Phishing Expeditions (Stay Safe Online!)

Posted on March 7, 2017May 9, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Malware, Passwords, Phishing, Tips

There’s another threat out there. It’s a Phishing Expedition. Several of our clients have already fallen for it. It comes by way of an email which appears to be from a trusted friend or business associate. They want you to take a look at a document on DropBox. It looks legit, plus, you’ve gotten documents from this email contact before.

So, you click on the link to look at the DropBox document. Except it’s not from your friend. And in that brief moment, you’ve given access of your entire email contact list to the Phishers.

As soon as you figure out what has happened, it is important to change the passwords for all of your email accounts

"Phishing" by Edwind Richzendy — “Phishing” by Edwind Richzendy

immediately. Here are some ideas for creating a really strong password. You should also run your virus scanner.

How do you make sure this doesn’t happen to you?

Before opening any attachments, make sure the email is actually from your contact. Are you expecting a document or other attachment from them? Does the text of the email message and subject “sound” like what your contact would write? If not, give them a call to see if it’s really from them. (If it’s not, tell them to change their password and run their virus scanner ASAP.)
Put a note on your calendar to change your email passwords at least once a month.
Be extra careful when surfing the web or viewing posts on Social Media. Malware is being spread that way as well.

Looking for more info on phishing? Here are two past blogs:

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fifteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years. We like the free 2-3 day shipping and the online streaming. I haven’t tried the Kindle lending library yet. I’ll try that next! Prime is normally $99/year, but you can try it for 30 day for free by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial (Yes, we’ll get a small commission when you sign up.)

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My Power Went Out!

Posted on February 21, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Internet Service, Router, Tips

It’s winter here in Colorado and that means blown down or frozen power lines. The power goes out at our home about once every four to six weeks in the winter and we’ve learned what to do to keep our equipment safe.

Power Lines Down | Source: WikiMedia — Power Lines Down Source: WikiMedia

It’s really simple:

When the power first starts to flicker – the lights turn off for a half second or the smoke detector beeps – we go around the house and unplug everything from the wall. This includes the computers, printer, TV, stereo, entertainment system, everything that would be expensive or inconvenient to replace.

What about a Surge Protector?

Surge protectors are okay, because you are not always at home when the power goes out and they do provide a small amount of protection. Just know that they are not always able to provide 100% protection to all of your equipment.

Don’t forget your Router:

Remember to unplug your router as well. Many times, we’ve been called to a client after a power outage and they’re no longer able to get their internet service. Sometimes the power surge will “fry” the router and there’s nothing to be done but to get a new one.

If your power had been out and you need help adjusting your settings for your printer or router, just let us know!

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My WiFi Isn’t Working!

Posted on February 14, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Internet Service, Modems, Router, Tips, WiFi

It sure is frustrating when your WiFi isn’t working. We rely on it to get work done and keep in touch via email. Facebook and Instagram, of course, rely on a good solid connection to the internet too.

If the WiFi itself isn’t really broken, then there are a couple of quick things you can do to get it working again.

My WiFi isn't working! — My WiFi isn’t working!

Airplane Mode?

First, is your device in Airplane mode or has the WiFi been turned off? On some laptops there is a simple switch (usually in the front) that is easy to accidentally turn off. On other machines you’ll need to hold the function key and “radio” key down at the same time to toggle it on or off.

Forget the connection

Tell your device to “forget” the connection, then reconnect and reenter your WiFi password.

Router

If you have access to the router, turn it off, wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on again. Then, relog into the wifi on your computer or other device.

Call Your ISP

If you’re still not having any luck, call your Internet Service Provider (CenturyLink, Comcast, Xfinity, Rise Broadband, etc.). Let them know that your WiFi isn’t working. They should be able to tell you if it is something they can fix, or if you need to call in outside help.

You’ve followed these steps, but still your WiFi isn’t working? Give us a call!

