McAfee Network Manager

McAfee Network Manager

Network Manager presents a graphical view of the computers and components that make up your home network. You can use Network Manager to remotely monitor the protection status of each managed computer in your network, and remotely fix reported security vulnerabilities on those computers.

Before you use Network Manager, you can familiarize yourself with some of the features. Details about configuring and using these features are provided throughout the Network Manager help.

Note: SecurityCenter reports critical and non-critical protection problems as soon as it detects them. If you need help diagnosing your protection problems, you can run McAfee Virtual Technician.

In this chapter Network Manager features Understanding Network Manager icons Setting up a managed network Managing the network remotely

Network Manager features

Network Manager provides the following features.

Graphical network map

Network Manager's network map provides a graphical overview of the protection status of the computers and components that make up your home network. When you make changes to your network (for example, you add a computer), the network map recognizes those changes. You can refresh the network map, rename the network, and show or hide components of the network map to customize your view. You can also view the details for any of the components on the network map.

Remote management

Use Network Manager's network map to manage the protection status of the computers that make up your home network. You can invite a computer to join the managed network, monitor the managed computer's protection status, and fix known security vulnerabilities from a remote computer on the network.

Setting up a managed network

To set up a managed network, work with the items on your network map and add members (computers) to the network. Before a computer can be remotely managed, or granted permission to remotely manage other computers on the network, it must become a trusted member of the network. Network membership is granted to new computers by existing network members (computers) with administrative permissions.

You can view the details associated with any of the components that appear on the network map, even after you make changes to your network (for example, you add a computer).

In this chapter Working with the network map Joining the managed network

Working with the network map

When you connect a computer to the network, Network Manager analyzes the network to determine if there are any managed or unmanaged members, what the router attributes are, and the Internet status. If no members are found, Network Manager assumes that the currently connected computer is the first computer on the network and makes the computer a managed member with administrative permissions. By default, the name of the network includes the workgroup or domain name of the first computer that connects to the network and has SecurityCenter installed; however, you can rename the network at any time.

When you make changes to your network (for example, you add a computer), you can customize the network map. For example, you can refresh the network map, rename the network, and show or hide components of the network map to customize your view. You can also view the details associated with any of the components that appear on the network map.

In this section Access the network map Refresh the network map Rename the network Show or hide an item on the network map View details for an item

Access the network map

The network map provides a graphical representation of the computers and components that make up your home network.

• On the Basic or Advanced Menu, click Manage Network.

Note: The first time that you access the network map, you are prompted to trust the other computers on the network.

Refresh the network map

You can refresh the network map at any time; for example, after another computer joins the managed network.

1. On the Basic or Advanced Menu, click Manage Network.
2. Click Refresh the network map under I want to.

Note: The Refresh the network map link is only available if there are no items selected on the network map. To clear an item, click the selected item, or click an area of white space on the network map.

Rename the network

By default, the name of the network includes the workgroup or domain name of the first computer that connects to the network and has SecurityCenter installed. If you prefer to use a different name, you can change it.

1. On the Basic or Advanced Menu, click Manage Network.
2. Click Rename the network under I want to.
3. Type the name of the network in the Network Name box.
4. Click OK.

Note: The Rename the network link is only available if there are no items selected on the network map. To clear an item, click the selected item, or click an area of white space on the network map.

Show or hide an item on the network map

By default, all the computers and components in your home network appear on the network map. However, if you have hidden items, you can show them again at any time. Only unmanaged items can be hidden; managed computers cannot be hidden.

To...	On the Basic or Advanced Menu, click Manage Network, and then do this...
Hide an item on the network map	Click an item on the network map, and then click Hide this item under I want to. In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.
Show hidden items on the network map	Under I want to, click Show hidden items.

View details for an item

You can view detailed information about any component in your network if you select it on the network map. This information includes the component name, its protection status, and other information required to manage the component.

