Broadband-connected networks have spread through homes, home offices, and small offices like wildfire. But users attempting to configure, secure, and maintain those networks may feel all too much like firefighters battling flames in a Santa Ana wind. So I'm always rooting for applications that aim to sweep away the daunting complexity of network management. Though Network Magic 5.0 ($49.99 direct) doesn't yet succeed in its toughest challenge, making security effortless, it's still a valuable tool for the home or business user who isn't a tech expert but needs to manage a network of up to eight computers—along with attached devices like printers and NAS appliances. It's got one new feature, the automation of wireless protection, that in my testing didn't work as advertised, and that keeps this iteration of the app from true greatness; but it's still quite good.
The software supports versions of Windows from Me through Vista. A separate package, Network Magic for Mac Add-On 4.0 ($25), lets you integrate up to eight systems running Mac OS 10.4.11 or 10.5.3 or later. The setup process is essentially the same as Network Magic Pro 4.7, which means you still have to install the utility on each computer manually. That amounts to just popping in the disc, clicking on "Install," and following a wizard. I'd really like to see remote deployment in Network Magic 6, but it's not a terrible omission in a product aimed at managing such small networks.
Once you've got the software installed, you see the improved control dashboard. The graphical interface displays a map of your network with pictorial representations of all the connected devices, which the utility finds automatically. Y
Network Magic Pro 5.0 : The Dashboard
Network Magic Pro 5.0 : Network Map
Network Magic Pro 5.0 : Getting Your Network Protected—Almost
Network Magic Pro 5.0 : The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Network Magic Pro 5.0 : Making the Kids See the Sun Occasionally
