The most recent articles from Computeract!ve

Review: T-Mobile Web 'n' Walk Stick networking

Anthony Dhanendran — 2008-09-05T10:00:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Friday 5 September 2008 at 10:00:00

Work or play on the move

The Web 'n' Walk Stick allows users to access the T-Mobile network from a computer – not for making phone calls, but for internet access.

Just as a 3G phone can be used to browse the web and read emails, so can a computer with one of these devices (it requires a mobile phone Sim card to be slotted into it before it will work).

Installation was hit-and-miss: the first time we tried we came up against some incomprehensible errors, but having returned that device to T-Mobile and getting another in return we tried again with much better results. The second time around was painless – we plugged it into a spare USB port, it automatically installed its own software and we were away.

Internet access was fast and generally impressive – we didn't get the promised 7.2MB per second, but it was certainly as fast as the average home connection. The speed does vary depending on where you are – if your signal is weak the speed drops drastically and in some parts of the country there's no signal at all.

It's fairly expensive on a 12-month contract, with the basic package starting at £20 per month (plus £20 for the Web 'n' Walk Stick) but if you sign up for two years the device is free and the package price drops to £15 per month for 3GB of data (the 10GB package costs £30).

One advantage of going with T-Mobile is that you get unlimited access to T-Mobile wireless hotspots across the country, which hugely increases its flexibility. For notebook users, this kind of product is ideal, and if you plump for the 10GB and don't do much video or music downloading, it could even replace your home broadband.

Vista compatible: Yes

Review: Devolo Wireless Extender Starter Kit networking

Anthony Dhanendran — 2008-09-01T10:00:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Monday 1 September 2008 at 10:00:00

Homeplug takes to the air

Devolo's Homeplug kit uses the mains power lines in your home to connect computers together.

Plug one of the devices into both the mains and the computer, and another into the mains and the computer, and they'll both start talking.

The new kit, the Wireless Extender, includes one of the standard devices and another with an aerial extending from its top.

You can use it as a normal Homeplug adapter, but it can also be used to create or extend a wireless network. For instance, if you don't already have wireless, you can use the second adapter to create a network.

Setting up the basic Homeplug network was easy – just plug and go if you wish, or install the supplied software to set up security so that your transmissions can't be intercepted by someone who shares your power lines (if you're in a shared block, for instance).

Wireless setup was likewise simple – again, the software allows the user to easily start the network connection and secure it with a password. The devices can also be used to extend an existing network (put them in another room and they'll extend the range for notebooks that are far from the router). But we were disappointed to find that, in this mode, they only support the outdated WEP encryption (in standalone wireless mode they support the newer WPA and WPA2). If you only need the extender, it's available on its own for £80.

Review: Emprex NSD-100 networking

Anthony Dhanendran — 2008-08-06T12:07:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Wednesday 6 August 2008 at 12:07:00

A peer-to-peer download device that automates downloads from the web

Emprex's unique NSD-100 automates Bittorrent downloads.

Bittorrent is a way of downloading large files over the internet.

Predominantly these are illegal music and film downloads, but there's also a fair amount of legal content such as copyright-free films or large program files.

To download a file you first download a smaller 'torrent' file from the web, and run this in a Bittorrent program, then leave the PC on and wait for it to download. With the NSD-100, you don't need to leave the PC on.

Instead, plug in a USB hard disk (it must be at least 10GB), load the torrent file using the web interface and set it going. It uses very little power and makes no noise, so you can leave it on overnight and your files will be there in the morning.

Once we got it working, it worked very well, but the installation process was quite painful. The manual is written in poor and absurdly technical English and the web interface wasn't very easy to use. But it did the job well and with little fuss once set up. But then the D-Link DNS-313 does a similar thing, you can insert your own hard disk and it is only £15 more.

Review: US Robotics 56K USB Modem networking

Anthony Dhanendran — 2008-06-25T15:55:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Wednesday 25 June 2008 at 15:55:00

A slimline USB modem that provides dial-up internet access

Most of the UK's internet-connected population is now using broadband, but even for them there are times when it's handy to have a modem handy for making an old-fashioned dial-up connection.

Chiefly, that's going to be when the broadband connection isn't working, or when travelling, and that's when the US Robotics 56K USB Modem comes in useful.