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Acronyms for Texting

Posted on February 7, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Tips

Are you ever mystified by some of the acronyms that show up in your text messages, or sometimes on Facebook as well? More than once I’ve had to look up an odd string of letters to figure out what they mean.

Most of us have figured out OMG, BFF, ETA, and LOL. Even ROTFL and LMAO are fairly common. But how about other acronyms like AAMOF, L2M, L8R, ENAT,

Here’s a run down of some of the acronyms you might see:

911 – Emergency
AAMOF – As a Matter of Fact
AFK – Away from keyboard
BAE – Before Anyone Else
BFF – Best Friends Forever
BRB – Be Right Back
BTW – By The Way
ENAT – Every Now and Then
ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival
FML – F* My Life
FR – For real
FTW -For the win
GTFO – Get the f* Out
GTG – Got To Go
HBD – Happy Birthday
ICYMI – In Case You Missed It
IDC – I don’t care
IDK – I don’t know
IDRK – I don’t really know
ILU – I love you
IMO – In My Opinion
IMHO – In My Humble Opinion
IMU – I miss you
IRL – In Real Life
JC – Just Chilling
JK – Just Kidding
L2M – Listening to Music
L8R – Later
LMIRL – Let’s meet in real life
LMK – Let me know
LOL – Laugh out loud
LMAO – Laughing my a$$ off
LY – Love You
MY – Miss You
NMU – Not much, you?
Noob – Newbie
NM – Never mind
NP- No problem
NSFW – Not Safe For Work
OMG – Oh my goodness
OMW – On My Way
PAW or PRW- Parents are Watching
POS – Parent Over Shoulder
QT – Cutie
ROTFL – Rolling on the Floor laughing
SLAM – Stop Looking At Me
SMH – Shake My Head
SOS – Help me
STFU – Shut the f* Up
TBH – To be honest
TGIF – Thank Goodness for Friday
TMI – Too much information
TT4N – Ta Ta for now
TTTT – To Tell the Truth
TTYL – Talk to you later
TMSAISTI – That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
THX – Thanks
WTH – What the heck
WYD – What are you doing
WYM – What do you mean

For parents wondering what their kids might be saying, here’s a list of sexting terms.

And finally, YW. (You’re welcome!)

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fifteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

Tech Terms Decoded – CPU

Posted on January 31, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Computer Memory, Hard Drive, Mac's, Solid State Drive, Tips, Windows

Decoding Tech Terms

Are you as confused as I sometimes am about common Tech Terms? When Chris talks about RAM and Memory and CPU and gigs of storage, I’m not sure what he is saying. I’ve done some digging to see if I can help explain CPU in non-Tech terms.

Computer Processing Unit or CPU

The CPU is a component in your computer where the actual calculations are carried out. Here’s a good explanation from TechTerms:

“The CPU is the primary component of a computer that processes instructions. It runs the operating system and applications, constantly receiving input from the user or active software programs. It processes the data and produces output, which may stored by an application or displayed on the screen.

The CPU contains at least one processor, which is the actual chip inside the CPU that performs calculations. For many years, most CPUs only had one processor, but now it is common for a single CPU to have at least two processors or “processing cores.” A CPU with two processing cores is called a dual-core CPU and models with four cores are called quad-core CPUs. High-end CPUs may have six (hexa-core) or even eight (octo-core) processors. A computer may also have more than one CPU, which each have multiple cores. For example, a server with two hexa-core CPUs has a total of 12 processors.”

Which Processor do you have?

For a Mac, click on the Apple in the top left corner, then select “About this Mac”. Finally, click on “Overview” to see your Processor.

For a Windows machine, click on the Start menu, then click on Control Panel, and finally select System.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fifteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

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Tech Terms Decoded – Operating System

Posted on January 24, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Linux, Mac's, SmartPhones, Tips, Windows

Decoding Tech Terms

Are you as confused as I sometimes am about common Tech Terms? When Chris talks about RAM and Memory and gigs of storage, I’m not sure what he is saying. I’ve done some digging to see if I can help explain Operating System in non-Tech terms.