1. Click an item's icon on the network map.
2. Under Details, view the information about the item.

Joining the managed network

Before a computer can be remotely managed or granted permission to remotely manage other computers on the network, it must become a trusted member of the network. Network membership is granted to new computers by existing network members (computers) with administrative permissions. To ensure that only trusted computers join the network, users at the granting and joining computers must authenticate each other.

When a computer joins the network, it is prompted to expose its McAfee protection status to other computers on the network. If a computer agrees to expose its protection status, it becomes a managed member of the network. If a computer refuses to expose its protection status, it becomes an unmanaged member of the network. Unmanaged members of the network are usually guest computers that want to access other network features (for example, send files or share printers).

Note: After you join, if you have other McAfee networking programs installed (for example, EasyNetwork), the computer is also recognized as a managed computer in those programs. The permission level that is assigned to a computer in Network Manager applies to all McAfee networking programs. For more information about what guest, full, or administrative permissions mean in other McAfee networking programs, see the documentation provided for that program.

In this section Join a managed network Invite a computer to join the managed network Stop trusting computers on the network

Join a managed network

When you receive an invitation to join a managed network, you can accept it or reject it. You can also determine whether you want this computer and other computers on the network to monitor each other's security settings (for example, whether a computer's virus protection services are up-to-date).

1. In the Managed Network dialog box, ensure that the Allow every computer on this network to monitor security settings check box is selected.
2. Click Join.
   When you accept the invitation, two playing cards appear.
3. Confirm that the playing cards are the same as those displayed on the computer that invited you to join the managed network.
4. Click OK.

Note: If the computer that invited you to join the managed network does not display the same playing cards that appear in the security confirmation dialog box, there has been a security breach on the managed network. Joining the network can place your computer at risk; therefore, click Cancel in the Managed Network dialog box.

Invite a computer to join the managed network

If a computer is added to the managed network, or another unmanaged computer exists on the network, you can invite that computer to join the managed network. Only computers with administrative permissions on the network can invite other computers to join. When you send the invitation, you also specify the permission level you want to assign to the joining computer.

1. Click an unmanaged computer's icon in the network map.
2. Click Monitor this computer under I want to.
3. In the Invite a computer to join the managed network dialog box, do one of the following:
   • Click Allow guest access to managed network programs to allow the computer access to the network (you can use this option for temporary users in your home).
   • Click Allow full access to managed network programs to allow the computer access to the network.
   • Click Allow administrative access to managed network programs to allow the computer access to the network with administrative permissions. It also allows the computer to grant access to other computers that want to join the managed network.
4. Click OK.
   An invitation to join the managed network is sent to the computer. When the computer accepts the invitation, two playing cards appear.
5. Confirm that the playing cards are the same as those displayed on the computer that you have invited to join the managed network.
6. Click Grant Access.

Note: If the computer you invited to join the managed network does not display the same playing cards that appear in the security confirmation dialog box, there has been a security breach on the managed network. Allowing the computer to join the network can place other computers at risk; therefore, click Reject Access in the security confirmation dialog box.

Stop trusting computers on the network

If you trusted other computers on the network by mistake, you can stop trusting them.

• Click Stop trusting computers on this network under I want to.

Note: The Stop trusting computers on this network link is not available if you have administrative permissions and there are other managed computers on the network.

Managing the network remotely

After you set up your managed network, you can remotely manage the computers and components that make up your network. You can monitor the status and permission levels of the computers and components and fix most security vulnerabilities remotely.

In this chapter Monitoring status and permissions Fixing security vulnerabilities

Monitoring status and permissions

A managed network has managed and unmanaged members. Managed members allow other computers on the network to monitor their McAfee protection status; unmanaged members do not. Unmanaged members are usually guest computers that want to access other network features (for example, send files or share printers). An unmanaged computer can be invited to become a managed computer at any time by another managed computer on the network. Similarly, a managed computer can become unmanaged at any time.

Managed computers have administrative, full, or guest permissions. Administrative permissions allow the managed computer to manage the protection status of all other managed computers on the network and grant other computers membership to the network. Full and guest permissions allow a computer to access the network only. You can modify a computer's permission level at any time.

