Home Offices That Work for You

NEC supplies foldout diagrams that make it clear what gets plugged into where. Even if you're a novice, you'll have little trouble setting up the system. And NEC packs in the software, including Microsoft Office 97 Small Business Division, Automap Streets Plus, Microsoft Bookshelf, Publisher 97, and a disc with 16 million business addresses and phone numbers. Used in combination with the external speakers and headset with microphone, the system's 33.6 Kbps modem and communications software can transform the computer into an electronic receptionist. The one piece that's missing is a monitor. NEC's 17-inch MultiSync XV is a good buy for around $750.

One handy piece of software for even part-time telecommuters is DataViz's e-ttachment Opener. This $39 program will open any email file or attachment you're likely to receive, so you no longer need to ask vendors and customers to email data in a special format.

You'll need a printer to complete the system. A standard laser printer is fine for general business purposes but it won't copy or scan. (Heavy-duty laser printers are overkill in a home office.) You'll do better by combining these features into a less expensive ink-jet printer. My choice: Hewlett-Packard's OfficeJet Series 500. Starting at about $500, it can print in color, scan in black and white, copy, and fax. It holds 150 sheets of paper and stores about 35 fax pages in memory. There are better (but separate) scanning, faxing, copying, and printing products on the market. But combining them all into one device saves hundreds of dollars.

The Ready Office system can act as a phone, but you must use a headset that ties you to a desk. Cordless phones are less than perfect (I live in Interference Central, aka Manhattan). But Lucent Technologies's 7650, a $180, 25-channel model, has the longest range (1,000 feet) and clearest audio quality of any I've tested. It also includes a digital answering machine with multiple mailboxes that holds about 20 minutes of incoming calls.

Geek Factor: With just two main pieces of equipment -- the NEC Ready Office and the HP printer/copier/fax -- there's nothing the corporate office can do that you can't.

Weak Factor: The Lucent phone can't handle two phone lines; e-ttachment Opener runs as a separate program, making it a little awkward to use.

Coordinates: NEC Ready Office 1720, NEC Computer Systems Division, 888-306-4636, www.nec-computers.com ; HP OfficeJet Series 500, Hewlett-Packard, 800-552-8500, http://www.hp.com ; e-ttachment Opener, DataViz, 800-733-0030, www.dataviz.com ; the 7650, Lucent Technologies, 800-635-8866, www.lucent.com .

You Need: A fully equipped office -- you're going solo!

PowerTools: Gateway G6-266 XL, Iomega Jaz drive, QuickBooks Pro 5.0, Hewlett-Packard OfficeJet Pro 1150C, Diamond Multimedia System Supra NetCommander ISDN, Northern Telecom PowerTouch 350, ComSwitch 3500

You've got entrepreneurial dreams. You're bolting from that gray corporate cubicle; You need a full-blown home office to escape to. If you can endure high maintenance costs in return for Porsche performance, check out the latest and greatest CPU from Intel: the Pentium II. It's the new version of the Pentium Pro, and it includes MMX extensions.

One of the first of the Pentium IIs to go on sale comes from direct marketer Gateway 2000. The company's G6-266 XL tower system is centered around a 266 MHz Pentium II with double the RAM in the systems reviewed above (64 MB) and triple the amount of hard disk storage (a 9 GB Ultra Wide SCSI drive). But it costs $4,999. At least the price includes a 21-inch Vivitron monitor.

The system delivers a 12x/16x CD-ROM drive, a 56 Kbps modem, and software including Microsoft Office 97. But you must add a backup device, which is essential if the system is your sole means of support. A tape backup is included with the system, but my tests over the years have shown that tape backups are sometimes unreliable. I recommend Iomega's durable Jaz drive. Available from Gateway, the Jaz drive holds 1 GB per cartridge and adds another $429 to the pricetag, bringing the total close to $5,500.

One drawback: there are some additions Intel needs to make before the Pentium II reaches its full potential. You might want to save yourself first-generation headaches and get the NEC Ready Office system instead.

One edge you'll need is a faster connection to the Net, to match the speed you're accustomed to at corporate HQ. A faster connection requires an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) line. Installing an ISDN line can cost as little as $100 and will give you a 128 Kbps link to the online world. To handle data traffic, the best ISDN terminal adapter (aka modem) is Diamond Multimedia Systems's $249 Supra NetCommander ISDN. It's an ISA card that resides inside your computer. (Don't worry, it's easy to set up.) A bonus: the card will save you money. That's because phone companies charge for two phone lines when you use the two channels on an ISDN line. The Supra NetCommander dodges additional phone-line charges by automatically adjusting its speed to use just one ISDN line when you need it. For large file downloads, it connects with the second ISDN channel and then disconnects when you're done.