SMC Shrinks Wireless Networking Down to Size

A wireless USB adapter can be pretty handy. After all, there's a lot to be said for a quick and easy way to connect your PC to an 802.11b wireless network. SMC Networks is hoping that you'll find the idea of a small, portable wireless USB adapter even handier.

The company's new EZ Connect 11Mbps Wireless USB Adapter (model number SMC2664W) is handy in a very literal way. About the size of a bar of soap, it fits snugly into your hand. The Adapter may be appearing in stores as early as next week. SMC expects it to sell for about $118 on the street.

Like any 802.11b device, the EZ Connect Adapter has the advantage of being part of a widely used standard. You're not tied to SMC or any other vendor; any 802.11b card, adapter, or entry point will work with any other 802.11b device. Like every 802.11b product, the EZ Connect comes with 64- and 128-bit encryption (more important in a wireless network than a cabled one) and is capable of 11-Mbps throughput--enough for sharing multimedia and way more than you'll need for broadband Internet access--under ideal conditions.

Plug and Play

Normally, adding your computer to a 802.11b wireless network involves opening your PC and installing a network card. But with a USB adapter, becoming networked is a simple matter of plugging it in and installing the driver. Of course, there must be another 802.11b device, such as an access point or another computer with a wireless card, for your computer to talk to.

What SMC adds to this convenience is smallness and portability. The EZ Connect Adapter measures only 2.25 inches by 3.25 inches by 1 inch. It's a convenient size, but not much smaller than some of its competitors. Linksys's WUSB11 adapter, for instance, comes in at a close 3.98 inches by 3.11 inches by .91 inches. For most people, that difference doesn't affect a buying decision. The Linksys product currently sells for about $70 to $90.

The EZ Connect Adapter is also designed to get out of your way. It comes with a clip with which you can attach the adapter to your computer or any other nearby object. The actual data connection is through a standard USB cable.

Sizable Issues

How big an advantage is a slightly smaller adapter--even with a clip? On most desktops, it probably doesn't make that much difference.

On a notebook, of course, size and portability matter greatly. True, installing a native 802.11b card into a notebook's PC Card slot is a lot easier than opening up a desktop and inserting a PCI card, making a USB network adapter less tempting (you can buy an 802.11b PC Card for less than $60). But under difficult conditions, a wireless receiver attached to your computer by a cable is likely to get better reception than one sticking out of the side of the notebook.

SMC Networks is calling the SMC2664W a "next-generation" wireless USB adapter. If you move your notebook between various 802.11b environments, it could be just that. Otherwise, it's a slightly smaller sibling.