Product Spotlight - SMC Barricade
Product Spotlight features interesting products relating to home theater and PCs.
This week's featured product will let you share an internet connection among multiple PCs on a home or small business Ethernet network, and also acts as a firewall!
If you are looking for a way to share a single DSL or cable modem among several PCs on an Ethernet network, check out the Barricade from SMC (model number SMC7004ABR). This small device combines a 4-port Ethernet 10/100 Mbps dual-speed switch (with faster performance than an Ethernet hub), a broadband router, a print server (for sharing a printer on the network without having to connect it to a PC) and an Internet firewall! In addition to letting you use a DSL or cable modem for a shared internet connection, the Barricade also connects to a dial-up modem, letting you switch to the dial-up modem if your DSL or cable service fails. The dial-up modem option is also great for users who only have dial-up access now, but plan on moving to a DSL or cable connection in the future!
The Barricade's firewall feature offers flexible port range mapping with outbound triggers, which allows the Barricade to work with a variety of internet applications. This capability, along with the dial-up modem and print server functions, make this a more powerful product than many other low cost cable/DSL routers. Many older routers also include only a hub, instead of the dual speed switch found in the Barricade.
The Barricade is configured and administered via a web browser. After plugging in their PCs and cable/DSL modem, most users should be up and running in just a few minutes. There are a variety of user configurable options for advanced users, including access control options and a "special applications" feature that allows you to configure the firewall to work with various internet applications. You can also check the Barricade's status and log via your browser.
Buy.com is currently selling the SMC7004ABR for just $73.99 with free shipping!
To check out the SMC7004ABR at Buy.com, click here to visit Buy.com, then search for "SMC7004ABR". You can also read about the Barricade at SMC's site, www.smc.com, including an online version of the Barricade's user manual.
Current Product Spotlight: Hot Link Pro
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