Have you ever been working on your computer, or just surfing the Internet, when all of a sudden your computer slows to a snail's pace? It seems to take forever to open a Web page, or your computer appears to go to sleep for several seconds, and then "wakes up," only to do it again. It's frustrating and hard to know where to start looking to find the problem. Do you reboot your computer, call your Internet service provider (which typically means sitting on hold), or just wait for a while and hope it gets better. All are possible solutions, but now there's a better way!

Introducing Speed Meter Pro, the latest offering from Pure Networks to help make your home networking experience easier and more reliable. Speed Meter Pro takes the guesswork out of troubleshooting “Why is it slow?” and helps you quickly identify and resolve issues that may be slowing down wireless, network, and Internet performance.

Speed Meter Pro monitors your entire network (PCs, devices, Internet connection speed) and looks for common issues that can have an impact on how your network and PC are responding. Unlike other computer-specific performance monitoring products, Speed Meter Pro looks across your entire network, helping you to keep all connected devices running at top speed. Best of all, it's easy to use.

Simply install Speed Meter Pro on all of the PCs in your home network and it begins monitoring them, your wired and wireless network connections, and the Internet to identify issues that could be causing slowdowns. It displays easy-to-understand alerts that quickly show you where the problem is and how to fix it. For example, if your computer performance suddenly seems slower, Speed Meter Pro can tell you if other users on your network are doing tasks that are hogging bandwidth, if your wireless signal is weak, if other common household electronics are impacting your wireless signal, or if your computer is low on memory.

There are several reasons why a network could be slow, and Speed Meter Pro can tell you what's happening right now on each computer and your entire network. It also keeps track of past network performance issues and connection speeds so you can see how your network is running over time.

Check out Speed Meter Pro and see how it can help keep your network running at top speed, without spending valuable time troubleshooting by yourself.

Posted by JulieB at 06:37 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

I love my wireless home network. I can work anywhere I want in the house or outside on the deck. Wireless (Wi-Fi) networks give you the freedom to work where you want and share printers and other devices, however, they can also give that same freedom to your neighbor. Your wireless router's signal doesn't stop at your walls or your property line, it extends for several hundred feet in all directions. All the time.

Pure Networks recently conducted a survey of home and small business computer users and asked the following question: "Do you consider using the private Wi-Fi Internet connection of a nearby neighbor or business stealing?" Almost 50% responded that they did not think it was stealing to use someone else's wireless connection to the Internet. So, it's a free-for-all out there. Will your neighbor's kid be printing his school report on your connected printer? Probably not, but he could if your wireless network isn't locked down with common security measures.

To help you check your Wi-Fi network's security, Pure Networks is offering a free wireless network security scan tool. It lets you quickly check for wireless network security issues and other computer and Internet security problems. The tool scans your network, lists any wireless security problems it finds, and provides information about how to fix wireless router and computer security problems.

It gives your network a "score card" showing results for your computer, other devices and computers on your network, wireless security settings, and Internet threats. For each category, it shows any issues it finds and offers ways to fix them. It's a quick and easy way to see how your network security measures up, and how to fix any vulnerabilities it may have.

Here's a list of things the free wireless network security scan can detect:

• If there are unknown computers or devices on your network.
• If the default password or network name is used on your router. This is a common security problem and takes only a few minutes to change.
• If your wireless router's firmware is up to date. Running the latest firmware helps keep your router more secure.
• If you're using wireless data encryption to protect the information being sent around your wireless network. This is perhaps one of the most important security features you can use on a wireless network. See the article on the Network Magic website for help with setting up wireless data encryption.
• Whether ports on your router have been changed or opened. Open ports can allow hackers onto your wireless network.
• If your computers are using firewall and anti-virus software.

Try the free wireless network security scan tool and see how secure your wireless network is. It only takes a few minutes to run and can give you valuable information about making your home or small business network safe from intruders.

Posted by JulieB at 09:54 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

Many of us at Pure Networks have children. We're all interested in their safety and worry about them no matter where they are - at school, at a friend's house, at work - doesn't matter, when they're "out there," we think about them. In today's world of computers, now we have to worry about them even when they're safe at home because even if they're within the confines of our homes, they can still be "out there" on the Internet. Network Magic can help by monitoring what your kids are doing online, giving you peace of mind without having to stand over them as they use the computer.

I used my first computer in college (yes, I'm that old) and thought it was the coolest thing ever. As I passed through different companies and computers got more and more accessible, I became a die-hard computer user and bought one for myself. Years later, when I had children, I vowed they would learn to use the computer at a young age and become proficient users who were not afraid it as my parents and many of my siblings were. So when my kids could barely reach the desk, I bought early reader programs, games where they fit virtual shapes into virtual containers, counting games, and the like.

Now, as young tweens and middle schoolers, they are indeed proficient computer users, and I'm wondering if that was such a wise choice! They want to be on the computer A LOT to window shop, play online games, and email friends. My daughter's math book is on a CD-ROM, so she uses the computer every day to do her homework. And if she misses a day of school, the class notes for that day can be accessed online from her teacher's Web site. All wonderful things, if those were the only things kids do online.

As most parents know, there are scary things on the Internet. Things such as chat groups with predators, unwanted pop ups to inappropriate sites, gambling sites, sites to purchase prescription drugs, the list goes on. And even seemingly harmless places such as many social networking sites hold dangers. Online bullying and hurtful gossip happen every day, often blindsiding children before they know what happened.

