When it comes to servers, who wants to have one to share an Internet connection, one to serve out Web pages, one to add security, and one for file sharing? Nobody. That is why Rebel.com gives you the NetWinder 3100: a single device that can do all of these things and more.

Setup for the NetWinder 3100 is supposed to be fairly simple, using a standard Web browser like Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. A NetWinder Quick Start CD is included to walk you through the steps to install the device, so non-IT people do have a prayer at setting this up. So what are you setting it up for? What can it do?

The NetWinder works to give network-wide Web access, email access using POP3 and IMAP4 protocols, Web site hosting capabilities, file serving and sharing across Mac, UNIX, and Windows platforms, printer sharing, a network firewall, and secure remote access privileges. Those are a lot of tasks for one little box to perform, but the NetWinder 3100 takes them all on.

The system features include Apache 1.3 web server, client-to-server VPN capabilities, with IPSec compliance, CGI/HP/Perl support, a DNS and a DHCP server, support for DSL, cable, ISDN, dial-up, and PPPoE connections, and NAT support.

Measuring 2.0 x 9.5 x 6.0 inches, and weighing 2.15 lbs, the NetWinder 3100 connects to your network and the Internet via three 10BaseT Ethernet network interfaces, dual USB ports, dual serial ports, and an ECP/EPP/SPP parallel port. Internally, it comes with the option of a 10 GB or 20 GB hard drive, and 128 MB or 256 MB of SDRAM. The 533 MHz Crusoe processor runs the Linux 2.4 operating system.

Pricing and Availability

The 128 MB, 10GB version of the NetWinder 3100 starts at $1795. For 256 MB of memory, and a 20 GB drive, the NetWinder 3100 starts at $2295.

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