Today's Technology

Getting The Most Out Of Your Wi-Fi

2011-07-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

The way technology moves now a days, unfortunately, routers don't usually last more than a couple years before they become outdated. Here are some ways to get the most out of your router, which will increase your network speed in general. If you have problems going to another room in your house, and having to worry about losing your connection or losing speed, these tips are for you.

Location, Location, Location.

Where you position a router has a lot to do with it's range and performance. It is recommended to put your router as high as you can get it, because radio waves spread laterally and down the best. Radio waves spread best if they don't have to go through thick walls, mirrors, fish tanks, or anything metal. Try to position your router as far away from things like baby monitors, cordless phones, wireless audio speakers, Bluetooth gadgets, and even microwave ovens to avoid any interference these devices might cause.

Updating Firmware.

A pretty quick and easy thing that you can do. If you're having problems in the Wi-Fi area, try to find an update for your network adapter driver online. Updating this will give you the latest firmware which usually makes your network adapter work more efficiently. You should also try to update the firmware for your router. You can usually do this by logging into your router, and finding an update firmware link(some routers automatically scan for updates on login). The way you can log into your router to check this is to: 1. Be connected to the router. 2. Type the IP address of the router in your address bar on your internet browser. (Most commonly 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1). 3. Login to your router. (Default user: Admin. Default password: password.). If the IP address of your router is not one of those two, an easy way of checking is going to Start>Run>CMD. When the command prompt (Black screen) is up type "Ipconfig".It will give you a list of three IP addresses. It's usually the "Default Gateway" IP address.

Secure Your Network

By placing a password on your network you're restricting outside access. When you have an unsecured router, anyone within range can connect. The more people that are connected, and exploring the internet, the more it hurts your connection. You can set a password by logging into your router (See Updating Firmware).

Other Tips And Tricks.

This one is kind of silly.. But it some people have noticed a difference. By putting Aluminum Foil on the antennas it's believed to amplify the radio waves.

Buying Different Parts.

There are several things you could purchase to make the signal stronger. Things like wireless repeaters, new router antennas, or a new laptop wireless card are fairly cheap ways to greatly help with Wi-Fi range and performance. You should double check to make sure the product you see would for your needs.

Another option is to buy another router. Buying a new wireless router is a guaranteed way of increasing both connection and performance.

How Do You Know If You've Been Hacked?

2011-07-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

In response to Joshy1028's request. This is a very good and important question. Unfortunately, it's not always an easy answer.. I only know of a few ways that are hints that you might have been hacked. If any of these cases are true for you, don't panic. This usually makes things get worse. Most of these are easy to correct.

Unapproved User On Your Computer

Sometimes, hackers will get into your computer and create a new user. Creating a new account, for their use, allows them better access to your computers resources, without your knowledge. A quick check, listed below, will tell you how to check for this.

Log into your computer as an Administrator. (Most of the time if there's only one account on the computer, you are already the administrator. Depends on what version of Windows you're using)
Click "Start", then type "Run" into the search box. Click the "Run" link that appears. After the Run box pops up type in "CMD". This will open your command prompt screen.
In the new command prompt window, type "net user" and press "enter". Windows will now display all users that have been created on your computer.
After you run the "net user" command, there will be a small list of users that are on your computer. If there is a user on there that you are not aware of, it's likely a hacker. Remove the user at once.

Check To See If You Passwords Have Been Compromised.

A good place to start is here. Enter your E-mail, click "Check it", and it will search stored databases for your e-mail and try to find if there is a password stored with said e-mail. The website doesn't log your e-mail. If it brings up that it's found your password, CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD. This means that your password is in a database that hundreds of people have access to.

Other Slight Changes That Are Good Indications Of Being Hacked.

