NetSetMan is intended to manage network settings. In this respect, the tool lets you create various connection profiles and switch between them according to specific situations. The program’s interface has separate tabs for each profile, which makes it quite easy to navigate. When active, it remains hidden as an icon in the system tray, from which you can easily choose the required profile. Although I would not say the tool is difficult to use, it does require some technical knowledge about networks.
Each of the profiles you create needs to be configured to work with one of the available network LAN or wireless adapters. It is possible to use the default parameters, such as automatic IP addresses and DNS servers. However, you can also customize the connection by setting specific IP, gateway, route table, WINS server, SMTP, network drives, hosts, scripts, and IPv6. Luckily, you are allowed to create auto-switch rules, which can change the profile according to the specified conditions, including time frame, surrounding Wi-Fi network, adapter status, and network location.
Network profiles can be easily managed. Thus, you can rename and disable them. Likewise, they can be exported to a file and loaded when it is necessary. Additionally, the program provides a group of shortcuts to Windows locations, like Control Panel, sound volume, Windows Firewall and power plan. These can be accessed right from the program’s System Tray icon.
In general, NetSetMan can come in very handy when you usually connect to different networks (public, work, and home). It's being able to run in portable mode is an undeniable advantage, since you can use the program from a USB stick on different devices. The product is free to use for non-commercial purposes. However, you should know that its unpaid version has some limitations related to the maximum number of profiles as well as the impossibility to use a proxy server and join a network domain.
v3.4 [Mar 19, 2012]
- NEW: Browser/Proxy feature completely reworked! (Pro version)
Support for Internet Explorer/System, Firefox and Opera
Automatic recognition of your installed browsers
Separate browser and proxy/home page configuration
Getting current values, clearing values on label double-click
Full support of profiles for Firefox and Opera
IE proxy settings can be combined now
Opening browser dialog much faster now
Dropping Gopher-protocol support
- NEW: All-new Activation Dialog!
Three areas: compact, details and log
Animated activation indicator
Progress bar in dialog and in (Win7) taskbar
Dialog doesn't freeze anymore during activation
- NEW: Win7 JumpLists for quick access to important NSM sections
- NEW Language: Hebrew
- The alternative IP method now becomes the default method! However, for
compatibility the old method can still be activated in the preferences.
- System Settings accessible directly from the tray for quick changes
- Fix: Workgroup checkbox wasn't saved correctly in v3.3.0
- Fix: Error in Compact Mode if all profiles are deactivated
- Fix: Saving custom height of Compact Mode
- Fix: Some minor issues with the program icon
- Fix: System Sound Schemes problems with NSM Service
- Fix: Printer error "File not found" in certain cases
- Pro: Help link in Domain/Workgroup dialog
- Several WiFi improvements (security, import/export)
- WiFi NIC is now automatically enabled when establishing a connection
- Added context menu to Script editor
- NSM Administration registry keys now removed with uninstall
- MenuBar buttons now also close the opened dialog again
- Wallpaper selection limited to BMP&JPG (other formats are problematic)
- Layout and size adjustments
- Lots of minor fixes and adjustments
A program that lets you easily manage your laptop connections to WiMAX networks
