By David Gabel

Xircom puts your notebook into networking's fast lane. The company's CreditCard Ethernet 10/100 PCMCIA NIC (network interface card) hooks into your LAN fast and then delivers a blazingly quick data connection with almost no work on your part.

The CreditCard adapter works on networks still laboring under the relatively slow 10BaseT Ethernet configuration as well as those in lickety-split 100BaseTX environments.

Installing the beta model I tested under Windows 95 couldn't have been simpler. I slipped the card into my notebook's slot, and Win95 recognized it and requested its drivers, which installed from a diskette without a hitch.

Next, I configured the notebook's networking properties as you would for any computer, and then promptly logged onto our lab's 10BaseT network. The NIC performed well, with no discernible difference between its operation and the one installed in my desktop PC.

I tested the card's high-speed capability on a small Fast Ethernet (100BaseTX) network. Under Win95, the adapter determined the connection speed and configured itself appropriately. Again, the CreditCard worked flawlessly, providing a connection so quick that it let me copy 34MB of data in 8.17 minutes. Results will vary depending on network loading.

The CreditCard not only installs easily and performs well, it also operates as either a 10BaseT or 100BaseTX adapter, making it an all-around attractive networking solution.

--Info File--
Xircom CreditCard Ethernet Adapter 10/100
Price: $215
Pros: Installation; performance
Cons: None
Platforms: Windows 95, 3.1x, NT
Xircom
800-438-4526, 805-376-9300
WinMag Box Score: 5.0