Category: How To Guides Articles

New Year, New Computer: What To Do To Make Sure it Runs Well Right from the Start

If you’re one of the lucky people who just got a new computer for Christmas, or will be getting one as a kick-off to the New Year, your work will not be done after taking the components out of their boxes and setting them up on your desk or workstation.Here are the things that you absolutely have to do after you have turned on your brand new PC and set up your Internet connection for the first time.

Install the Right Antivirus Software

Most desktop computers nowadays come along with a free trial version of an affiliate antivirus software provider, but this usually only lasts thirty days. Afterwards, your computer could be prone to many corruptive programs. If you do not have the means to buy the full version immediately after you have set up your new computer system, or if you are not too fond of the antivirus program, then we suggest you scrap it and install a powerful free antivirus program like Microsoft Security Essentials, which is available for a free download on the official Microsoft website. The antivirus program can protect computers from the major known threats, and a good antivirus solution can even safeguard against new ones. AVG is also a good alternative.

Uninstall the Applications You Don’t Want

Just because some applications came with your computer does not mean that you have to keep them. If you do not plan on using some of those programs, then uninstall them. Do not let them clutter up your hard drive and take up precious memory space. Include, but only if you choose, free trial applications and e-mail or network set-up programs.This could take quite a while, depending on how many applications you wish to take out, how big those files are and how embedded they are into your computer system.

Be very careful when you are doing this task. Take a good long look at the applications listed on your Add/Remove Programs portion of the Windows Control Panel. Do not remove any program you think you might need in the future. This is not yet the moment for getting completely miserly with your disk space.

Run Windows Update

If the icon does not automatically pop up on your task bar then manually visit the Windows Update URL and install all of the current Windows patches. Set up your PC to receive automatic updates. This way, you can ensure that your computer system will always be updated and relatively secure.

This process may also take a while and require a number of reboots.

Download Microsoft Office

This is the heart of every PC. You will most likely be doing the bulk of your work in at least one of the software compilation’s major applications such as MS Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. If your PC came with a trial version of the MS Office Suite then it is highly recommended that you buy the full version as soon as possible. If you cannot or do not have the means to purchase it, then you can consider comparable free downloadable office suites such as OpenOffice.

Download a Good Internet Browser

Sticking with Internet Explorer is fine but there are other options out there. Both Firefox and Google Chrome make for faster, more customizable alternatives to the PC’s default Web browser.

Check Input-Output Compatibility

After covering all the basic software configurations, see if your Windows desktop computer has a digital output that is better than the standard VGA (15-pin) output. If this is the case, look for the corresponding input on your monitor and buy the right cable. You will find your monitor displaying better picture resolution because of the input-output compatibility.

If your business needs help with your IT or IT strategy contact the IT consulting experts at All Covered – 866-446-1133.

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Although its importance can’t be stressed enough, many people tend to take for granted the importance of securing their wireless routers when they implement wireless systems in their business. It is actually the first thing that people should do as soon as they have installed a wireless system in the workplace.

Securing your business’ wireless network is of the utmost importance. Why? An unsecured wireless access point could leave your company’s network and data wide open. Anyone with access to your network can view sensitive information from your servers and other networked computers. Add to the fact that since your network is open, other people can use your network, which can use up your network bandwidth and affect your company’s operations.

So be sure to have your network safely secured from outside threats. To secure your company’s wireless router or access point, here are the basic steps that you need to do:

• First, know how your wireless network works. Today’s wireless technology uses radio signals when transmitting data and these could be transmitted over great distances. People with greater technological capabilities could sniff out data transmitted from your wireless systems and take them away.
• Most wireless routers come with a default username and password. Change it right away! This can never be overemphasized. Make sure that you choose a complex combination of characters for your username that only you can remember, but don’t lose it. Ideally, passwords should be at least eight characters long. However, be sure to choose a strong password with a combination of alphanumeric characters. Stay away from passwords that are associated with birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
• If your wireless router supports WPA2, use it. It is by far the strongest encryption technology to date. If you haven’t purchased a router yet, stay away from routers that only support WIFI Protected Access or WPA and Wired Equivalency Privacy or WEP. Only choose routers that support WPA2. Why? WPA and WEP can be easily cracked, and many of these tools are available online.
• Immediately change the default SSID of your wireless router and disable broadcasting. Your router’s SSID is nothing more than your network’s identity. Routers use generic manufacturer SSID upon purchase by default such as Linksys, default, etc. Change it to something that is not common or can be remembered easily. When choosing a strong network identity or name, the best practice is to stay away from anything that are associated to your business’ name, birthdays, anniversaries, spouse’s name, etc. A poorly configured SSID is very prone to attacks that could lead to devastating results. It is also very important to do is turning off broadcasting. By doing so, you keep your routers out of sight from prying cyber criminals.
• Enable Media Access Control or MAC address restriction. A MAC address is a 12-character ID that is attached to network devices. Enabling MAC address restriction will allow only specific devices to access your wireless router. This can add more security to your system.