You end up finding personal information on the Internet, that did not come from you. This could be phone number, address, last name, and any other personal information that people might not put on the Internet.
You find weird and/or random programs on your computer that you did not install yourself. Computers come pre-loaded with hundreds of programs and files already installed. What you have to worry about is the creation date. Programs that were installed within the last week or so, that you have no knowledge of. These are more than likely placed by hackers.
You are constantly using Bandwidth, even when you are not using your internet. A hacker that has entered your network, whether through hacking, or entering through an unsecured network, will be using your Internet connection. Most of the time, you can view whether or not Bandwidth is being used simply by looking at your router/modem. Be aware, however, that any computer connected to the network will cause the blinking lights telling you that your network is being used.
The contents of files change. This is something you might not even notice. If you happen to go into a Word or Notepad file, and you notice the contents went from something like "My History Project" to a bunch of random characters, something is wrong. Delete the file at once and try to scan with an anti-virus to see if any damage was done.
Passwords change. If you go to sign into your computer, your e-mail, or another random website in which you have an account, and you think your password has been changed, that's another good indication that someone has been there, and messing with your accounts. Use an "I forgot my password" link and change it to something harder to figure out, and possibly let the company (I.E. Hotmail for hotmail.com) know that you believe your account has been hacked. Sometimes they can do something for you.
If you have a Firewall installed, sometimes you will get a notification. Most of the time the notification will alert you there's been an attempt, and will prevent the intrusion. A Firewall is a very good thing to have installed.
If you notice a dramatic increase or decrease in your Disk Space on your Hard Drive, that you did not do, you may have had a hacker in your computer. A lot of times, if hackers are there to mess with you, they will delete several files, or install several files. This will cause a huge difference in the amount of storage space you had before and after. Going from 103 G Free Space to 99 G Free, for instance, is a bad sign.

These are just a few signs that your computer has been compromised. Please take action if you fit these cases. And as always, do what you can do to prevent Hackers as much as you can!

Sorry For The Inactivity.

2011-07-25T08:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being inactive for the last few days. I've received over a hundred e-mails with questions about some of my posts. Over the next few days I will be posting new posts with answers to all the e-mails. Thanks again!

A Few Tips To Extend The Life Of Your Car

2011-07-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Cars are very expensive and in today's society, almost required. Here are a few things you can do to help better protect your car and make the most out the car. A lot of this information can be found in your Owner's Manual.

1. Change your oil regularly.
If you're handy, do it yourself. Otherwise have someone do it for you every few thousand miles. This will improve gas mileage, and better protect your engine. Change your oil filter when you change you oil. There's no sense in putting clean oil through a dirty filter. Doing this will make it possible to make your car last 200,000+ miles.

2. Change the air filter.
This is something you can do yourself, at home, with very little tools. How to change your own air filter. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, have someone do it when you get regularly serviced. This should be changed around every 12,000 miles or sooner if you're in an area that has a lot of dust, and dirt. You can buy a filter at just about any car store, and they usually have a book to look up your car and get part numbers. If not, ask an associate and they can look it up for you and help you out. A dirty, dusty filter can result in lower gas mileage. It also helps your car breath better when it's a clean filter. Most cars actually have two air filters.. Quite a few people don't know about the second one. The second one is a Cabin Air Filter. Usually located behind the glove box. You'd just pop the glove box out, remove the housing for it and take the air filter out. How to change your own cabin air filter. This air filter is a little different than the one in your engine bay. Cabin air filters help keep pollen, dust, soot, odors and exhaust gases out of your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. A dirty air filter can impede air flow and cause heating and cooling problems. These filters should be changed every 12,000-15,000 miles or more often if you live in high pollution areas.

3. Check your fluids.
You should check the levels of your antifreeze, oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and clutch fluid(on a manual transmission) on a regular basis. Watch for leaks when your car has been sitting in one place for a while. Even if it's not leaking, leaks can quickly form and bring your fluids down to a dangerous level. If something is low or something is a wierd color(see proper fluid colors), I'd recommend taking it to a mechanic. Might end up costing you $20 or $50, but it's better than a few THOUSAND dollars if you wait and something stops working.

4. Flush fluids when needed.
Power steering fluid, brake fluid, and anti-freeze need to be flushed every so often. Refer to your owners manual for specific mileage. Flushing can get a little expensive.. But a car is an expensive investment. $100-$200 now is better than having to end up replacing a lot of parts that will cost $100-$200 A PIECE. It's recommended to flush about every two years. Newer cars generally allow longer intervals between flushes. Change transmission fluid and filter at least every 50,000 miles or other if your owners manual tells you. If your car has over 50,000 miles on it, it's usually best NOT to change your transmission fluid.. Consult a mechanic if this is the case. (Preferably a reliable one that wont tell you "Yeah.. It needs to be changed. Let's do it. That'll be this much money. Thanks for your business.")

