Today’s ‘Must Read’
Folks, not only does everyone need to read this article, but pass it along to their friends and family.
* How your connected home or office is a gift for hackers, criminals, and cyber spies
“The Internet of Things needs to learn how to secure devices — and fast.” Read more..
[ Note: I also highly recommend clicking on some of the embedded articles.. Like, the Snowden one.. ]
Related articles: (In my way of thinking..)
* Britain has passed the ‘most extreme surveillance law ever passed in a democracy’
“The law forces UK internet providers to store browsing histories — including domains visited — for one year. Not only that, the law also gives the intelligence agencies the power to hack into computers and devices of citizens.” Read more..
* Distracted minds: 3 tips to disconnect from tech and increase productivity
“Adam Gazzaley, neurologist and author of The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World, explains how multitasking damages focus, and offers advice for workplace productivity.” Read more..
.. But the truth is, no one’s going to read those. And no one’s going to change their thinking or behavior. I’m wasting my time.
* * *
Today’s quote: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” ~ Aesop
Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.
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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.
How To Protect Your Wi-Fi (and other items)
Folks, there’s no good (tech) news, but (as usual) plenty of scary headlines. So I urge you to get proactive and harden your wireless router (as per the article below).
Bad News Sampler Platter: (Just today’s)
* Malicious Minecraft apps affect 600,000 Android Users
“So you love Minecraft? You might want to be very careful before downloading the cheats for the popular Minecraft game from Google Play Store. Nearly 3 Million users have downloaded malicious Minecraft Android applications for their smartphone and tablets from the Google Play store, security researchers warned.” Read more..
* Android ransomware distributed to English speakers in spam campaign
* Report: IRS breach impacts more than 100,000 taxpayers
Okay. So here’s today’s main article: How to stop Wi-Fi hackers cold
“When someone hacked a neighbor’s Wi-Fi router to engage in nefarious activities, the only effective defense was to plug a widespread WPS vulnerability.” Read more..
Please note that while the technique advised in the article will not make you bulletproof; but it will “harden” your gear to where you will no longer be quite the ‘low hanging fruit’. If you do not know how to access your router/WAP’s Control Panel, look at (and note) the unit’s Make/Model and do a search for “Make/Model+update firmware”. Go to the search result that contains the manufacturer’s URL (i.e., netgear.com if yours is a Netgear). (You DO look at URL’s before you click.. Right?)
Today’s quote: “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.
>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<
All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.
A couple of software reco’s
It’s kind of odd.. but since I went into semi-Retirement, I’ve been busier than ever.
I have been reminded recently that a couple of free software utilities I use, well, I cannot recall if I’ve ever mentioned them to you guys… as they are rather Geeky (aka not “for everyone”).
* First up is a file copy/transfer utility. TeraCopy isn’t anything fancy, it just makes Windows work like it should, when working with big copy/transfer jobs. It’s free for personal use.
“One of the most common complaints about newer versions of Windows is the slow copying speed, especially when transferring lots of files over the network. If you want to speed up your copying or if you regularly transfer large amounts of data and have to stop the process to perform some other disk-intensive task, this program may be just what you need.” Check it out here.
* Next up is a “boot disc”. Now, most of you will not ever have call for a boot disc, or need to know how to use one, but if you know what they are, and don’t know about UBCD4Win, well I suggest you take a look.
“UBCD4Win is a bootable recovery CD that contains software used for repairing, restoring, or diagnosing almost any computer problem. Our goal is to be the most complete and easy to use free computer diagnostic tool.” Check it out here.
One of the things I use the UBCD4Win most often is to make “images” (backups/”clones”) of a hard drive using DriveImageXML, but you do not need to use a boot disc to take advantage of this free disk imaging/archiving tool. (It is a ‘standalone’ app that’s been bundled onto UBCD.)
“DriveImage XML is an easy to use and reliable program for imaging and backing up partitions and logical drives. Image creation uses Microsoft’s Volume Shadow Services (VSS), allowing you to create safe “hot images” even from drives currently in use. Images are stored in XML files, allowing you to process them with 3rd party tools. Never again be stuck with a useless backup! Restore images to drives without having to reboot. DriveImage XML is now faster than ever, offering two different compression levels. ” Check it out here.
Today’s quote: “Everybody ought to do at least two things each day that he hates to do, just for practice.” ~ William James
Copyright 2007-2013 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.
>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<
All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.
A Different Sort of Sunday Beauty
Folks, this week’s “pretty picture” is rather different than my usual.. and I bet it is something you have never seen before. Have you ever wondered what the Internet looks like?