It's a small chocolate bar-sized device that connects using a built-in USB cable. Software is supplied and is easy to install under Windows XP and Vista.

There's also a cable for the phone connection, but annoyingly, the one in our kit was an American-style one, so you'll need to invest in an adapter (for a few pounds from Maplin or similar shops) to connect to British sockets.

It worked well – speeds are, of course, nowhere near broadband rates, but it’s as fast as we'd expect from a dial-up connection. The standard Windows dial-up networking software is used to make the connection, so there's no need to use extra software.

Our only problem is the price – competing modems may be a lot bulkier, but they're also a lot cheaper.

Review: Apple Airport Express networking

Cliff Joseph — 2008-05-07T15:58:00.000Z

Cliff Joseph, Computeract!ve, Wednesday 7 May 2008 at 15:58:00

Compact and affordable music streamer and print sharer

The Airport Express is not one of Apple’s best-known products but it’s a handy little gadget.

It looks like a fat mains plug and it goes directly into a mains power socket. Inside that little white plastic case is a wireless access point – the new version is updated to use the latest high-speed 802.11n wireless technology.

However, the Airport Express isn’t meant to be used for setting up a wireless network. Unlike a wireless router/modem, the Airport Express does not include a broadband modem for the internet connection, so it’s not for those who need to set up an entirely new wireless network at home or in an office – a combined modem/router would be much better for that.

In fact, the Airport Express is primarily designed to be a wireless music system to be used in conjunction with an existing network.

The key feature of the Airport Express is the audio connector on the base of the unit that allows users to connect it to a speaker or hi-fi system so that you can stream music wirelessly from the computer to the Airport Express in any room in your house (though you’ll need Apple’s iTunes software running on the computer for this – it won’t work with the Windows Media Player).

You can buy multiple Airport Express units and pipe your music around the entire home if you want. They might sound expensive, at £65 each, but it’s a lot cheaper than rival multi-room music systems such as the Sonos Zoneplayer or Logitech’s Squeezebox. One other use for the Airport Express is as a portable wireless network device.

Its compact design means that you could easily take it on a trip and set up a little wireless network in the hotel room – perhaps using it to tap out a few emails while you lounge on the bed with your notebook. It can also be used to share a printer across the house.

As a wireless router the Airport Express is fairly limited, and there are many better options available. However, it works very well as a simple and affordable wireless music system that can be used to pipe music to any room in your house.

Review: Edimax Wireless IP Camera networking

Cliff Joseph — 2008-04-17T00:00:00.000Z

Cliff Joseph, Computeract!ve, Thursday 17 April 2008 at 00:00:00

A useful but complicated webcam

A wireless webcam – or Wireless IP Camera, as Edimax rather geekily calls it – can come in handy in all sorts of ways.

One of the most common uses is for security – like a low-cost CCTV camera, it can be set up to monitor a particular location, and then use it to beam images back to the computer so that you can always see what’s going on. However, there are other way in which it may appeal to home users.

Many people have webcams attached to their computers, but a wireless camera such as this can be moved around more easily, so that you can place it anywhere in your home. You could, for instance, use it as a baby-monitor to keep an eye on a sleeping toddler while you work in another room.

You can also share the camera with other people on the home network, so that different people can watch the action on their own computers. So we can certainly see lots of potential uses for the Wireless IP Camera. Its 640x480 pixel resolution produced good quality images, and at around £50 it’s pretty good value too.

However, Edimax should have done a bit more work on the camera’s ease of use.

As it stands, it looks like it was designed for IT specialists who understand the intricate details of network settings, rather than ordinary home users who want a simple device that they can set up without too much trouble. The 40-page manual provided with the camera (as a PDF on disc, not printed) is full of complicated technical details that many people will find quite confusing.

In the end, we had to call the technical support people at Edimax to get the camera working properly with our notebook PC. We can give full marks to Edimax’s technical team for holding our hand as they walked us through the process (although as with all services, your experience may be different), but we can’t help thinking that the whole process could have been a lot more straightforward.

So while the Wireless IP Camera is potentially very useful, the installation process needs to be simplified if the company wants to reach home users as well as corporate IT departments.

Buy the Wireless IP Camera.