So what's a parent to do to keep their child safe? We want to trust our kids and let them make their own decisions, but kids may not be aware that who they're talking with on the Internet may not actually be a "13 year old boy from Oregon who likes skateboarding and the Jonas Brothers." It may be someone else. And really, as parents, who has time to stand by their child every time they're on the computer and monitor what's happening. (For sure your child won't like it!) Even if we could, sites come and go every day, so chances are, there's a new site your child is hearing about at school this very moment. How can you monitor what you don't know?

The Network Reports feature in Network Magic can help. It monitors computers in your home and emails you a report each day showing the Internet sites visited. The report can be sent to any email address, so you can get the reports even if you're not at home. This helps in two ways: it shows you what sites your child is visiting, and educates you to the new sites your child visits as they appear. This takes care of the "how do you monitor what you don't know exists" problem. If your child is visiting a new site you've never heard of, this provides a way to know.

The Network Reports also show the time of day the computer was in use. So if you set specific times for your child to use the computer for surfing and IM'ing with friends, you can monitor that it's being adhered to. The real benefit of using Network Reports to me is it lets my children have some freedom when using the computer. They know that I'm "watching" them via Network Reports. So they take responsibility to follow our online surfing rules, and I don't have to stand behind them as they use the computer.

Here are some more tips for Internet safety from KidsHealth:

• Become computer literate and learn how to block objectionable material.
• Keep the computer in a common area, not in individual bedrooms, where you can watch and monitor your child.
• Share an email account with your child so you can monitor messages.
• Bookmark your child's favorite sites for easy access. One minor typing mistake can take them from "Legos" to "Legs," with drastically different results.
• Spend time online together to teach your child appropriate online behavior.
• Forbid your child from entering private chat rooms; block them with safety features provided by your Internet service provider or with special filtering software. Be aware that posting messages to chat rooms reveals your child's email address to others.
• Monitor your credit card and phone bills for unfamiliar account charges.
• Find out what, if any, online protection is offered by your child's school, after-school center, friends' homes, or any place where he or she could use a computer without your supervision.
• Take your child seriously if he or she reports an uncomfortable online exchange.
• Forward copies of obscene or threatening messages you or your child receives to your Internet service provider.
• Call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678 if you are aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography online. Contact your local law enforcement agency or the FBI if your child has received child pornography via the Internet.

Posted by JulieB at 10:06 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

Ever have a thought – what would happen if suddenly my computer just stopped working and I lost all of my data, pictures, music, movies, etc? Well, it happens. And usually without any warning. What would you do if you lost all of the pictures you've been so diligent about downloading, organizing, and sharing with distant friends and relatives? Or how about your online Tax returns or important work documents. Have you ever deleted a file, and then a day or so later found out you needed it? If it were backed up, you could just go and get it.

If you're like me, you're always meaning to take a minute and back up your hard drive, but first you have to find a blank CD-ROM, decide what you want to back up, start backing up, and then find another CD-ROM because the first one filled up so quickly.

There's a better way. Why not back up everything automatically? Sound good? Then check out our new offering with Carbonite, a leading provider of online backup. According to Carbonite, every year 43% of computer users lose irreplaceable emails, documents, photos and other files. Don't be one of them. When you purchase Network Magic Pro, you receive 6 months of free online backup with Carbonite. It automatically backs up everything on your computer so you don't have to choose what to back up depending on time or space requirements. It's always on, always backing up your files. It's easy to install and set up and begins working immediately. Then, sit back and relax, knowing that your data (and Las Vegas pictures) are safe and secure.

Posted by JulieB at 03:26 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) |

Ever stayed up until 2am trying to get your wireless network security to work?

Or how about had a friend visit and tried for hours to get their laptop on your network?

Ever bought a new router and spent all day trying to get your computers connected to it?

We understand your pain.

That's why we launched today our "Networking Nightmares" contest. Submit your most frustrating home or small office networking story to us by Oct. 28th for a chance to win a $500 Best Buy gift card.

Visit http://www.networkmagic.com/nightmares to enter.

Posted by MarkK at 09:16 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

As more and more people "go wireless" in their homes and businesses and set things up so that they can access the Internet from any room, more and more people also have a lot of difficulty getting "wireless" to work correctly, and keeping it running correctly.

This is just one big example of a shift in how people are using computers in their homes and offices these days.

We'd like to learn more about how people are using their computers, so we've created a quick 5-minute survey. After gathering the responses, we'll be analyzing them and then posting summary results back here.

So if you could spare 5 minutes, we would really appreciate your feedback.

>>> Click Here to Take Survey

Thank you in advance!

Posted by MarkK at 10:23 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) |

Working from home is great; you don't have to commute through miles of traffic, you can wear whatever you want, and you can set your own schedule. One of the down sides of working from home is keeping your computers and Internet connection working. There's nothing more frustrating than computer downtime, and not knowing what's causing it. Is it your computer, your router, or is it your Internet Service Provider (ISP)? Or how about trying to share one printer with your wireless laptop and your desktop computer.

Wouldn't it be great to have an onsite computer geek to just "make it all work" so you can concentrate on your customers? Then install Network Magic on all of your computers and see how it can help keep your home office running smoothly:

• Set up printer and file sharing from any computer in your home. You can print from any computer, and move files from one computer to another without having to e-mail them back and forth.
• Get a notification if you lose your Internet connection, and troubleshoot and fix the problem.
• Keep your software investment up to date by alerting you when important software updates are available.
• Secure your home network with wireless security settings.
• Track any intruder that attempts to log on to your home network.

Let Network Magic help keep your home network up and running, so you can focus on your business.

