Manage your home network
If you simply want to use your PC to surf the web and send e-mail, your home network may be as straightforward as a PC connected to the Internet. To set up a network with Windows Vista, all you have to do is select the type of network you want. Then just sit back, and let Windows Vista set up and manage the connections.
Or perhaps you want to connect several PCs and devices. With Windows Vista, you can create the type of home network you want—in less time and with less effort.
The Network Setup Wizard automates the process of creating a new network and adding devices to it. The wizard automatically establishes network security settings to help protect your network from intruders. With Windows Connect Now, you can also save these settings to a USB flash drive to transfer them to another PC or device, making it very easy to add wireless devices to your network.
Easily create a new network with the Network Setup Wizard.
Staying connected with Network Center
Network Center informs you about the network your computer is connected to and verifies whether your computer can successfully reach the Internet. Network Center even visually displays the information in the Network Map, so you can immediately see your connectivity to the network and Internet.
The Network Map details your network and Internet connectivity.
Windows Vista also "remembers" the settings for the different networks you use, so it's easier to reconnect—whether you're at home, at the office, or at a friend's house.
Windows Vista continuously tunes itself to receive data at the highest possible speed, so downloads are faster, and streaming media plays more smoothly. If a network problem comes up that requires your attention, Network Diagnostics can analyze the problem and recommend ways to fix it.
Network Diagnostics analyzes network problems and provides possible solutions.
Windows Vista works well with most networking devices and applications. But for the best experience, make sure to use products that bear the "Works with Windows Vista" logo. If a product has the logo, you can be confident that it will work well with the newest networking features in Windows Vista.
Devices and applications with the "Certified for Windows Vista" logo provide even better integration. For example, routers bearing this logo allow you to transfer audio and high-definition video at high speeds to an Extender for Windows Media Center, such as Microsoft Xbox 360.
For the best Windows Vista experience, use devices and applications that bear the "Works with Windows Vista" or "Certified for Windows Vista" logo.