Power Surge Protection
With the recent storms I have had a lot of customers and clients ask me about devices that will keep their computers safe from power surges. Power surges can destroy motherboards, ram or even worse, hard drives as I have seen first hand over the recent months. So I thought I would post a blog explaining the device you need in the event of a power surge. Remember that you never know when your power may go out or have a surge across your line. If you have a business it is even more imperative that you have you do every thing you can to protect your important data as I have seen business customers loose hard drives and even their backup drive with one power surge.
The best way to protect your computer from power issues is with a UPS. UPS is short for uninterruptible power supply, a power supply that includes a battery to maintain power in the event of a power outage. Typically, a UPS keeps a computer running for several minutes after a power outage, enabling you to save data that is running and shut down the computer gracefully. Many UPSs now offer a software component that enables you to automate backup and shut down procedures in case there’s a power failure while you’re away from the computer.
There are two basic types of UPS systems:
Standby power systems (SPSs) and on-line UPS systems. An SPS monitors the power line and switches to battery power as soon as it detects a problem. The switch to battery, however, can require several milliseconds, during which time the computer is not receiving any power. Standby Power Systems are sometimes called Line-interactive UPSes.
An on-line UPS avoids these momentary power lapses by constantly providing power from its own inverter, even when the power line is functioning properly. In general, on-line UPSs are much more expensive than SPSs.
If you would like to know more about what type of UPS your home or office needs please contact Longview Computer Center at 903-295-TECH(8324).
What You Need To Know About Adware and Spyware
Adware – A form of spyware that collects information about the user in order to display advertisements in the Web browser based on the information it collects from the user’s browsing patterns.
Spyware - Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user’s Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet; however, it should be noted that the majority of shareware and freeware applications do not come with spyware. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers.
Spyware is similar to a Trojan horse in that users unwittingly install the product when they install something else. A common way to become a victim of spyware is to download certain peer-to-peer file swapping products that are available today.
Aside from the questions of ethics and privacy, spyware steals from the user by using the computer’s memory resources and also by eating bandwidth as it sends information back to the spyware’s home base via the user’s Internet connection. Because spyware is using memory and system resources, the applications running in the background can lead to system crashes or general system instability.
Because spyware exists as independent executable programs, they have the ability to monitor keystrokes, scan files on the hard drive, snoop other applications, such as chat programs or word processors, install other spyware programs, read cookies, change the default home page on the Web browser, consistently relaying this information back to the spyware author who will either use it for advertising/marketing purposes or sell the information to another party.
Licensing agreements that accompany software downloads sometimes warn the user that a spyware program will be installed along with the requested software, but the licensing agreements may not always be read completely because the notice of a spyware installation is often couched in obtuse, hard-to-read legal disclaimers.
Source – Internet.com Webopedia
LCC
Preventative Maintenance
At least 60% of computer problems can be solved by using proper preventative maintenance. You’ve got to remember that this is a machine you are using. Therefore, just like any other machine (your car for example) it needs to be maintained. No, pouring 10W-30 into the back of the computer is not a good idea, but there are many ways to keep your computer running as well as it did the first day you brought it home. Furthermore, it’s possible, that with a few adjustments, your PC could be running better than it did right out of the box!
So, what kind of computer do you have? Dell, HP, Gateway, Compaq, or just a no name clone. If your answer is a no name clone, then you’re already ahead of the competition. All of the name brands you see splashed all over the television and on the front of this weeks Best Buy newspaper insert have something in common. Your brand new computer that you just paid $1000.00 for is seen as advertising space. Right out of the box, you’ll most likely find a ton of icons on the desktop and a system tray full of utilities. Most of which, you don’t need or want. That’s funny, I thought I was buying a computer, not a bunch of commercials.
