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OBSCURE DEVICES BECOME MAINSTREAM

As computer technology becomes more commonplace in our homes and offices, we find ourselves becoming more cognizant of devices that were just recently of interest only to technicians and network engineers. Ask anyone who has tried to connect more than two USB peripherals such as a printer and scanner to their computer. Since most computers only come with two USB ports, they were quick to discover they had no more to plug in. What do you do when you run out of power sockets on the wall? You add one of those multiple A/C sockets. Similarly, what you need to add is a little box called a "hub" that contains several additional USB ports into which you can attach more USB devices. Hubs are now fairly commonplace and most of us with computers know about and probably own at least one.

With more of us going online using high speed or broadband access such as ADSL and cable modems, chances are it won't be long before you're going to learn about another networking gizmo. You're going to realize a similar need of wanting to add additional Internet devices to your single Internet connection. Examples include plugging in a second computer for the kids as well as acquiring a new breed of appliances that require high speed Internet access. So how do you plug in these additional devices to your single Internet connection? There's another little box you'll need to learn about and it's called a "router."

Looking much like a hub, a router sports several plugs into which you can plug your additional computers and devices to be connected to the Internet. And one special plug on the router called a WAN connects to your single DSL or cable modem connection. But unlike your multiple A/C plug and to some extent the hub, a router is a far more complex and sophisticated device and must do a lot more than just distribute one source to the connected many.

Depending on the authentication method, every computer or device that connects to the Internet via your broadband connection must be identified by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a unique password or address. Most ISPs allow only one per account so having several computers and devices would not be allowed. In my case, the router literally fools the ISP by pretending to be the one authorized code for everything that's attached to it. This process is called "spoofing" and in this application is perfectly legal.

NETGEAR has just introduced their 4-port RP114 router that's easy to connect and set up. Smaller than a paperback book (most are the size of a small VCR), the RP114 has been designed with the nontechnical end user in mind. Using any web browser, the built-in setup wizard walks you through the one time configuration. It even has the ability to automatically retrieve much of what's needed. NETGEAR claims one hour but I was able to hook up and configure the RP114 in just over 5 minutes. The RP114 includes additional items not normally found in routers such as parental controls that prevent little eyes from seeing bad things as well as maintaining logs of places visited, the ability to implement restrictions based on the time of day and it can even send email alerts on browser activity and if violations are attempted.

The RP114 sells for $139 and is compatible with most platforms such as Windows, Macintosh and Linux.

www.netgear.com

More hubub on hubs

While we're on the subject of hubs and their ilk moving into the mainstream, check out the latest hubs from Adaptec. The XHub +4 ($89) and XHub +7 ($139) are 4 and seven port hubs respectively that work with the older 1.1 and the new 2.0 USB standard. What makes them stand up in a crowd is that they literally do just that. They stand up. The XHub is a small square hub with eye appeal. The little hubs stand up on a small wire frame which also doubles as a wire management system so that all your USB wires aren't strewn all over the place and keeps everything off your desk. And since there's all this spare surface area on the face of the hub, Adaptec designed it so you can insert your favorite image or photo making it a high-tech looking picture frame. Talk about a hub that deserves a second look. Let's face it. Hubs weren't made to be beautiful. One usually finds a hub sequestered away behind a desk somewhere out of sight. The XHub might change all that or at least it's a small step towards the ever growing trend of making technology a thing of beauty.

www.adaptec.com