Posted by JulieB at 12:39 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBacks (0) |

A home network where more than one computer shares an Internet connection, files, and printers is great. After you set it up, you'll wonder how you ever managed without it. Getting it set up is a huge first step and you're probably resting on your accomplishments with just getting it to work. And hopefully you used Network Magic to help you. Congratulations! But you're only partly done, especially if you've set up a wireless network. Now you have to secure your home network so others can't log on to it from the "outside." You've probably heard it before: you wouldn't leave your house without locking the door, so why would you leave your home network open to just anyone to use your Internet connection and potentially access your personal data.

The easiest way to secure your home network is to set some basic security features on your router. I know when I did this on my home network, I was a little nervous since I often work from home and I didn't want to mess anything up. But I took the plunge and logged in to my router and set up WPA security (it wasn't hard to do). Now I know a hacker will have to work a lot harder to access my network, and will probably keep driving down the road looking for the person who didn't take the time to lock down their home network.

For an overview of how to set basic security features on your home network, see the article on the Network Magic website.

Posted by JulieB at 12:12 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (64) | TrackBacks (0) |

A home network is a fancy name for two or more computers sharing an Internet connection and a printer. Imagine having your desktop computer where it is (plugged in to the wall) and then having a laptop to take anywhere in the house or outside. On the laptop, if you want to view a picture or anything else stored on the desktop computer, you can just open it. It's called File Sharing. And, if you want to print something from your laptop while you're sitting on the deck, you can send it to the printer attached to the desktop computer. That's called Printer Sharing. So a home network isn't some scary thing that requires you to be a computer geek - it can be a simple way to have more than one computer sharing the Internet and a printer. (Home networks can also share lots of other types of devices, but for this introduction, I'm keeping it simple.)

To set up a home network (not a scary thing, remember), you need to purchase a router - a small device that connects between your modem and your desktop computer. (The modem is the device you got from your DSL or cable provider that connects to a telephone jack or cable TV wall outlet.) The router allows more than one computer to use your Internet connection at the same time. It also lets all of the computers in your home "see" each other and know they exist.

When you have your router in place, fire up the laptop. Most laptops today have wireless capability built in. (If you purchase a laptop that doesn't, you can get a wireless USB adapter that plugs in to your laptop and gives it wireless capability.) And if you install Network Magic on your laptop and desktop computers, it detects your router automatically and helps you connect to the Internet. Network Magic also sets up printer sharing and walks you through file sharing. It's really easy. And if you add more computers (because it's so easy), just install Network Magic on them and they're automatically joined to your home network.

So give it a try, and soon you'll be the proud owner of a home network and can tell your friends that it's not a scary thing. Better yet, send them an email from your deck!

Up next, why it's important to set up your router for a secure home network.

Posted by JulieB at 08:59 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (40) | TrackBacks (0) |

So, you've had a computer for a few years now. It's probably sitting on a desk in the den, or maybe in a corner of the family room or kitchen with a printer attached to it. And, it's plugged in to the wall, so you have to use it where it is.

You know how to email back and forth with your friends and family. You've gotten used to checking your bank balances online, transferring money now and then. And you know how to shop and order things from your favorite sites - that part is easy!

But summer's coming and maybe you'd like to be able to check that bank balance or send emails from your deck, or in a room away from the kids and the TV. And speaking of the kids, maybe you just want your own computer without having to worry about what the kids are downloading that could wipe away your family photos without warning. Then it’s time to get a laptop and get it connected to the Internet wirelessly. Once you do that, guess what? You’re the proud owner of a home network and you can surf the net anywhere you want! You won't be tied to that computer in the corner.

Up next, how to set up a home network (it's easy - I promise!)

Posted by JulieB at 01:30 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBacks (0) |

The front page of the Seattle Times last week featured an article written by an LA Times reporter about wifi security risks. “Wi-Fi worry: Laptops at risk of attack” mentions a lot of the issues we hear people dealing with every day: concerns about connecting to the wrong wifi hotspot, worries about email and web browsing privacy, fears regarding security on your home wireless network, etc. The sidebar has some great ideas about how to address some of these, including changing your router’s wireless network name (SSID), making sure all of your software has the latest and greatest security updates, and making sure you know what you’re sharing from your laptop when it connects to a hotspot.

Of course, Network Magic is a great way to keep track of your wireless security. Network Magic’s PC Shield feature automatically locks down your shared folders when you connect to a wifi hotspot, so if your laptop accidentally connects to the wrong wireless network, all of the information on your laptop will still be safe.

And what’s an Evil Twin, you might still be asking? It’s a wifi hotspot set up by a hacker that has the same wireless network name as another known network (usually one that’s nearby). If you’ve connected to the “good” wireless network before, next time you show up, your computer might accidentally connect to the Evil Twin network, putting your computer at risk.

Posted by TimA at 10:12 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) |

You'd think that we'd be reaching a point where it would be easy to share a file between two computers in your home or small business. Sadly, with Vista we seem to be moving back in time. File sharing used to be hard enough with Windows XP. Throw a few Vista computers into the mix and you’re in for a long slog through a morass of pain. Don't even think about sharing files between a Mac and any PC.

If you really want to be able to use your home network, the answer is Network Magic. However, if you're the kind of person that really wants things to be difficult and confusing, check out what we in Pure Networks Research uncovered about Vista and usability (or lack thereof…)

Read more…

Posted by Libby at 10:28 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0) |

My name is Julie and I’m a technical writer at Pure Networks, writing end-user Help and anything else that helps our users be successful with Network Magic. I’ve been working at Pure about 4 months.

I’m from a very large family, none of which are proficient computer users – seriously. I’m the relative everyone calls when they need to install software, troubleshoot why something won’t work, and anything else even remotely relating to their computer, and more recently, their Internet connection. It’s especially fun when my nieces and nephews know more than their parents, and have this worried look on their faces when I come over. They know that I can see what they’ve been up to on the family computers, even if their parents can’t. When I first started at Pure and was going through the existing online Help, I saw a topic about troubleshooting problems. One of the suggestions for solving the problem was calling a relative and asking for help. I just smiled.

