File and Print Sharing

File and printer sharing performance was satisfactory in all the test networks, but transfer rates were far below Diamond's claim of 1Mbps.

My first network setup had one computer on the 1st floor and the other computer on the 2nd floor. The computers were about 20 feet apart with a floor and a wall between them. Transferring a 6.2MB file took 6 minutes and 40 seconds- that's about 15.9k/sec ~127kbps. This is pretty abysmal, but depending on the construction and materials used on your house, it could be a fluke.

A Less Strenuous Test

Well, if separating systems by one story is excessive, how about something guaranteed to work? The second network setup had both systems in the same room, sitting next to each other. This is by far the best-case scenario, and honestly, doesn't take advantage of the HomeFree's wireless capabilities. Transferring a 12.2MB file took 4 minutes and 52 seconds- that's about 42.8k/sec ~342kbps.

That worked out pretty well, so we decided to increase the distance between the systems and add a wall in for good measure. It's understandable that going between floors may cause problems, but a single wall should be well within the capabilities of the HomeFree. The third network had the systems in adjacent rooms with a wall and about 25 feet in between. Transferring an 8.1MB file took 3 minutes and 25 seconds- that's about 40.5 k/sec and ~324kbps. Not too bad compared to the side-by-side tests.