The traditional saying goes that nobody got fired for buying IBM equipment, and the same might be said of customers for 3Com's network interface cards. However, 3Com has had to play second fiddle to one of its keenest rivals, Xircom, in the portable networking arena over the last couple of years.

Xircom pioneered the clever idea of including standard full-size port connector sockets in its RealPort PC Card (PCMCIA) network adapters for notebook PC users. To accommodate these connectors, Xircom simply made its PC Card a Type III device - double the thickness of more conventional Type I/II PC Cards.

The advantage of using full-size standard port connectors is that you don't need to remember to bring a dedicated and often fragile lead for your network card with you. Instead you can use a standard RJ45 network cable that is likely to be easily obtained at your destination.

Here we examine 3Com's new alternative to Xircom's RealPort product, the succinctly-named 3CXFEM656C 10/100 LAN+Modem CardBus PC Card. As its name (partially) implies, this is a combo card that includes a 56Kbps data and fax modem. So alongside the RJ45 network port there is a full-size RJ11 modem phone port, and both RJ11 and RJ45 leads are supplied with the card. A third, low-profile port is included to accommodate optional mobile phone and ISDN digital phone line connection kits.

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In use, the card worked faultlessly. It was easy to install using the standard Windows 98SE Plug and Play drivers. Windows NT and 2000 are also supported, and 10 or 100 megabits/second operation is auto-sensed. On the modem side, the card is approved for most countries and a country setup utility is included.

Performance is excellent thanks to 3Com's use of its Parallel Tasking II technology to lower dependence on the host PC's main processor. Utilities are also included to simplify setting up remote LAN connections and network management tasks.

Just like Xircom's RealPort solution, the main question mark over the 3Com 3CXFEM656C card is its Type III dimensions. Although the card only uses one PC Card connector, it takes the space of two Type I/II cards and this usually means there will be no space left over for a second PC Card.

Many new notebook PCs have integrated modems, so for £34 less you can opt for the 3C3FE575CT 10/100 LAN-only version of the card. However, this route also removes the option of connecting via mobile phone or ISDN.

Not all notebooks or other portable devices, like PDAs, can actually take a Type III card in the first place. But if these are not concerns, we can thoroughly recommend this latest 3Com product, as long as you don't have other PC Cards that you'd need to use at the same time.