Now I don’t mind helping out, but with six siblings, their spouses and kids, and various neighbors and friends, it gets to be a little much. On the other hand, when I’m writing the online Help for new Network Magic features, I imagine that one of my brothers is reading it. The best thing about Network Magic is it’s intended for people who aren’t computer gurus, but rather for people who have one or more computers, an Internet connection, a printer or two, perhaps a gaming system, and want some help with “making it all work.” And maybe without having to call a relative.

Currently, I’m updating the online Help, looking at existing information, and adding new information for our new features. Does anyone have any comments about the Network Magic online Help? Have you used it and successfully found the answers you needed? Are there other questions that you are curious about but don’t even know where to start? Well I am here to help! Ask away.

Posted by JulieB at 11:12 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBacks (0) |

Privacy, especially as it relates to the Internet, is a scary topic. It is more and more difficult each day to understand what personal information you are leaving around as you wander the infinite corridors of the Internet. It seems that every week we read about another laptop full of personal data that has been stolen. You have every right to be concerned about this.

I would like talk a bit about the Network Reports feature of Network Magic and the privacy issues it brings out. We want to do whatever is necessary to clarify our position on privacy and let you know what our products actually do.

Prior to developing and shipping Network Magic 4.1 we did a ton of research on the right way to implement Network Reports. The overwhelming feedback was that emailing the reports was the best and most valuable approach for our customers. Getting the reports from any computer, whether at home or at work, seemed to be a valuable feature. In order to do this, we either had to figure out how to send email from the customer computer, or collect the information we need to generate the report, send it to our servers for processing and email it from there. The tradeoff was the agony of trying to send email from a consumer’s computer vs. potential privacy issues. Given the seemingly infinite methods for sending email, there didn’t seem to be a solution that would work consistently in millions of homes.

When we send the data from a home network to our servers, it is sent in a way that prevents it from being read without a heck of a lot of work. There are far easier ways for someone to get information regarding a consumer's Internet behavior than trying to capture this traffic off of the Internet and put it back into a readable form.

Once we have created the network report and sent it on to the customer, we keep the data around only as long as the consumer might need to regenerate the report. I am vague on this period on purpose, as we are constantly evaluating usage to determine if and when customers want to see old reports. We currently keep it about a week, and then it is deleted forever. We are looking at making this window shorter.

Now it is time for me to be very clear: WE DO NOT USE THIS PRIVATE INFORMATION FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE CREATION OF THE NETWORK REPORT. Pardon the caps, but I want to make sure everyone understands this. We do not look at it, we do not let anyone else look at it, we do not sell it, we will never sell it, we do not loan or rent it to anyone nor will we ever. It remains locked in our very secure servers and is never seen by human eyes. During the brief time we do have the data, we do everything we know how to protect it.

We especially do not put it on laptops and leave the laptops on the front seat of unlocked cars, which seems to be the preferred method of distribution these days for personal information.

You might ask: why, then, does your privacy policy say otherwise? Great question. The privacy policy is what the industry and legal profession requires from us. It does not state what we actually do, that would be too easy. It instead states all of the really bad things that can happen in the world of the Internet. Given that no system is foolproof, there is always a non-zero chance that we screw something up and stuff gets out. The privacy policy, generated by well-meaning but paranoid lawyers, is meant to cover every possible horrible thing that can ever happen and is, in my opinion, much like the warning text that comes with every prescription drug about the possible side-effects. The privacy policy is the software industry equivalent of “if you take this drug, you could die. You most likely won't, we don't believe you will, nobody ever has, but just the same...”

We are sending tens of thousands of these network reports daily. While we completely understand the privacy issues and the emotions that can be generated, the customers we have heard from that are concerned with the privacy issue number less than 100 very passionate people. This is not meant to discount the privacy issues in any way, just to put the issue into perspective.

In every case where you have to make a decision about a potential privacy issue, you have to weigh the benefit of the feature against the potential risk. We believe, based on customer feedback thus far, that the privacy risk we create is far outweighed by the benefit of knowing how the computers in your home or small business are being used.

If you opt out of Network Reports, we do not send any of this data to our servers, so if you personally decide that the privacy risk/benefit equation is not what you like, we respect this and encourage you to not use the reporting feature.

Hopefully this helps everyone concerned regarding our policies. I will, as usual, monitor your feedback and am willing to engage in civil conversations regarding our policy and implementation. We are always looking for ways to improve what we are doing, and these forums have been a constant source of great feedback for us.

Jeff Erwin
President & CEO
Pure Networks

Posted by JeffE at 12:55 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0) |

After I got home from work tonight, my wife suggested we watch a movie. Drive to Hollywood Video and pickup a DVD? How old-school! Open one of those stale Netflix envelopes? How 1999.

Two days ago, Amazon announced their Unbox service available via TiVo. I gave it a whirl.

How was the experience? First up - you have login to Amazon Unbox and give them your TiVo account information. Then you simply pick your movie and purchase. The website tells you that your movie is being 'downloaded'. Not believing it could be so easy I rushed upstairs to take a look at my TiVo. A few minutes later, and the movie appeared on my list. I wasn't able to play it until it was fully downloaded but it came down at a fairly fast rate - in about 45 minutes - we had the movie ready to watch.

This is one of those pivotal home technology points for our household. The first was getting a TiVo, the second was getting my music all over with Sonos, the third was being able to listen to any music I want with Rhapsody over Sonos. The notion of recent movies on-demand to my TiVo is killer - my wife is incredibly excited about the prospect - and she doesn't get excited about new technologies easily.