5. Wash your car.
Sounds kinda silly, but washing your car will protect you from more harm than you think. Road salt, sludge, and other pollution can eat away at your clear coat and your car's paint. Without regular cleaning, it will only take about four years to notice signs of rust forming. People that live near oceans or gulf shorelines should be more careful about there car. Around oceans and gulf shorelines there is a higher chance you'll encounter salty road sand, and morning dew. Salt = Corrosion.

6. Use your parking brake.
Even if your car has an automatic transmission, use your parking break, especially while parked on inclines. It keeps the brakes adjusted in the rear of the car and make them last longer. Do not use your parking brake in the winter, as it will freeze and will be stuck until it thaws out.

7. Properly maintain your tires.
Rotate your tires. Rotating your tires will help reduce uneven wear and tear on your tires, resulting in a longer life of your tires. Refer to owners manual for intervals, and pattern in which to rotate the tires. Keep the tires inflated. Under-inflated tires can make tires wear up to 15% faster, and reduces gas mileage.

8. Don't fill up when you see a tanker.

When you go to the gas station to fill up, if there's a gasoline tanker filling the underground tanks, RUN. Go back the next day or go to a different gas station. When the tanks are getting refilled, the pressure of the gasoline going into them can stir up sediment. Sediment can clog your fuel filter and fuel injector, causing poor performance and possibly requiring repairs.

9. Lighten up your keychain.

The more keys, trinkets, and other thing you have on your key ring, the more it weighs. The weight, mixed with the bouncing from the road can wear out the tumblers in the ignition, and eventually lead to ignition switch failure. To add years of life to your ignition switch, purchase a lightweight key chain that allows you to separate your key from the rest of the weight on the key ring. If your ignition key ever 'sticks' when you try to start the car, it's a warning that your ignition switch is about to fail. Replace it to avoid being stranded.

For The Military

2011-07-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

This page is for all the Military we have all around the world; Past and present. We appreciate everything you've done and everything you do for us.

Thank you all for your service to your country.

The is a place you can go to find Military deals and specials for a lot of different stuff.

For The Military

http://www.militaryspot.com/discounts/

http://www.onetravel.com/travel/military-travel.asp

http://www.onetravel.com/travel/military-travel.asp

Top Free Anti-Viruses

2011-07-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

Buying Anti-Virus programs can get pretty expensive.. They usually range from $30 to upwards of $400. But there's another option, and it's usually just as good. Only have ONE Anti-Virus installed and running at a time.. Having two or more running might seem safer.. But they can actually mess each other up, while letting in unwanted malicious files.

AVG Free Edition 2011

AVG is a very good Anti-Virus programs. It also scan for Malware, Ad-ware, and Spyware. Adds a toolbar into your browser to scan for Unsafe websites, Phishing websites, and more. Very few false positives. Web attack blocking.

2. Avast! Free Antivirus 5

This is another good free one. Very good detection rate. Offers a web traffic scan. Decent level of scan speed. However, in most cases it requires you to register for a free code. (It's all free... Just annoying having to jump through hoops to download and install something)

3. Microsoft Security Essentials 2011

Offers real-time protection, decent detection rate, and being from Microsoft, offers the finest level of integration with Windows. Needs minimum amount of computer resources. Good predictive detection as well.

4. Avira AntiVir Personal

Excellent Malware detection and blocking. Quick scan speeds. E-Mail scanner scans sent and received e-mail for malicious files. Needs an interface makeover.

5. Comodo AntiVirus

Effective at blocking new Malware. Includes a firewall. Inconsistent over malicious file detection makes it kind of hard to recommend.

How To Better Protect Yourself From Hackers.

