Proxim Symphony HomeRF 2.0 USB
and PCMCIA network adapters
A review
of the first
10Mbps HomeRF products
by Chris Kaminski  18-Oct-2001
Hands on review
Proxim’s USB and PCMCIA
Symphony HomeRF 2.0 network
adapters are the first 10Mbps HomeRF products
that have made it to the market. They offer an alternative to other
wireless standards and boast a user interface that has been designed from
the start with the home user and novice in mind. PCMCIA Network
Adapter: This network adapter is a 16-bit PCMCIA Type II Card and
is meant to be uses in
laptops. A small removable antenna snaps on to the
end of the PCMCIA card to bring the wireless signal away from the laptop
case for better reception. Other antennas may be used with this
card.
USB Network
Adapter: The USB network adapter has a built in antenna and
comes with a 6 foot usb cable. This allows you to place the antenna far
away from the case of your computer. For optimum
reception, place the antenna on a shelf away from
any other electrical equipment. Since the USB network adapter is self powered (usb powered)
so it does not need to be plugged into an electrical
outlet.
OS Support
The basic networking drivers for HomeRF wireless
networking work on Windows 98, 98SE, ME, and 2000 Professional. At this time support
is not available for Windows 95, 2000 Server, Macintosh or Linux
platforms.
Install
For my tests, I used the PCMCIA
card in a Windows 2000 laptop and the USB adapter in a Windows 98SE
desktop. Both installs worked flawlessly. The instructions were easy to
understand and follow. In just a few minutes, I had a secure, wireless
peer to peer network between my computers. A couple more
clicks and my computers were sharing files and printers.
The only configuration I needed to do was to type the same ‘security code’
(like a network password) into each computer. Proxim’s software handles the
rest.
I am not normally an advocate of software that masks the technical side
of networking, but Proxim seems to have pulled it off very
well.
Operation
Unlike my 802.11b network , the
HomeRF network did not interfere with my cordless phone (thank you!). I
found the connection to be reliable throughout my home. The included
software does not give and exact network throughput, but
I found myself able to get about 3Mbps or so anywhere in
my home or yard – much like an 802.11b network with
encryption turned on. I tested the unit through two floors and a
couple walls at the same
time and the signal remained excellent. Once the signal
quality drops off because of range or interference, performance degrades quickly. Actual range will of course
vary with the construction of your home and placement of the
antennas.
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