The future is bright, and while Unbox has it's host of imperfections (selection & cost being my top two), six months from now, I have no doubt that rather than flicking on TiVo and watching pre-recorded broadcast tv - we'll be picking from favorite new release movies or watching amusing YouTube snippets recommended by friends.

Is the "digital home" really here?

-Brett
--
Brett Marl
CTO, Pure Networks
www.networkmagic.com

Posted by Brett Marl at 11:31 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0) |

Pure Networks' CEO Jeff Erwin was featured on the most recent TechPodcast Roundtable Discussion. Jeff runs through how you share files and printers in Windows Vista (be afraid, be very afraid - it is not pretty) and compares this to how you do the same thing in Vista with Network Magic.

You can listen to the podcast here.

Posted by MarkK at 02:36 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0) |

A few weeks ago I posted about the Preview version of Network Magic 4.1 being available. Well we finished-up putting 4.1 through some pretty rigorous testing and it is now available for FREE download at www.networkmagic.com. If you haven't tried it out, you don't know what you're missing!

There are two main new features, Network Reports and the Network Magic Advisor. As I wrote about before, Network Reports is a feature geared towards parents. It sends you a daily email report letting you know the sites your kids are visiting online, the amount of time they are spending online and the software applications they are using. What does all of this really tell you? Well, with this email, you know if your kids are chatting on IM and posting on MySpace rather than typing up their homework. At Pure, we don't want to do the parenting for you, which is why you can't use Network Reports to block certain sites, but we do want to help keep you informed as to what is going on in your home. And that is exactly what this feature does.

The second new major feature is the Network Magic Advisor. Think of this feature as having your own personal nerd living in your house. Not sure what a "NAS" device is? Clueless about how to upgrade your memory or RAM? You can use the Network Magic Advisor to learn more about not only these topics but many other things as well. It will give you helpful information about the devices you already own and you can use it to learn about new products you are thinking you might be interested in. For now, the products need to be slightly related to the home network; sorry you can't get movie reviews here, yet...

So go ahead, try out the new features and let us know what you think. We are constantly working to improve all of our features and would love to know what you think we can do to not only make Network Reports and Network Magic Advisor more valuable but how we can improve upon all of our features.

Posted by JeffE at 11:16 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (38) | TrackBacks (0) |

What your kids are doing on their computers late at night or anytime? Where do they go on the Internet? Are they asleep or typing away madly on IM at 3 in the morning?

Ever wonder?

The market is full of products that allow you to do creepy things like snoop on your kids IM traffic, see their screen, block certain Web sites from their browsers, etc. These products, however, all put you in the position of being pretty invasive. They also require a ton of work on your part to maintain. And who really wants to sit and read your child’s wacky conversations with their friends, just in case?

What if you could get a daily email that simply told you when they were active on the Internet, where they went and what programs they ran on their computers over the last 24 hours? Now with our new Network Reports feature a simple one page report for each computer in your home is delivered every day, just like the morning paper.

We have been busy here at Pure Networks working to understand what people like you want to know about how your home network operates and what the different computers are doing. Because of the already spectacular job Network Magic does fixing your network problems, we know a lot about what is going on ‘under the covers’ of your home network as well. In our version 4.1, we start to reveal to you, in simple terms, things you might be interested in knowing.

Besides the daily email, we also added something called the Network Magic Advisor. This feature will provide you with timely information about how to get the most value out of Network Magic, as well as how to get the most value out your network itself. Have you ever wondered what all of those storage terms mean? NAS, SCSI, SATA? Network Advisor is the place to find out. How about more information about the latest home networking equipment or upgrades to your current equipment? Network Advisor is the source. Need more printer ink? Find some in Network Advisor! Our goal is to provide you with information that is important to you!

We are inviting you to take a look at our new version with this preview release. As usual, there are some things you should understand about preview releases:

1. It is NOT the final release and there could be bugs in it. We don’t think so, but we are still looking.
2. It interoperates with 4.0 just fine, and it works with our beta version of our Mac client. You can put it on just one computer to see what it does.
3. It isn’t going to hurt.
4. It is a free upgrade to 4.0 and earlier releases. If you are in free trial mode for 4.0, and you download the 4.1 preview, you will then be in free trial mode in 4.1.
5. If you love 4.1 and have to buy it RIGHT NOW (like, in order to see the detail in the reports) you can do so, and you will, of course, get the final version, for free, in a few weeks. Instant gratification is important!
6. It isn’t going to hurt!

If you love 4.1, and you will, just wait until we release 4.2 this summer! You simply will not believe your eyes!

Let me know what you think!

Jeff Erwin
President & CEO

Download the 4.1 Preview Version

Posted by JeffE at 12:43 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0) |

We are pleased to make available the BETA version of Network Magic for the Mac. The Mac is becoming more and more mainstream (I am writing this on my iMac) and you, our loyal customers have made it quite clear that Macs are a critical part of your home network. You have also made it clear that, as if sharing folders and printers on a Windows network isn’t hard enough, adding a Mac to the mix makes things worse.

Until now!

We are taking the unusual step (for us) of making the BETA version of our Mac client generally available to our entire customer base. There are several reasons for this:

1. The demand for this is very high, and making it available, even in BETA form, will help our customers.

2. We want and need the feedback from you as to what direction we should take the Mac version of Network Magic. The Mac environment is different from the Windows environment, and we realize the needs are going to be different.

