First Multi-Functional Server to Combine Remote Access And A Print Server

DPI's NETCommuter Satisfies the Needs of Small, Branch, and Remote Offices

(Waltham, MA - April 29, 1996) -- Digital Products, Inc. (DPI) announced
today the release of NETCommuter, its new Remote Access server designed to
meet the needs of companies with less than 250 people -- the small office,
small company, or remote/branch office of a large company. NETCommuter
provides Remote Node Dial-In, Remote Control Dial-In, Dial-Out and Print
Server functionality in one product. Telecommuters, business travelers,
and field personnel are now able to cost-effectively access their office
PCs and network resources anytime, from anywhere.

According to DPI Chief Technology Officer Bill Peisel, "NETCommuter means
more productivity without adding more devices to your network. Almost
every small, branch or remote office needs both Remote Access and print
serving. DPI's newest product provides both for the price of one -- but
you don't have to use both functions to justify the expense. Even though
NETCommuter is already one of the lowest priced Remote Access servers on
the market, the Print Server functions are included at no additional cost.
As a result, there's one less box, one less installation, one less
Ethernet connection, one less hassle. NETCommuter is fast and reliable,
secure, seamlessly scaleable, and, most of all, easy."

Because it was built by the company who defined easy-to-use network Print
Servers, NETCommuter is easy to install, easy to operate and easy to
support. It was designed for the office that doesn't have an extensive MIS
department or budget. Employees on-the-road or working out of their homes
can communicate the same as if they were in the office because it supports
both Remote Node and Remote Control concurrently. NETCommuter will help
companies improve productivity and reduce costs.

NETCommuter is as fast as any other Remote Access product on the market --
with a speed of 4-6K total bytes/second and optimized phone line
performance. Failed connections are automatically re-established.
NETCommuter security features guard both the Remote Access server and the
local area network (LAN). Encrypted passwords, secure and roving dialback,
CHAP, PAP, session limits and time-outs protect against viruses and
unauthorized access.

"NETCommuter is the ideal product for network administrators," comments
Peisel. "They can centrally support their remote users and network -- and
manage it all without leaving their desks.  Most everything can be done
remotely, including individual workstation software installation,
upgrades, system configurations, host rebooting, and technical support.
Even user training, customer education and sales demonstrations can be
conducted remotely. The latest trend is for companies to have field
personnel, telecommuters, and business people on the go; NETCommuter is
the easiest and most cost-effective way to keep up with the latest
technology." Systems Manager George Rusak of Georgetown Collection, Inc.
(Portland, ME) thinks combining the remote access and print server
functions makes sense. "The tools needed for remote access are the same as
remote printing," he comments. "I had to connect multiple printers,
activate multiple protocols, and set up everyone's PCs; but with
NETCommuter's easy management features, I configured everything centrally
through the one unit. It lessened my workload and I was able to print from
all available protocols simultaneously while using Dial-In and Dial-Out.
More and more people want to be able to work from home or while they are
on the road. This was a good, cost-effective way of adding this capability
without adding devices to our network."

Network Administrators will especially appreciate the easy installation and
operation. The unit -- which is small enough to fit in your hand --
installs in minutes; its three-step instructions are printed on the bottom
of the unit. After software is loaded on individual PCs, it's ready to go.
One-step icon connections from Windows automate dialing, login, and drive
mapping so connection is completed in minutes. NETCommuter also supports
automatic bootup configurations for DOS and Windows. Support is just as
easy. An operations manual and status LEDs located on the top of the unit
allow troubleshooting at a glance. NSDOCTOR, a Windows-based utility
program, makes it easy to provide remote and central management. A special
NETCommuter utility warrants against accidental launching of large
programs over the dial-up connection and provides for disk caching of
frequently used programs.

Jim Guirl, Project Manager for custom manufacturer Advanced Automation
(Greenville, South Carolina), explains how easy it is for his three field
engineers, two salespeople, and two home workers to use NETCommuter. "They
check their e-mail, transfer files to and from the network, and
upload/download needed information. I generated an icon labeled 'Dial the
office' and even our non-technical staff members can easily communicate
remotely. All they do is 'pick and click' and a connection is made in less
than a minute.

"NETCommuter is decidedly more useful than other communication methods. The
field engineers found the speed of the old bulletin board aggravating,
overnight express costly, and voicemail didn't provide all the information
that was needed. With NETCommuter, field people have instant access to all
normal in-house network resources, including files, applications, and
e-mail, so their jobs are made easier. Because our managers can now send
messages -- as well as files -- to the field, communication and
productivity have improved. "

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL

NETCommuter is truly multi-functional, offering Remote Node-Dial In, Remote
Control-Dial-In, Dial-Out, and Print Serving. There's one high-speed
serial port for modem sharing and two high-speed parallel ports for
printer sharing. All ports can be active simultaneously.

REMOTE NODE enables the user to act as a full-fledged node on the network
with access to all resources, including logging on to file servers,
printing to network printers, sending and receiving e-mail, and using any
other network service usually available. Remote Node works best when the
amount of data being transmitted over the phone line is not excessive
(e.g. e-mail, word processing, spreadsheet program, transferring files).

REMOTE CONTROL enables users to fully take over their PCs at work from
anywhere and remotely link to any and all network resources. Remote
Control is best used for applications involving large amounts of data
(e.g. Internet, large centralized LAN applications like CAD, sales
prospecting programs, etc., and database searches). Remote Control runs in
Windows and can control a PC that is running either DOS, Windows, or
Apple. One Remote Control PC can control several LAN PCs simultaneously
(as long as the LAN PCs contain NETCommuter host software).

REMOTE NODE AND REMOTE CONTROL CAN OPERATE CONCURRENTLY.

