SOHOware CableFREE NetBlaster II Review - PAGE 1

Wireless is the wave of the future. Or so we have been told. In the every day working world it’s not obvious, but technology is ever moving towards the day when wireless communication and networking become easier to integrate into the work and home environment. Right now the products to wirelessly network your office or home are already on the market. Based on either the 802.11b or the HomeRF protocols, these new products make relatively high-throughput wireless networking a reality.

The 802.11b protocol dominates right now thanks to its faster, 11Mbps rating and it’s range capabilities. Most of the networking companies you know have am 802.11b wireless solution right now. Today, we take a look at SOHOware’s entry into the market with their 802.11b compatible NetBlaster II products.

Meet the CableFREE family

SOHOware’s NetBlaster II product line is part of their CableFREE series, which originated with the now ancient 1Mbps wireless technologies that first came out. The new NetBlaster II line consists of the expected range of products which include the wirelesss hub (or access point), a PCI adaptor, and a PCMCIA adaptor card. For this product line, SOHOware once again aims to keep prices highly aggressive while also easing the installation procedure for newcomers.

They also hope to set themselves apart by providing products that deviate from the market norm. The PCI card, for instance, has an external antennae module that SOHOware feels offers an improved range over some of their competitor’s PCI cards. SOHOware is also quick (and proud) to point out that their PCI card is also a true standalone PCI card, while many other companies chose to use an adaptor PCI card that actually mates a PCMCIA wireless adaptor with a PCI adaptor card. Installation made easy

SOHOware, in following with its attempts to target the home market, has simplified its installation process with a detailed manual and an extremely convenient fold-out setup guide. Both the manual and the setup guide are intended for the entire NetBlaster II line, so the heft of the 72 page manual actually covers a lot of general topics that relate to any of the Netblaster II products. Those of you who have read my SOHOware NetGuard router review will remember my praise for their helpful and thorough documentation. SOHOware delivers again with the extensive and comprehensive manual. Again, kudos to their tech writing team for such a useful manual, which covers all the necessary aspects of using the NetBlaster II products, including a helpful section on advanced configurations and troubleshooting problem connections.

Installation of either the NCP130 PCI Card or the NCP110 PCMCIA card requires mere moments. We had a little trouble with connecting to the Wireless Hub but that was resolved with several minutes of tinkering with the Hub’s ID. The included software utilities are simple, yet highly appreciated. With these utilities, you can monitor the connection quality, plot the total bandwidth usage with time, and also extensively edit the adaptor or wireless hub settings. Altogether, the entire software/installation package gave the NetBlaster II products a professional quality that I was impressed with.