smartNIC Network Adapter Reviewed by CPU-zilla (12 Oct 99)
smartNIC Specifications
- Physical Dimension – 92 x 67 x 27 mm (3.6 x 2.6 x 1.1 inch)
- Weight – 70g (2.5 oz.)
- Software Compatibility – Drivers are supplied for the Microsoft Windows 98 to support the TCP/IP, IPX and NetBEUI protocols.
- Operating Current – 120 mA
- Standby Current – 20 mA
- Data Transfer Rate – 6 Mbits/sec. sustained
- Memory Size – 32K Bytes SRAM for IN and OUT data buffers. 1024 bit non-volatile configuration storage.
- USB Interface – USB spec v1.1 compliant.
- Ethernet Interface – ISO8802/3, IEEE 802.3, RJ-45 connector. Maximum length 100m. Half-Duplex mode, Promiscuous mode is not supported.
- EMC Emissions – FCC Class B
- Safety Agency Certification – CE Mark
- Operating Voltage – 5 V (derived from the USB port on the PC)
- Operating Temperature – 0 to 55º C
<Introduction><The Good><The Test><The Bad><Conclusion><Rating>
Introduction
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is like a multi-purpose port for almost all kinds of application that one could think of. More and more devices and peripherals are released in the market that uses this port as a quick and easy solution for people who prefer plug and play peripherals. I must say that the USB technology is something that has been well accepted and will be here to stay. However, one still wonders if it will someday replace the older serial and parallel ports. Only time and market forces will tell.
Although the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port has a theoretical speed of up to only 12Mbps, there are a lot of things you could do with it. The recent introduction of CDRW drives for the USB did generate a lot of attention, especially from the amount of e-mails we received from our viewers out there. This shows that it is well accepted and may have a wider audience than we think. This indicates general public acceptance of the standard. What most users like about it is the simple installation procedure which includes the hot plug and play feature that literally eliminates the need for re-booting (most of the time). The recent announcement of a newer USB standard with higher bandwidth may just help it pave the way for an even larger market in the future, and may even challenge the more expensive Firewire technology.
This new product which was launched on the 8th October was designed and manufactured by a local Singaporean company called smartBridges Pte. Ltd. It is actually a 10BaseT Ethernet network adapter that plugs directly to your USB port. The fact that this was made in Singapore gave us more than enough reason to test this baby in our labs. It is great to see more and more of our local folks becoming technopreneurs in a fast growing industry like this. Before long, we may just become the Silicon Valley of South East Asia. Think about it, we have the IT infrastructure, the research bodies, the government funding and the various supporting industries all around us. The only thing lacking is the people who dares to take the challenge to make a difference. Anyway, this is another story, but don't you think it will be cool to have all the latest technology right at your doorstep?
Well, it looks like our local folks do have what it takes to develop pretty nifty products targeted for both local and foreign markets. This is certainly an interesting development. I just wonder when will Singapore ever catch up with our neighbours, like Taiwan. :)
The product comes packaged with the network adapter itself as well as a USB cable (1.5 meters long), an installation diskette and the user guide.
The Good
Installation was easy and simple. Just plug the cable to the adapter with the other end directly to your PC. At once, your system will recognise the device and will instantly prompt you to install the drivers. Inserting the diskette containing the drivers, it automatically install the USB device as a new network adapter, including the Client for Microsoft Networks and the TCP/IP protocol. After the initial installation, you can install other clients, protocols (like the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol) and services. You will need to set your computer's unique IP address in the TCP/IP configuration before attempting to restart. However, if you are connected to a network that assigns IP addresses automatically via a DHCP server, you will not need to set anything and just leave the settings to automatic. After restarting the system, you will see the LED on the adapter light up, indicating that a network is present. If the network cable is not properly connected, the LED will blink.
The power is supplied from the port itself, and so there's really no hassle of using an external power adapter. Thus, it only makes sense to say that this product is targeted especially for notebook users who wants portability as well as a low cost networking solution for notebooks. This is also especially useful for notebook users with only one PCMCIA slot, as they can easily free up one slot for other purposes. On the other hand, home users with desktops will benefit from this as well since there is no need to open up your PC to install the hardware. In addition, you could also free up one PCI slot for other more important peripherals. Moreover, you will also avoid the hassle of dealing with IRQ settings and conflicts, something that every user despise.
Another interesting feature is its direct network connectivity without the need for rebooting. When all the drivers have been properly installed, your desktop or notebook is always ready to connect to the network without the need to reboot the machine. Just plug in the smartNIC, and you'll be instantly (almost) connected to your network. Of course, you'll have to wait a couple of minutes to establish all the connections. I find this feature extremely friendly and versatile.
I really wonder how versatile is the smartNIC, and whether it is compatible with the Singtel Magix Notebook Client. I believe it should work since the Magix notebook client only specifies the requirement of a 10BaseT Ethernet port. Anyway, the engineers down at smartBridges did indicate its compatibility with Singtel ADSL Magix. In fact, they told me that they have been using it. Cool!
