MRi SoHo Network Start-Up Kit

One of the most cost-effective and quickest ways to get your office PCs networked is to buy a complete starter kit comprising a few network cards, a hub and all the required cabling. We found SMC's EZ Networking Kit (reviewed issue 63, p168) good value as it offers a brace of dual-speed network cards and a four-port, dual-speed hub for only £110. Fast Ethernet is of limited value to small companies as the cards are more expensive than the standard Ethernet variety, and the ten-fold increase in bandwidth is unlikely to be consumed by simple file and printer-sharing operations.

The SoHo Network Start-Up Kit from UK-based MRi (Microcomputer Research) goes for the slower option and offers a quintet of Ethernet cards, a five-port hub, five 5m lengths of Category 5 cable and all for only £84. The hub fits in the palm of your hand and measures just 100 « 26 « 78mm (W « H « D). Even so, it's sheathed in a solid steel shell and has plenty of other features. The front panel has a bank of LEDs showing link status, activity and collisions, while the rear panel not only has five 10BaseT ports but also a sixth port for cascading other hubs from. When adding extra hubs there are strict rules such as the maximum number of cable segments and hubs between any two workstations, and we were pleased to see these requirements in the documentation explained clearly. Installation is simple as you decide on a suitable location for the hub, connect the external power supply and add network cables.

The network cards come courtesy of Taiwanese manufacturer Realtek. Along with an RJ-45 port for a 10BaseT connection, they also have a BNC socket for 10Base2 coaxial cable. However, the latter is of limited value as it allows you to link your PCs together in a bus topology that doesn't require the hub. Installation is simple as the cards support plug and play and were correctly identified by Windows 98 on our test PC. You don't need to load any drivers either as Windows 98 already has these embedded. Although not so well known as networking giants like Intel or 3Com, Realtek has a decent Web site offering support as well as a driver download area (www.realtek.com.tw).

While hardware installation proved to be straightforward, you'll get no help from MRi when it comes to configuring the various Windows networking components. This is the same criticism we levelled at SMC, as it too provided no instructions in this area. You might want to assign static IP addresses to each workstation, for example, but there's no documentation covering this and many other areas of configuration. You're unlikely to encounter any problems but it would make the whole experience more pleasant if help was extended beyond the physical connection.

Even so, at only £84, the SoHo Network Start-Up Kit offers an extremely cost-effective starting point for networking your office or home PCs. Bear in mind though that the network cards and hub are only the 10Mbits/sec variety so, if you decide to upgrade to Fast Ethernet, you'll need to replace the lot. However, if you're prepared to invest a further £50, you could save yourself the worry and opt for the Fast Ethernet kit instead.

Author: Dave Mitchell