Review: Hawking HWUG1 wireless network adapter

Tom Royal — 2008-03-31T00:00:00.000Z

Tom Royal, Computeract!ve, Monday 31 March 2008 at 00:00:00

A USB adapter with a removable external aerial that's ideal for desktop PCs

There are dozens of wireless network adapters on the market today, with more and more connecting to a computer’s USB socket.

This is certainly convenient, but if you use a desktop PC tucked under a table it can cause problems as the adapter and its aerial are often hidden behind the PC, obstructing the wireless signal.

Hawking’s HWUG1 adapter has a simple answer: it has an external aerial that can be turned around into the best position or even replaced with a larger one if needed.

The HWUG1 supports the older 802.11g wireless standard rather than the newer, faster 802.11n, but this is reasonable at its price. It works with Windows XP and Vista but like many manufacturers Hawking annoyingly insists on including its own program to manage wireless connections.

We think it’s simpler to just let Windows deal with networks, and in fact on our Windows Vista PC the Hawking program caused problems. After removing it the adapter worked well.

Otherwise the HWUG1 performed excellently. Notebook users may prefer a more compact adapter with a built-in aerial, but for desktop PC users this is a good buy.

Review: Solwise NET-PL-200AV-PIGGY Homeplug adapter networking device

Paul Monckton — 2008-03-23T00:00:00.000Z

Paul Monckton, Computeract!ve, Sunday 23 March 2008 at 00:00:00

Plug your network in

Solwise’s Homeplug adapters do away with both network cables and the hassle of setting up wireless networks, because they using your home's mains electrical wiring instead.

Each computer or device to be added to the network will usually require both a network connection and a mains power connection. Where most Homeplug adapters use up a mains socket for themselves, the Solwise Piggy units are fitted with a mains socket of their own. This means a single mains socket is all you need to provide both power and network connectivity to the PC.

Although the adapters are a little large and bulky, they’re well constructed and just slim enough to avoid interfering with adjacent sockets, while a trio of indicator lights show you when the network is correctly set up. With most Homeplug adapters you can simply plug them in and start using the network right away.

However, networks set up like this are not secure: anyone on the same physical mains system could plug in their own adapter and gain access to it. However, like wireless networks, Homeplug networks can be protected. Most Homeplugs require software for this, but Solwise’s SimpleConnect technology does you away with all that by using a simple push-button.

Pushing the buttons on the adapters within two minutes of each other creates a secure network without the need to run any software. The technically-minded can still set things up the old way using the utility CD provided.

Unfortunately, the software is not as easy to use as we’d have liked, although it does offer some extra options such as the ability to give priority to certain types of data (if you want to make sure your Skype calls can always get through, for instance). The Homeplug standard has become widely adopted and comes in three speeds.

The Piggy uses the fastest version, called Homeplug AV, which delivers enough speed for high-definition video, fast internet and voice communication at once. If you want to stream such video from PC to living-room TV, a pair of Piggies will provide a quick and easy connection without the need to set up a wireless network.

Also consider:

Panasonic BL-PA100KT

Slinklink Turbo One-Port mains network adapter

Review: Linksys NAS200 networking

Anthony Dhanendran — 2008-01-15T00:00:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 15 January 2008 at 00:00:00

Network storage in a simple package

The Linksys NAS200 is a network hard disk that comes without a disk, so it's up to the buyer to install one or two - the unit has two easily accessible drive bays.

Setting it up didn't take long - we plugged the disks in and fired up the supplied CD, and were given the option of configuring the disks in one of three ways.

With two 500GB hard disks installed we were given the option of automatic backup (so-called mirroring), or combining the disks into a single 1,000GB disk, which can offer speed advantages, but which means that if one of the disks fails, you lose all the data stored on both. Or it can be used as two separate disks.

Although it's easy to set up, the NAS200 is quite slow - we picked up speeds of only 4MB per second, around one third of what we'd expect from a decent network hard disk. Not only does this mean it'll take ages to fill the NAS200 with files, it also made it tricky to watch video files directly from the device, with our test movies stuttering during playback.

The unit is small and unobtrusive, so it can easily be tucked away in a corner somewhere in the house. It's important to make sure there's adequate ventilation, because the fans that cool the hard disks need enough space to expel the hot air. This also leads to a certain amount of fan noise, which can be distracting.

