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Check Out: PassPort Plug-In Network

The Promise: Because PassPort uses the same electrical wires that run through your house, you don't need a phone line in every room that has a computer. And unlike wireless systems, PassPort doesn't require computers to be close to one another: Systems can be up to 2,640 feet apart and still network.

The Package: PassPort includes two plastic networking modules, each about the size of a pack of cigarettes, that plug into an outlet, and two parallel cables that connect the modules to the PCs. To ensure that your printer and the PassPort don't compete for the same parallel port, the package includes a special network module for the communal printer. The printer module also lets any computer on the network print, even when the other computers are turned off.

The Reality: Because PassPort is reliable and easy to set up, it offers a promising solution for home offices. But if your small business is located in an office complex, the power company's ac transformers may interfere with the network's signals. I also had to set up one computer as the main modem server and another computer as the client. Not a big deal, but it wasn't as easy as having the software automatically do it for me.

The Connection: After spending 10 minutes piecing the hardware together, I was ready to plug in the system. Installing the software was also painless. Unfortunately, PassPort is really slow: It runs at a speed (350 Kbps) that's about one-third that of the other networks reviewed here, so printing a file or transferring it to another computer can take minutes instead of seconds.

The Bottom Line: PassPort is the simplest package to set up -- by far. It's fine for sharing an Internet connection, because it's still faster than high-speed modems. But sharing anything else on PassPort, such as a printer or very large files, is a time-sink.

Coordinates: $199.95. PassPort Plug-In Network, Intelogis Inc., www.intelogis.com

Your Work Space: You work with both a laptop and a desktop computer, and you need to get them in sync -- without tapping into a phone line.

Check Out: Diamond Multimedia HomeFree Wireless Combo Pac

The Promise: Diamond's wireless networking package lets you forget about wires and cables. The system uses radio waves to beam data across your network. And the package won't compete with other peripherals for your computer's lone parallel port.

The Package: The Combo Pac comes with an internal card for a desktop PC and a PC Card for a laptop. (A $200 Desktop Pac comes with two internal cards.) A 1.25-inch antenna, which transmits the network's signals, sticks out of the back of the internal card. Diamond estimates that computers can be as far as 150 feet apart and still interact -- assuming there's no major obstruction.

The Reality: You must reach inside your computer (which isn't all that difficult) to install the network cards. After I plugged the ISA (network) card into my Windows 98 NEC, the computer recognized the new card and then asked me for the installation software. Ditto for my IBM ThinkPad. With both computers running, the HomeFree antennae "recognized" each other, noted that I had an ISDN Web connection, and set up the network -- no sweat.

The Connection: The network worked seamlessly when the computers were within 35 feet of each other. But I found that communications slowed as the distance between the two machines increased to 100 feet. (The network is rated for a maximum of 1 Mbps.) That's because the antenna is in a fixed position on the adapter card, so you can't adjust it to improve reception.

The Bottom Line: If your computers are more than 100 feet apart, the HomeFree system may be too slow to share a single high-speed Internet connection. Although the Proxim network (described next) is faster, the HomeFree system is an inexpensive wireless network for computers in a small office, especially if you're on a budget.

Coordinates: $230. HomeFree Wireless Combo Pac, Diamond Multimedia Systems Inc., www.diamondmm.com

Your Work Space: You need a wireless network connection for your roving laptop.

Check Out: Proxim's Symphony Cordless Networking Suite

The Promise: Just like the Diamond package, the Proxim system reportedly eliminates typical network hassles. There are no wires to deal with; you don't even have to plug the Symphony network into a phone line. Proxim's basic setup and requirements are the same as Diamond's, although the Proxim network is supposed to be a little speedier (1.6 Mbps versus 1 Mbps).