This Is the Most Detailed Picture of the Internet Ever (and Making it Was Very Illegal)
Click on image to see more (reco’d)
I made it kinda small, as I hope this will intrigue you enough to click on the image. Doing so will take you to the very interesting article I stole borrowed it from.. The very interesting guy there has more images, and explains how it was made — which should cause a few of you thinkers out there to have a thought or two..
So click on the image, or click here, and see the movie and read about how this ‘map’ was made. You won’t be sorry you did.
Today’s quote: “I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders.” ~ Jewish Proverb
Copyright 2007-2013 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.
>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<
All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.
Back in the saddle
wrapping up another week
A few items of interest, and a funny video
Walter Lantz Studios
* Update: Facebook phone? Been there, done that, and nobody cared
“Facebook is generating buzz with the unveiling of Home, but it seems everyone has forgotten about the Facebook phone nobody wanted.” Read more.
[related: Why Facebook Home will blow Android into smithereens
“You think Google’s Android OS is hopelessly fragmented now? This is just the beginning.” Read more.. ]
A short slideshow that (I suspect) will open your eyes to the risks of the Internet — even if you think you’re already aware of the risks.
* CISPA: Not Just Dangerous, but Also Useless
“Civil libertarians are loudly protesting Congress’s renewed deliberations of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA). The bill is intended to facilitate sharing cyberthreat information between government and the private sector to protect the nation from cyberattack.” Read more..
* The love affair with Windows 8-powered hybrids is over before it started
“Microsoft built Windows 8 around the new touch user interface, but it seems that consumers are quite attached to their keyboards and mice.” Read more..
[ And I don’t think M$ didn’t know that was going to happen. If they didn’t, they didn’t read their “feedback” during the beta. Nor ever notice how little-used the red “eraser” on ThinkPads are.. or how many people plug mice into their laptops because they hate the touchpad… ]
* Surprise? Survey: Finance chiefs not thrilled with IT ROI
“A new CFO Research/AlixPartners survey reveals that finance leaders are not happy with their IT spending return on investment, with just 3% describing ROI as excellent. Most rated their company’s results with a C grade or lower. “The message from CFOs and other senior finance executives is loud and clear — companies are spending too much on IT, and they’re not getting the business information that they truly need,” said AlixPartners’ Meade Monge.” Read more..
[ Yes. But. It’s employed a lot of people.. ahem. ]
* Bitcoin’s Wallet Service Instawallet Hacked, suspended indefinitely
“The digital currency Bitcoin has suffered yet another hack. Bitcoin wallet site Instawallet has been taken offline after a security compromise, has suspended its service indefinitely. Instawallet didn’t say in a notice on its website how many bitcoins were stolen after hackers fraudulently accessed company database. “The Instawallet service is suspended indefinitely …” Read more…
* ITC judge rules Samsung infringed Apple’s text-selection patent
“Things have taken a nasty turn for Samsung in its worldwide battle against Apple with a new ruling from the International Trade Commission.” Read more..
Sigh. It’s almost like watching an amateur circus, or toddler talent show, isn’t it?
* A laser printer for $50?! Yup. If that interests, click here.
Friday Fun Video: You do want to double your Internet speed for free, right?
I am a little surprised he only got 6 million views with that …
Today’s quote: “What can you do against the lunatic who is more intelligent than yourself, who gives your arguments a fair hearing and then simply persists in his lunacy?” ~ George Orwell
Copyright 2007-2013 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.
>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<
All we really have, in the end, are our stories. Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.
Questions Answered plus You Might Want To Know
For today’s Grab Bag, I am going to answer some reader questions, and point out a couple of items of interest.
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| Samsung E2420L 23.6″ LCD Monitor – 70,000:1, 5ms, 1920X1080, VGA/DVI | ||||
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| *When you use Promo Code 51D1AAE for $20.00 off |
First up: we all know bigger is better (in tech, anyway). And nowhere in your “computing experience” is that more evident than the size of your monitor. There are three ways to really improve (aka “upgrade”) your computing:
1) buy fastest Internet (aka “speed”, aka “bandwidth”) and,
2) have a big, bright monitor and,
3) add RAM.
I spotted a deal today that makes upgrading to a 24″ monitor hard to resist (VGA, DVI).
Reader Questions Answered:
Q: “Can you recommend some cooking games for girls?”
A: I am sorry, Dear Reader, but I cannot help you out with that question. Perhaps people in the audience can help us out with some suggestions.
Q: “How can I get more wifi than my roommate?”
A: Well, short of planting limiting software on their machine, you really can’t (short of bringing in your own Internet line..). But there are some ‘tweaks’ you can make to your router which can help you get as much as is possible. (See, How To Limit Your Roommate’s Bandwidth)
Q: “How can I attract all the bandwidth to my Xbox via a laptop?”