Let’s define what BETA means:

1. This is NOT a bug-free commercial release. If you download it and install it, you are doing so with the understanding that BETA is short for “May Not Perform Exactly As Expected”. (MNPEAE is hard to pronounce, so we use BETA)

2. We DO want your feedback. Typically we have a secure BETA forum for this purpose, but since we are opening this up to anyone, we will accept feedback either to this blog or to this public forum area. The usual blog response rules apply.

What does it do?

Our first release of the Mac Network Magic is not intended to be a full replication of Network Magic for Windows. We will eventually get there, but we wanted to get the most critical capabilities to you as quickly as possible. Therefore, this first release implements folder and printer sharing between the Mac and the PC. While the user paradigm is different on the Mac side, on the Windows side you will see your Mac on the map and shares will appear just as they do when sharing between Windows computers. On the Mac side, it has more of a Finder look and feel.

What doesn’t it do?

While we will eventually sync the Windows and Mac capabilities, for now you will not see the network map and you won’t see network repair or many of our other cool features in this Mac version. Since you still need the Windows Premium version of Network Magic on a Windows computer for folder and printer sharing, that is still the way to get those tasks done.

How much will it cost?

The Mac version of Network Magic will be free to our Premium customers, and of little value to our Basic customers if the free trial period has expired.

How do I get it?

Follow this link to download the Mac BETA:
http://www.networkmagic.com/mac

Posted by JeffE at 09:29 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0) |

Not sure what to get those people on your list who have everything? Well here are some of the hot items we want that we’re pretty sure anyone on your list would love:

• The New iPod Nano: This great little mp3 player comes in a variety of colors and storage sizes. Prices start at just over $100 and you can even get them engraved.
  Buy from Amazon

• XBOX 360 & Accessories: Looks like the 360 hasn’t lost any of its luster as it is still one of the top “most wished for items” at Amazon.com.
  Buy from Amazon

• Digital Camera: Whether it is a digital SLR camera with interchangeable lenses or one that will fit in your back pocket, there is a digital camera out there for everyone.
  Buy from Amazon

• iPod Accessories: Someone on your list already have an iPod? Then give them a docking & speaker station so they can listen to their music anywhere. Or maybe new head phones or a car adapter – the possibilities are endless!
  Buy from Amazon

• Gift Giving Ideas from Amazon

Have good gift giving ideas? Share them!

Happy Holidays!

Posted by Libby at 09:31 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0) |

After months of development and testing, extensive beta testing and a sneak preview release, we are excited to release Network Magic 4.0 to the world. If you are an existing Network Magic Premium customer, this is a free upgrade. If you are currently in the 30-day trial with a prior version, this is what you really want. If you are currently using and enjoying the free version of Network Magic, you are also encouraged to upgrade to this new version.

You can upgrade to 4.0 through Network Magic itself (Go to the Tools menu and select “Get Updates”) or by downloading it from www.networkmagic.com/download .

Network Magic 4.0 helps you in several new ways, including:

- New Wizards to help you more easily get your networking tasks done.

- A new, more powerful Network Repair feature that helps you solve more networking problems.

- A new Internet Speed Test that helps you determine if your Internet connection is slow, and then troubleshoots the problem if it is.

- A new personal dashboard of everything going on in your network called the Status Center.

As with any major software release, we’ve also continued to make improvements across every aspect of Network Magic.

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to give Network Magic 4.0 a try.

Need assistance with Network Magic? Contact Customer Support

I look forward, as always, to your feedback!

Jeff Erwin
President & CEO
Pure Networks, Inc.

Posted by JeffE at 09:35 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBacks (0) |

Remember those TV spots some time ago that asked if you knew where your children were late at night? I don’t even remember what exactly was being advertised, but I do remember the little feeling of angst the ads would cause in people. It’s funny what a subtle reminder about accountability and the difficulty of parenting can do to your mood.

The more modern version of this question might be: when your kids get up from the dinner table and head off to their rooms, what are they doing? With today’s connected world and the ubiquitous nature of broadband, this can be a very complicated question.

These days, the issue is much more complex, given the fact that we are now raising children who have never known a non-connected world. I am continually amazed by the amount of multi-tasking one ‘young-adult’ type person can perform. If you have ever seen one of these kids talking on the cell phone while maintaining 8 or more instant message conversations, all the while surfing through cyber-space you know what I am talking about. Add to this the lure of on-line gaming ala Xbox Live and the massive multiplayer role-playing games and it’s a wonder anyone ever goes outside any more.

I had an interesting conversation with my kids (all in college) about the more recent Second Life online environment. Apparently, the whole point of Second Life is to get online and hang out in the simulated world, doing all of the things you would otherwise really be doing if you weren’t hanging out online and simulating it. You can buy a house, get a job, open a storefront or just go to the simulated nightclubs. You can even invent, manufacture and sell things, making money so you can buy other things etc. One of my kids raised the eerie concept that eventually you might be able to buy a computer in the Second Life universe, and then be able to play…Third Life. Creepy.

Here at Pure Networks, we are very interested in a concept we call “Family Networking”. This addresses the importance of the home networking environment and the importance of staying connected to the family (as defined by related people living under the same roof) and the extended family (as defined by the people you are related to, brothers, sisters, mom, dad etc that may live elsewhere).

If you are a parent, staying connected might mean staying on top of what the kids are doing on the internet, where they are going, when they are using it etc. If your kids are older, it might mean staying in touch somehow on a daily basis without being real intrusive. It might also mean keeping in touch with your parents, your brothers, sisters etc.

What I am interested in here is what you are interested in related to Family Networking. What is important to you in this context? How do you control, if at all, what your kids do on the Internet? Do kids these days have computers in their rooms? Gaming consoles? How do you hold them accountable for proper usage without being a censor? And when the heck do they ever do their homework??

If you could be connected to your extended family through your home network, what would you want to do? Share photos? Files?

