Unless we have a cut-and-dry case of one product being clearly superior or inferior to another, we generally don’t like to make outright recommendations when products are compared. This happens not to be one of those cut-and-dry cases. Both the Compex NetPassage 26G and X-Micro WLAN 11g are capable products: Both offer most of the basic, expected features. Both performed precisely as advertised, operating for weeks without any unanticipated, erratic behavior. Both are fully compatible with any other 11g and 11b hardware out there. And so on.

The differentiating factors are subtle, but present. Compex’s unit offers a print and webcam server, while X-Micro’s offering boasts a slightly higher bandwidth and a much more advanced firmware implementation. If either of those happens to be of critical importance, then your choice is clear. If not, it boils down to the ultimate differentiator – the almighty dollar – as it often does. We tracked down Compex’s NetPassage 26G for as little as $76, and X-Micro’s WLAN 11g for as little as $80 at online vendors. So long as both devices are priced so similar, the decision is a tough one.

For more information on Compex products, see http://www.cpx.com
For more information on X-Micro products, see http://www.x-micro.com

Dan Mepham