Industry's Fastest Print Server Lowers Cost Of Connecting Printers

Performance and Ease-of-Use Features Offer Customers Lower Cost of Ownership

HILLSBORO, Ore., Oct. 26, 1998 - Intel Corporation today introduced the Intel® NetportExpress™ 10/100 3-port Print Server for connecting up to three printers to Ethernet and Fast Ethernet networks. At just over $100 per port***, the new print server operates at more than 800 kilobytes per second (KBps), nearly twice the speed of Intel's nearest competitor**. New installation wizards and a new Java* management application make setting up and using the print server easy.

In tests conducted by an independent lab**, the NetportExpress 10/100 enables a workgroup printer to print a 25-page, highly graphical file in less than two minutes. Other print servers tested by the lab took from five to 15 minutes to print the same file.

"Today's networks need high-speed print servers to handle the increasing number of graphic-intensive documents and fast workgroup printers," said Mark Christensen, vice president and general manager of Intel's Network Products Division. "Now, IT managers can cost-effectively connect multiple printers to the network and get breakthrough performance with Intel's three-port solution."

New Levels of Ease of Use, Installation and Management
The Intel NetportExpress 10/100 includes new installation wizards that help make configuration and printer set up easy for all supported protocols, contributing to a lower cost of ownership. The Configuration Wizard simplifies print server set up so that resellers and network managers can confidently delegate installation to novice technicians. The new NetportExpress Add Printer Wizard helps simplify the steps of adding a new printer to the network.

The NetportExpress 10/100 gives customers the option of managing print servers and printers using Windows*, Web or Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) based on their preferences. Intel's Web Enterprise Netport Manager is a new Java application that automatically discovers all print servers on the network and allows administrators to graphically group printers by department or location so they do not have to memorize each print server's IP address. This Java application works with the print server's embedded Web server to help provide comprehensive management from popular Web browsers. The print server also ships with a SNMP private Management Information Base (MIB) that enables SNMP consoles, such as Intel® Device View or HP Openview*, to help fully configure the print server. In addition, administrators can receive proactive alerts that indicate printer problems even before users are aware they exist, saving costly and time-consuming troubleshooting trips to the printer. Support for Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS) and Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) allow dynamic management and printing across subnets.

The NetportExpress 10/100 Print Server uses an Intel486™ processor and 2 MB of random access memory (RAM) that work together to reduce network retransmissions and process print jobs faster, freeing up bandwidth for users. It has two parallel ports and one serial port, giving network administrators maximum flexibility to install laser printers, inkjet printers, plotters, label printers and even bar code printers anywhere on the network. It supports a wide range of popular protocols and operating systems including Windows NT*, Windows 95, Windows 98, NetWare*, UNIX* and Apple Macintosh*.

Pricing and Availability
The Intel NetportExpress 10/100 3-port Print Server will be available Nov. 10 for a U.S. suggested list price of $399. The estimated street price is $329. As a special offer, one Intel NetportExpress 10/100 3-port Print Server per company is available for $149 while supplies last****. In addition, prices on Intel's NetportExpress PRO Ethernet and Token Ring print servers have been reduced $100 each. U.S. list prices are now $399 and $599 respectively.

All Intel networking products are available worldwide through a network of distributors and value-added resellers. Additional product information is available at (800) 538-3373 for U.S. and Canadian customers; at (44) 1-793-431-155 for European customers; or at (503) 264-7354 for other international customers. Information about Intel's print servers and special offers is available at www.intel.com/network/products/print_servers.htm.

* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.