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Netgear DB-104NA Dual Speed Starter Kit
Manufacturer: Netgear ProductGroup: CE Binding: Electronics  Networking Kits
| Wired Networks
| Networking & Online Communication
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ASIN: B00000J4MB |
Product Description
First of all, this starter kit lets you do exactly for what it is made: start you out. It is a great networking product out of the box, but once you add users, it is highly expandable via its 10/100 platform and uplink port. "Network in a Box" for the user that has basic network needs. This package allows for the connection of two PCs with expandability to four running under 10 or 100 Mbps, mix and match. The hub is great. Has a status light for every imaginable problem. Solid medal case makes it real sturdy. Even has a kit for attaching it to a wall. Has an odd transformer setup so you don't need 2 plugs worth of space on the power strips. The cards are easy to set up. They have 5 LEDs on the back to monitor problems without going to the hub. Kit includes instructions not only how to install the cards and software, but how to set up file and print sharing.Amazon.com Review
Looking for a quick way to network a couple of PCs? Consider the Netgear DB104NA Network Starter Kit, which uses 10/100 Mb per second Ethernet components to ensure high speed performance but is so easy to install that even novices should have no trouble.The kit comes with a few basic PCI 10/100Base-T Ethernet network-interface cards (NICs), two 25-foot long cables to connect the cards to the included 10/100Base-T four-port hub, and a power adapter for the hub.
The most impressive part of the package is the hub, a solidly built and compact metal unit with plenty of status lights. There are four Ethernet ports on the front of the box, and if you have more than four PCs to connect you can use the fourth port to uplink to another hub. A simple button is used to switch between normal and uplink modes, making it easy to upgrade when the time comes.
Installation is easy since the products are designed to work with one another and the NICs are plug-and-play devices. It took about 20 minutes on each of our two test PCs to install the NICs, about two minutes to attach them to the hub, and less than 30 minutes to configure the network. You should have similar success with the hardware installation, but the network configuration time will vary depending on your experience. Performance in file transfers and LAN gaming was right up there with other 10/100Base-T networks with hubs that we've tested in the past.
The few problems we found with the kit were minor. The cables were stiff, so snaking them around objects was more difficult than it should have been. The included network cards don't support Wake-On-LAN features, but that likely won't be a problem if you are connecting only two PCs. We also would like to have seen a switch rather than a hub at this price, but for home or small office use it really shouldn't matter. Other than that, this is a nice kit for beginners, offering fast speeds and a decent amount of scalability should you decide to add more computers to your network in the future. --T. Byrl Baker
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Customer Reviews:
Great for home & small office.......2001-05-10
I was a little concerned that with different operating systems and three different brands of cards, that there might be a problem. It works perfectly. File transfer and sharing is a cinch on each machine. I haven't even hooked up my HP Laserjet to the new Dell because it is set up to share the printer with any computer hooked into the hub. I love it.
Great for Home Network!.......2000-12-13
After you are hooked up to a network you will not need to swap disks all the time in order to exchange information or to move files for printing. You can transfer a hundred megabytes in a minute or two depending on the kinds of files.
Setup is a breeze if you have ethernet cards installed already. Even if you do not have cards installed already there are instructions to walk you through step by step.
By the way, if you are just using this for a home network, pick out the Netgear hub combo that gives you the most stuff for the cheapest. I have bought at least 3 different ones and the all provide the same functionality as far as I can tell. It is just that sometimes they come with one more port, or an extra cable, or multiple speed compatibilities.
A great starter kit!.......2000-11-22
There are a couple things I'd recommend, especially if you plan to use the network for internet access. First, you need to understand that the "hub" is basically set up so that it allows one PC to access one computer, or your internet connection at a time. So, be prepared for waits if more than one of you is attempting to be online at one time. If you want to avoid that problem, you will want to install a "switch" instead of the "hub" which allows simultaneous traffic to flow at at the same time. We just upgraded our Netgear network with a switch and it has made all the difference.
The other thing-- you will need some kind of routing mechanism to handle the Internet connection. This can be hardware based (like the Netgear RT311 Internet Access Gateway Router) or software based. We chose to use Wingate software (available online at their website) and it has served us well.
Finally, we had trouble getting a D-Link network card to work with the system, though my laptop's Linksys card works fine. My advice, if you want to avoid problems, pick up the Netgear network cards. I've got a spare D-Link card sitting here in my office if you need one!
All in all, we've loved the system. The documentation is simple to follow and the quality is first rate!
The Perfect starter kit.......1999-09-17
The hub is great. Has a status light for every imaginable problem. Solid medal case makes it real sturdy. Even has a kit for attatching it to a wall. Has an odd transformer setup so you dont need 2 plugs worth of space on the power strips.
Cards: Great cards. Easy to set up. Has 5 lights on the back to see problems w/o going to the hub. Kit includes instructions not only to install the cards and software, but how to set up file and print sharing.
Cables: What can I say, their cables. However, their good ones, and serve their purpose.
Overall: Great kit. WONDERFUL price. I recommend this to anyone what wants a 100/10 MBps starter kit. A+
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