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It's embarrassing to admit, but most non-technical people are lost when it comes to creating networks. Microsoft has yet to make it easy for small businesses or mildly ambitious users — firewall, folder sharing, printer sharing, remote control, cable setup and router configuration are all separate processes, and they're not easy to configure with confidence. Throw a Mac computer into the mix and you have a network-sized headache.

Three products make networking, backup and connecting to the Internet much easier for small businesses or home networks of two to eight computers.

Network Magic is software to be installed on each computer on the network, putting the networking settings on one page. It will check on network status, the connection to the Internet, run internal and external speed tests, configure the wireless connection, monitor network activity, identify intruders, show networked hard drives, webcams and make folders accessible on the Internet.

The real magic is not necessarily the programming — it's the presentation, which explains almost everything you need to know about how your network is performing in human-comprehensible language. Buttons labelled What's New, Network Map, Shared Folders and Printer Manager offer a visual diagram of every network device that has an IP address, including routers, computers, personal digital assistants, printers, media players, and even game consoles. There's an icon for each, and you can rename the devices.

The latest version (4.5) of Network Magic has been upgraded in two important ways: It can now handle up to eight Windows computers (from five) and it can also include an unlimited number of Macintosh OS X machines, even those connected by MacLan. A separate, free downloadable module puts a Mac on an equal footing with all the other machines in the Network Magic map. There's no need to mount drives or resolve Microsoft's and Apple's very different languages for sharing folders and resources.

Network Magic needs to be installed on every computer, and suggests tweaking router settings for improved performance. But beware: Many, but not all, routers are totally compatible with Network Magic. If the existing router is not on Pure Networks' list of compatible devices, it can still work, but leave final router tweaking to you.

In Globetechnology.com's case, Network Magic wouldn't allow posting sharable folders on Pure Networks' Net2Go servers; the explanation offered by the program said the router did not have the universal plug-and-play module (uPNP) activated.

After a few minutes of tinkering, it turned out that the (non-compatible) USRobotics router (Network Magic lists only three USR routers as compatible), did have uPNP enabled; but the Windows firewall on the main computer had been turned off, and with it a number of other settings, including turning on uPNP. Turning the firewall back on counter-intuitively enabled the uPNP system. On reflection, this is a good idea: Letting Network Magic work with existing firewalls allows the user to keep up system defences, although it still needs some tech know-how.

The shared-folder option is a nice new touch. Network Magic includes setting up an account, such as MyAccount.Net2Go.com, during installation. That way you can access your data files while on the road — but no more than that: Network Magic is not a remote-control system.

Similarly, Network Magic will send print jobs to any printer connected to a PC on the network, as long as that computer has Network Magic also running. Windows XP and Vista have this ability, but not computers running Windows 2000 or 98, or Mac machines. Network Magic takes care of all that.

Network Magic comes with lifetime support from Pure Networks, with detailed FAQs, product updates and a forum to swap information on how to optimize the software.

Last year Sympatico released the HomePlug, which offers Ethernet over power lines for small networks by means of two little bricks that plug into an AC outlet and connect one computer to a remote machine with a standard Ethernet cable, using the AC wires as the network.

Now comes the next generation of the plug, which runs about four times the speed: 200 megabits per second, which is getting to be more important as we continue to ramp up multimedia activity. Moreover, MegaPlug maker Actiontec has added an encryption function in case there might be some miscreants lurking nearby.

The MegaPlug allows effortless networking of computers and any other device connected via Ethernet cable on any system on the same electrical panel. In Globetechnology.com's tests, it didn't work in an apartment that was on a separate electrical panel on the same hydro meter; MegaPlug detected the Ethernet network, but the link LED was flickering weakly, and the computer couldn't find a connection to work with.

This went some way to allay fears about whether villains living next door who are hooked up to the same outdoor powerline could tap into the network by simply plugging in such a device.

Actiontec also warns against plugging the bricks into power bars or other AC line conditioners, but in the interests of orneriness, the system was tested with one plugged into an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and the other into a power bar. There was no problem, although it's entirely possible signals might degrade, or become vulnerable to other electrical appliances plugged into the same systems.

The HomePlug technology that runs the MegaPlug remains a wonder, and this 200 Mbps system is the perfect thing for a multimedia household or data-intensive office.

GoodSync, reviewed here a year ago, is now out in a new version (6) that's easier to use, has a jazzy new graphical look and an improved synchronization algorithm capable of synchronizing a million files at once.

A million? That's a lot for free; even at $19.95 the enterprise version is priced like a toy — but this software can help in a myriad ways. Its first use was to transfer data files from a computer undergoing retirement to a new machine. It can also be used as a simple backup utility, copying files and their folders from one machine to another in either direction. The software will work over a USB cable, an office or home network, or even the Internet.

Among the new features in this version, GoodSync offers a tree-based file system similar to the one used by Windows Explorer, but in two panes — the source and target locations. An improved file status display shows how the files are matched and the direction in which they are going. Automatic settings allow GoodSync to perform backups throughout the business day. There is also a timing setup allowing for automatic synchronizations, and an online tutorial.

IT departments can use the Mass Install utility to install the program on any number of workstations remotely and in the background.

It's possible to hook computers together more easily, but these products have moved everyone a giant step closer to the dream of effortless networking.