Shane Speer joins as Network Specialist   It is our pleasure to introduce you to the newest member of our team, Shane Speer. Shane comes to us after six years at DePaul Community Services, where he supported facilities that stretched from New York to South Carolina. The main focus of his job there was desktop computer repair, network management and network requirement planning for new sites. In addition, he was the manager and trainer for Digital Video Surveillance and Access Control.   His philosophy (and favorite pun) is “IT’s awesome!”   “I love working on computers,” says Shane. “Especially ones with unique problems—they keep me sharp and on my toes. There is no greater feeling than that first time you figure out the fix on your own with no help, and you never forget it. I love what I do and the people I meet and I enjoy researching the latest and greatest, finding new ways to do a job with ease.”   We are happy to have Shane working with us. He handles desktop and server support for our business customers...

Windows 7 business use is growing   According to Net Applications’ statistics, Windows XP is still the world's dominant operating system, but the two-year-old Windows 7 is showing strong growth—picking up an additional 12.9% since February 2011. Windows XP is heading for history with all support ending in April, 2014. In addition, anything before Service Pack 3 is already out of the support timeframe. Also Internet Explorer 9 only runs on Windows 7 or Vista because of graphics acceleration support and other software, like video editors, are starting to have similar requirements.   As computing needs change, the older system can’t keep up. When businesses hold onto hardware so long it adds no capital value to the business and is too old to sustain an OS upgrade.   Making the Case for Migration It's good for older and lower-powered hardware, but these systems...

Maintenance tips for a safer, smoother computer experience   Although we can help with whatever computer quirks come your way, it’s not a bad idea to have a few tricks up your sleeve when it comes to standard computer care. Here are a few of our favorites to help keep you running right!   General Computer Maintenance Tips: Keep all of your working files in one folder: The “My Documents” folder created by Windows is exactly for this and the benefits are multiple. It keeps all your files in one place, makes backing up simple and keeps your machine running faster. Invest in a good surge protector and plug in your computer and peripherals to it. Practice safe computing. Don't accept software or downloads for which you didn’t ask. Delete any suspicious...

Here are some top tips!   Wireless routers can create confusion for people because of the wireless signals, the proliferation of highly marketed products and all the touted “bells and whistles.” We’ve compiled a checklist to help you find the perfect router for your needs.   Questions to ask: Do I Need A Wi-Fi Router? A home router controls the traffic flow between your network traffic and your Internet connection. A wireless router connects wireless devices (as well as wired ones) to connect and communicate with other devices and the Internet.   If you only have ONE PC that is directly connected to a modem, and you don’t need to move your device, you may be fine with a WIRED connection.   However, if there are multiple users in your home, tablets, gaming consoles...

"VIPRE doesn't hog system resources and doesn't slow down a PC isn't just marketing hyperbole, but is actually true."—ZDNet   Selecting an antivirus solution for your company is an important decision. Organizations need to protect their systems while ensuring that the solution is cost-effective and easy to maintain. VIPRE Antivirus Business is a high-performance solution we recommend that delivers fast, memory-efficient endpoint security that doesn’t bloat your system. It has also been built from the ground up after years of research and development, so it has a low impact on system resources.   Here are highlights of the features:   Remove incompatible software: Quickly and thoroughly remove your previous AV product to avoid conflicts during installation....

The Brain of Your PC Keeps Things Moving Fast When you are looking to purchase a new computer, one piece of the puzzle is the processor (also called CPU, short for Central Processing Unit); it is the "engine" of a computer. In fact, it is the most important component in determining how fast the system will operate.  It’s important to think about what you will be doing with your computer to make the best pick for your needs.   There are two main manufacturers of CPUs in the world, Intel and AMD. When choosing a computer CPU it usually comes down to two choices: AMD or Intel. The CPU wars between these two corporations have been going on for years. They even resulted in antitrust charges filed against Intel more than once! Both companies have created some amazing and some unsuccessful products...

Keep your business safe and stable Firewalls are an integral part of keeping networked computers safe and secure. All computers need the protection of a firewall from servers to desktops to laptops connecting wirelessly.   Firewall solutions for small businesses are available as either software or hardware (that includes software components). Here is a high-level look at firewalls.   Software Firewalls: Must be installed on EACH computer to be effective   Hardware-based Firewalls: Protect all computers on a network Easy to administer   The best firewall solution for small business integrates a hardware firewall with software controls into a comprehensive security solution. It also includes: virtual private network (VPN) support, antivirus,...

No way to access the Internet? Try tethering.   Tethering allows you to use your cell phone or other Internet-enabled mobile device as a modem for another device, such as a notebook or PDA. You can make the connection with a cable (USB or serial) or wirelessly through Bluetooth. In situations where there are no other means of Internet access (such as a Wi-Fi hotspot) tethering can really help.   Also, if you are paying for data service on your cell phone—and your provider doesn't require extra fees for using your cell phone as a modem for your laptop, tethering can save you money. You don’t have to pay for separate mobile broadband service or buy additional hardware.   A tethered cell phone also allows you to surf the web more securely because your information is...

There are four basic types of firewall protection today: network level, circuit level, application-level and stateful multilayer. We strongly recommend that companies use a firewall as part of their overall information security program to ensure data and application integrity as well as data confidentiality and authentication.   Network-Level Simply put, firewalls that work at the network level inspect packet headers and filter traffic based on their source and destination. They also take into account IP addresses, ports used and services requested.   Circuit-Level Gateway Circuit-level gateway firewalls determine the legitimacy of a requested session by monitoring the handshake between packets. A circuit level firewall can hide the network from hackers in the outside world and restrict the session rules to known computers....

Here is another popular topic from our home users: “My computer is making a strange noise and I don’t know what it is or if I should worry.”   We’ll take a look at several of the common noises and what they might mean in this blog posting. If you don’t see your specific noise listed here, give us a call and we’ll help you out.   Initial Steps This is our listing of components within the computer that might cause unusual noises. Before you can determine what is causing your issue, verify that lights on your hardware devices (such as your CD-ROM drive) are not on. If you are only encountering excessive noise when a specific device is being used, it is likely that device is causing your issue.   If the noise occurs the entire time the...