Microsoft Vista Home Networking Setup and Options
The most daunting part of upgrading to Windows Vista may be trying to figure out where in the layers of menus the networking and file-sharing options are hidden.
Tips for Securing Your Home Router
Seemingly minor and easily overlooked settings can still have profound security implications. Here are some steps you can take to make sure your wired or wireless home router — and by extension, your network — is as secure as possible.
Most Popular Reviews
Microsoft Windows Home Server
If you have a home network, you'll welcome the easy file sharing, remote access and the image-based backup features of Windows Home Server.
Iomega StorCenter Network Hard Drive
Iomega's fourth generation StorCenter Network Hard Drive brings many of the features found in higher-end storage devices down to an attractive price.
MikroTik's The Dude
This free tool delivers many of the same capabilities that you'd find in pricey network monitoring tools. As long as you don't mind tinkering, The Dude is a decent network utility that should be worth the download.
Umax/Maxgate UGate 3200P Cable/xDSL Sharing Gateway w/ Print Server
Author: Tim Higgins Review Date: 12/18/2000
Model: UGate 3200P
Pros:
- Built-in Windows bi-directional print server. - Fast!
Cons:
- Large footprint - More expensive than competition
100Mbps, Link/Activity, for each of seven LAN ports
Half/Full Duplex for each of seven LAN ports
Link & Activity for the WAN port
Connectors
One RJ45 10BaseT for the WAN
Eight RJ45 auto sensing 10/100BaseT LAN (one is Uplink shared with Port 7)
One DB25F
Power
Comes with
printed User's guide
Other
Hardware Reset switch
7 ports, fast routing and bi-directional printing
The headline above just about sums up the UGate 3200P. We were provided with an early production sample, and it worked pretty much like the UG3200 that we tested last August (read the review here).
The firmware was still under development and the admin screens had a new, cleaner look as shown in the screen shot below.
Poking around in the admin interface revealed some new features:
URL filter
Incoming Access Log
Outgoing Access Log
Although these are welcome features, the logs still need work. The Outgoing access log just showed IP address and Port number... a little cryptic for my taste. There also doesn't appear to be any way to log to syslog or SNMP capability for saving the logs, or any way to clear them either.
Printing away..
The 3200P's printserver worked well and does support bi-directional printers. It's LPRcompliant and can be used without any additional software on systems that support this method (WinNT4, Win2000, Linux, etc.). If you're running a Win9X system, Maxgate supplies a Print Port driver application that you can install to acess the printer. I had no problems using the driver to print to my Brother MFC 4450 multi-function laser printer. Note that I didn't find printer status in any of the admin screens, but Maxgate says they're working on this.
Summary
The 3200P looks like another solid router from Maxgate, but it enters a field where the competition has established a sizable beachhead. Although the SMC 7 port Barricade doesn't support bi-directional printers, it does have a serial WAN port for use with dialup or ISDN modems, and it's priced significantly lower ($160 vs. $247 on-line pricing as of 12/19/2000). Looks like Maxgate has some pricing work to do!