From The Naked PC issue #5.01...

Belkin Makes SOHO Networking Simple

by Al Gordon
January 3, 2002

For small offices and home users, networking is very much a do- it-yourself project, so simplicity of setup is a key consideration. That's a strong point of Belkin Components' new networking product lineup.

For more details, links, and pictures, please see my supplemental page:
http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/501/tr.cgi?al1

I covered key product features in the last issue:
http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/501/tr.cgi?al2

Now let's look at setup. For the various network cards, the procedures pretty much are the same: turn off the PC, open the desktop box, put the card into an available PCI slot, and then restart your computer. With a notebook, simply snap the PC Card into place. Either way, you put the setup CD-ROM in your drive, Windows launches the familiar plug-and-play device setup wizard, and installs the requisite drivers. With a 802.11b "WiFi" wireless card, you also need to install a utility on the CD that lets you determine encryption settings and the like as well as monitor the wireless signal.

In addition, for both Ethernet and WiFi cards, you install utilities from the CD that will configure your Windows settings to support the network. You can do this configuration if you must, but most users would prefer to accept Belkin's shortcut. And if you are running Windows XP, you skip this step because once the network cards are installed, XP launches its own setup wizard to do the configuration.

With the network cards in place, you then proceed to connect them up to the network gateway of wireless access point that stitch together your network. The procedures are pretty much idiot- proof. Of course, when installing the gateway this particular idiot managed to mess up one step because Real Geeks Don't Read Manuals. So I missed a key point in the broadband gateway installation, leading to one of those embarrassing moments on the order of--Me: "I can't get your %$^# gateway to work!!!" Tech Support: "Did you follow the instructions?" Me: "Oops."

The procedure in question is that you must--MUST--power down your PC and broadband modem. Then, while powered down, connect the modem to the gateway and the gateway to the PCs in the network. And then you must restart in this sequence: first power the modem back on and let it initialize, then power on the gateway, and only then turn on your PCs. This is nothing specific to Belkin or anyone else's networking components. You have to re-initialize a broadband modem whenever you fiddle with its connections.

The only secret here is to remember to read the manual.

Both the Ethernet and 802.11b gateways are configured by using your browser to address the gateway, where another wizard process sets the options for the unit. The gateways will support static (fixed) or dynamic (changes each time you connect) IP addresses (your computer's address on the Internet). Internet providers generally give their users dynamic addresses; static addresses tend to be used on corporate networks.

There are some minor flaws in the Belkin products. As the leading source of Ethernet cables, Belkin should have included a short cable with the gateways to connect them to your broadband modem. The manuals, at least the versions I received, were written pre- XP and don't explain XP procedures. Belkin, which makes a ton of products for connecting printers to more than one computer, should have built printer sharing capabilities into the gateways. The power and Ethernet jacks at the back of the Wireless gateway are too close together, so they interfere with each other and the WiFi antennas.

But overall the design and ease of use is excellent. I had a network of two desktops with Ethernet cards, plus a notebook with wireless, plus a Pocket PC handheld with an Ethernet adapter, all up and running in a little more than an hour. And most of that time was spent running the Ethernet cables and opening up the desktop boxes to install cards. That's my idea of how to network.

You can reach Al Gordon at:
mailto:al@TheNakedPC.com

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