But the ramp-up costs for taking your business online can be dear. WebShuttle requires a PPP connection to your ISP, so you can't use the product with America Online's proprietary connection scheme. You'll also have to supply your own cables to hook the unit to your network and modem. For installation, you need a Category 5 Ethernet cable to connect the WebShuttle to your network, a serial cable to connect it to your modem, and a free AC outlet for its 9-volt power adapter. Point your browser to a provided IP address to configure the device online.
Online installation is straightforward, with succinct, thorough help available for each step.
If you do have a problem, however, beware of Addonics' technical support. Since I didn't have any installation problems, I don't know how they'd handle that kind of call. But when they couldn't enlighten me about the product's AOL incompatibility, I had to wonder about the depth of their knowledge. My small group sharing a 56Kbps modem noticed slowdowns only when two or more users were viewing graphics, but the benefits have in every way outweighed this limitation. Computer Currents Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.