LAN Times Test Report, August 28, 1995
The Dealer's Choice is JACK!
John J. Payton
Ositech's Jack of Diamonds adapter trumps the rest.
Users are as eager as ever to hit the road with their notebooks but remain loathe to sacrifice any performance for connectivity while working remotely. LAN managers playing the mobile computing game can stack the deck in their favour with combination PCMCIA cards, which use only one Type II slot while providing dual functionality. One such card, Ositech Communications Inc.'s excellent
Trumpcard Jack of Diamonds, is the first Ethernet/modern PCMCIA adapter with 28.8Kbps data/14.4Kbps fax performance.
Ositech has long been a leader in the remote communications industry, producing combination Ethernet/modem adapters since 1991- before PCMCIA was even invented. That's why we were disappointed by a version of the trumpcard we took a look at recently as part of our Ethernet/modem card comparison.(see
'Trumpcard Jack," April 24, Page 104). Fortunately, the installation and compatibility problems we encountered then are nowhere to be found in this version of the
Trumpcard. In fact, we found the installation procedure to be one of the most courteous we've ever encountered; the card has obviously been designed with network managers in mind.
After presenting an impressive list of supported networks and allowing customization of the final selection, Trumpcard's installation program modified the Network Drivers disk, copying the appropriate driver and configuration files from their home directory to the root. At this point, the adapter was ready for installation of the chosen network software. A two-step procedure may be a surprise if you're accustomed to installation programs that automate the entire process. However, it makes sense because it allows you to use the same installation procedure for mobile machines as for desktops, even if you have designed a custom setup.
Modem setup was just as flexible. One particularly helpful feature was Trumpcard's capability to present itself to the computer's BIOS as an actual COM port so it can be seen by DOS-based programs. Out-of-office users using a remote-node program will appreciate this, as will administrators tired of managing numerous configurations.
Administrators who support multiple hardware platforms will appreciate the Trumpcard's interoperability. The adapter integrated well with standard Card and Socket Services
(CSS), but most users will benefit by avoiding these memory hogs completely. The Trumpcard directly supports many PCMCIA architectures currently in use, including PCI notebooks. External connections are equally adaptable, with a choice of a direct RJ-45 or RJ45/BNC module, a standard phone line, or a cable link to cellular phones.
Cellular setup was more straightforward than we expected. Because cellular phones lack a standard electronic interface, users must connect with a custom cable and then flash-upgrade the card's firmware. Once this process is completed, the modem automatically detects a connection to the cellular phone and sends the proper commands; you don't have to add them to the modem's setup string. We did experience one problem in our testing: The flash upgrade did not tell the modem to automatically use Microcom Networking Protocol Class 10 (MNP10) when connected to a cellular phone, thereby requiring us to change the modem-setup string. Without MNP10, connection was barely achievable, and sustained communication was impossible. Even with MNP10, cellular throughput peaked at 9,600bps and averaged 4,800bps. However, a standard voicegrade telephone connection easily sustained top speed when communicating with another V.34 modem - even while simultaneously connected to a LAN.
In fact, the Trumpcard operates as if it were two separate cards, with all the benefits of filling just one slot. A dual-function card leaves an extra slot available in your machine, and even without
CSS, the Trumpcard's enabling software affects only the single slot in use. Also, when an Ethernet connection is not needed, the modem-only driver can trim memory use even further. When Ethernet is needed, the Trumpcard Jack delivers in spades. In some ways, the card seems custom-built for a consultant. A notebook with the Trumpcard and Novell Inc. Lanalyzer for Windows would make a compact troubleshooting tool. The Trumpcard is Level B certified for use with LANalyzer for Windows, meaning it will not report oversized packets, an unfortunate limitation of the hardware design that a new driver won't remedy.
During our evaluation, installation and driver disks were updated twice. The second update included a program which detected all servers connected to the
Trumpcard, offering the option of making one server a permanent selection. This will be very helpful to mobile administrators and again shows the thought Ositech has put in to the adapter.
Drivers for the Trumpcard Jack of Diamonds are included in Microsoft Windows 95, but you don't have to commit to that release to get the benefits of this dual-function Ethernet/modem PCMCIA adapter. The card seems to have been designed with the administrator in mind, and it delivers excellent performance over Ethernet connections and standard phone lines. We think Ositech deserves a lot more attention for the products they're delivering, and the Trumpcard really put them squarely on the map.
Trumpard Jack of Diamonds
In an increasingly mobile computing world, the
Jack of Diamonds leads the way as the first combination V.34/Ethernet PCMCIA card. It supports a wide variety of hardware and software platforms, installs
easilt, and does its best to remain invisible afterward.
List Prices: $649, 28.8K modem and 10BaseT, IOBase2; $599, 28.8K modem and 10Base-T; $449, 14 .4K modem and 10Base-T
- Criterion Weight Nodes
- Features 300 5
- Reliability 300 4
- Compatibility 300 5
- Documentation 100 4
- Score 4.6 Nodes
Reprinted by permission of Lan Times, August 28,1995, The McGraw-Hill Companies' Magasine for Enterprise Networking
