NETWORKING

Apple Time Capsule 1TB

Mass Storage, Extended Wireless from Apple

The Apple Time Capsule 1TB is an unusual network device in that it combines a wireless-n router (the Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station 802.11n) with a network-accessible hard drive. It’s extremely quiet and has good wireless range, and the storage drive is delightfully simple to set up for Windows, Mac OS X, or mixed networks. The Time Capsule comes with a single drive, however, which means there’s no RAID redundancy. This is a bit of a surprise when you consider the price of this product. But in light of the features it does offer, the Time Capsule is a good solution for many different types of networks.

The Time Capsule is pretty much identical to the AirPort Extreme 802.11n both in setup (which for the most part was quick and simple) and in looks. There are three LAN ports (and their LEDs), an Internet connection, and a port for connecting a network-accessible USB hard drive. The Time Capsule’s two radios (2.4-GHz and 5-GHz) can broadcast in simultaneous dual-band 802.11n mode—a relative rarity. You can also create multiple networks with different access privileges. So, for example, you can create a guest network with limited access for visitors or clients. As for NAS capabilities, the Time Capsule can automate backups for Mac clients, but not, unfortunately, for Windows.

Not surprisingly, the Time Capsule’s wireless throughput was very similar to the AirPort Extreme’s: 65 megabits per second with our test laptop 3 feet away. Its hard drive read/write score, though, was only 5.3 megabytes per second. So for Windowsonly networks, you’d do better elsewhere. But the Time Capsule is still a great choice for Mac or mixed networks.—Mario Morejon

Apple Time Capsule 1TB

$499 direct

l lllm PROs Quiet, high-capacity hard drive. USB port for external drives, printers. Simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi. Allows extension of wireless range. CONs No automated backup included for Windows machines. No front-facing indicator lights. Can’t act as an iTunes server. No hardware redundancy.

CloudEngines Pogoplug

$99 direct

L lllm PROs Extremely quick setup. Easy to use. Makes sharing files easy. Handy iPhone compatibility via iPhone app. CONs A few minor glitches. Web site could be better organized.

CloudEngines Pogoplug

Pogoplug’s site lets you view and manage your files

Easy Web Access to Your Network Storage

The Pogoplug is a clever device that, combined with CloudEngines’ free service, can give you Web access to multiple storage devices in your home or office in minutes. Though the product performs just one task, it achieves its goal amazingly well. I did encounter a few glitches in the process, but they were minor.

The Pogoplug is a small, white wall wart with one Gigabit Ethernet and one USB 2.0 port. First, you connect the device to your router via Ethernet and plug in your USB storage device (or connect multiple devices via a USB hub). Once the Pogoplug is connected, you run an online registration wizard from a network-connected PC. From there, you log in to a secure area of the Web site, which works with Chrome, Firefox 3, Internet Explorer, and Safari. You can create folders, upload files, copy files between folders, and share files with others. There is also an iPhone access app that worked like a charm. In addition, CloudEngines is opening the device to developers by providing an API, which I found quite easy to use.

The Pogoplug does not support the older Windows FAT file format, so you might have to reformat your drive. True, this is a limited-purpose device. But setting up the Pogoplug is a breeze, and using it couldn’t be easier—all of which makes it worthy of an Editors’ Choice.—Mario Morejon