Advantages: Firewall for the whole Network, Wireless, Your Own Site filtering options
Disadvantages: 20Mbs internet speed restriction.

...The joy of Internet, yet, Internet providers thinks that one computer per house is enough... Hence, they give you modems that allow only one computer to connect to the internet, the one with the modem attached to it. Sure, I tried Microsoft internet sharing, but that means I must keep my computer ON for the whole family to connect their computers to the web across mine... Forget that, the cost of repairing anything on my computer beats many times the cost of this router. With 54Mbs Wireless speed, and a WDS feature allowing me to extend the Wireless range with the help of another 3Com Access Point, 4 LAN ports saving me money on buying a Hub or a Switch to allow my family PC to connect to mine, I actually got myself a good deal. I later configured the wireless and added my laptop to the lot too. Within 10 minutes I was connected... Read review

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Advantages: Simple, dual speed, small size
Disadvantages: Only 5 ports (?)

...Not much to say about this really. I bought this for a pound (!) on Ebay to connect to my router giving me 4 more ethernet ports to connect stuff to my network. That's all it does, gives you more connection; there's no firewall, DCHP, nothing, but then that's all in my router. Its 5 autosensing ports (Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45)automatically detect the speed of the attached device to maximize network performance - with a data transfer rate of up to 100 Mbps. It really was a "plug-and-play" installation with no configuration needed, it connected straight into my network - I didn't even ned to read the manual ! The auto-sensing feature means that you can plug the "in" cable into any socket - another 3Com switch I have has a specific "in" port. It's nice and small (Weight 0.6 kg, Height 4.2 cm, depth 13.5 cm, Width 22.8 cm... Read review

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Advantages: Reduce TCO
Disadvantages: not really for home use

...3Com's excellent network interface card (NIC)certainly cuts the mustart especially for the desktop. It gives 10Mbps over CAT 3, 4 or 5, and 100Mbps for CAT 5. It has the usual RJ45 and BNC connections for ethernet networks. Installation is a dream especially on plug and play operating systems. For the network management freaks among you it has :- 1) Performance Management 2) Network Management (over switched networks) 3) Remote Wake Up (RWU) 4) Desktop Management capabilities. Overall the card is extremely reliable and robust. Advantages: Reduce TCO, Easy installation Disadvantages: could be too costly for the home user... Read review

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Advantages: So Easy installation, Simple and effective design
Disadvantages: None of which I know

...GENERAL OVERVIEW This 3COM OfficeConnect switch is considered my best. It has simple yet effective design and so easy to use and configure: just plug the cables and it is on. It is very useful for home networks and small business networks, as it can connect up to 5 computers with the 10/100 Mbits per second speed. FEATURES Five autosensing ports automatically detect the speed of the attached device to maximize network performance With plug-and-play installation and no configuration needed, the switch fits easily into your unmanaged network Full-duplex feature supports two-way data transfer, doubling the effective bandwidth of the network Compact, fanless design ensures quiet operation in small office spaces Connectors at rear help reduce cable clutter FCC Class B switch is approved for use in small office and home office environments... Read review

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Advantages: Ebay bargain !
Disadvantages: Only 10 mbps, Only 4 ports

...Bought this on Ebay for a bargain £1 to expand my network. I've since replaced it with another 3Com hub (check out my other reviews), but thought I'd still let you know a little about it. It's an entry-level, 4 port hub, but only 10BASE-T, rather than the faster 100BASE-TX - that's why I upgraded, so you can connect 4 users together. There's one (manually switched) MDI-MDIX port to provide simple "in" connection from a server, switch, or hub, and three other female RJ-45 ports to send the network signal out to 3 other items. The hub has an external power supply and a "CoolCurve" self-cooling design eliminating the need for a noisy fan. Its dimensions (height: 3.6cm, width: 23.1cm, depth: 13.6cm) allow it to fit nicely with other 3Com OfficeConnect units - special stacking clips are available. It's an "unmanaged" hub, so there... Read review

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Advantages: small compact size, metallic body, passive cooling=no noise
Disadvantages: gets a bit hot during summer

...Windows 98/2k/xp over samba, which unfortunately only 50-60% efficient. Transfering files over FTP is gonna be miles faster than samba (windows file and print sharing) They are all auto MDI-X on every port, so it doesn't really matter if you';re using a cross over cable or not, as the switch will sort it out The LEDS on the ports indicate 1000mb or 100mb and the status LEDS on the panel indicate 10mb connection and blinking = activity. It's silent, as it's all passivly cooled, unlike 3com switches/hubs, which is good when you have these in the bedroom! It's solidly built and i really can't fault it, and I feel it's worth the money as most other switches are all plasticy and cheap looking/feeling. 1gb transfer over samba takes around 3-4 minutes... which is fast - as you'd expect for gig ethernet.... and ftp transfers are even faster! go... Read review

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Advantages: Fast excellent buld and drivers
Disadvantages: Price

.... Installation ************ To install the card into my PC Powered down and disconnected the PC's from the mains. Then removed the thumbscrews holding the side panel on my PC then slide off the side panel. Next removed the blanking plate next to a spare PCI slot and pushed the card into the PCI slot. The card should slot in easy then held in with thumbscrew. Putting the side panel back onto the PC the reconnecting to the mains and the physical installation is finished. When Windows started i the card was automatically detected the drive it installed. There s some other 3com software on the CD which can give you statistics and help you run tests. I wouldn't bother installing this onto a home PC unless problems are encountered. Testing out the setup *********************** As well as the network card I also upgraded my network switch to gigabit... Read review

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Advantages: Better than a hub, Well priced
Disadvantages: Only 5 ports, yet another damn power adapter!

...(also tells you the current load (%) on the network), but was just too slow when copying large files from machine to machine (like when I need to install or copy a windows service pack onto a machine (100megs worth!) Actually, its not that slow, but in this day and age, I want it copied and I WANT IT NOW! So patiance is not one of my more exercised virtues... Along comes the Linksys 5 port switch. Firstly, While wondering through PC World (yes, I know), I started to look and the hubs, hoping a 100BaseT would catch my eye for next to nothing. Well, that didn't happen. There were some nice 3Com hubs, but for a 100BaseT, I was looking at over £100. Then something caught my eye. It was screaming 200Mbs at me and was only £70. I picked up the box with trembling hands, it was not a hub, it was a switch...I had heard of these, but thought... Read review

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Advantages: Features
Disadvantages: Software

...The 56K Message Modem can be left to store incoming voice and fax messages while your computer is switched off. Access your messages remotely using a touch tone telephone or turn your computer into a full duplex hands-free telephone. Worst complaint is the software supplied with it, it is generic and the manual is for the professional message modem. Contacted 3Com support and they only supplied the same software/documentation again. Can't figure out if/how the speakerphone or remote message retrieval is supposed to work. Messages have a received timestamp of when you acess them rather than when they were received. Otherwise works absolutely fine.... Read review

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