US Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Cable/DSL Router

When: Introduced in 2002

Purpose: Wireless connectivity to share cable/dsl line and also printer and modem resources

Sold: computer stores and mail order via Internet

Manufactured: USA

Price:  Varies widely, with rebates can be as low as $70.

How: Connect the unit to your DSL or Cable line and configure the wireless cards in your laptops and desktops to connect.

Effect: The major advantage of this unit is the ability to share a single high speed connection seamlessly and also provide some degree of protection from hackers. We use one of these to share our high speed line between multiple laptops and the Vonage telephone, and it works  magnificently. The printer sharing is handy at home to allow the laptops to share the high speed laser printer.

Other:  This particular unit combines features not often seen on these devices. The pinter sharing in particular is a very nice feature. This technology is rapidly moving to higher speeds and good deals can still be found on these older units. For our purposes, the speed difference is not that significant, especially since the high speed Internet connections operate at a fraction of the 22 Mbps.