Software ReviewsSurfDoubler Internet-sharing softwareSurfDoubler from Vicomsoft is an Internet-sharing software package specifically targeted at home users. It shares many of the same features as packages for small and large businesses from Vicomsoft, a software developer that's been creating communications software for PCs and Macs since 1982 (that's "forever" in PC terms, of course). Those features include firewall protection, browsing speed, parental controls and, of course, Internet sharing, including e-mail, FTP and other tools. Unlike other packages, several of these features are available in the basic software for home users. Additional features are available as options for additional cost. If you want the feature, buy the add-on. If you don't need it, stick with the basic. A neat idea, and we like the flexibility that those options provide. In its basic configuration, SurfDoubler is available for $35 for two users and $49 for three users direct from Vicomsoft. Some may find that a little pricey for only two- and three-user capability, but Vicomsoft seems to put a lot into the package for the price. Overall this appears to be an excellent product that is a worthy competitor in the Internet-sharing software market. Read on. Overview According to Vicomsoft, "SurfDoubler is the most flexible and powerful software solution to simultaneously connect two or three computers to the Internet." Actually, here's our favorite quote from the Vicomsoft web site: "If you don't understand the explanation that follows, it doesn't matter. Just download SurfDoubler, install it, and away you go. If you are interested in the technical side of Internet sharing, the discussion below will definitely interest you." OK...we admit it. We ARE interested in the technical side. SurfDoubler uses NAT, or Network Address Translation, to perform all the necessary work transparently. That means the client setup is minimal and clients don't even know they are accessing the Internet through the server. The other primary type of Internet-sharing software is commonly called proxies or web proxies. The primary advantage to proxies is that web pages can be cached. That means after the first request of the page, the proxy software keeps a copy of the page. Thus, when another client on the network requests the same page, the proxy package can provide it immediately versus needing to download it again from the server. The primary disadvantage to proxies is that you'll need to do more work in setting up the clients. Thus, simple client setup is a main advantage to NAT and SurfDoubler is a prime example. (more on installation below). For more on proxy vs. NAT, you can go directly to Vicomsoft's explanation here. SurfDoubler provides a significant network function called DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol). DHCP allows client computers to be configured automatically; when a computer is switched on, it searches for a DHCP server and obtains TCP/IP set-up information. This is often a server function or a function provided by a hardware router. In this case, SurfDoubler provides the function and automatically provides IP address information to all the clients. This will make more sense in our Installation section below. For this review, we used a copy of SurfDoubler that allowed access for three users (although we only used two) and had the optional CyberNOT feature enabled. CyberNOT is a subscription service that provides comprehensive lists of web sites rated by their content. You then use the set-up program in SurfDoubler to decide what sites you want to allow users to access or not (for example, you can lock out pornographic sites; more on the installation and performance of that feature in the next two sections). Installation Installing SurfDoubler was amazingly simple. We read a brief review of the install process on the Vicomsoft web site and then went right to it. First, we double clicked on the setup.exe file to begin installation. At one point, we were asked to decide on two options: launching the program at Windows startup (which you'll probably want) and putting a shortcut on the desktop. We picked both. After installation, Windows restarted and the program launched automatically upon startup. At that point, the program required "verification." We inserted pass codes provided by Vicomsoft based on the package we purchased and the program went to "Auto Setup." After clicking start, the program responded "please wait while your server is set up." When complete, the program informed us of several things set up on our computer, including which Internet dial up connection was being used (the default one from the computer), which local network adapter was being used (again, the one already installed on the computer) and the machine IP address. Interestingly, on our test machine, it automatically changed from our manually input TCP/IP address to this new one. Finally, the program noted that DHCP was enabled and we were ready to configure our client computers. Again, we had to restart. Upon restart, SurfDoubler started again and showed its interesting "Stats View." As you can see below, this window reveals tons of information, including whether SurfDoubler is running, whether a connection to the Internet is active, how many clients are connected and how much data is being received over the Internet connection. Very cool.