For example, your new computer may have icons on the desktop for AOL, MSN, Yahoo, Compuserve, extra games (most of which are demos and want you to pay for the full version), and possibly a few anti-virus or anti-spam programs that tell you have a problem, but won’t fix it without charging you for it. A more specific yet subtle example is Norton Anti-Virus. Norton is an excellent anti-virus program that gets the job done (although it does take up a lot of resources on even the nicest system). When you’re shopping around in the store, you’ll see computers advertising this program as part of the whole package. After purchasing the new system, you realize that your subscription to Norton only lasts a month… but you can promptly enter your credit card information and order a years subscription from them.
Hidden costs, ads, and other headaches seem to run rampant on most new systems. For this reason, a no-name clone is the best way to go when purchasing a computer. It comes with the essentials, not the commercials.
What do you need running when you first start up your computer? Your Anti-Virus program. That’s it. Want more good news? There are several FREE anti-viruses out there that keep you protected without bogging down your system. The most well-known program out there and my personal recommendation, is AVG. Simply go to free.grisoft.com and download your free anti-virus. Congratulations you’re protected. No fees, no subscriptions, just protection. There is a pro version of AVG that you can purchase. It includes more features that the free version doesn’t come with. However, for basic anti-virus protection, it’s great.
Another free tool out there is Ad-Aware SE. It’s a great program for keeping your system clean of adware and spyware. This can also be downloaded for free from download.com. Just search for “ad-aware” and it’ll come up in the search results. Run this program once a week… once a month… whatever; as long as you run it. In most cases, adware and spyware in small doses isn’t very dangerous. However, when left unchecked, it attracts more of the same and can run rampant on your entire pc. Sometimes this can cause unwanted pop-ups, unwanted program installations, and even total system lock-ups and internet termination.
These two programs alone, can save you a lot of time and frustration. What kind of problems do you face with your computer? Let us know! Check back with us later for a more in-depth look at how you can keep your computer running smoothly. Learn how to keep items out of your system tray (the little area by the clock), defragment your hard drive, and more.
LCC
Wireless Surfing Overview
Commonly, we are asked to set-up wireless networks and thought it might be a good idea to give you, the community an overview of the complexities of wireless networking. The good news… it’s not that complex!
Wireless networks perform just like wired networks. If you’re connected you can have access to files, folders, and printers that are located on other computers that are also connected to the same network. Most commonly, we find people in there homes just want access to the internet. The convenience of sitting on your couch with a laptop and surfing away (like I’m doing now) is just too good to pass up!
Ideally, you need access to the internet via a high speed connection. Most commonly, this means your internet connection is provided through a DSL line from your phone company, or through a cable connection through your local cable provider. Here in Longview, that would be AT&T (which used to be SBC) or Longview Cable (Cablelynx).
Assuming you have a high speed internet connection, you need only two other things… a Wireless Router and a Wireless Network Card. (We carry these items) There are many different brands to choose from, but we find that D-Link has given us the least amount of trouble. It’s always nice to have the same brand of equipment, but not essential.
A wireless network card is a device that integrates with your computer or laptop and searches the surrounding area for a wireless signal. That’s it, a wireless NIC (Network Interface Card) listens for devices (such as wireless routers) that say “Hey! I’m here… come talk to me.” Wireless network cards have become standard in todays laptops. However, if your laptop does not have a wireless card in it, you can purchase one that will work with your laptop. Alternatively, if you are using a desktop, you will most likely need to purchase a wireless card for it. There are a few different types of NICs available.
1. There’s the PCI version, which is intended for permanent installation into your desktop PC. It plugs into a PCI slot on the Motherboard (Main Circuit Board) of your computer.
2. You can also purchase a PCMCIA NIC. These are intended for laptops. PCMCIA refers to the wide and very thin slot included on virtually every laptop in existence. You would want to use this if your laptop does not come with a wireless NIC.
3. Lastly, there is the USB version. USB ports are widely available on all modern desktops and laptops. Therefore, a USB NIC can be used on either a laptop or a desktop. If your situation calls for it, you could even use the same USB NIC on your laptop and desktop, plugging and unplugging the USB device as needed.