2011-07-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

A few days ago my friend had her computer broken into while she was connected to a public Wifi at her school. She ended up with some pretty nasty viruses and the who knows what the hacker got off of her computer. Cookies stored from visiting sites, credit card information, tax information (for people who use online tax filings like turbo tax, etc.), social security number, and just about all your other information is possible for a hacker to take from you. Every year thousands and thousands of people get there identities stolen. This can put you in a very bad situation. They can max out your credit cards.. Take out loans.. And just simply ruin your credit and your LIFE. I've taken a little time to write down some ways to help keep hackers at bay.

Install Anti-Virus

Most people have an anti-virus installed.. It's a normal thing when you get a new computer, or someone does some work to your computer. But if you anti-virus runs out, it's a huge problem. Without an anti-virus your computer can get infected with Trojan viruses, Back Door viruses and other malicious materials that are usually made by cyber criminals. These are very back for not only your computer, but your personal information as well.

Download Only Trusted Computer Software

A lot of times, what happens is people are looking around on the internet.. Find an interesting looking file (possibly one you were looking for). And installed it only to find out it's a virus. An Anti-Virus will usually catch this mistake and delete the file; But nothing is 100% safe.. Remember that when you're out looking through random pages. I'm not trying to scare anyone; Just simply trying to protect people. Know where your file is coming from. There are also little toolbars and such (AVG security has one for instance), that scan websites before you click on them. It will tell you that the site is unsafe and not trusted. It it doesn't pick it up at the door, it will stop you from going in and say "This is not a safe site!" "Continue or Go Back?". It's a free tool and it saves a lot of questions. It will also warn you about Phishing sites.

Firewalls Provide Much Better Protection

Most versions of Windows and a good portion of Anti-Viruses have Firewalls that you can use. Some times using Firewalls will get on your nerves.. A simple fix for the annoyance is simply 'Telling your Firewall that *said item* is ok to be on this connection'. Some online games, like World of Warcraft for instance, usually have to be added into the 'Okay' list. A few routers now a days have Firewalls built in as well. Basically, a Firewall is a barrier to keep destructive forces away from your property.

Secure Wireless Networks

If you have a wireless connection at home put a password on it. It's an easy and free way of making a hackers job a lot harder. Just a little random password is better than no protection.

Try Not To Make All Your Passwords The Same

This one can be a pain remembering a hundred different passwords.. I know. But if you were listed on a hundred different websites with ONE password... If someone got a hold of that password.. They'd have access to everything. Even using three to four different passwords is better than one. You don't have to use a different one for every website you go to. Just remember, though; The more passwords you have, the harder it will be to get into different websites using your information.

Using even one of these tips is helpful. The more tips you use, the more protected your computer and personal information are.

New Toolbar Online!

2011-07-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

I have made a toolbar that has a search function, feeds of the site, and more. Link is at the bottom of the page. Thanks for all your support!

And of course, since I'm all about online saftety, i've included two different scans of the file for viruses, malware, spyware, and ad-ware. But, as always, feel free to scan yourself before installing.

Scan Results 1

Scan Results 2

Better Protection From Computer Viruses

2011-07-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple tips for minimizing your risk for computer viruses, malware, ad-ware, and spyware. Before we start.. The only 100% way of keeping yourself from getting SOME kind of bad files on your computer you don't want, is to keep your computer off, and never use it. There is no way to protect yourself from 100% of viruses, spyware, malware, and ad-ware. You can get these just by visiting a website site. With that being said, here are some ways to keep the risk of getting them very low.

Back up computer on a regular basis.

By doing this, if something bad DOES happen to your computer.. it's usually easily reversible. No matter what version of Windows you use, there's a link somewhere (Most the time in control panel) called Backup and Restore. That's where you want to be.

Back up computer data onto a removable storage device.

Backing up onto something such as a removable USB device, CD, DVD, and External hard drive is another option for backing up your computer. Most of the time it's not very effective, being as you've have to use a lot of CDs and DVDs, and most USB devices cannot store the amount of gig the average computer has. An external hard drive, if you choose to take this route, and in my opinion, is the best bet.

When opening e-mail attachments VERIFY THE CONTENTS.

This is very very important. If you download a file from an e-mail you think is from a friend, but you mistook example@email.com for exmpl@email.com, you could be downloading a virus directly to you computer. Best way to avoid this is to know what is coming to you.

