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Is your PC running slower than your old Vic-20 or TRS 80? Fortunately, there are some simple steps that you can take to substantially speed up your slow computer. By taking these basic steps you can also enhance your PC’s performance and reliability.

First, ensure you have anti-spyware software installed to detect and remove adware and spyware. In fact, Maximum PC suggests you have Spybot Search & Destroy in addition to two other anti-spyware programs running on your PC. Windows Vista includes a free anti-spyware program as well as pop-up blocker called Windows Defender. If you’re not running Windows Vista you can download Windows Defender on the Internet. Just search for “Windows Defender” in your favourite search engine to find it.

Besides wreaking havoc in your PC in other ways computer viruses can really slow down your computer. It is essential that you have anti-virus software installed on your computer if you are connected to the Internet. Just a minute, hold your credit card! You’ll be glad to know that there is free anti-virus software available to download on the Internet. I help protect my PC from viruses by having the free version of AVG Anti-virus installed on my computer.

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So you’re looking to buy a personal computer but feel like a sheep ready to be fleeced when you walk into the dragon’s den and have sales people leading you to the most expensive models.

This guide is aimed at helping you choose the right desktop computer. There are different things to consider when choosing a laptop, so I’ll write a different guide for that. Here, we’ll focus on the computers that will sit on or under your desk. I won’t mention price in here, otherwise the article will be outdated pretty quickly…

So, what’s the difference between a budget computer and the most expensive ones? First of all, if you think that the very most pricey computer in the shop is as powerful as they come and that it will play all your games fantastically well, you are sorely mistaken. No, the truth is the models for sale in big shops are expensive because of their brands.

Decide what you need the computer for. Actually this is a redundant question because I know what you need it for. I’ve had more experience helping people with computers than I’d like, and when someone tells you they’re not interested in playing games on it, there soon follows a disappointed child or young adult moaning that the computer is so slow. Realistically you should aim for something mid-range, and not go for the absolute minimum you need. You only need a powerful computer if you intend to use software that requires all that oomph (it’s very unlikely to be you, otherwise you’d already know) and the latest games. If, like most people you just want to surf the Internet, listen to music, create documents and edit photos, then you really only need to aim just above the cheapest computers.

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What is a WiFi Hotspot?

A WiFi Hotspot is an area that has WiFi access to the Internet. The term Hotspot is now used interchangeably for the both the area where the signal is available and the device (WiFi Router or WiFi Access Point) that is broadcasting the signal. Likewise the terms “WiFi Router” and “WiFi Access Point” (AP) are often used interchangeably.

Simple Hotspot – The Open or Unencryped Router.

The easiest way to run a Hotspot is to purchase a domestic WiFi router, hook it up to the Internet and set the wireless security settings as “Disabled” or “Open”. This would allow anyone to access the Internet and potentially also access other computers connected to the router. You would have very little control over who connects and how much bandwidth is used. If you have no security concerns and are not looking at making any money this is a simple way to go. Cost ~$50-100

Simple Hotspot – The Encrypted Router with WPA or WEP

Another option is to enable security on the router, there are two types of WiFi security WEP and WPA – WPA is the newer and more secure. With both types you specify a “key” which is a code you need to connect. You could tell your customers what the WPA or WEP key is and they could connect. This offers some security and I guess you could change the WPA or WEP key each day, however there is nothing to stop someone telling their friend the key so it’s not ideal for generating revenue.

The Captive-Portal.

Nearly all commercial Hotspots are Captive Portals, this appears as an Open or Unencrypted WiFi signal but then redirects any traffic to a specific web page called a “Splash Page” where your often asked to login or purchase internet access. This is a clever way of doing things as most laptops will automatically connect to an open WiFi signal, then when a customer runs Internet Explorer (or which ever Web browser they use) they are sent to your splash page no matter what site they try to connect to.

Walled Garden.

When discussing Captive Portals the term “Walled Garden” is often used. This is a website or websites that a customer can connect to without paying. For example a customer connecting to your Hotspot will be diverted to the Splash Page. They will then be given a choice of paying for internet access or accessing free websites you have chosen, for example your Hotel website or local attractions websites.

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You’ve been into the LAN settings of your browser many times and you probably wondered what the automatic configuration script is. That script is basically a file stored as a PAC file. A PAC file instructs your browser how to connect to the different sites in the internet.

This PAC file is basically a text file which has some JavaScript codes in it. It is commonly called proxy.pac, but it can be named differently. For most of the home users, this script is not needed since they are connected to the internet directly. But if you’re using a number of proxies, and each proxy is dedicated to some sites, you will need to use this file.

A very basic PAC file contains a single function defining the instruction. Without being too technical, that function basically finds the appropriate proxy for a particular URL or website request. A particular return value of that function can be “PROXY myProxy.com:8080; DIRECT.” This return value states that all requested URLs will go through myProxy.com server using the port 8080. And if that request fails, the request will bypass the proxy and go direct. Let’s say your proxy for the internet is myProxy.com and uses port 8080. When you type a website in your browser, the browser will try to check the script first. Since the script has this value, all your website requests will go through the proxy. If your request can’t be found by that proxy, then the request will go directly to the internet server, as defined by your provider.

