Zoom Ships Wireless Gateway

It finally looks like wireless networking is getting inexpensive enough for me to heed my family's pleas for access to the DSL line, defeating my argument that it just isn't feasible to run cables all over the apartment. Zoom's ZoomAir Model 4165 Internet Gateway is yet another entry into the SOHO wireless networking race. The 4165, as expected, allows multiple computers to simultaneously access a single cable, DSL or dial-up Internet connection and to share files and other network resources. Features of the Model 4165 include firewall security, Zoom's SmartStart installation software, support for WEP encryption using plain language passwords, and a printer sharing port. The 4165 provides MAC address filtering, Packet Filtering, Stateful Packet Inspection, Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and Port Redirection and supports up to 253 users. Ports on the unit include a broadband Ethernet port, a serial interface for connecting an analog or ISDN modem, two 10/100 Ethernet ports for wired LAN connections, and a parallel printer port. The estimated retail price of the ZoomAir Internet Gateway Model 4165 is $199 after a $30 rebate. When you're shopping for a wireless network, remember to include the price of the NICs and PC cards you'll need to get it up and running. Sounds like a no-brainer, but I know of a couple of people who picked up a gateway only to find out that they have to spend another couple of hundred bucks on interface cards to get their machines hooked up.