Stories by: Toni Kistner

SMC Networks Inc. Tuesday announced the Barricade g Wireless Broadband Router with USB Print Server. Available Oct. 15 for US$130, the device combines a 2.4-GHz IEEE 802.11g wireless access point, a four-port switch, stateful packet inspection firewall, network management and VPN pass-through. The device also allows small networks to attach and share a standalone printer - via Ethernet or wireless LAN - without keeping a PC running all the time.

As small- and home-office networks move from novelty to necessity, Taiwanese hardware vendors are enjoying strong growth, becoming household names, and making headlines. In June, Cisco Systems Inc. finalized its acquisition of market leader Linksys. And in August, Netgear Inc. completed a successful US$112 million IPO. Now as the former Nortel Networks Corp. subsidiary emerges from a quiet period, Toni Kistner spoke with Netgear chairman and CEO Patrick Lo about Linksys and his company's plans for the home and small to midsized business market.

Intel and Cisco Systems have announced a partnership aimed at easing the set up process and improving performance between Intel Centrino mobile PCs and Linksys wireless routers and access points.

Netgear, the number-two SOHO network equipment vendor behind Linksys Group, has filed an initial public offering for $US115 million. Netgear plans to trade on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol NTGR.

It was a simple job. The small accounting firm hired New Jersey consultant Keith Krebs to network three computers. Since all the equipment resided in one room- two PCs were within 12 feet of each other, the third, 25 feet away - Krebs suggested 802.11b wireless networking gear. Since he'd been a long time Linksys Group customer, he recommended its products without hesitation. But five weeks later, and half a dozen lengthy technical support calls later, the network still doesn't work.