3Com’s LAN + 56K PC Card

3Com Megahertz 10/100 LAN+ 56K PC Card Model 3CXFEM656 C 

LAN and modem PC card. Rs 14,000

Features: 10/100 LAN card; 

56K modem; GSM compatible.

Pros: XJACK connector automatically 

detects a modem or LAN connection.

Cons: None.

Source: 3Com Asia India 

Branch Office

713/714 7th Floor

International Trade Tower

Nehru Place

New Delhi 110019. 

Tel: 11-6446123, 

Fax: 6233192 

E-mail: ccb_India_sales@3com.com 

Website: www.3com.com/mobile/pccards/3cxfem656c.html  apcom.del@gndel.globalnet.ems.vsnl.net.in 

This is more than a LAN-cum-modem PC Card. It has software toconnect it through your cellphone handset too.

Connectingthe card is pretty simple. Once it’s plugged into your notebook, Windowsautomatically detects it. You just have to provide the correct drivers, whichare available for Win 9x, NT, and 2000 on both floppies and CD. The card has aseparate connector for an extension cable, which in turn has an RJ45 connectorfor your network. The jack that connects to the PC card has LEDs to indicate a10 or 100 Mbps connect.

The XJACK Connector on the card can take in either a modem orLAN connection. The connector is transparent, and glows automatically in threedifferent colors depending upon whether you’re connecting a modem, or a 10Mbps or 100 Mbps network.

The card is GSM compatible–it comes with software calledGSM Connection Manager to connect a GSM handset. To use this, however, you needa special connector cable and additional software for your cellphone, and you’llhave to check whether these are available for your handset.

The card also comes with Worldport software, which adjuststhe modem settings for different countries. Besides this, it also has somediagnostic utilities for troubleshooting. Overall, a good device to keep youconnected in office and outside.

Sachin Makhija

at PCQ Labs