D-Link DFE-910 10/100 Network Kit

Performance

Performance was typical for a 100Base-T card. Transferring a 125MB file over the network in approximately 35 seconds. This translates into 3.6MB/s or 28.6Mbps - not exactly the advertised 100Mbps. Unfortunately, this is fairly typical of 100Base-T networks and should not be looked at as a major issue with the D-Link kit. During this transfer, CPU utilization hovered between 25 - 30%, which is again fairly typical for a busmaster PCI card.

Conclusion

The DFE-910 Network In A Box from D-Link is exactly what the name implies - a complete 100Mbps network in a box. As far as hardware goes, it does everything as expected and has no major short comings. The including internet sharing software could be better, but Windows 98 SE or 2000 would essentially resolve that problem with it's built in NAT based internet sharing. Available for about $120, it provides a very cost effective solution for anyone looking to setup a standard ethernet network. With a lifetime warranty and free tech support, it's hard to pass this one up.