Linksys NAS appliance packs print server

The appliance features a 250GB IDE hard drive, but users can double that storage capacity by installing a second drive in the EFG250's open bay. (A $29 quick-connect tray accessory is required.) With a second drive installed, users can perform manual or scheduled backups of the primary drive. Rotating backups are possible by swapping in additional tray-mounted drives.

Equipped with a 10/100/1000 Ethernet port, the EFG250 can be connected to a Gigabit backbone. It can also be connected to wireless networks by plugging in Linksys' optional Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge WET54G ($174). All users on the network, wired or wireless, can share the same printer via the EFG250's onboard print server. The appliance also features a DHCP server and an FTP server for Internet-attached storage.

Last week, Iomega unveiled its own small-business NAS appliance, the NAS 100d, offering built-in 802.11g wireless and up to 250GB of storage, but no print server.

The EFG250 includes built-in backup, self-test, scan-disk, and defrag utilities and supports Web-based remote network management and monitoring. It's compatible with networks running Windows 98, Me, 2000, and XP.

The EFG250 is available immediately for $899. Linksys also offers 80GB and 120GB NAS appliances, the EFG80 and EFG120, for $499 and $599.