Joseph Moran

In Part 1 we showed how to repurpose an unused PC as an alternative to buying a $500-or-more Windows Home Server storage appliance. Now we’ll show you how to put your homemade WHS system to use by joining your Windows PCs to it, setting up user accounts and shared folders, and adding and configuring storage. […]

You could spend $500 or more for a ready-made Windows Home Server system, but you don’t necessarily have to. Microsoft’s Windows Home Server, previously reviewed, is an operating system specially optimized to handle home network storage chores. It provides a central place to store and share data, and provides a convenient way to access files […]

The HP OfficeJet Pro Wireless All-in-One is the company’s top-of-the-line business-oriented inkjet printer.  While the $399 price tag is somewhat dear, you can take consolation in knowing that it buys you just about every feature you’d likely want in a small office printer/fax/copier/scanner device.  (Note: as of this posting, HP’s Web site is offering a […]

After more than six months of field testing and a succession of beta versions based on user feedback, Skype 4.0 for Windows has been officially released and is available for free download. Version 4.0 of Skype’s VoIP software has been given a significant overhaul from its 3.8 predecessor, with a revamped and easier-to-use interface and […]

After spending several weeks putting the first public Beta version of Windows 7 (officially known as the Customer Preview Program) — which I must say is quite solid and stable — through its paces, I can attest that Windows 7 is shaping up to be a major improvement over Vista. You could even argue that […]

Few among us confine our Web browsing to a single PC anymore. These days we’re much more likely to divide browsing time among many computers, such as a desktop and a laptop, home and work PCs, or several systems you may use around the house. If you use browser bookmarks to access frequently visited Web […]

Whenever there are files that you need to access from multiple computers, a common and sensible approach is to store them in folders in a centralized network location — like a server or NAS device — so you can reach them from any system on the network. Another option is to use synchronization software, which […]

When you’re packing to hit the road for business, a notebook PC is often right up there with deodorant and toothbrush on the list of essential travel items. But when you’re just working at home for an evening or roaming around town for the day, you may not necessarily want to be saddled with a […]

When you’re on the run, opportunities to hop online to check e-mail, flight status, or a favorite Web site tend to be infrequent and of limited duration. That’s why, when you do get a chance to fire up your notebook, the time it takes to boot and load Windows can seem like an eternity.

The network of servers known as the Domain Name System (DNS) provides a crucial function on the Internet — because DNS performs the essential task of translating a Web site’s familiar name (like www.practicallynetworked.com) into the IP address necessary to access the site, you pretty much can’t navigate on the Internet without it. Most home […]

When your sit down in front of the computer only to encounter a connectivity problem like the inability to browse the Web, access a particular site or download e-mail, the source and nature of the problem isn’t always clear. Fortunately, Windows includes a number of built-in command-line tools that can give you information about and […]

More times than I can count over the past several weeks, I’ve found myself watching — or at least forwarding through — a television commercial by the Internet service provider NetZero. The ad targets those with broadband Internet connections, exhorting them to save money by switching to NetZero’s dial-up service for $9.95 a month. The […]