This PAC file can reside anywhere in your local drive. But for organizational purpose and correctness, this file should be in this folder, C:\Windows\system32\drivers\etc. This folder is reserved for system files. This PAC file should be placed there since it is a system file.

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An office network is essential for any business that wishes to act in the modern commercial world. It enables employees to work together on projects from their own workstations, and allows a central place to store all files and to print from (a file-print server). For any network to perform at it’s peak function, there is a lot of prerequisites that need to be met before installing and using the network.

The most important prerequisite is for the networking requirements to be determined. Questions that need to be answered include:

how many computers (i.e. people) will be using the network?
is there any remote access requirements (vpn)?
what servers and other network attached devices are required?
who will manage and maintain the network?
are their specialised requirements for different departments?
how is the connection to the internet to be maintained?
is there a requirement for servers facing the internet – mail server, web server, etc?

Some estimation for the growth of the business needs to be included in the design as it’s cheaper to add in the extra requirements during the initial build rather than tacking it on later.
Once all of these questions have been answered then the network can be designed and a shopping list can be prepared. While there are several good quality network providers, most companies choose Cisco products for their networks. There are several advantages to using Cisco:

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1. List Building

You’ve probably heard the saying ‘The Money Is In The List’ dozens of times before. While this is certainly true. The process is easier than many may think. Never try to make things more complicated than they are. Simply create your free report that you can give away, create a squeeze page and simply start sending as much traffic to it as possible. Send your subscribers valuable information and soon you will start to earn their trust.

2. Build Back Links To Your Site

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Recoton, the company introduced the 900 MHz wireless speakers for the first time under the three brands. In April 2003, however, the company went bankrupt. Thomson bought the division of Recoton, and went out of production will continue.

Redundant channels can help reduce these potential intermittent. The wireless system will not be complete without a cable. You need an external power source for reinforcement.

Network inventory management is a must for efficient control of your computer and software asset inventories. Automatic inventory is the only way to be truly up to date – IT systems change continuously during their lifetime. Hardware components can be added or removed, software installed or removed. Even in small IT network, it will always be growth and change and manage it files manually is almost impossible.

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Many people ask the question of whether cookies are harmful for their computers. The answer is generally no, but it is not nearly as straightforward as it sounds. While cookies are often stored in text files, only used to track information that is already provided to various websites, and are set to expire in short periods of time, they can be used for malicious purposes in certain instances. You will need to work with cookies – however, if you know when to delete them and when not to, you can still enjoy the conveniences they provide.

When Cookies are Good

Cookies are used by websites and browsers to store basic information about your Internet use. If you visit a pet store online and commonly look at cat products, the store will install a cookie that saves your preferences and tracks which pages you look at, not only telling the company what their customers are viewing, but giving you targeted results on the front page.

Additionally, browsers use cookies to store login information that you may not want to enter repeatedly. If you ever click the “save password” button below a login form, you are installing a cookie on your computer that will automatically insert your password into the fields. For those with multiple logins, this can be convenient and time saving.

In addition, bulky information such as IP addresses and browser preferences for a website can be stored in a cookie, saving time when loading a website you often visit. Generally, cookies are used as a shortcut to load information that you have already provided to a website, presenting no security risk on well known, established websites.

When Cookies are Bad

It is on websites that are not well known and established that cookies may become a concern. Because they can be installed without your knowledge, cookies can be installed by a third party from a website that is less than desirable. If you enter login information on a website that installs a cookie on your computer for malicious purposes, that individual can then take the information stored in that cookie and try to use it to steal other pieces of your information. This is easily solved in most cases by setting a higher security level for cookies, requiring that the browser ask you before saving any cookies to your browser or hard drive.

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Due to the expense of ink cartridges, consumers have launched the search for discount ink cartridges or printers with cheap ink cartridges. Looking for used printer ink cartridges has become almost a have to for people who depend on printers for their business. The business of manufacturing printer ink cartridges generates millions of dollars. It is a well known fact with certain brands of printers the ink cartridge costs more than the printer. Not to mention that this printer comes with a brand new ink cartridge for the cheaper price.

Cheap Ink Cartridges

There are generic ink cartridges that are not as expensive as buying the brand name. For many people this is the only way to go. They need the ink but they cannot afford to buy name brand every time they need new ink. Sometimes discount ink cartridges can be purchased if you are lucky enough to find them.

One thing to be concerned with when it comes to buying used printer ink cartridges is the company from which you are buying your cartridges. If the company that is selling the used cartridge is a company that stands behind their product, they will give you a guarantee that their cartridges will not harm your printer. Make sure this is one of the things you look for when using generic ink cartridges.

All in One Printer Cartridge

Many people have purchased the all in one printers and the cartridges that they use seem to last a fairly long time. This really depends on how much the printer is used. However, the all in one printer cartridge is not an expensive cartridge to replace.

Take for example the Dell All in One printer – this printer has an ink management system that will let you know when it is getting low. Most of these use two ink cartridges, one for black, and the other for the color. However, the general consensus is this printer does a very good job on the photos it reproduces. The dell all in one printer ink cartridge offers ease of use and high quality printing every time.

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