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The article evaluates several Wi-Fi USB adapters including AirStation WI-U2-866D from Buffalo Technology (UK) Ltd., DWA-182 Wireless AC1200 Dual Band USB Adapter from D-Link Corp. and WUSB6300 802.11ac Wi-Fi client USB adapter from Linksys Corp.

The article reviews different Wi-Fi routers such as the Belkin N Wireless Router, the D-Link Wireless N Router, and the Linksys Wireless-N Gigabit Router WNR3500. INSETS: Features to Look For;Intel's 802.11n: No Slouch.

The article presents a comparison of Aventail EX-2500 and the F5 Networks FirePass 4100 secure socket layer virtual private networks and offers information on its features and cost.

The article evaluates two load balancers for computer networks. NetScaler 9400 Secure Application Switch is really several appliances in one. It includes sophisticated load balancing, web site acceleration technologies such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol compression and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)-session consolidation, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) acceleration, intrusion detection and prevention, web caching and SSL Virtual Private Network capabilities. More than just a sophisticated load balancer, it increases the performance of web sites by consolidating the dozens or even hundreds of TCP connections used between a client and server to one, reducing TCP/Internet Protocol traffic and load on the server. Further, it buffers TCP connection information from slower clients, reducing TCP overhead. Redline Networks' E/X 3250 Version 3.4 has added features in its new OverDrive, which is essentially a simple programming environment for creating content-delivery applications. It makes the overall device much more flexible, because any feature can be programmed as desired, rather than having only the options that ship with the device. Because the appliance is typically installed in a single-leg typology, there is no need to change the network settings for the servers behind it.

This article evaluates several enhanced and speed-boosted 802.11g devices: AirStation 125 High-Speed Mode Wireless Cable/DSL Router with AOSS from Buffalo Technology; Linksys Wireless-G Router with Speed Booster from Cisco Systems; and AirPlus XtremeG DI-624 from D-Link Systems. The second generation of 802.11g promises speeds of 108 to 125 megabytes per second (mbps). The high-speed wireless mode is non-standard: in order to get the promised speed increases, the user have to utilize both cards and routers that have the same type of speed-boosting technology, currently selling in two competing variants: 108 and 125 mbps. Though all these devices are certified Wi-Fi G compatible that simply means they will perform in the standard 54-mbps 802.11g mode with G cards and routers from other vendors. Super G has been criticized in the past for using so much of the Wireless Fidelity band that other networks in the vicinity, which normally would seek out and use non-overlapping channels to avoid interference problems, could be affected. Users should probably not be buying these routers in the first place. When reliable and compatible Wireless Fidelity service for typical broadband connections are needed, an inexpensive 802.11g router will provide all the speed required.

The article evaluates the 802.11ac wireless networking standard.

The article reviews several free or cheap computer software tools for locating Wi-Fi networks including WeFi, Plug and Browse, and WiFi Guardian.

Evaluates the Longitude 1.0 systems management solution from Heroix Corp. in the U.S. List of remote management protocols used by Longitude; Advantages and disadvantages of Longitude; Cost of Longitude.

Evaluates the NetVCR 2005 computer network protocol analyzer from Niksun. Features; Capability; Cost.

This article evaluates the EtherneTV Media Distribution System from VBrick Systems. Use of streaming video in the enterprise has been limited to transmitting tiny talking heads. Trying to include useful features such as whiteboard shots and product demonstrations has proven too difficult for all, but the most advanced and costly video distribution systems. VBrick's EtherneTV Media Distribution System changes that. However, it is not cheap, ranging from $10,000 to more than $100,000 for a complete system. Yet VBrick has succeeded in creating a single system that combines near-broadcast quality, appliance-like ease of setup, and flexible support for live broadcasts, on-demand streaming, and videoconferencing. A typical setup would have the bricks getting their initial configuration through Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, with the MCS handling connection or multicast channel setup. VBricks decision to offer MPEG-4 as an encoding alternative to MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 was a good one. The format meets low bandwidth requirements and can stream reasonably good video to even mobile telephones and handheld devices. Each brick can be controlled in a variety of ways: via serial- or Telnet-based command line; with a Web browser through an encrypted login; with Simple Network Management Protocol; and via the MCS scheduler.

This article features the Hybrid-Virtual Private Networks (VPN) Gateway from Net6. Net6 has enhanced its Hybrid-VPN Gateway to encrypt signaling paths for all voice over Internet Protocols (IP), including Single In-Line Package, H.323, and proprietary protocols from vendors Avaya, Cisco, and Nortel Networks. This includes a patent-pending Voice-over-Screen Script Language feature, peer-to-peer media routing for call control, and encryption at variable bit rates for both voice and video. The product has been tested with IP phones from major vendors. Pricing ranges from $1,500 to $40,000 for 10 to 2,000 concurrent tunnels.

This article features the Web site filter 5.0 of SurfControl. SurfControl has updated its complete line of Internet content-filtering products. Web Filter 5.0 adds a spyware category to its threat database, as well as the ability to block p-to-p application sites. Administrators can now monitor all SurfControl installations from a single console. In addition, the product's filtering agent has been enhanced for greater accuracy. Instant Message Filter 2.5 supports the latest AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo! messaging protocols, as well as the BitTorrent, OpenNapster, and WinMX p-to-p networks. The Mobile Filter product facilitates filtering for remote or seldom-connected users. In a typical 500-user installation. Web Filter costs $19 per user. Instant Message Filter costs $9.50 per user, and Mobile Filter costs $6.65 per user with a $2,500 one-time server fee.

The article evaluates Systinet Server for Java 5.0 from Systinet Corp. Systinet Server for Java is one of the more mature simple object access protocol (SOAP) servers available. Perhaps the most anticipated feature of the latest version is its support for WS-ReliableMessaging, a SOAP messaging specification developed by BEA, IBM, Microsoft and Tibco. Using WS-ReliableMessaging, SOAP server can guarantee the reliable delivery of messages over unreliable transport protocols. Systinet is the first vendor to implement the WS-ReliableMessaging specification in a shipping product. Systinet Server installs easily and runs on almost any operating system, either in standalone mode or in cooperation with other Java Environments, such as Apache Tomcat, BEA WebLogic, or IBM WebSphere. The server provides a Web-based interface for configuring the server and deploying and monitoring services. When a service is deployed, an administrator can use the management console to enable and disable it, monitor it for performance, and trace SOAP services without writing clients. The most fundamental infrastructure component for production-quality Web services is a SOAP server. The addition of WS-ReliableMessaging makes Systinet Server a must-have platform for building Web services-based applications.

Features the NetWare 6.5 bundled software from Novell. Capabilities of the Nterprise Branch Office property of NetWare 6.5; Importance of the Internet small computer systems interface aspect of NetWare; Information on the process of installing NetWare 6.5.

Evaluates the ipMux TP/5, a five-port Simple Network Management Protocol-manageable Ethernet Internet Protocol multiplexer, from IMC Networks. Features of the product; Pros and cons; Platforms; Cost.