What are the tangible benefits of a home network?

First, it means a high-speed DSL or Cable modem connection from your local cable TV or telephone company. This is prerequisite for any home network. Next it means you can enjoy - at the very minimum - the following basic capabilities:

• Internet Connection Sharing, enabling all PCs and other Internet enabled devices to simultaneously access one high-speed Internet connection

• File, folder and print sharing, enabling all PCs and other devices to share music, photos, videos and documents.

• Fast, efficient e-mail and instant messaging within and without the home

• Security and performance, including firewall security and content filtering

• Device Sharing, enabling devices on one PC to be accessed by others, such as printers, CD-ROMs and other devices

• A growing number of applications that use these capabilities - such as family calendars, networked game playing, centralized messaging, Personal Video Recording and distribution, home stereo integration, home intranet websites and much more. Please see Cool Applications.

From a purely economic viewpoint, home networks make additional high-speed cable or DSL connections unnecessary, allow families to save by disconnecting extra phone lines used for dial-up, and offers additional savings by the elimination of other dial-up accounts.

The main problem confronting consumers in realizing these benefits is the sheer number and complexity of the software and hardware products available for home networking. The rapidly evolving world of home networking can be very confusing and daunting to both "power users" and the average computer user.

Manhattan Home Networks' mission is to provide our customers with the currently available options and the best advice, at an affordable price. We want to help you select winning technologies and solutions for today and tomorrow. Our goal is to help customers make the right choices to implement a platform that works now and which can evolve with the market and encompass the widest possible functionality now and in the future.

Our approach also ensures affordability since all solutions are assembled with competitive, off-the-shelf hardware and software. We do not recommend proprietary solutions and are not wedded to any vendor solution or platform. Wherever possible we opt for solutions that adhere to Internet standards and proven, open technologies.

We also guarantee that every solution we recommend has been tested in our lab to ensure quality installations and ongoing ease of operation and use.