http://www.zdnet.com/eweek/stories/general/0,11011,2571265,00.html
http://www.netswitcher.com

EWEEK LABS / / REVIEW
May 22, 2000
By Michael Caton
Nine dollars doesn t buy much these days, but for mobile users seeking a
tool to manage location specific network settings, J. W. Hance s
NetSwitcher 3.0, a $ 9 shareware applica-tion, matches well with pricier
competitors. The latest NetSwitcher, available now, is about one-fifth the
cost of such competitors products as Symantec Corp. s Mobile Essentials
2.5 and 3Com Corp. s DynamicAccess Mobile Connection Manager. Volume
discounts are available. In eW eek Labs tests, although we found that Net-
Switcher offers most of the goodies the competitors provide including
support for Windows 2000 and the latest version of Netscape
Communication Corp. s browser we also found some of the same failings.
Like higher priced competitors, NetSwitcher could use a robust tool for
distributing location setting profiles to users.  Netswitcher is ideally
suited for sophisticated Windows users who are comfortable with changing
network settings. Those who don t have a fair amount of knowledge about
setting up Windows networking would benefit from a distribution mechanism,
but we still recommend NetSwitcher because once it is set up, users can
easily switch between profiles.  With support for location-specific
settings, such as dialing rules and network, browser and printer settings,
NetSwitcher allows users such as consultants to roam freely from location
to location attaching to different networks. NetSwitcher saves users the
hassles of repeatedly manually configuring network settings in different
locations. Once settings have been saved in a profile, adapting a notebook
PC to a specific location merely requires selecting the location and
rebooting the system.  Basically, NetSwitcher 3.0 eschews the frills of
wizards and a slick user interface and presents a plain tab-based view of
all the possible location specific settings.  This powerful design allowed
us to make most changes relatively quickly. Some settings, such as dialing
properties, continue to be handled exclusively by Windows tools. Of course,
the downside is that less sophisticated users are confronted all at once
with a lot of choices they may not understand. Even in those cases,
however, the product puts important settings in view so that users need
only drill deeper to adjust them.
One slick use of this tabbed view is to manage network settings by differ-
ent NICs. For example, we used NetSwitcher to set up the NIC in a
notebook's docking station with TCP/ IP settings specific to the test
network and set up a PC Card-based NIC with TCP/ IP settings specific to
our production network. Although this doesn't change the fact that users
still associate network settings with a location, it does provide a way to
look at how certain IP settings have been defined.
One important capability in Mobile Essentials that NetSwitcher lacks is an
administrative feature for packaging the application with settings for dis-
tribution to users. The feature also offers e-mail and SmartUpdate methods
for distributing location updates.  NetSwitcher does support the
scripted importing and exporting of location settings, so administrators
have the option of distributing updates albeit either with some specific
instructions for end users to follow or by using a more sophisticated
application distribution tool.  In addition, NetSwitcher lacks Mobile
Essential broad support for specific applications such as Symantec's
WinFax and Lotus Development Corp.'s Notes and cc: Mail.  However,
NetSwitcher does support AOL s Instant Messenger client. The product also
has the ability to add extensions for certain application or network
settings as well as application and log-in scripts. Only one extension,
for Microsoft Corp. s Client Services for NetWare, is available.  In
earlier tests of Mobile Essentials, we found that with Windows 2000 sys-
tems, Mobile Essentials couldn t manage some settings unless the user had
administrative privileges.  NetSwitcher overcomes that limitation by
providing a Windows NT service for switching network settings without the
required privileged log-in.  J. W. Hance plans to add another ex-
tension soon that will allow nonprivileged users to switch some settings
under Windows 2000 that currently require administrative privileges. Now in
beta, the NetSwitcher Administrative Services will run as a service and
make changes under a privileged account, giving the product an advantage
over Mobile Essentials.  The downside of any shareware application is
limited support. Authored by J. W. Hance, NetSwitcher lacks the financial
backing and industry support that strengthens competing products from
Symantec and 3Com.  J. W. Hance, for example, prefers e-mail as a primary
vehicle for answering product support questions.  Therefore, we recommend
that any site deploying the tool set up the company help desk to act as the
first line of support.  To J. W. Hance s credit, we should note that we
received a number of email messages from IT administrators, consultants and
executives that praised this product after our review of Mobile Essentials
2.5.

EWEEK LABS / / EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

NetSwitcher 3. 0
J. W. Hance s NetSwitcher update, a $ 9 shareware application for managing
location-specific Windows settings for mobile users, is a bargain compared
with and works just as well as steeper-priced products from Symantec and
3Com. Sites with savvy users, such as
consultants, will find this a useful tool for hassle-free travel to
locations with different network settings.

SHORT-TERM BUSINESS IMPACT:  The price is right for the single
business problem this product solves. Although the concepts that the
product addresses are too complex for many users, sites should be looking
at this type of tool to help sophisticated mobile users stay productive on
the road.

LONG-TERM BUSINESS IMPACT: Company founder J. W. Hance has a well
developed application with the right architecture for long-term
improvements. NetSwitcher has the same problems competing products have a
lack of robust remote management that this type of product will need to
grow with a company. A shareware application still has risks when support
for tens of thousands of users is on the line. For this to be a useful
tool, the company has to grow with it.

Supports Windows 2000; can associate certain networks settings with a NIC
for easier setup for docking station and home use; tabbed view speeds
setting changes; allows management of some Windows 2000 settings without
granting user elevated privileges.

Lacks robust location settings distribution method; limited support for
applications with location settings.

J. W. Hance, Carmel, Ind. ; ( 317) 773-9747; www. netswitcher. com