DIAL-OUT supports both Novell and Apple, as well as a shared modem pool.
Users can easily dial out to communication services (e.g. America On Line,
CompuServe, etc.) and bulletin boards (BBS).

PRINT SERVER is an added feature of NETCommuter. For no additional cost,
NETCommuter users enjoy the benefits of an award-winning Print Server from
the leader in network printing. NETCommuter, like its DPI sibling
NETPrint, provides transparent, simultaneous access through Novell
NetWare, UNIX, Windows NT V3.5+, Windows for Workgroups (with third party
software), LAN Server R4.5+, Apple, and TCP/IP (for printing only); has
two high-speed parallel printer ports, and 1 MB Flash for upgrades.

COMPATIBILITY AND FLEXIBILITY

NETCommuter supports Windows 95 client, Apple ARAP Version 2, and Novell;
full Novell and Apple Dial-In and Dial-Out (TCP/IP and Banyan are planned
as future upgrades). NETCommuter can be painlessly integrated with Lotus
NOTES, MS Office and others. NETCommuter works with any PPP Remote Access
software, including Windows 95, 3COM, Shiva, Digital Equipment's
DECserver, Telebit NetBlazer, and CISCO RAS products.

NETCommuter's 1 MB of Flash ROM provides for centralized downloading of new
and upcoming features; multiple units can be updated simultaneously.
Although NETCommuter is one piece of hardware, both the Print Server and
Remote Access functions run independently of each other. NETCommuter has
one high-speed serial port for inbound and outbound modem sharing and two
high-speed parallel ports for printer sharing; all ports can be active
simultaneously.

HARDWARE/SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

NETCommuter requires a 286 or higher PC (386 is recommended) with a high-
speed serial (COM) port, 16450 or 8250 UART (16550 UART for best
performance); and a modem (9600 bits/second or higher over telephone line
-- 28.8K bps recommended).  Software requirements include MS- DOS 3.3 or
higher and Windows 3.1 or higher.

NETCOMMUTER HELPS COMPANIES SAVE MONEY

As a single-port product, NETCommuter provides a low-cost way for small
offices, small companies, or remote branch offices of a larger company to
take advantage of remote access technology. There's no need for a
substantial investment up front; the NETCommuter units can be bought one
at a time as needed and put on an Ethernet network where they are needed.
Multiple units can be accessed on a pooled basis and managed centrally;
with redundancy, there's no single point of failure.

Jim Havens, MIS Manager for Mailhouse, Inc., a 125-employee publishing and
printing house, is using NETCommuter to connect his two plants of
operation. "Our two buildings are located far enough apart to make it very
expensive to connect them with fiber optic cable -- over $25,000 to start.
We don't wish to invest that large a sum of money right now; but with
NETCommuter, the employees in one building are able to access and run
applications on a server located in another building.  We're saving a lot
of money right now by using DPI's Remote Access product."

"When I'm travelling," explains Havens, "I use NETCommuter to remotely
access and control the server. As an MIS manager, I need to be in constant
touch with my systems. NETCommuter enables me to do that easily."

At $795 NETCommuter is the lowest-priced multi-function Remote Access unit
on the market. Users get two products (Remote Access Server and Print
Server) in one, so hundreds of dollars can be saved. DPI's product
includes unlimited remote client software licenses and one remote control
license (LAN PC) per NETCommuter license. Additional Remote Host licenses
can be purchased in packs: 1-Host Pack for $85, 3-Host Pack for $185,
10-Host Pack for $595. Additional software (PPP DOS/Win client, IPX
outbound modem client for DOS/Win, Apple outbound modem client, NSDOCTOR
Management disk, and Apple utility disk) is included with the NETCommuter
price. All DPI products have a 3-year standard warranty -- increased to 6
years upon return of the warranty card -- as well as toll-free customer
service, and free overnight replacement unit (US only) in case of unit
failure within 90 days of purchase.

Says Guirl, "If I needed another Print Server, I would get a NETCommuter.
The incremental cost is small and is far outweighed by the Remote Access
benefits."

NETCommuter is available immediately through DPI's worldwide network of
resellers and distributors including Ingram Micro, Merisel, and Tech
Data.

ABOUT DPI

DPI (Digital Products Inc.), a privately-held company, is a leading
supplier of state-of-the-art network printing solutions.  DPI commercially
manufactures both NETPrint external Print Servers and JETXPrint internal
cards (high-speed Print Servers for Novell, Windows, DEC, Apple, Banyan
and UNIX networks), as well as the PrintDirector family of automatic
printer sharing devices for the non-networked market. DPI products are
available worldwide through leading distributors and resellers. In
addition, DPI has over 10 years experience developing OEM versions of its
network print server solutions for various printer controller
architectures and offering an industry standard Off-The-Shelf network
print server. DPI is authorized by Novell as a NEST provider to
distribute, sell, and support NEST SDK Technology, and has entered into a
joint development and license agreement with Adobe Systems Incorporated to
develop leading state-of-the-art network printing solutions for printer
manufacturers and end-users in the network printing market. For more
information:  Digital Products Inc., 411 Waverley Oaks Road, Waltham, MA
02154 &bull; phone (617) 647-1234 &bull; fax (617) 647-4474 &bull; Web
http://www.digprod.com &bull; e-mail salesinfo@digprod.com &bull; Apple
Link DIGPROD and DPI.TECH.
 
 =========================================================
 From the 'New Product News' Electronic News Service on...
 AOL (Keyword = New Products) and Delphi (GO COMP PROD)
 =========================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 company/author mentioned. For additional details, please
 contact them directly at the address/phone# indicated.
 Trademarks are the property of their respective owners!
 =========================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  USA
 Email:   rbakerpc@aol.com   --or--   rbakerpc@delphi.com
 =========================================================