Another important thing that you should do to keep your wireless network secure is to keep yourself abreast with the latest in wireless technology. Doing so will keep you informed of the latest trends in network security, as well as potential vulnerabilities that can affect your company’s IT infrastructure.

To learn more about how you can safely secure your company’s wireless network, visit All Covered or call 866-446-1133.

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If you’ve noticed that your computers are less efficient than they used to be, how can you extend their lifespan? Most small businesses usually don’t have the budget to invest in new hardware or software, so how d you keep them up-to-date and protected without it costing much?

There are a number of possible reasons why your company computers might be slowing down, such as the amount of software installed, the lack of in-house IT know-how, and the fact that one’s focus is usually more on growing the business than worrying about IT.

Many other factors can adversely affect your computers’ performance. But even if you don’t install programs or tinker with computers in other ways, their performance is likely to get reduced over time. Files start to build up clutter so they take longer to load, and various system software and hardware components may need to be updated. So what can you do?

Perform simple maintenance tasks

Slow computers don’t necessarily need to be replaced: a bit of regular maintenance and protection will keep them running just fine. You can do any of the following:

• Deleting unnecessary files by running Disk Cleanup regularly

• Running ScanDisk once a week to check the integrity of your hard drive and file system

• Defragmenting your hard drive every month or so to speed up your hard disk by consolidating files and placing frequently used system files together on the disk

Routine maintenance tasks like this take just a few minutes, but they’ll help keep your machines up to speed.

Get free protection from viruses

With Windows Defender, you can protect your computers from pop-ups, slow performance and security threats by detecting and removing ‘spyware’ and ‘malware’. Defender continually monitors your computer and finds unwelcome programs that slow it down, and recommends actions to minimize interruptions and help you stay productive. Windows Defender comes free with all versions of Windows Vista. It’s also available to download for genuine copies of Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later.

Try patching

Another way to keep your computers secure is by installing software updates as they become available. Software “patches” are small programs that fix potential system problems and security issues which become known after the product has been released. Patching can repair software ‘bugs’ and remove or prevent viruses that get onto your computers via the internet, helping improve the overall performance of your computers.

Get firewalled

Your computers also need a reliable firewall in place. We recommend a hardware firewall for perimeter network security, but you can also use a software firewall to protect your computer. For instance, Windows Vista and Windows 7 both come with a built-in firewall – just make sure it’s switched on, and it will stop 90% of viruses, spyware, spam and other threats reaching any of your computers.

Consult the experts

No matter how busy you are handling customers and taking care of business, it’s very important to maintain and protect your computers. There are many solutions out there to help without spending much, and of course there are those which are totally free! Those listed above is a good start.

It’s also worth making your employees aware of the need for regular maintenance and security. If you don’t have the right experience yourself, then consult an IT specialist for small businesses, such as All Covered to give them some training. By using and maintaining computers sensibly, your employees will not only be more productive, but you also avoid exposing your company to unnecessary risks. Contact us at 866-446-1133.

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If you are a small business owner, chances are that you have at least one computer and employee working for you.  In order to protect your business and maximize your employee’s happiness, consider creating a fair and practical computer usage policy.

Begin by researching how your business operates and what sort of data it generally uses on a computer.  Key points to consider are as follows:

• Understand the risks- Define the sort of information you need to protect and determine how cyber threats might affect that data.
• Understand your system- Learn about the IT security protections (firewalls, antivirus, etc) your company uses and understand how they work to protect your data and IT network.
• Understand your users- Learn how tech savvy your employees are—find out how informed your users are to the risks of internet usage and project how their behaviors create risk to your company’s data.

