Reviews of Networking Products

If you can get by the lackluster bundled software, the empty three-bay Thecus N3200 offers much to like, including lightning-fast throughput (even in RAID 5) and a useful feature set that will appeal to home and small office users alike.

The Maxtor Central Axis is a simple, compact, and fast NAS device that offers 1TB of storage at a fair price. Be warned, though, that it runs hot and comes with confusing desktop software, a sluggish, unintuitive Web-based interface and a limited backup application.

The Netgear RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router WNDR3300 is a basic Wireless-N router that only offers a taste of dual-band wireless networking. Its short range and limited feature set may override its decent mixed-mode performance.

The D-Link Xtreme N Duo Media Router DIR-855 is a stable performer with excellent Web interface. But because it comes in a bulky, old-school design, has a relatively short range, and carries a hefty price tag, consider waiting for the price to drop before investing in this router.

The tiniest of NAS drives, the Buffalo LinkStation Mini keeps up with its full-size competition in terms of both features and performance. However, you'll pay a premium price for this small, silent networked drive.

The Apogee HDMI 3x1 Mini HD Digital Switcher's power-free design and affordable price tag puts it at the top of HDMI switcher heap--so long as you can live with just three inputs.

We wanted to like this funky-looking router, but the LevelOne N_One WBR-6000 performed so horribly in testing that we must warn you not to be tempted by its slick design and low price.

The TrendNet Wireless N Gigabit Router TEW-633GR is fast, but not as fast as a competing D-Link router, and it's easy to use, but not as easy as a Belkin router. Still, we like it for its winning combination of decent throughput and intuitive Web interface.

The Oppo HM-31 offers some nice upgrades for custom home installs, but competing models offer more inputs for less money.

The Monoprice 4x1 switcher is an excellent value, but you might as well step up to the 5x1 switcher.