Other features include automatic backup using a button on the unit and a pair of USB ports for adding external hard disks, should you need even more space. We were disappointed that it can't be used as a network printer server, though. Overall, it's a cheap-ish way to get storage on a network, but we reckon the D-Link DNS-313 edges it for convenience and price.

Vista compatible: Yes

Review: D-Link DNS-313 networking

Anthony Dhanendran — 2007-12-04T00:00:00.000Z

Anthony Dhanendran, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 4 December 2007 at 00:00:00

Easy to use network storage disk

Network storage makes more sense for home users now that so many of us have two or more computers in the home, along with growing collections of pictures and music.

The ability to share these between computers is valuable, which is where network storage, which doesn't need a PC to be switched on, comes in.

The DNS-313 doesn't come with a hard disk - the user has to add their own Serial ATA disk, but that is a very simple business. After that, it's a case of plugging it all in and running the supplied software on any PC, at which point it sets up and formats the disk, as well as giving the DNS-313 a name so it can be easily found on the network.

Once that's done, it can be accessed using the standard Windows networking system, but it's also possible to run the same disc on other PCs to automatically create shortcut icons for the disk.

The device is unobtrusive when in use - it has a fan to cool the disk but this is not very loud. Like all networked hard disks, it's quite slow compared with disks connected directly to a computer, so if you're using the disk for backup, it will be a long process.

Vista compatible: Yes

Review: Slinglink Turbo One-Port mains network adapter

Simon Williams — 2007-07-04T00:00:00.000Z

Simon Williams, Computeract!ve, Wednesday 4 July 2007 at 00:00:00

The maker of the Slingbox tries mains networking

There have been various attempts to use the mains wiring in homes and offices for computer networking, as an alternative both to running wires all over the place and the hassles of wireless networks.

Early problems with spikes caused by fridges and boilers seem to have been overcome and the latest entry into the fray is Sling Media, makers of the excellent Slingbox television re-broadcaster, with the Slinglink Turbo.

The trend towards providing no documentation for computer gear continues unabated and the Slinglink Turbo comes with the briefest of Getting Started slips. If it doesn’t work, you’re pretty much on your own, with only the website to help. In our tests, though, it could hardly have been simpler to set up and use.

You plug each Slinglink Turbo box – the device is another oddly angular little box, like the Slingbox – directly into a mains socket (the Getting Started slip warns against using multi-way power blocks or surge suppressors) and connect a cable from the PC or router to the box’s network socket. That’s it: you should then have a network connection, with no extra cabling.

The device is compatible with the Homeplug standard, which means it will work with other Homeplug devices such as those from Devolo and Netgear.

To test out the Slinglink, we connected one box to our router and the other to a notebook computer in a different room, but on the same ring main. We then copied a 1GB collection of files of various types and sizes, from a desktop PC to the notebook. This took just under 11 minutes, giving an average speed of 1.5Mbits/sec.

For comparison, we copied the basket to another PC on the same network, but with the two hard-wired together via a standard network cable. It finished in just under three minutes, a speed of 5.7Mbits/sec. So, the Slinglink is not much more than a quarter of the speed of a conventional wired network, but that may not be a problem in a home environment. It’s still fast enough to shift media around a house, after all.

Slinglink Turbo is part of a range of kit that makes good use of its mains-based connection. At the moment, the only parts available in the UK are the Slinglink and the aforementioned Slingbox, which redirects and streams TV programming from cable, satellite or PVR to any PC fitted with a Slinglink.

Vista compatible: N/A

Review: D-Link Medialounge DSM-520 media streaming device

Paul Lester — 2007-03-13T00:00:00.000Z

Paul Lester, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 13 March 2007 at 00:00:00

Wirelessly stream digital media from your computer to a home cinema setup

D-Link’s previous media streaming devices have been less than inspiring. Various wireless stability problems made them more frustrating to use than anything else.

However, the new Medialounge DSM-520 is a far more steady effort, offering a range of connectivity for today's entertainment market.

You’ll find HDMI, scart, composite and S-video connections, along with USB for direct access from a portable media device or digital camera, and a network socket to hook up to a wired home network.

The Medialounge’s main function is to stream content wirelessly from a PC, so a wireless home network is recommended. A short setup routine configures the connection and, provided you have some basic experience in this area, there shouldn't be any problems getting it up and running.