A: That really isn’t how networking works. If you really want the fastest online experience, whatever the Internet-connected device, you want to use wires (aka “Ethernet cables”). If you’re using Wi Fi, you want the fewest devices accessing the ‘net as possible.. so turn off your laptop’s wifi when Xbox-ing. Unless .. you are “tethering” your Xbox to the laptop to gain a Internet connection, for some reason.. which is the worst way to do it and will have serious lag. (See, Wired or Wireless?*)
Q: “Does Gigabit router multiply megabit Internet speeds?”
A: Again, that isn’t how networking works, so no, it doesn’t. Purchasing a higher service level from your ISP is the only real way to increase your Internet speed. (See, Gigabit Ethernet Didn’t Make Internet Faster)
Q: “Can you put more than one virus protection on a tablet?”
A: Well, you could.. but you do not want to. Antiviruses most often do not play well together. (And spend more time fighting each other than protecting you.)
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Q: “Is there any way to look at logs of what website my kids visited through a linksys router???”
A: I know you can blacklist (block) websites but, I have not looked that deep into Linksys router config’s since, basically, when Wireless N came out (i.e. all the Linksys models I own, and support, are older) so I’d have to look up “DNS lookup logging” or “domains accessed logging” to answer that specifically. (If you set your DNS server to OpenDNS, they do free DNS logging.) You can look for a “Logs” tab in your (router’s) Control Panel. Generally speaking, I doubt your router creates logs that you could easily see where they visited.
But, if your child has erased their browser’s History, my (technician’s) advice is to install parental control/monitoring software; such as the excellent and free K9 Web Protection or Norton’s Family Protection services (Norton Family is free).
And finally.. Not a bad price on a higher-end 7″ Tablet..
That’s all I have time for today.
Today’s quote: “At sixty, I know little more about wisdom than I did at thirty, but I know a great deal more about folly.” ~ Mason Cooley
Copyright 2007-2013 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.
>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<
All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.
Restricting Roommates Internet Use – Continued.
Reader Asks What He Can Do To Prevent His Roommate’s Internet Use From Slowing His Down To Useless.
Q: “Hi paul,
After reading your post on limiting your roommates’ bandwidth, (How To Limit Your Roommate’s Bandwidth – And Keep More For Yourself.) I tried to do this in my dorm. Considering that lag is sometimes so extensive that it ruins my games and browsing. However I have a Thomson TG712 router, and from what I could discover online, it is quite hard to limit the bandwidth usage. So I would really appreciate if you could write a guide for that, or explain me how to do it.
Sincerely, (name withheld)”
A: Dear Reader,
Let me start my answer by saying yours is a very “frequently asked” question. And, as your searching online has revealed, there’s no easy answer. I am going to ask that you return to the article, and look to the conversations in the Comments section – particularly, those with “Ash”.
(For example, in my reply to moble, I said, “But no.. there really is no way that I am aware of to choke down their kbps to a certain number. Hardware is designed to deliver maximum performance.“)
As far as I know, with our “consumer”-grade routers (and Wireless Access Points) about all you can do is:
• set your roommate’s machine to receive a “Low” QoS “priority”, and yours a “High” (as per the article’s How To) if your make/model router has the feature (most do).
[note: refer to your make/model router’s documentation for the exact steps/menu choices — these are often listed on the side of your router’s control panel, or can be found on the manufacturer’s website.]
• use Content Filtering/Access Control to completely block your roommate’s machine from accessing certain websites, using certain (high volume) protocols, and/or use at certain times of day.
• get your roomie to agree to install a program on their machine which will limit its Internet access.
• Pay your ISP for a higher level of (aka “upgrade”) of bits-per-second, so that you both get enough bandwidth. (Hopefully, your roommate will pay the difference..)
Also: I noticed your router’s wireless is a 54 Mbps “Wireless G” model. If you both are accessing the ‘net wirelessly, adding (or replacing the old with) a newer Wireless N router may give you both a better experience.
So, I remind you that I asked you to return to the article, (How To Limit Your Roommate’s Bandwidth – And Keep More For Yourself.) and look to the conversations in the Comments section – particularly, those with “Ash” (where dd-wrt is discussed…)
Today’s quote: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” ~ Thomas Edison
Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.
>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<
• About Tech Paul
I am a Retired computer & network technician. I used to think the machines were pretty cool. Now I don’t.
They’re anything but.
I regularly posted how-to’s and tricks & tips and general computing advice here starting in 2007. (Use the Search tool to find answers. But be aware, many are rather dated.) Sometimes I answered (your) specific questions in an article if I believed the answer was generally helpful to “everyone”. All the writing you see was my own, typos and all. There always is/was an implied “IMHO” in what you see here.
Note: You are responsible for using this blog and its content. I am in no way liable for any losses caused by user error, viruses and/or other malware, hardware or software failure, or any other conceivable reason.
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