Mac

Windows

New version

Modem Booster is a dial-up add-on that should speed up your Internet access at least a little, if not dramatically. It configures itself by repeatedly querying your Internet Service Provider to establish the best network communication settings (MTU etc., if that means anything to you). Although there is a manual option, the whole procedure is automatic so you needn't understand the technicalities.

The initial configuration process takes quite some time (an hour or more) as it repeatedly dials into and disconnects from your ISP. So you may want to take a walk while it goes on.

Web link: http://www.inklineglobal.com

ConSeal PC FIREWALL
v2.06
(W9x)

This application applies its security where it counts – underneath the operating system at the network 'link layer'. From there it protects every service, application and file above it and integrates smoothly and transparently with your existing desktop environment. This means no special configuration or 'enabling'.

FIREWALL uses a sophisticated rules system to determine what can and can't be done. Rules can be set for particular networks and networking activities. Logs can be kept and there is optional password protection.

Web link: www.consealfirewall.com

ZoneAlarm includes five interlocking security services that deliver easy-to-use, comprehensive protection. ZoneAlarm incorporates a firewall, Application Control, an Internet Lock, dynamically assigned Security Levels and Zones. A powerful combination.

Web link: www.zonelabs.com

Trial version

Stay Connected! prevents your Internet Service Provider from disconnecting your dial-up session to the Internet involuntarily. Residing in your tool tray, it will dial your designated ISP automatically, log in for you, and simulate activities randomly to mimic your usage pattern in order to stay online until you decide to disconnect.

Web link: www.inklineglobal.com

This little utility will save you time when you need to find and replace something in text based files. EFR will search one file or multiple files in a directory (recursive directory scanning allows for scanning sub-directories). Hundreds of changes can be made to hundreds of files in seconds. It logs changes and makes backups of changed files. Change an email address or hyperlink on every page in a Web site in a flash.

Web link: www.ltcomputers.com

30-day evaluation version

NetTurbo optimizes your Internet connection up to 600 percent, providing faster download speeds and fewer delays while browsing. NetTurbo works on the Web and on Local Area Networks, with both dedicated and dial-up connections. It supports all Internet protocols (WWW, FTP, etc.). It is compatible with all ISPs, including MSN and AOL. It works with modems, ISDN, ADSL, cable modems and LAN cards.

Limited trial version

ConnectPal Professional is designed to bring convenience to Windows Dial-Up Networking. It boasts automatic redialing capabilities, thus removing the hassle of hitting the Connect button each time the line to your ISP is busy. It also simulates activity to prevent disconnection, scans your mailbox for any incoming messages, saves passwords, has a utility for keeping track of connection cost, features artificial intelligence algorithms to deal with unusual situations, and lets you switch easily between configurations using tab controls.

The unregistered version limits usage to 50 connections. Dial-Up Networking 1.3 is recommended.

Free

This is a free program (supported by integral ads) designed to let you monitor a Web server across the Internet or across an Intranet to ensure that it is still functional and serving pages.

Formerly JetCar

FlashGet (formerly JetCar, see readme.txt...) was written to solve the two problems of downloading: speed and file management. By splitting files into parts and downloading these simultaneously, the downloading speed can increase from 100% to 500%. FlashGet is capable of creating an unlimited number of categories, each category having a specified hard drive folder – files placed in categories will be stored in the respective folders. Knowing where all your downloads are should be much easier.

Web link: Amaze Software

30-day trial

MetaProducts' Mass Downloader attempts to download files from the Web and FTP sites at the maximum available speed. Multiple downloading channels technology significantly decreases the time necessary to download files. MD also allows you to browse Zip archives before loading them and to choose only the desired files to download, with an Internet Explorer-like user interface.

Web link: Amaze Software

Free for non-commercial use

WS_FTP LE (limited edition) is a standard FTP client for Winsock. It has an easy-to-use graphical interface and advanced features.

Web link: www.ipswitch.com

Expires after 30 days

This enhanced Traceroute program gives you more feedback about failed connections than most other Traceroute programs. If you cannot reach a particular site on the Internet, you can use NeoTrace to test the site before calling your ISP to complain. By using NeoTrace, you will enhance your understanding of your network connection, the sites you visit, and the machines to which you connect.

This version introduces an improved location database and map drawing, as well as a revised Whois Lookup and a new online help system.

Recently updated

CuteFTP is a file transfer application that's easy for beginners to use and has enough features to be useful to power users as well. It uses drag and drop, bookmarks, automatic renaming, and download resuming to make FTP easier. It includes a macro feature that you can use to record frequent tasks and play them back later with another file.

New features include a redesigned interface, SOCKS 4 and 5 support, Smart Keep Alive, custom firewall options, Encrypted Site Manager, an auto update feature, log options, and much more. This is a 30-day trial version and includes CuteHTML. At the end of the 30-day trial period, some functions of the program will be disabled, and CuteFTP will begin displaying banner ads. Disabled functions include multiple file uploads and downloads, queue functions, Transfer Scheduler, site-to-site transfers, deleting files, changing file attributes, and others.