Don't disable anti-virus program.

Some programs require disabling anti-virus to install or remove programs.. If they do, they will tell you. Immediately after installing or removing said program, re-enable the anti-virus.

Keep your anti-virus up to date and run scans at least once a month.

Try to update your anti-virus definitions everyday. It's usually as easy and right clicking the icon, and clicking update. Doing that little thing could save you a lot of time and possibly a lot of money. You should also set your anti-virus to auto scan. I have mine set to everyday at Noon. That's personal preference. Others run once a month. Whatever works for you. The longer you wait, though, the more risk you could be taking. Always update before running a scan, if you are doing a manual scan.

Firewalls are also a fairly cheap way of protection.

Firewalls are quite annoying sometimes... But they can also save a computer from hackers, viruses, worms, and other malicious files.

There are tons of anti-virus programs out there that are good. Norton, Kaspersky, AVG, among others. A good general malware, ad-ware, spyware program I recommend is Malwarebytes anti-malware. You'd update it like an anti-virus, scan, and remove what it finds. Ccleaner is another good program to use for registry keys your computer doesn't need anymore, and for permanently cleaning internet history, cookies, cache, recycling bin, and tons of other options that you can pick if you want to clean those specific items or not.

Nintendo Wii U and Playstation Vita (Next Gen Game Consoles)

2011-07-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

Two new consoles have been announced..
First one is Nintendo's Wii U. Set for launch in 2012. Here's a link to some videos and more information for the Wii U.

Second, is Playstation's Vita. Set for launch later this year, though Sony was talking about posibly delaying until early 2012. Here is a link to information on the Vita.

Upgrading your computer Memory (RAM)

2011-07-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

Types of RAM

There are different types of RAM you can buy for your computer, such as SDRAM, DDR2 RAM, and DDR3 RAM. The memory type you select will depend on which type is supported by your motherboard.

SDRAM. This is an older form of memory that was superseded by DDR SDRAM. These days it has been taken over by better and faster forms of memory, so you won't need to worry about this type of RAM.
DDR2 RAM. DDR (Double Data Rate 2) RAM is very fast, and has been the most common type of RAM for desktop PCs in recent years.
DDR3 RAM. The latest type of RAM out on the market is DDR3. This is the fastest, and the best computer memory type you can get. It's starting to take over DDR2 for good. So if you have a choice of which type of memory to get, get DDR3.

How much RAM can my computer hold?
A good place to find that answer would be here. It lists all Windows operating systems and limits of RAM.

What RAM should i buy?
That's a very good question.. DDR3 RAM is about the best you can buy today. Unfortunately, some older computer's motherboards might not be able to handle DDR3.. The goods news; Most motherboards can be updated to handle DDR3 RAM. DDR3 RAM varies between 1 Gig and 24 Gig.. 24 Gig is A LOT. A little research on your specific motherboard will tell what the maximum amount of RAM your motherboard will hold. Kinston, Corsiar, and Crucial are some good brands to keep in mind while shopping for more RAM. Some options are attached. Tiger Direct is also a fairly cheap and easy way to shop for computer parts.

The Ultimate Battle... Windows Vs. Linux

2011-07-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

To each his own in this battle. You have rapid fans on both side of the war arguing about why their Operating System is better.. The fact is... Not one is really better than the other. They both have pros and cons.

Linux

Pros: It's a very good operating system, it's very stable, inexpensive, tons of options, constantly updated, and you can learn a lot more about the system itself, open source, very few viruses.

Cons: Little hardware support, software installation can be annoying, very little game support, you're forced to learn more about your computer than you really wanted or need to know, can be overly complex.

Windows

Pros: Very easy to use ( just have to point and click), runs every game available (with right hardware), in a lot of cases, it's plug and play capable, has a good amount of support for new hardware.

Cons: Requires a larger amount of resources, poor security, quite a bit of viruses, closed source, poor technical support, poor stability, poor support for older hardware, higher cost total cost of ownership.

