One of the things that has bothered me with Windows Vista is that the networking doesn't seem to work as easily as Windows XP did.

I have one computer that I use for storing all my files, music, photos, etc. That way my wife and I can both access all the files from each of our computers.

Under Windows XP, the sharing worked flawlessly for us. The only time we had any trouble sharing files was if the power went out and the central computer wasn't turned back on.

Since I've installed Windows Vista on the main server, the file sharing has been hit and miss. It works, but every now and then it disconnects one of the other computers that's connected to it, for no apparent reason.

I'm guessing it has something to do with the added security in Vista but the bottom line is that it is annoying and just causes problems.

I'm hoping that Microsoft improves the networking functions in Vista soon but in the meantime I heard about a program called Network Magic that is supposed to make setting up your network much easier.

I heard about it on the Geek News Central podcast and thought I'd give it a look. (If you listen to podcasts and have an interest in geeky stuff, check this one out at www.geeknewscentral.com - lots of cool stories and products).

I am amazed at how easy it is to get everything set up with Network Magic. It managed to get all our files shared with no glitches and it makes setting up a wireless network a snap. You can even use it to log into your computer remotely, so if you're away from home or the office and have access to the internet, you can access stuff on your computer.

Read more at the Network Magic website. There's a 30 day trial version if you want to give it a shot, and you can get 20% off the regular price from this link.