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NETWORK
AND INTERNET
Networking Software
CNET Download.com features all the latest
network-management software, including remote-access
applications, network monitoring software, Internet
operations software, and everything else you'll need to
keep things running smoothly. See all 1,474 products in
this category.
Introduction to Networking Software
The broader concept of networking encompasses any
interaction among two or more people or machines. For
our purposes, the software included in the Networking
category relates to the systems that allow computers,
portable devices, and other machines to connect to each
other and other such networks, including the globally
connected system of servers and computers commonly known
as the Internet.
The subject of computer networking often falls into the
category of information technology or information
systems, though it is not restricted to the business and
enterprise IS/IT audience. Today, even novice PC users
are constructing and maintaining their own home
networks, and many workers access their business
computers from other locations using remote access. For
establishing and maintaining a wireless home network
protected against external threats, see our feature How
to secure a wireless network.
Successful networks depend on a large number of variable
factors, and managing those elements is a key ingredient
in maintaining a reliable and effective system. Products
such as Bandwidth Monitor Pro, Packet Analyzer
Enterprise Edition, and SysAid Help Desk and Inventory
offer assistance in tracking and monitoring your
network.
As the growth of Wi-Fi technologies such as the 802.11g
standard continues, more products are beginning to offer
security for wireless networks and devices, including
Trend Micro PC-cillin and McAfee Wireless Home Network
Security. We can only expect the trend to accelerate as
more cities, cafes, and other public and private spaces
adopt Wi-Fi.
E-mail, chat, and VoIP: an
introduction to communications software
The Internet is all about communication. From e-mail
software to chat clients to the latest in VoIP software,
Download.com's Communications category has everything
you need to reach out and touch someone.
Of course you use e-mail, but which e-mail program
should you use? A number of e-mail programs are free,
from the venerable Microsoft Outlook Express to our
current favorite, Mozilla Thunderbird. Thunderbird
supports IMAP and POP mail protocols and can handle all
your RSS feeds. It features cutting-edge antiphishing
and spam filters in addition to advanced security
features such as S/MIME, digital signing, and message
encryption.
You'll also want to download all the latest e-mail
extensions, such as spam filters and programs that
notify you when e-mail is sent to your online accounts.
If you're too impatient for e-mail, chat software allows
real-time communication between any two PCs. Yahoo
Messenger, Google Talk, MSN Messenger (soon to be
Windows Live Messenger), and AOL Instant Messenger are
the major players in the chat market, with ICQ still a
popular choice among hard-core chat fans.
If your friends use different clients and you don't want
to install them all, Trillian lets you chat with
everyone regardless of chat platform, including
IRC-based chat rooms.
Of course, why bother typing e-mails when you can just
talk to someone over your PC? Voice over Internet
Protocol, or VoIP, allows you to turn your PC into a Web
phone to call other Internet-connected PCs and talk as
long as you want at no charge. Programs such as Skype,
GloPhone, and BuddyTalk are painless to install and easy
to use, and all three allow you to place calls to
regular phones by signing up for a calling plan. For
more information, check out the Download.com guide to
Net Phones.
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