Both systems are quite a bit different. Windows has over a million viruses.. That number was back in 2008. Just imagine how many it would be now. Linux on the other hand, had a number closer to 10,000. Huge difference. Linux is just so hard to get used to for most, so it's not commonly used. However, there is another way. It's called Ubuntu. It's a Linux shell operating system.. But it's ability to "point and click" is similar to that of windows. When you install Ubuntu, it actually installs as a second boot option. What this means is, when you start up your computer, you can choose to load Windows XP, Vista, 7, etc. or you can load Ubuntu. You can run both operating systems at the same time. All you have to do is install it like you would a program. It's pretty cool and it's free! Give it a try. Let me know what you think.

Are 3D TV's actually worth the money right now?

2011-07-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

3D TV is the hottest TV right now.. It's cause plasma, LED, and other TV prices to go down... But is the 3D TV really the smart buy right now? There's actually very FEW 3D channels/stations on TV.. There's very FEW movies out right now that are 3D capable. There's very FEW games that are 3D as well... You pay a hefty price for a TV... And then you can't use the features it was solely intending to be used? That doesn't sound like it's worth very much to me at all. What do you think?

New Kindle at Amazon.com

2011-07-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

Kindle is the new way to read books on the go. You store and read thousands of books on the Kindle, without having to mess with carrying books around with you at all. Kindle has built-in wifi, so you can shop and download books in less than 60 seconds. They start in price a little over $100. Not a bad investment at all. I got one for my wife and she loves it. I just thought I'd share it with the world.

Top of the line graphics card for your desktop.

2011-07-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are looking to upgrade your graphics cards for better gaming ability, this is a list of 5 of today's hottest graphics cards..

#1 Nvidia GeForce GTX 580

Pros: The updated memory clock speed and use of Fermi technology make this card exceptional.
Cons: It only has a single GPU.
The Verdict: The fastest single GPU on the market hands down.

#2 Nvidia GeForce GTX 480

Pros: Breathtaking visual effects rendering thanks to Fermi and DirectX 11 technology.
Cons: Runs hotter and louder than the competition.
The Verdict: With aftermarket cooling systems you could probably negate the "Cons".

#3 ATI Radeon HD 5870

Pros: High single-core clock speed.
Cons: Like all ATI cards, it could use more memory bus width.
The Verdict: Great card for what you pay for, with no real debilitating hardware attributes.

#4 Nvidia GeForce GTX 470

Pros: The term “most bang for your buck” is often attached to the GTX 470.
Cons: Not quite as powerful the GTX 480.
The Verdict: If you’re working with a budget but still want plenty of power, look no further.

#5 ATI Radeon HD 5850

Pros: Modern graphics card with the latest technologies.
Cons: It's the middleman of the 5800 series.
The Verdict: Nice and modern for those that don't want to go to the top.

To see full reviews and more information go to http://electronics.toptenreviews.com/.

Greatest Handheld?

2011-07-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

Over the years there has been a lot of handhelds released.. The ultimate question is which is the best? There's been Game Gear, Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy advance, Playstation Portable(PSP), Nintedo DS, among others. You're saying, "Over the years technology has improved.. Better quality.. Better graphics..", etc. This is true.. But who doesn't enjoy playing some classic games on Gameboy Color every now and then? Which handheld do you think is the best? Do you like the new age systems, or the classic systems?

PS3 Vs. Xbox 360.

2011-07-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

Today.. You can go out and buy either one for about the same price. Ps3's have 160 Hard Drive and up to 320 Hard Drive now a days. Xbox, on the other hand, comes with about the same level's of Hard Drive space. Ps3's are encrypted with just about anything you want to do. There are very few games that you can upload to a USB drive and modify with a hex editor, or a save editor(for some games). One game I know of for sure are Borderlands. Now Xbox's... They're completely open. You can rip any save game or game data off of it with little work at all. Why is Sony so stuck on this level of encryption they pride themselves on? You have Ps3's that are "More secure" *According to Sony* and Xbox's, that people don't really have to work to get into to. What do you prefer? Do you have an opinion of encryption vs. open source? Let me know!

The Evolution of Today's Technology

2011-07-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

The way technology progresses now a days is incredible. One day you buy a Ge-Force graphics card, for instance, and the next day there's something released that is so much better. This blog is all about different forms of technologies, from game systems, to computers, to tvs, and so on.