NetSetMan is a popular program dating back to 2008. It is a good tool that can help Windows users and administrators when it comes to network management. It should be noted that this program is very useful in computers that are connected to different types of networks throughout a day. A clear example of this could be a laptop that we use at home, at work, or when we have to travel somewhere. The latest version NetSetMan 5.0 allows us to manage different network profiles and it should also be noted that it is also free.
NetSetMan 5.0 Features, Download, and Installation
NetSetMan, in case you don’t know, comes from the acronym in English Network Settings Manager which translated means network configuration manager. With this program, a network administrator can configure profiles with specific network information with IP addresses and subnet mask, gateways, DNS servers, adapters to be used, routing tables in the system, default printers, and more.
NetSetMan 5.0 is free as long as we do not use it for commercial use, for example it will not work for us on our work PC or on our company laptop. The difference between the basic and free version and the paid Pro version is that it offers these additional features:
- Can be used at work.
- Allows you to create unlimited profiles.
- Supports domain and proxy settings.
If you want to check the details and prices of the Pro version together with everything it offers, you can access the official website of NetSetMan 5.0 where you will find all the details. The first thing we are going to do is download the NetSetMan 5.0 program from the developer’s website in its free version. It should also be noted that this version 5.0 is compatible with Windows 7, 8 and 10 32 or 64 bits. Once the installation file is downloaded, a screen like this will appear:
Here it offers us two possibilities:
- Install NetSetMan: it will perform a normal installation, in which the program will appear like the rest in the Windows start menu.
- Extract the files: to be used “portable” in the folder that we specify.
We recommend clicking on “extract files” and if we are going to use it often later, perform a complete installation on our operating system.
This is how NetSetMan 5.0 works and all the available options
The first time we start the NetSetMan 5.0 program we will get a screen like this:
The first icon on the left refers to the network profiles in which to start working we must select an adapter. In our case we have used a Windows 10 PC connected by network cable to the router, and in this PC we do not have any Wi-Fi adapter. The next step we are going to take to use the program is to select the network card in the box marked in red.
As you can see, we have selected the Realtek Gigabit Ethernet network card. From this moment on, we can start creating our network profile by entering data such as:
- IP adress.
- Subnet mask.
- Gateway.
- DNS.
These are the typical sections that we can modify by accessing the Windows TCP / IPv4 network configuration of our network adapter. Now might be the ideal time to create a profile for home and another for work. The user interface has received a modernization in NetSetMan 5.0, now, we have a new vertical menu on the left that provides direct access to different parts of the network program such as network profiles, wireless network management, network tools, change automatic and configuration.
The Wi-Fi icon on the left can provide us with detailed information about available networks, MAC addresses, channels, speeds, protocols, and more. On the other hand, the icon below, the one for network tools, gives us the possibility to perform a network scan. Finally, in the Windows taskbar, by clicking on the program icon, we have the system tray information option and it will make a screen like this appear:
Here we have our Internet connection information, and it can allow us to switch between our different network profiles very easily and quickly. The objective of this program is to greatly facilitate all the network changes that we make.