Web link: www.cuteftp.com

Originally designed for use of Wingates and proxies as a form of anonymising Web surfing. Instead of looking through a list one by one to find a server that is alive, this program automates and speeds up the task as it is quick, small, and leaves you with a list of servers that are all active.

This version has several new interesting features, including server type detection, which means it can look through a list and spot which ones are proxies, wingates, smtp servers, linux systems, unix systems etc.

Web link: http://freespace.virgin.net/david.wood6

Recently updated
Requires voice modem

Callwait listens to the sound of your internet connection (the squealing and bleeping) and if you have call waiting available on your phone line it will detect the call waiting tone and inform you that someone is trying to contact you. It has only been tested in the UK and verified to work on BT and Telewest lines but the author expects it should work on other phone providers' lines.

If you would be interested in helping the author (Edd Stewart) adapt it for other countries and phone providers, he asks you not to hesitate to get in touch... edd@redhouse.f9.co.uk.

Web link: www.redhouse.force9.co.uk/callwait

New version of multimedia extensions for Microsoft Windows, needed to run many applications.

View all those Acrobat format (PDF) documents found around the Internet and elsewhere. A plug-in for Netscape Navigator is included and automatically installed.

WinZip
v6.3
(Win 3.x)
Evaluation version

NEW: Here's the latest Windows 9x/NT 4 version of WinZip as well as the current version for Windows 3.x. WinZip is an excellent archive file manager, handling ZIP and other compression formats, including many common on the Internet, such as TAR, BinHex, UUencode and MIME.

Version 7 includes many enhancements to the interface and general usability. To make use of one or two 'cosmetic' features, you may need an updated Windows system file – comctl32.dll version 4.71 or later – if you use Internet Explorer 4 or later or have Windows 98, you should already have this. If you need to update, there is an installation program on the CD. Access the Internet Magazine CD and open the SOFTWARE\WINDOWS\UPDATES\WIN9 folder; double-click the file 40COMUPD.EXE (you will need to restart Windows once the installation is complete).

Web link: www.winzip.com

Vbrun5
(Win 95)

Visual Basic runtime libraries for Windows. Some applications ship without these files, requiring you to install them.

Mac OS

NOTE: The Mac programs are mostly in archived 'HQX' (BinHex) files – they can be extracted with several applications, including Stuffit Expander (see below). Clicking on the links below should set the process in motion. You may receive a message that the file cannot be loaded into Simple Text — if so, start Stuffit and then open the HQX file you want from within Stuffit.

NetFinder is an FTP browser that's simple enough for new users to understand, yet powerful enough for advanced users. In common with most FTP clients these days, NetFinder can automatically resume interrupted downloads. It's also Internet Config-aware and will automatically use those settings when available. NetFinder does not yet support HTTP-based proxy servers.

TCPManager is an Internet tool that monitors IP connections. It tracks the number of megabytes downloaded and uploaded in a period of time. You can then set limits on how much is downloaded and uploaded. This version adds support for PPP, Ethernet, and other such devices, support for local and remote IPs in the IP display, a new interface and more.

Recently updated

Are your web pages currently languishing in virtual obscurity? Then try out VSE Be Found, a simple four-step wizard and form based program that submits key information about your Web site to all the popular search engines. VSE Be Found lets you create keywords that will improve your site's search engine listings, manage META tags, and edit other features of your site that may improve its visibility. Once you've entered all the relevant information, the built-in FTP client takes care of the rest.

Web link: http://vse-online.com

15-day trial

Submit your Web pages to the most popular search engines. CenterNet, a batch URL submission tool, makes it easy to be seen on the Internet. Simply enter your e-mail address, the URLs of all the pages you are submitting, and click begin. New in version 1.5, you can import/export lists of URLs and skip over search engines that won't respond.

Web link: http://www.moonbeam-online.com

Recently updated – free

Analog is a program that analyses log files from Web servers. Features user-customisable log formats, hierarchical reports, and much more.

Recently updated

View all those Acrobat format (PDF) documents found around the Internet and elsewhere. A plug-in for Netscape Navigator is included and automatically installed.

SiteRanger helps you manage and update your site by synchronising your Web site with a copy residing on your local drive. One feature of SiteRanger is the ability to place custom macros in your HTML pages that execute when you synchronise your site. Similar to server-side includes, these macros can include contact information or last updated information. This makes repetitive changes a snap – change one file and any number can be amended. SiteRanger also checks your links and automatically corrects any that are broken.

Web link: http://home.earthlink.net/~thomasareed/shareware

Anarchie is the most popular Mac FTP tool – probably. It has an interface that is easy to use on the whole, supports Drag & Drop and includes a comprehensive AppleGuide. Importantly, Anarchie allows you to search for and download files in one go, with one application. Anarchie boasts a new modern Internet engine (one of the fastest available for the Mac), Sherlock-compatible Internet searches, Keychain support for storing passwords, crash-proof transfer resuming and transfer progress icons.

Web link: www.stairways.com