(Jun 04, 2008)
Matthew Elliott
Section Editor
In consumer electronics, the term "networking" covers a broad array of products. You might have arrived at this page because you're looking for a simple wireless router. Or you might have landed here because you want to add a networked hard drive to your home network. Or perhaps you're looking for a device to stream media over your network. Whatever your networking needs, the five products here represent our favorites in their respective categories.
SMC SMCWGBR14-N Barricade N router
You may not be familiar with SMC, but you should if you're shopping for a wireless router. With a fair price, decent performance, and dead-simple setup, the SMC SMCWGBR14-N Barricade N router is about as well-rounded a Draft N router as you'll find. It also boasts impressive range and a smart design. We strongly recommend it for general home use.
Price: $136.06 - $159.95 (check prices)
Filed in: Best 5 networking devices, Best wireless routers
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Sling Media Slingbox A/V
The Slingbox lets you watch your TV anywhere--anywhere, that is, where you can access a broadband Internet connection with a device that runs the company's SlingPlayer software. The Slingbox A/V is the best way to stream your home TV programming to an increasingly wide variety of broadband-connected computers and smart phones.
Price: $99.99 - $99.99 (check prices)
Filed in: Best 5 networking devices
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Logitech Squeezebox Duet
Digital audio is great--especially if you've got a multigigabyte music collection sitting on your computer, or you subscribe to an "all you can eat" music service like Rhapsody. The problem, for a lot of people, is that they're stuck listening to all that great music on the tinny speakers of their computer--or perhaps patching the laptop into their living room stereo system. With its excellent iPod-like remote, the Logitech Squeezebox Duet is an ideal way to stream the full range of digital music--including files on your computer's hard drive, premium subscription music services, and free Internet radio--to your living room stereo system.
Price: $349.99 - $404.24 (check prices)
Filed in: Best 5 networking devices
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Drobo DroboShare
For those bemoaning the lack of network support on last year's innovative Drobo drive, DroboShare offers Gigabit Ethernet and as simple and straightforward a setup as we found with the direct-attached Drobo.
Price: $194.00 - $199.99 (check prices)
Filed in: Best 5 networking devices
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D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure
The D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure is a comprehensive solution to extend your network storage and functionality. It offers great performance and, despite its long list of features, remains very easy to use.
Price: $157.85 - $211.00 (check prices)
Filed in: Best 5 networking devices
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