For years, the main reason to buy a new computer modem was to surf the Web faster.
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In a few weeks, however, several companies plan to give consumers another reason to convert their old modems into doorstops. They’ll be selling a new line of “residential gateways” that not only connect to the Internet at high speed but also create in-home networks through phone wires or radio waves.
The result is turbocharged links to the Internet in every phone jack and, possibly, every room in the house. All it takes besides a gateway is the right kind of adapter plug for your computer, printer, laptop or other Internet-friendly device.
Granted, there are other, less expensive ways to do the same thing. And if your family doesn’t think the Internet is the best thing since rechargeable batteries, you probably won’t gain much from a gateway.
But as the Panasonics and Whirlpools of the world add Internet capabilities to everyday products–microwaves that can download recipes, for instance–gateways will make a lot more sense to consumers. And in the meantime, families trying to connect more than one computer to the Web may want to sign up for a high-speed connection with a gateway instead of a standard high-speed modem.
Among the companies developing gateways are S3 Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., which plans to start selling its Diamond residential gateway this month; San Jose-based 2Wire Inc., which expects to start selling its HomePortal models nationally in late July; and Santa Clara-based 3Com Corp., which also expects to have a gateway in stores this month.
S3 and 2Wire officials say they’ll sell their gateways as part of a package that also includes high-speed digital subscriber line service, which delivers Web pages and e-mail up to 28 times faster than the speediest dial-up modem. 3Com’s gateway, which is still largely under wraps, is designed to work with DSL or high-speed cable modems.
To understand the appeal of a gateway, think about a multiple-computer family battling nightly over whose turn it is to be on the Internet. Part of the solution is to invest $40 to $50 per month in a high-speed, always-on link to the Internet that will provide an on-line pipeline large enough for several users. That’s not the whole solution, however, because a DSL or cable modem connects to only one computer. It’s the electronic equivalent of a cul de sac.
To share their high-speed pipe, the family has to set up a home computer network, a simplified replica of an office computer system. One approach is to run high-capacity copper wires from room to room, but that’s not something the typical homeowner likes to do on the weekend.
A less-intimidating option is to buy adapters that let the computers, printers and other high-tech gear communicate through the home’s phone wires or wireless transmitters. The drawback there is that access to the Internet is still controlled by the computer that’s connected directly to the DSL or cable modem. If that computer is turned off, nobody in the house is going Web surfing.
A gateway solves the problem by serving as the 24-hour doorman to the Internet for any device on the home network. It also acts as a traffic cop, directing the flow of data to and from the Web, and a security guard, warding off electronic burglars. That protection is important, as malicious hackers are far more likely to target a computer with an always-on high-speed connection than one with a dial-up modem.
A computer can perform all of those functions for a home network, too. But once you’ve built a network around the PC in your den, do you want to have to turn on that computer every time the kids want to go on-line in their bedroom? And what happens once your house starts to fill with DVD players, digital jukeboxes and Internet radios that incorporate the Web?
Naturally, there are some drawbacks to the gateways that are just starting to roll out, priced at $299 and higher. First off, there’s the compatibility issue: Although there are industry standards for DSL, it’s not easy to make the various manufacturers’ products work together.
Consumers may be better off waiting, as future generations of gateways will probably include more features for fewer dollars. One feature that’s likely to be added within a year is the ability to support multiple low-cost phone lines. AT&T Corp., for one, has been working on gateways that combine voice, data and video services. Such devices may present a better deal for consumers–the more services that can be delivered through a gateway, the bigger the subsidy that a company like AT&T will be willing to pay to put one in your house.