A Core Competence Product Evaluation

The Bottom Line

The SOHO's installation is incredibly simple, with QuickStart doing most of the work. We had no trouble configuring the SOHO as an IP router for Internet and enterprise ISDN access when paired with a PaceSetter PRO at the central site. We had just a moment of difficulty when configuring enterprise ISDN access over IPX, but were again up and running in just a short while. The newest release 6.4 providing full NAT support was a welcome feature enhancement, since it permits simultaneous sharing not available in earlier releases of IPShare. Also new in 6.4 is DHCP server support, which further simplifies LAN administration through dynamic assignment of IP addresses to local hosts.

We used the SOHO to replace a more expensive ISDN router with static IP addressing, reducing our ISDN ISP charges from $150/month to just $23/month. By taking advantage of the SOHO's POTS ports to connect our fax machine, we managed to drop one of our analog lines, saving another $20/month. Of course, we must still pay for metered ISDN charges imposed by our telco, but these savings more than offset the cost of ISDN access for the occasional local fax. We also reduced clutter by eliminating a hub. All in all, we found the SOHO to be perfectly-suited for small office use. And when our remote access requirements grow, we can move up to the PaceSetter PRO with its swappable ISDN and Frame Relay interfaces.

For more information about the ADC/Kentrox PaceSetter SOHO, visit ADC's web site or send email to info@kentrox.com.

-- Reviewed by Lisa Phifer, December 19, 1997



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