Media Server software needs to be installed on the computer and its here that folders are chosen that share content with the MediaLounge, which is then accessible through the TV.

Photos and music streamed flawlessly on our 802.11g wifi connection and it’s now a lot easier to browse and control media remotely.

Video playback, the biggest weakness of the past Medialounge devices is far more stable, and almost all of the content we tested worked first time without too many problems. Although, we did notice the connection dropping a few times in the middle of playback which was rather frustrating.

There's support for the large majority of media formats, although connecting external media devices to the USB generated some issues with unsupported codecs; hopefully something that can be resolved in a future firmware update.

In addition, the DSM-520 can stream internet radio stations and, via the Totalvid.com service, a 30-day trial of which is provided.

Where previous products in the series were far too troublesome to garner a recommendation, we enjoyed using the DSM-520, and putting aside niggling glitches with the wireless connection it’s a genuinely useful addition to a modern day home cinema setup.

Vista compatible: Yes

Review: Devolo dLAN 200 AVdesk networking

Luke Peters — 2007-01-23T00:00:00.000Z

Luke Peters, Computeract!ve, Tuesday 23 January 2007 at 00:00:00

Stream HD video around the house using power-points

Streaming video and music around the house is a great concept, however Wifi can be incredibly fickle and, in its current state, doesn't like shifting large files such as high-definition video.

So, what's the solution? Running myriad network cables between devices just isn't practical and could have your house looking like the inside of a telephone exchange box.

A better method is to invest in a relatively new type of home networking that uses the electricity cables inside your walls to carry data.

Using these existing cables, the Devolo dLAN 200 AVdesk can transfer data at speeds of up to 200Mbits/sec, which is easily fast enough for a couple of simultaneous HD streams and a lot faster in real life that what today's wireless standards can actually handle.

It's very easy to set up too. Just attach one AVdesk to your broadband router with a network cable and plug it into the mains. In another room plug the other AVdesk into the wall and attach an network cable to whatever device you want to stream media, or the internet, to (another computer or an Xbox 360, for example). And that's it. No installing software, no configuring security (this is done automatically) and no digging up the carpet. Brilliant.

In practice, the AVdesk handled a number of concurrent streaming activities quite comfortably, including a HD movie stream from a network attached hard disk, iTunes music playback from another computer and a Slingbox TV stream. To say we were impressed would be an understatement.

What's more, anything that sports a network socket can be plugged into the AVdesk. So, you could extend the reach of your Wifi connection by attaching a wireless adapter, or set up a networked home security camera. It certainly has a lot of potential and will undoubtedly resolve a lot of problems for anyone that finds their wireless home network just too flakey.

While the Devolo AVdesk is undeniably a great product, it's expensive. A starter pack of two AVdesk adaptors will set you back a cool £180, with each additional adapter costing £100. It also means losing a power socket for each adaptor you connect. However, the AVdesk will run off a gang-plug and is compatible with other Homeplug Powerline adaptors.

Improvements we would like to see in the next version would be more network sockets on the adaptor for connecting more than one device. We're told this could feature in the future.

Also consider

Panasonic BL-PA100KT

Networking over the mains made easy, but they're not Homeplug compatible

Netgear HDX101

Can Netgear's latest Powerline product live up to their 200Mbit/sec label?

SMC EZ-Connect Turbo Powerline adapter

A pricey but simple way to avoid installing Ethernet cable - but the 85Mbits/sec rating is optimistic

All networking reviews

Western Digital Netcenter

Luke Peters — 2006-03-03T00:00:00.000Z

Luke Peters, Computeract!ve, Friday 3 March 2006 at 00:00:00

Store and distribute data without being attached to a PC

More and more houses now have their own networks and it's common to share files between the related PCs.

Rather than using the file and printer sharing built into Windows, the Western Digital Netcenter, with 320Gb of hard disk space, can store and distribute data without being attached to a PC.

Setting it up involves plugging it in, starting it up then connecting it to a free network port on your router. Running the included software on a connected PC will create a Desktop shortcut for the disk, and will allow you to set up a username and password.

The Netcenter can connect a printer to the network via the USB port on its back panel. It can also back up files from attached PCs, but it can't send media to a media streaming device.