The usual posting rules apply. Also, if you put a link of any sort in your post, it ends up in a rather interested set of computer-generated postings and we have to sift through it to find you, so make sure you put links at the end of your post. It makes it easier to find you.

Jeff Erwin

Posted by JeffE at 04:43 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0) |

Ever wish you could see all the pictures or music you have shared on your home network?

With Network Magic, you can search across all of the files you have shared in Shared Folders. The feature is somewhat buried, but read on and I'll show you how to uncover this little secret.

Continue reading "Hidden Feature: Searching Your Entire Network" »

Posted by Brett Marl at 09:48 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0) |

One of the things I have discovered in the short time I have been with Pure Networks is the amazing passion our customer base has for our product.

I should clarify. It isn’t all positive passion. It looks to me like only 95% of you love the product, use the product and want more!

It is that other 5% I want to pay close attention to.

As I mentioned in one of the comments in my first post, I spent a ton of time in the early and mid 90’s working to solve the enterprise networking problem. The primary issue was that the industry at that time was creating new technology far faster than we were creating the ability to deal with it. Anyone remember Token Ring? How about the 16Mb flavor? ATM? How about the days when SNMP was in its infancy? All of this lead to the creation of extremely fragile, poorly configured and undocumented enterprise networks built by teams of brand-new IT professionals that seemed to change jobs every few months.

In other words, instability and chaos.

The enterprise network quickly became mission critical, and over the course of about 5 years, the stability and chaos issues were solved. Enterprise networks rarely fail these days; they tend to be extremely well documented, well engineered and well maintained.

Roll forward to today and examine the home network. While we seem to have stabilized on TCP/IP and Ethernet, the home network is created out of whatever the consumer can drag home from Best Buy or Circuit City. The brightest box wins. Plug and Play, WAP/WEP/Pre-N MIMO Super-G biggest antenna ever!

Then you go home and plug it in. What we are finding, and in fact the very premise this company was founded over, is that the average consumer has a pretty small chance of actually getting this stuff to work right, if at all. This is complicated technology! The networking hardware manufacturers have worked hard to provide easy-to-use equipment, but at the heart of the matter is the fact that networking is not an easy science. If a network is not created and configured correctly, it tends to be pretty fragile. Consumer-level networking gear is the most returned product line the average retailer has to deal with, and most of the time there is nothing wrong with the equipment!

This makes you angry, wastes everyone’s time, and costs the retailer and manufacturer money. Nobody wins.

Pure Networks has taken on the task of making sense out of all this for you. While this sounds like marketing crud (at least to me), let’s think about that that really means.

For the most part, we seem to do a pretty good job in most cases. Hmm. Lots of wiggle words in that sentence. I have spent some time going through our customer feedback and customer support logs and talking to our support teams. There are network environments where we can almost do no wrong. We partner with D-Link, and when you purchase one of their newest routers, you get us in the box. These devices are well understood by us, and our success rate is extremely high. In fact, D-Link is probably the least-returned retail level networking product these days because of this relationship.

D-Link, however, does not have 100% of the market for home networking gear (although they are working on it…). In fact, I would suspect there are more than 500 different permutations of routers/wireless/DSL/Cable/Switch technologies, each with various different versions of firmware and each with their own configuration requirements available to the home consumer at any given point in time.

This is what we step into every time we are installed.

It is a tough job, and we accept the responsibility. Of course, we also tend to get the blame when it doesn’t all magically work.

As we progress as a company, and as our product line matures, we have taken on the task of taming this chaotic environment for you. Our goal is that we will help you install and configure your networking equipment on any home network, make it work reliably and allow you to share folders and printers with the simple push of a button. After we have accomplished that for you, we have a ton of very cool stuff to allow you to stay on top of your network, keep it running and use it to its fullest capacity.

We aren’t there yet.

My commitment to you, our customer base, and especially that 5% that are ‘passion-impaired’ regarding us, is that every release of Network Magic will get you closer to this goal of having a ‘pure’ network at home.

I want to hear from you. My first question is this: What is the most frustrating thing about your home network? If we were to solve ONE thing perfectly, what would it be?

I look forward to the conversation.

Jeff Erwin
President & CEO
Pure Networks

A few rules about what will make it through our ‘evil blog filters’:

1. Your comment must make sense. Sentence syntax and complete sentences are useful.
2. No offensive language. If you have something negative to say, say it in a constructive way and we will publish it.
3. If you have a support question, please use our customer support team. They are far better equipped than I to address licensing and product problems that are outside the topic of the specific conversation and allows us to keep the blog focused and interesting.
4. If your comment contains any statement along the lines of ‘you probably won’t publish this’ or some other type of dare, you are right! Stay focused, and you will get published.
5. If your comment contains any links, the spam filters pick it up and I never see it. You cannot believe the amount of automatic spam these blogs receive.

Posted by JeffE at 09:20 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (44) | TrackBacks (0) |

First of all I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Jeff Erwin and I'm the new President and CEO of Pure Networks, the company that brings you Network Magic. I'm very excited to have joined the talented team at Pure Networks, and we're all looking forward to bringing you continued Network Magic improvements and new features.

One of my initiatives is to make sure we're always listening to our customers and incorporating their feedback into Network Magic. One initial result of this is our decision today to move away from subscription pricing for Network Magic Premium, and move back to a more traditional "one-time purchase" pricing model. We found the majority of our customers are much more comfortable with this model, and it fits better with the current set of Network Magic features and how we plan to enhance the product in the future.