Once you’ve discovered your business’s computing needs and learned more about your employees’ knowledge of threats, create an easy to follow policy that addresses what actions are permitted and be sure to spell out prohibited actions.  Be sure to cover the following areas:

• Mail- Decide how your users deal with business and personal email, and make sure that they don’t affect each other.
• Files and documents- Make sure users save information onto the server so that it can be backed up.
• Laptops- Find the best way to keep the data on company laptops protected, up to date, and available for users’ mobile needs.
• Instant messenger- Many small businesses struggle on what to do around IM.  Using IM can expose your IT network to outside security threats, so balance the possible benefits to your users and business against the possible drawbacks.
• Internet usage- In clear language, state what the company uses the internet for and how users need to use it safely and securely.
• Personal programs- Decide if you will allow users to use personal programs such as iTunes, streaming music, twitter and other applications that have do not impact business but make your employees happy.  If your business is exposed to little risk through the use of personal programs, consider allowing them.
• Applications and piracy- All employees should know your company’s policies against copying or illegally distributing programs.

Once you’ve created your small business’s computer usage policy, introduce it to your employees with some simple actions such as:

• Training- Educate computer users on the new computer usage policy, and provide additional information and retraining when necessary.  A great resource for free online security training can be found at http://www.thinksecurityfirst.us/ .
• Commitment- Once users have received education and training, have them sign the new policy.  Also consider reevaluating the policy on a semi-annual basis, or anytime major changes occur in the IT network.
• Implementation- When possible, enforce the policy indiscriminately by using computer configurations.

Depending upon your business’s specific needs, your computer usage policy may be liberal or restrictive.  To learn more about constructing a personalized computer usage policy that meets your business computing needs, please contact the IT outsourcing experts All Covered at 866-446-1133.

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If you have a computer, you need anti-virus protection.  If your computer is new, it might come with a trial version of a program, but it might not be the right one to meet your computing needs.  If your computer is due for a renewal of its anti-virus software, you might want to check out other anti-virus programs.  Either way, you need to make sure that the antivirus program you choose to install on your computer will do what you want it to.  Here are some points to consider before you purchase or renew your current anti-virus program.

Ensure that the application is legitimate. While online, many users are solicited to purchase applications through deceptive advertising that claims that viruses or worms have been detected on your computer.  Amazingly enough, the company will also have the perfect anti-virus solution to take care of the problem.  If you’re lucky, the solution works great.  Worst-case scenario is that you’ve given out personal information to a company and installed their solution that is actually a Trojan program or other malware application instead of the promised antivirus.

Research the manufacturer’s website before you purchase a specific solution.  Check out the retail website and make sure it meets your computing needs.  Don’t buy a program that is designed for a Fortune 500 company if you are a home or small business user with only one computer.

• Make sure the website provides educational information about their products, services and support.  Avoid purchasing from websites that don’t do anything but attempt to sell a solution at a “bargain basement” rate that will expire if you don’t purchase in the next few minutes.
• Make sure the anti-virus program offers the type of support that you need.   The best applications will provide you with many ways to contact them for help.  Look for the following:
  • an 800 or 866 number to call that is available 24 hours a day
  • multiple email addresses for support and sales, not just one email address listed
  • “chat” support – or the ability to contact a representative in real time.
  • Check the website for awards.  Antivirus programs that have received awards from recognizable sources such as PC World, CNET, and InfoWeek are solutions that have been recognized as providing consistent and dependable antivirus protection to users.  Also check the following web sites:
    • http://reviews.cnet.com/editors-choice/ – consumer products
    • http://www.inc.com/ – small business technology

Check for third party certification.  Make sure the anti-virus protection has received third party independent certification.  Third party certification guarantees that the anti-virus program has been tested against industry-standard compliance benchmarks.  Don’t buy a program that has not received third party certification.

• Go to http://www.icsalabs.com/ and search for anti-virus solutions under their testing area.  Make sure that the application you are considering is on their list.  If it’s not listed, it’s probably not certified.

Seek testimonials.  Testimonials are a good indicator that the anti-virus solution will work as promised.  Most customers won’t take the time to rave about a mediocre application.  Testimonials will point out the superior anti-virus features and will often provide information about how well the manufacturing company provides support.

Follow up with expert advice. When it comes to selecting an anti-virus solution to meet your specific computing needs, there is no “one size fits all” solution.  To find the best solution, shop around and research.  Remember that if it looks too good to be true, it’s probably a scam.  For more information about how to choose the best anti-virus solution for your computing needs, please contact All Covered at 866-446-1133.

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