7. Conclusions

So, is either product worth parting with fifty of your hard-earned dollars? If you are already comfortable with the ins and outs of Microsoft networking, can create network shares from the command line, and can fearlessly navigate the series of dialogs to set up IP printer servers and your SOHO routers, then no, Network Magic isn't the product for you. But most of us aren't so adept in at least one of these areas, and that is where the product can help.

Also, if you routinely support family and friends who are also less than skilled in the mysteries of networking, then this might be the ticket towards spending a peaceful evening with your family, rather than running around town as Johnny Network Appleseed fixing broken installations.

As for McAfee's Wireless Home Network Security, if you aren't already running an encrypted wireless LAN, then this is as good a place as any to start down the WPA path. And while we would love to see support for a much longer list of access points and routers, as well as the more recent WPA2, MWHNS is a good first attempt. Network Magic can also prevent some of those user distress calls in the middle of the evening, but only if the callers are wrestling with problems related to securing their wireless LAN.