Gaming with the adapter is also very simple. I only need to install the IPX/SPX Protocol to get my Starcraft: Brood War up and running. I didn't experience any lags while playing Starcraft. It ran smoothly without any hitch. Anyway, it should behave this way, since it is more than fast enough to do the job as its bandwidth is so much higher than a 56K modem. Aye! Let's make some Zergs bleed!
The Test
In the tests, I used two systems to emulate a networked environment. Since I do not have a proper hub, I used a twisted RJ-45 cable and performed some file transfers across the two systems.
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Test Configuration |
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| System 1 | System 2 | |
| Motherboard: | Elitegroup P6BX-A+ | Microstar 6163Pro |
| Processor: | Pentium II 300 (o/c to 450MHz) | Pentium II 350 |
| RAM: | 128MB Mira PC100 SDRAM | 128MB Mitsubishi PC100 SDRAM |
| HD: | IBM Deskstar 6.4GB | IBM Deskstar 22GXP 9.1GB |
| Network adapter | Edimax 10/100Mbps PCI Ethernet adapter | smartNIC / Edimax PCI 10Mbps Ethernet adapter |
| Operating System: | Windows 98 SE | Windows 98 SE |
Files were transferred between the two systems with all the copying performed on the second system. The file transfer rates were timed and an estimated transfer rate was calculated. Both uploading and downloading rates from System 2 to System 1 were benchmarked. The results are as shown below.
smartNIC vs. 10Mbps PCI Ethernet card transfer rates
As we can see from the table above, the smartNIC transfer rates were lower than a normal PCI 10Mbps Ethernet card. Its performance was especially poor when it involves uploading files to another computer, as compared to the Edimax PCI card. Transferring a single large file yields a faster transfer rate as compared to copying multiple files with mixed sizes. The slight drop in the transfer rate is most probably due to the increased hard disk activity which may have decreased the system performance. As for transferring small files (of about 10MB), the smartNIC is a little faster than the Edimax, but the difference is quite small because the small file transfer test occurs pretty quickly, and a small timing error could lead to significant differences in the calculated transfer rates. Therefore, please take the small file transfer rate results with a small pinch of salt.
The only serious flaw in this product is that it only supports Windows 98. I guess it isn't really the product's fault as Windows NT 3.5/4.0 does not support the Universal Serial Bus (USB). Thus, if you are going to get this adapter, make sure you are only using Windows 98. If you intend to use Windows NT, you are better off with a PCMCIA card (for notebooks) or a 10/100Mbps PCI ethernet card (for desktops). However, they do have plans to support Windows 2000, and in fact, you could actually find the Windows 2000 beta driver for smartNIC on their website.
The speed of the smartNIC is nowhere near that of a 10Mbps Ethernet card. It is a heavy price to pay (retailed at S$128) for a USB solution especially if you are a desktop user. With that kind of price, most users could easily buy a well branded 10/100Mbps Ethernet card for their desktop. Only notebook users will benefit since an Ethernet PCMCIA card is relatively more expensive than the smartNIC. However, most newer notebooks have built-in ethernet adapters and that could be the biggest threat to smartNIC. Some notebooks also come bundled with a PCMCIA Ethernet card for free. On the other hand, if desktop users want to link two of their PCs together, they would find the smartNIC a pretty expensive solution. They would find the Magic Toplan a little more affordable instead, as they need only buy one unit.
Since the adapter uses a USB port, transfer rates are limited to a theoretical bandwidth of only 12Mbps. Thus, the smartNIC can only emulate a 10Mbps ethernet adapter and nothing more. Even so, the transfer speeds were nowhere near that of a 10Mbps ethernet card. In addition, if you have other devices attached to the USB port, be prepared to suffer a drop in performance as the bandwidth will be shared among all the attached devices. However, the performance hit will only be noticeable if you use your USB devices simultaneously (e.g. printing on your USB printer and transferring files using the smartNIC at the same time). On the other hand, if you are using a low bandwidth device like a USB mouse, you should not see any drop in performance (or very minimal at most).
Conclusion
Priced at about S$128 (suggested retail price), the smartNIC is certainly a versatile product aimed at the low cost market for notebook users who seek a simple solution for their networking needs. The size and weight also makes this an attractive replacement for the Ethernet PCMCIA cards. Due to an expensive price tag, desktop users may want to stay clear of this product as PCI Ethernet cards still prove to be a cheaper solution. On the other hand, if you have run out of PCI slots or you prefer an almost idiot proof installation, the smartNIC is definitely something you could consider. However, the only drawback (as with all other USB products) is that it is not supported by Windows NT 3.5x/4.0.
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Overall Rating |
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| Installation | ***½ |
| Performance | *** |
| Price | *** |
| Material Quality | ***½ |
| Overall Rating | *** |
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