, we've rounded up six products that support different networking technologies. The Netgear uses regular old Ethernet to connect computers via Cat-5 cabling. We've also looked at two products that take advantage of the wiring already in your home; the 2Wire sends data over your phone lines, while the Linksys USB adapter uses your home's electrical wiring. Finally, we compared three wireless products from Proxim, Agere Systems, and D-Link, which support HomeRF, Wi-Fi (802.11b), and Wi-Fi5 (802.11a), respectively. Also remember that these companies support most--if not all--of the technologies listed.
Kristina Blachere is a former senior editor for CNET Tech Trends and a frequent contributor to CNET Reviews. Kyla Carlson is a frequent
contributor to CNET Reviews, and Brett Johnson is an associate editor for CNET Reviews.
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