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Gigabyte AirCruiser G Desktop Router

     For some, home networking is viewed as a luxury that may or may not yet be implemented for any number of reasons. Others, myself included, view their home network as a necessity. I've enjoyed and utilized the many growing technologies that make sharing resources faster and easier. Gone are the days of complex AUTOEXEC.BAT files and CONFIG.SYS files that must load drivers in a specific sequence if you want your machine to function properly. While Microsoft's Windows 9x and Windows Me did take much of the labor out of setting up the software, it wasn't until Windows 2000 and Windows XP that the home networking wizard was truly implemented as a valuable and working tool to help the Average Joe set up a home network. Now, we get to enjoy the hardware revolution as it strives to keep pace with the growing rate of broadband service. Getting internet and file/printer share access to each computer in the household has never been easier with such a low cost.

     Gigabyte has created a very innovative product they call the Air Cruiser G Desktop Router; Gigabyte part# GN-BC01. As the name implies, it is a broadband router with RJ-45 ports that connect to a broadband modem and a LAN hub or switch. The highlight of the product is the IEEE 802.11g/b wireless radio which effectively turns your PC into an Access Point. The physical layer of the Air Cruiser is this PCI card and wireless antenna. The PCI card is no larger than a typical Ethernet card, but it does have a special power plug which will be shown later. The cord on the antenna measures 39.5 inches from the collar of the connector to the base. The base of the antenna has a felt lined magnet which will work great to hold the antenna on your enclosure unless it's aluminum. Otherwise, the length of the cord will come in handy to reach the surface of your computer desk.