If you have an older Mac that isn’t AirPort-capable and you’d still like to connect it to an AirPort network, SMC Networks has introduced a new device as part of its EZ Connect line — the SMC2671W. It’s a platform-independent device that hooks up anything with an Ethernet interface to a wireless network.
The SMC2671W works on the same 2.4GHz frequency as other 802.11b-compliant devices, and works without any drivers. It’s self-configuring and works in ad-hoc (peer-to-peer) and infrastructure modes. Through a Web browser, you can configure advanced security settings like 64-bit or 128-bit WEP encryption, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), MAC address filtering and SSID broadcast disabling. It also features auto-fallback to 5.5, 2 and 1Mbps data exchange rates.
The SMC2671W doesn’t just work with Macs and PCs. It also functions with Xbox and PlayStation 2 consoles, set-top boxes and anything else with an Ethernet interface.
Look for the SMC2671W to be available at retailers this month with a suggested retail price of US$99.
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