On this first start up, SurfDoubler also automatically starts your browser, in our case Internet Explorer. The browser window contains all of the same setup information that you received in the earlier window and provides a link to "test your Internet connection." We clicked on the link and a small box popped up. After a short wait, it indicated that we had connected successfully to the Internet. The program then indicated that the next step was to set up of our client machines. It provided links to explanations for each type of operating system (including Windows 95/98, Windows NT, and Macintosh). We selected Windows 95/98 and the instructions were clear on how to enter the client's network control panel, select the TCP/IP protocol and set it for "obtain IP address automatically." Since DHCP is selected by default on another tab of the TCP/IP setup, that's all you need to do. Restart the client computer and you're set to go. Once we re-logged onto Windows, we simply double clicked on Internet Explorer and we were surfing from the client in minutes. For our tests, we also set up e-mail accounts on both the server and client computers. In both cases, you set up the account just as you would on any computer with dial-up access to the Internet. That's the "transparent" aspect of SurfDoubler and other NAT packages. Both e-mail accounts worked perfectly. Finally, we also set up and tested the CyberNOT feature. Again, this is an add-on feature you buy separately and, in this case, you are buying a six-month subscription to the service and can download periodic updates to the list of web sites and their "content ratings." We downloaded the updated list using the "cyberdownload.exe" file found in the SurfDoubler folder. Frankly, we would have liked a quicker way than searching through the folder but it really wasn't that big of a deal. Once we downloaded the list, we went into the configuration program accessed through the "Stats View" window. There, we found a list of the types of sites you might want to block home or business users from accessing. The list includes things such as "partial nudity," "full nudity," and "violence." To test the feature, we selected one of the blocks and then went to a site that we knew featured such content (don't ask us how...we just knew). Sure enough, a window popped up explaining that "Access to the web page you requested has been barred by your system administrator." We then went back and unchecked that content and we were then able to access the site. Very slick. Performance It's difficult to test true performance of Internet-sharing software (or hardware for that matter) because so many factors could impact the speed, including the modem, Internet traffic and slow web servers. Thus, we like to judge performance of these packages in two primary ways: (1) Did the software perform as expected based on the company's descriptions? With SurfDoubler, the answer is positively. (2) Did the software provide an "uninterrupted" access to the Internet, e-mail, etc.? In other words, was the experience at least as fast as you normally expect? Again, with SurfDoubler, the answer is absolutely. We could not detect any slowdowns in surfing the Net or sending e-mail. Technical Support Vicomsoft provides a wide range of options for obtaining technical support. These include numerous web-based options such as FAQs, tutorials, and documentation. You can also send an e-mail or call a toll number (not toll-free) although the hours for phone support were not specified on the web site. Summary Simply put, we think this is a fine product. It delivers exactly as promised and has a wealth of good features. We had absolutely no issues with setup or performance of this product. That seems like it should be a given, but frankly these days it's refreshing to use a product -- hardware or software -- that seems to be "fully baked" and ready for the marketplace. Too many products seem to be launched while still in "beta" stages, and those can provide many issues in setup, etc. Keep in mind that you should fully explore SurfDoubler and other software Internet sharing packages to decide which one is right for you (see our Links page to see more companies that offer similar products). We also suggest you look at hardware options. Internet gateways or routers that provide similar functions but don't require one computer on the network to remain on at all times in order to allow access for others out to the Internet. Routers cost more than SurfDoubler and other software options, but should at least be considered for your particular setup. If you decide software is the way to go, we highly recommend you give SurfDoubler a good look. We're withholding our top score (the coveted A+) simply because we believe for some people this package may provide more features than they need at a price that is a little higher than some others. Of course, for those who need or want those features, the price may be more in line. We also need to withhold our Editor's Choice or Best Buy award until we've looked at more of the recent Internet-sharing software packages. Once we do, don't be surprised if we return to SurfDoubler and decide that its extensive features and options DO rate the higher price and deserve one of the awards. Grade = A Quick Facts
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