After installing the program, setting it up to work with your UPnP device is a snap. It detected our test device (a Sony PlayStation 3) instantly and immediately allowed us to start viewing content on our TV set, a much better installation experience than we had with some of the other options in this category of software.

EyeConnect offers a fairly simple, clean-cut preference pane for managing its features. Most features can't be adjusted while the server is running, so you'll need to stop it while you play around with the settings. All the obvious options are there, such as the port to send your traffic through, a list of recognised UPnP devices (from which you can allow or deny individual entries), and a section where you can choose which folders may be shared with your network device.

More interesting are the available options for enabling and disabling certain plugins for the server. Some of these allow for easy folder browsing, maintaining the structure of your iTunes library on your networked device etc, but others allow for on-the-fly transcoding of certain file types. The program only includes two transcoding plugins (and we haven't yet been able to find any more), but this is a really interesting feature which could well extend the functionality of your UPnP device.

EyeConnect is a simple media server which is a snap to install and even easier to use. Highly recommended as an option for extending your digital life. Essential software for Mac and PS3 owners.

Download EyeConnect 1.6.7 in Softonic

It was born out of the Apache HTTP Server Project in an effort to develop and maintain an open-source HTTP server for modern operating systems including UNIX and Windows NT. A survey by Netcraft found that more than 68% of the web sites on the Internet are using Apache which the developers claim make it more widely used than all other web servers combined so you know you're in good hands from the start.

However, be warned if you've never used or configured a server before as this is not loaded with wizards and quick start hints to get you going. Fortunately, there is extensive documentation however that takes you through the whole installation process step by step, plus there's an extensive Wiki.

When you run the installation file, you'll be prompted whether or not you want to run Apache for all users (installing Apache as a Service), or if you want it installed to run in a console window when you choose the Start Apache shortcut. You'll then be asked for your Server name, Domain name and an administrative email account. After this, Apache takes care of much of the configuration but you'll still need to know a little about where and how you want it to install files in various directories.

Apache Server is one of the most successful cross platform open source servers on the net - invest the time in learning how to configure it and you won't be disappointed.

Download Apache HTTP Server 2.2.15 in Softonic

MediaLink works in a similar way to its competitors, acting as a file server which allows you to stream multimedia files, including your iTunes and iPhoto libraries across your home network. Your PS3 detects the server, connects and the shared content shows up in the XMB (PS3 menu).

When compared with its competitors, notably Elgato's EyeConnect, MediaLink performs very well. I experienced no cuts in transmission or delays, and I was impressed to see better handling of iTunes artwork as well as video previews. Some DivX files which worked with other media servers weren't detected by MediaLink, which was disappointing. I think this was due to the files having the '.divx' format and I expect that this issue will fixed in time. That said, video playback generally works without issues, though image quality was not always as good as when using EyeConnect.

Browsing photo and music libraries is a breeze with MediaLink, though there are some interesting differences with competitors in the way that it presents the iTunes library. I noticed that EyeConnect always displays the iTunes library exactly as iTunes would (select an artist, then an album and you'll see tracks by that artist which feature on that album), while MediaLink seems to use a different indexing system (select an artist and then an album and you'll see all the tracks on that album, irrespective of artist) - this suggests that MediaLink is building its own index of files rather than relying on your iTunes library file.

MediaLink is a robust, reliable media server option for sharing content from your Mac to your PS3, and compares well to other apps in its class. Recommended.

Download MediaLink 2.14 in Softonic

Fitted with a simple interface, Papaya simply involves dragging and dropping your files on the icon. Inside the program you can create folders to reorganize all your files. However what we really appreciated with Papaya was how it integrated a number of features from OSX. You can use Quick Look to have a peek at files, and the search box functions as find as you type. If you want to share a track playing in iTunes, just press the tune button at the top of the interface while it is playing. Papaya also lets you take snapshots with your iSight camera, simply by pressing the camera button at the top of the window.

To protect your files, you can enter a password, although Papaya doesn't give you a choice of different encryption methods. The program includes a URL for your files at the bottom of the window and you can open it up in your web browser to make sure it can be properly shared.

Papaya offers a great way to quickly share files on the web and makes good use of Apple technology. Let's hope it offers better password protection in the future.

Download Papaya 1.3.1 in Softonic

VirtualHostX is aimed at web designers working on multiple projects at once. VirtualHostX allows you to easily create and manage virtual hosts in just a few clicks. The latest version offers offers finer control over Apache settings, and works with MAMP, XAMPP, and Apple's built-in web server and even lets you share your virtual hosts with other users on your local network.

Although it's aimed at webmasters, those that are new to virtual hosting shouldn't have too many problems understanding VirtualHostX. The Help section is extensive and the interface is slick and easy enough for anyone to understand. If you design websites regularly, it's worth learning about virtual hosts because setting one up is an excellent way to test websites before they go live.

VirtualHostX is an excellent tool for any web master or website designer that needs to test their creations before they go online.

Download VirtualHostX 2.6 in Softonic

Download NodeScan Server X 1.0b26 in Softonic

Simon is a useful monitoring tool which checks servers for changes or failures and notifies you via e-mail, sound, speech, or other means. You can use it to track updated sites and to alert you when an important server goes down or recovers. This also makes it suitable for those that just want to check when their favorite sites are updated too although it's a rather long winded way of doing it when you've got RSS feeds for that job. However, if you really like a site and for some reason it has no RSS feed, Simon could be used to monitor it.

All tracking is done via Simon's Monitor window. It does look rather intimidating at first although many of the features you won't need if you're just tracking changes to a few sites. The Monitor window enables you to see at a glance the current status of all of your monitored websites, servers, and applications. You'll see data relating to a site's up-time percentage, how long ago since the last failure occurred, and when the next check will occur. There are also a ton of other stats that you really don't need unless you're a network administrator that needs complete control over monitoring.

Simon is really aimed at those that need to have full control over the monitoring of websites and FTP servers but if you really have no other way of checking for updates, then it's a very thorough tool.

Download Simon 2.5.1 in Softonic