What do you have to do?
If you are a current Network Magic Premium owner, the answer is – nothing. As part of this change, current Network Magic Premium owners have been given permanent use of their current version of Network Magic. This change requires no further action on their part and has already been implemented. In addition, as a thank you to these Network Magic owners, we are giving them a free upgrade to our next version, Network Magic Premium 4.0, when it is released.

For people who currently use Network Magic Basic, the free version of our software, or are currently in the 30-day free trial of Network Magic Premium, we hope this gives you one more reason to buy Network Magic Premium.

What's next?
Our team is hard at work on our next version, Network Magic 4.0. If you'd like to experience a preview of it, and are willing to give us feedback on how it performs for you, consider joining our Beta testing program.

We're excited about the future of Network Magic and we hope you are too.

Thanks for your time,
Jeff

President & CEO
Pure Networks, Inc.

Posted by JeffE at 10:12 AM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (196) | TrackBacks (0) |

Looking to go wireless?

If you're any bit like me, then you are always on the move. Whether it is traveling for work or pleasure I feel like I am never in one place for very long. (Even my days at work are full of meetings, conference calls and other "appointments"). However, being a "child of the new world of technology" (child not meaning young, but rather a product of…) I have to be connected & more importantly, I need to be connected 24/7. Some of my more "outdoorsy" friends may laugh at me, but that's ok. I am always in the know and I prefer it to be that way. So, to all of you who share my pains/ frustrations of being on the move but needing to be in the know, here is how I have gone "wireless."

1. You have to have a wireless router, such as a D-LINK DI-634M Wireless 108G MIMO Router, because even when I am “at home” I am never sitting still. I'm checking email while cooking dinner, responding to emails while relaxing on the couch and surfing the net from my back patio. With this router, in particular, accessing my connection at home is effortless, which is exactly how I want it to be.

2. Absolute must have is a PDA. I personally have a BlackBerry 7290 through T-Mobile that gets great service wherever I go, has a qwerty keyboard that I find easy to use, and it is my number one line of defense when it comes to staying connected when I am not at home or at my desk. I can send and receive unlimited amounts of data, easily access almost any webpage, and always be on top of my email queue (that tends to get a bit lengthy). Oh yea, I can also talk on the phone too. Everything I need all wrapped into one!

   If you want a PDA but would like it to "look" more like a cell phone then another option is the T-Mobile SDA. This one phone comes with Windows Mobile 5.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and is quad band. Basically, all that means it is has everything you need to go wherever you want. While it doesn't have a fully keyboard (which is what I like about my BlackBerry) it is definitely a good fit for people who are "size" conscious.

3. The next “must have” for me is the Plantronics Bluetooth Headset Discovery 640E. I know, I feel a little silly wearing it sometimes (like I’m robo-girl) but it really does make life easier to have the hands free headset. And while I refuse to use it walking down the street (because I like to follow cell phone etiquette and not everyone wants to hear my conversations with my sister about my nephew's latest achievement…) it is great to use in my car, at home, or on conference calls. So I can be driving, emailing, writing, while on the phone. You never know I might be using it right now. This little device should be on the top of the list for every multi-tasker trying to go wireless.
   
   
4. The next challenge I used to face was printing from my wireless laptop at home. I loved being able to take my laptop anywhere in my house, but the minute I went to print, I had to email the document to myself, go to my desktop and then print out my directions or recipe or whatever else it was. Well, I have to say, from the minute I started working here at Pure, the printer sharing feature has *always* been my favorite. With Network Magic I don’t have to do anything other than find the “shared” printer when I go to print and poof my pictures & files are coming out of my HP Deskjet F380 All-in-One Printer, Scanner, Copier. Which is a great all-in-one printer from HP and I highly recommend it.
   

Posted by Libby at 02:34 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0) |

With email and instant messaging becoming the dominant way we communicate, more and more people are looking to add additional computers to their homes. Well, if buying a new computer is another one of the projects you've been putting off, here are a few recommendations to help shorten your shopping time:

• TOSHIBA Satellite M105-S3041 Notebook Computer | "Best Value"
  This Toshiba laptop is perfect for those of you who want the latest and greatest features like a widescreen monitor for enhanced enjoyment of movies/games and InterVideo® WinDVD® Creator for creating your own personalized DVDs. Also, with a 80GB hard drive you'll have plenty of room to store all the MP3’s, files and pictures you want. Plus, this one doesn’t cause you to break the bank, coming in at just under $750.
  
  
• Gateway® E-100M SB | "Best Travel Companion"
  For those of you who are on the go – this is the right computer for you. It is slim and lightweight but still has a decent-sized (14”) widescreen monitor - making it easy for you to carry around but not difficult to use once you reach your final destination. It has a built-in wireless networking card, so you'll be ready to jump on those free WiFi hotspots you keep seeing around town, has an Intel Core Processor which will keep things moving quickly, and is built to handle all the needs of a home office or small business. Our sales team has been travelling all around the world with this Gateway and they can't stop raving about it! They say this is the all-around companion for those of us who need a computer that can handle whatever we throw at it, wherever we go.
  
  
• HP Pavilion dv5003cl Notebook PC | "Best Overall Performance"
  This is another great computer for those of us who need to do more than email or instant messaging. With an AMD Turion 64 processor this HP has enough power to handle all the multi-tasking any college student (or anyone for that matter) can throw at it. We all want a computer where we can chat on IM, listen to Rhapsody, upload photos to Snapfish and be working on a Microsoft Word document all at once - without delays. This HP delivers on that promise.

Posted by Libby at 04:28 PM Get Home Networking Software | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) |

In the last 3 months or so, we have seen a flurry of new routers on the market labeled either "draft n" or "pre n". In this post, I'm going to take a look at these new routers, see how they compare to the router you may have in your home and help you decide if you should go buy one.