This week we start with a question: Are we missing something, or is Windows XP's implementation of TCP/IP as pathetic as we suspect it is?

We ask this after setting out to test an interesting device called the Sentinel Model 1000 from Highwall Technologies (it monitors for rogue wireless activity).

We were trying to set up a dual homed Windows XP machine. (In other words, we wanted to give it two IP addresses on one interface). It turns out you can indeed do this as long as both addresses are static. This means that using DHCP to get an IP address on one connection and using a static IP address on the other connection is a no go.

Our question is, Why would you ever build in such a limitation? It makes no sense, and we can't find anything on Microsoft's Web site or anywhere else that explains why this limitation exists. Update: A reader clues Gearhead into the answer.

As we researched this issue we found an interesting tool that addresses the problem of switching network configurations: Net Profiles, written by Daniel Milner. This utility lets you create - you guessed it - profiles for your network configuration.

You can specify a profile name and whether the IP address and all the other details - such as DNS servers, WINS server and default gateway - are to be provided by DHCP or through a static allocation. You also can specify which network shares are mapped to which drives by the profile and the default printer.

If you have multiple adapters you can set up profiles for each and when you click on Apply Profile, voilà! Your wish is Windows' command. This is useful when you are struggling to reconfigure devices that are, by default, on a static address in a different private address space than the one you are using . . . which seems to be pretty much always the case.

Net Profiles is "donateware" - that is, it is freeware with a plea for a contribution. The tool does what it says and seems pretty robust. Send Daniel a nice donation please. He's earned it.

Anyway, our next topic is about setting your corporate branding on your XP systems - important in getting that corporate "we own you and everything around you" look and feel. While many of you may have extensive XP experience, you might not know that you can customize the look of the XP logon screen. We, like the Internal Revenue Service, are here to help you.