MacAlly Air2Net USB Ethernet adapter – Review

 

MacAlly Air2Net USB Ethernet adapter
MacAlly
http://macally.com
US $24.99

While most Macintosh and Windows computers come factory equipped with Ethernet jacks, many new “Netbook” style computers may not.

Apple’s MacBook Air is a example (the only one) of a Mac without an Ethernet jack. But Apple does not bundle its own USB Ethernet adapter with the Air; if you want one, you have to shell out an additional $29.99.

My wife has an Air, and I frequently abscond with it. Most of the places I use it have WiFi, but from time to time, I need wired Ethernet, as I can’t connect to the hotspot’s signal, or I need the best throughput I can get (backing up the Air to our Time Capsule).

Now, MacAlly offers an alternative to Apple’s dongle, the MacAlly Air2Net USB Ethernet adapter. As expected, the Air2Net’s a dongle that let you connect an RJ-45 Ethernet jack into a USB port, and runs at Ethernet 10/100 speeds
I flogged the Air2Net hooked up to our MacBook AIr for an entire weekend at the Weeks Division of MyMac Labs. How did it do?

Air2Net proved to be trouble-free, and it performed with no muss or fuss. To recreate a new installation, I deleted the already existing USB Ethernet network setting in the Air’s Network system preference. OS X detected the Air2Net as soon as it was plugged in, and I hooked up via Ethernet cable with no more twiddling or fooling with network settings.

Wired network performance was just as fast as with Apple’s accessory, but MacAlly’s status and data transfer lights provided nice extra bits of information.

Air2Net has one small drawback; it’s not as small as the diminutive Apple adapter.

On the other hand, Air2Net has the connection and data transfer lights that Apple lacks.

If you just can’t decide between the two, consider the fact that Air2Net is $5.00 cheaper.

Conclusion

MacAlly’s Air2Net is worthy alternative to Apple’s adapter. It’s a bit larger, but has more bells and whistles.

MYMAC RATING 4 out of 5

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