Although there are many different varieties out there when it comes to wireless routers, a simple 5-Port Wireless Router is usually a good choice. Again, D-Link is a good choice here. A router is a device that manages requests. For example, you type in “www.google.com” into your web browser and click go. When you do this, the router says “Ok, Computer A wants to go to www.google.com. Google are you there? Ok, good… Computer A, here’s www.google.com. You two have fun now!” It understands the request you send to it and routes you to the location you desire, whether that’s a web site or another computer on your network. Let’s say you want to print something over a home network. The router says “Ok, Computer A wants to print to a printer that is located on Computer B. Computer B, are you there? Ok, good! Computer A wants to print. That ok with you? Great! Computer A, here’s where you need to go… don’t waste all the ink now, that stuffs expensive!”
Usually, the best set-up is as follows:
The Router should sit in the same location that your Cable or DSL Modem sits. The higher the router sits, the better. Placing the router higher in the room (on top of a desk or bookshelf) will give out a better signal to the rest of your home and increase its’ range. On your Cable/DSL modem, there should be a port labeled “Internet”, “WAN”, or “Ethernet”. A standard ethernet cable (we carry these also) goes from this port to the port on the router labeled “WAN” (see diagram). Make sure that the power is plugged into your router and that all of the lights on the front are on.
If there is a desktop PC at this location, it can also be connected to the router via an ethernet cable. The wire would go from the ethernet port on the back of your computer to one of the available LAN Ports (see diagram) on the router. This simply saves you time/money as you don’t need a wireless card in the desktop PC this way.
Guess what, you just installed a wireless network! That’s all there is to it. The wireless router serves as a bridge between all of the devices connected to it (computers connected through the LAN Ports or through the Wireless) and the Internet (connected through the WAN Port).
Now, the router is broadcasting a wireless signal to the vicinity that can provide access to the internet and other computers that are connected to it. Connect to the wireless network from your laptop by left-clicking on the Windows Wireless Tool in the system tray at the bottom right corner of your screen and then clicking on “View Wireless Networks.”
This will bring up the following window:
From here, you can choose the network you wish to connect to, and do so.
There are other considerations to think about when setting up a wireless network. The most important of these would be securing the wireless network. As is, anyone can connect to the wireless network. This means that if someone drove up to your home or business and attempted to gain access from a laptop, they could. While connected they are able to use whatever is available on the network. This includes accessing the internet and any shared files, folders, or printers on your network.
Securing wireless networks is another service that we offer at Longview Computer Center. Your information is valuable and should be protected. Keep looking back as we plan to have a guide for securing wireless networks in a future post. Also, please keep in mind that this guide was intended for wireless networking in a Microsoft Windows XP environment. There are slight differences between networking in different versions of windows. Please provide us with your feedback and let us know if this help you and how we can make it better. All of our posts will be updated/improved as needed. Thank you for your time!
LCC
Welcome
Welcome to the Longview Computer Center blog! We are pleased to have you!
We at Longview Computer Center are committed to many things, including Integrity, Quality of Service, and Education. The purpose of this site is both to help you get acquainted with us and, should you choose to do so, to educate yourself on some of the more common problems that people face.
Longview Computer Center is a Computer Parts & Service Center. You bring your computer to us or we come to you, home or business, and fix your computer problems. Every day we see a multitude of issues concerning everything from simple PC problems to both wired and wireless networking issues. As a service to our customers, we are starting this blog in an effort to help educate our community. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, perhaps your questions can be answered here.
This project is really dependent on you, the community. Please provide us with your feedback. We highly encourage your participation. As a community, how can this web site serve you better? What answers would you like to have? Please send all comments, questions, and suggestions to blog@longviewcomputercenter.com. We’ll do everything we can to provide you with accurate answers to your tough questions.
LCC