These days wireless routers are becoming almost the norm even for standard “home” broadband packages, and with many homes having more than one PC and a number of other compatible devices the advantages of setting up a genuine network rather than just using wireless to get rid of the cables are worth considering. But to many the idea of setting up a wireless PC network sounds intimidating and excessively complicated. The inherent Windows based solution is clunky and hardly user-friendly, particularly for the relative PC novice. The problem is solved, though, with a really high quality piece of software called Network Magic, from Pure Networks.
Network Magic is probably one of the most user-friendly and accessible pieces of “technical” software that I’ve ever come across. Whether using the Free version or the (very reasonable and well worth it) Premium version it’s a perfect application for home users with several wireless devices. The software automatically, and painlessly, maps and networks PCs, all manner of other devices such as printers and games machines, administers file sharing and security, all in simple and easy-to-understand step-by-step wizards. With a welcoming and accessible user interface and automatic highlighting of any network problems it’s a piece of software that allows even inexperienced users to administer a home network.
While I might consider myself a more experienced techie, I still found the accessibility of the product to be a big plus. It currently administers a network of five PCs, an XBox 360, two routers and a Voice over IP telephone. It does so quietly and efficiently in the background, using few system resources and automatically highlighting rare network problems which it usually autofixes itself. It automatically adds and removes devices from the network as necessary, and wide functionality means that it would make an equally good purchase for a small business. With a 3 PC licence starting at $29.99 it’s accessible on price too, and well worth a look.