I've coveted one of the Belkin Cable-Free USB Hubs for over a year, since they announced the product. It's finally out and...according to engaget, it's very slow:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/05/hands-o...e-free-usb-hub/

The sadness there made me search out other possibilities. I ran across the announcement of the Silex/Pricom widock, a wireless dock for the iPod, on engaget as well (here: http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/01/silex-a...less-ipod-dock/ and the non-flash product page here: http://www.silexamerica.com/wiDock/index2.php ). The widock is, essentially, a pared down version of their SX-2000WG wireless USB device server, combined with the standard iPod dock features of iPod connector, Apple remote detector and A/V output. It's a neat little package. Didn't quite make it out for Xmas though (Jan 10 2007 availability). Too bad.

Anyway, THAT reminded me that I already had experimented with one of their SX-2000U2 units in the past, but it had firmware issues that caused me to box it and put it aside.

Well, sure enough, there was a firmware update. Now at v1.2.0, and I've got the current configuration up and running:

CODE
                                        USB2 to PATA bridge <-> DVD+-RW DL (both inside robot below)
                                                    ^
                                                    |
Thinkpad<->100mbit<->Switch<->SX-2000U2<->USB2 Hub<-V--^-> Rio Karma
                                                       |
                                                       V
                                     USB1 to RS-232 bridge <-> Duplicator/Ripper Robot


I just ran a remote rip from the Thinkpad using EAC's burst mode. It ripped at ~12x...over 100mbit ethernet. Nice!


-brendan