Since a managed network can also have devices (for example, routers), you can use Network Manager to manage them. You can also configure and modify a device's display properties on the network map.

In this section Monitor a computer's protection status Stop monitoring a computer's protection status Modify a managed computer's permissions Manage a device Modify a device's display properties

Monitor a computer's protection status

If a computer's protection status is not being monitored on the network (the computer is not a member, or is an unmanaged member), you can request to monitor it.

1. Click an unmanaged computer's icon on the network map.
2. Click Monitor this computer under I want to.

Stop monitoring a computer's protection status

You can stop monitoring the protection status of a managed computer in your network; however, the computer then becomes unmanaged and you cannot monitor its protection status remotely.

1. Click a managed computer's icon on the network map.
2. Click Stop monitoring this computer under I want to.
3. In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Modify a managed computer's permissions

You can change a managed computer's permissions at any time. This allows you to modify which computers can monitor the protection status of other computers on the network.

1. Click a managed computer's icon on the network map.
2. Click Modify permissions for this computer under I want to.
3. In the modify permissions dialog box, select or clear the check box to determine whether this computer and other computers on the managed network can monitor each other's protection status.
4. Click OK.

Manage a device

You can manage a device by accessing its administration Web page from Network Manager.

1. Click a device's icon on the network map.
2. Click Manage this device under I want to.
   A Web browser opens and displays the device's administration Web page.
3. In your Web browser, provide your login information and configure the device's security settings.

Note: If the device is a Wireless Network Security protected wireless router or access point, you must use Wireless Network Security to configure the device's security settings.

Modify a device's display properties

When you modify a device's display properties, you can change the device's display name on the network map and specify whether the device is a wireless router.

1. Click a device's icon on the network map.
2. Click Modify device properties under I want to.
3. To specify the device's display name, type a name in the Name box.
4. To specify the type of device, click Standard Router if it is not a wireless router, or Wireless Router if it is wireless.
5. Click OK.

Fixing security vulnerabilities

Managed computers with administrative permissions can monitor the McAfee protection status of other managed computers on the network and fix reported security vulnerabilities remotely. For example, if a managed computer's McAfee protection status indicates that VirusScan is disabled, another managed computer with administrative permissions can enable VirusScan remotely.

When you fix security vulnerabilities remotely, Network Manager repairs most reported issues. However, some security vulnerabilities may require manual intervention on the local computer. In this case, Network Manager fixes the issues that can be repaired remotely, and then prompts you to fix the remaining issues by logging in to SecurityCenter on the vulnerable computer and following the recommendations provided. In some cases, the suggested resolution is to install the latest version of SecurityCenter on the remote computer or computers on your network.

In this section Fix security vulnerabilities Install McAfee security software on remote computers

Fix security vulnerabilities

You can use Network Manager to fix most security vulnerabilities on remote, managed computers. For example, if VirusScan is disabled on a remote computer, you can enable it.

1. Click an item's icon on the network map.
2. View the item's protection status, under Details.
3. Click Fix security vulnerabilities under I want to.
4. When the security issues have been fixed, click OK.

Note: Although Network Manager automatically fixes most security vulnerabilities, some repairs may require you to open SecurityCenter on the vulnerable computer and follow the recommendations provided.

Install McAfee security software on remote computers

If one or more computers on your network are not using the latest version SecurityCenter, their protection status cannot be monitored remotely. If you want to monitor these computers remotely, you must go to each computer, and install the latest version of SecurityCenter.

1. On the computer that you want to install your security software, open a Web browser, and go to:
   • http://us.mcafee.com/root/myAccount.asp (United States)
   • http://ca.mcafee.com/root/myAccount.asp (Canada)
   • http://uk.mcafee.com/root/myAccount.asp (United Kingdom)
   • http://au.mcafee.com/root/myAccount.asp (Australia)
2. Log in using the e-mail address and password that you used to register your security software the first time you installed it.
3. Select the appropriate product, click the Download/Install icon, and then follow the on-screen instructions.