Hardware ReviewsAnchor Chips EZ-Link USB Instant Network Once again, we had high hopes for a USB network kit to show that "plug-and-play" networking is not just a dream. The EZ-Link kit from Anchor Chips promises right on the box to be "ready to use in minutes." And, sure enough, once we worked through a real show-stopper problem (more on that later), we did experience true plug-and-play networking. This was a solid kit with top-notch software, a small but helpful install guide and good support. We found the kit for $89+shipping at TigerDirect. So, if you are looking for a fast, convenient way to network two computers that have operating USB ports, Windows 98 installed and are within 16-feet of each other, this USB kit could be a very good option. Read on. Overview The EZ-Link USB Instant Network kit comes in a small box. Inside is the one-port EZ-Link device with a 12-inch cable that plugs into one computer. Also included is a 16-foot cable that plugs into the EZ-Link and the other computer. And, finally, the kit includes an installation CD-ROM and a tri-fold (six-page) installation guide. The CD includes the installation software and some other utilities, but does not include modem sharing or internet proxy software (used to share one dial-up account with users on the network) like so many phoneline and Ethernet kits. It's not a major oversight, but something we hope EZ-Link considers in future upgrades.
Although you might initially think that a six-page manual would not provide enough information, we found the installation was so easy and stuck so closely to the included instructions that we didn't need any additional information. Together, the kit provides everything you need to network two computers that are in the same room or otherwise close together. With additional kits, you can connect additional computers in daisy-chain or star configurations (see the EZLink site for more information). Installation Installation was both the highlight and the lowlight of the EZ-Link evaluation. Let us explain: Per the "EZ-Start" instructions, we installed the software using the included CD-ROM on both computers. After starting the setup program, installation is very easy. The only major effort is to provide names for the computers and the workgroup before restarting the computers. Upon restart the "EZ-Link Network Manager" will automatically launch and show clearly that it is waiting for a connection. Now comes one of the nifty parts of USB networking. Without needing to shut down the computers, you simply plug in the EZ-Link device into one computer, the USB cable into the other computer and connect the cable to the EZ-Link. When it works right, the EZ-Link Network Manager will almost immediately recognize the other computer. You only need to share a drive, printer or other device (the install guide covers how) and you are up and running. Unfortunately, the first time we installed the kit, the Network Manager did absolutely nothing after we plugged in the cables. We went through the entire troubleshooting routine you can find on their web site and even had an extensive "workout" session with a technical representative. Still nothing. Finally, Anchor Chips sent us another kit. This time, after software installation and plugging in the cables, everything worked perfectly. Obviously, this raises some concerns about the reliability of the kits coming from the factory, but we have no reason to doubt Anchor Chips' assertions that this is a rare event. In fact, Anchor Chip reps told me that they get fewer than 0.2% returns for quality problems with EZ-Link. Again, we had a great experience working with the Anchor Chip folks and don't have any reason to doubt that, but don't kill yourself trying to get this to work before looking at the possibility that you have a DOA kit. Performance Performance of the kit was very good. We can only compare it to the Belkin USB kit that we tested and the comparisons are not exact since we used our Celeron 300a (overclocked to 450) workstation for the Belkin tests and a Compaq P2-266 laptop for the EZ-Link tests. That said, the workstation is much faster than the laptop and should have given Belkin an advantage. Instead, the EZ-Link kit (red bars below) turned in better times so we have to conclude it performs well above the Belkin kit (blue bars below). Here are the actual results using our 30 meg test file and copying it between our advanced test machine and the laptop. (Click here for more on our test procedures.) In short, the USB kits perform much better than phoneline kits, but still well below Ethernet and fast Ethernet systems.
Summary Make no doubt about it, we really liked this kit. Installation was about as close to plug and play that we've ever seen. Once you install the software on the CD-ROM (a simple auto run and then click process) and restart your machines, you only need to plug in a couple of cables and you're done. Very, very nice. Of course, USB networking won't be right for everyone. Although it is much faster than phoneline kits, it still performs well below Ethernet and fast Ethernet kits. That may not be a problem if you are only sharing a modem, but may be limiting if you want to share large files, multimedia or fast network games. And speaking of sharing a modem, it is a bit disappointing that the kit doesn't include proxy or modem sharing software like so many other Ethernet and phoneline kits. That said, we had to be very impressed with the ease of setup and how well the actual installation followed along with the simple installation guide. Overall we liked this kit. The only thing keeping it from an Editor's Choice award is that we have no "real-world" experience to confirm Anchor Chip's contention that very, very few kits fail as one of ours did. Bottom line: if you're looking for a network kit with easy setup (you don't even have to open the cases) for two nearby computers that have Windows 98 and USB ports, this is a very good choice. Grade = A Details
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