Hardware ReviewsNovaweb 2001 Pro Maybe you can "have it all." At least, that seems the goal of the Novaweb product and, for the most part, it delivers. As the introduction to the included manual states, "The Nova Web 2000 is a revolutionary product that connects multiple computers and provides users with simultaneous, independent Internet access." That's a mouthful, but the idea is simple. Provide an easy to use kit, with clear instructions that allows you to easily network several computers and give them each access to the internet. And, because the software heart of the product is the Winproxy software we've raved about in the past (see the review in Software), that internet access means people on different computers can access different parts of the internet (or check e-mail separately, etc) AT THE SAME TIME. And, yes, we had this simple kit installed and up and running on our two test computers in about 35 minutes. Overview Open the Novaweb box and you are presented with a simple kit that includes two interface cards, three diskettes, a network cable, a phone cable and a simple, but comprehensive manual. One card is the Nova Web 2000 internet connection card. In this one ISA card is a NIC, a hub and a 56K/v.90 modem (in this particular model; other models are equipped a bit differently). It's a slick little product and we've not seen anything like it. We've seen NICs combined with hubs (Sohobasic has one, for example), but the combined modem is a neat trick.
The other card is a basic ISA Ethernet card. In fact, the part no. on the card is exactly the same as that on the Sohobasic card we recently reviewed. We had no issue with that card and don't with this one. You simply can't expect any bells and whistles for such an inexpensive card. Installation The included installation and instruction manual is excellent. It provides a wealth of background information and clear, step-by-step instruction on how to set up the Novaweb. We had only two minor problems that were easily figured out (and we all know installation problems can often be show stoppers, so these were no big deal). Also, installation of the NIC on the second computer failed because I didn't have a web browser installed on the test machine. However, the install process clearly stated that was the problem before it quit. Nice touch. The only major glitch in the installation was that it failed to recognize that I live in one of the areas where you must dial all 10 phone numbers even for a local call. Thus, after everything was installed and ready to go, the modem dialed and got a dialing error message. I had to go directly into Windows98 Dial Up Networking to fix the problem, but that was a cinch since Win98 DOES recognize the new dialing rules. Other than that, the installation manual and the on-screen prompts easily take you through the process that includes installing drivers for the cards, entering ISP (internet access information) and simple network steps such as naming your PCs. Actual protocol setup, file and printer sharing, etc, is all handled automatically by the setup software. Again, very nice. Performance Our main performance test, at this point, involves two reads and two writes of a 30 megabyte file. On all four tests, the Novaweb network cards averaged 48.3 seconds. Keep in mind that you can't compare these results to our other NIC tests since we used both test machines instead of one test machine and our LAN server as we did with the other NIC tests. In the future, we'll test other NIC kits (using both test machines) and that will provide a good comparison.
The built-in 56K/v.90 modem performed very well. In fact, it set a new connection record for my phone lines of 49.3K, above the 48K I usually connect at with a Motorola 56Ksurfer Summary Overall, this is a very nice network and internet sharing kit. The manual is clearly written and targeted at network "newbies" that will probably be able to install this entire setup with minimal problems. They may not get it done in 35 minutes, like I was able to, but probably well within an hour or two. My rough estimate is that most people would take two or three times that long to separately install cards and a hub (even in a card), and then to install all of the necessary network software as well as the Winproxy software. If the Novaweb has any major failing point its only the price. At just over $300 the setup is certainly not at a significant discount over the individual pieces. For example, there are lots of network kits out there (even fast Ethernet kits) for $100-150. Add to that a good 56K modem ($50) and Winproxy software ($60), plus cables (415), and you're at $225-275. BUT, the Novaweb isn't about being a bargain. In our mind, it's about making a very difficult process into a very simple process. Thus, depending on how you value your time, the 2-4 hours you'll save could easily be worth hundreds of dollars and worth a lot more in avoided aggravation. Add to the equation that this is just a "slick" hardware/software combination. A lot of people will enjoy everything being inside the computer (no external hub or modem). The only factor that keeps this from an absolute top grade is the minor problems with installation and the lack of either a better Ethernet card or even a fast Ethernet card for a $300 kit. With some fast Ethernet cards going for as little as $30, that doesn't seem like a lot to ask. On the flip side, perhaps the price could be a bit more competitive if they are going to use a bottom of the line NIC card (which again really didn't present any problems). Bottom line: if you want an easy, quick-to-set-up network and installation kit, you won't go wrong with the Novaweb. Grade = B+ Details
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