OS or Operating System

The Operating System is what allows your computer to run. Whether you are using a Mac, a Windows, a Linux machine, or something else, the OS manages the internals to make sure your document is delivered successfully to your printer, or your proprietary spreadsheet is automatically saved every 2 minutes.

Some of the Operating Systems available include Windows, OS-X for Mac’s, Linux, Android for Smartphones, and iOS for iPhones. The Operating System is what allows the applications or computer software to communicate with the computer hardware and get things done. It is software that controls the basic operations of the computer. The Operating System also oversees file management.

Here’s a good definition from TechTerms

“An operating system, or “OS,” is software that communicates with the hardware and allows other programs to run. It is comprised of system software, or the fundamental files your computer needs to boot up and function. Every desktop computer, tablet, and smartphone includes an operating system that provides basic functionality for the device.”

Which Operating System are you using?

For a Mac, click on the Apple in the top left corner, then select “About this Mac”. Finally, click on “Overview” to see your OS and version.

Operating System - Mac OSx — Operating System – Mac OSx

For a Windows machine, click on the Start menu, then click on Control Panel, and finally select System.

Are you happy with your current Operating System? Have you thought about upgrading to a newer version? Let us know if you need help!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fifteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

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Tech Terms Decoded – RAM

Posted on January 10, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Tips, Win10, Windows 7, Windows XP

Decoding Tech Terms

RAM: Random Access Memory is the space your computer uses to run programs and also perform calculations without much delay. It will also hold any data that your program needs. A program will exist in your computers memory, but when you start up that program, it will copy itself into RAM. Here’s a good definition from TechTerms.com:

Every time you open a program, it gets loaded from the hard drive into the RAM. This is because reading data from the RAM is much faster than reading data from the hard drive. Running programs from the RAM of the computer allows them to function without any lag time. The more RAM your computer has, the more data can be loaded from the hard drive into the RAM, which can effectively speed up your computer. In fact, adding RAM can be more beneficial to your computer’s performance than upgrading the CPU.

Recommendation:

I asked Chris how much RAM a computer should have. It depends on which Operating System you are using.

If you’re using the 32 bit version of Windows Vista or XP, your computer won’t be able to access more than 4 gigs of RAM. Any more than that would be a waste.
If you’re using the 64 bit version of Windows Vista or XP, it can see more than 4 gigs. Chris recommends using 8 gigs on these machines. (If you don’t know what a 32 bit or 64 bit machine is, you probably have the 32 bit version.)
For Windows 7 and 10, Chris recommends at least 8 gig of RAM, though more can be added as needed.

How Much RAM do I Have?:

To find out how much RAM your machine has click on the Start Menu, then open the Control Panel, then click on “System”. My computer is running Windows 7 64 bit with 16 gig of RAM:

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fifteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

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Keeping your WordPress website safe

Posted on January 3, 2017May 2, 2024 by Gail Eddy in backup, Tips, Wordpress

Hacking Your WordPress Website

Do you have a WordPress website? I’ve recently noticed an uptick in the number of attempts to access our website from random IP addresses from around the globe. I’m pretty confident that our site is secure, but I’ve been wondering how secure YOUR website is. Many times when we set up a new site on WordPress, we use the login “admin” because it seems easy. The problem is that someone who might be trying to hack into your account will try that first. If you have a less-than-secure password, BOOM, they are in!

Common User ID’s

Here is a list of User ID’s which you should change:

Admin
Root
Test
Guest
Info
Adm
User

Secure Passwords

I’ve talked about using secure passwords before. Most recently I provided some tips to create a really strong password. But, WordPress goes one better, giving you an option to let them create a really strong password for you. Use their tool! Then write it down, or save it in a secure file.

Backup Your site

You spent a lot of time creating your website. What would happen if your site was hacked? Remember to back it up so that if the worst happens, you spend minimal downtime. This article reviews the seven best WordPress backup plugins

Let’s keep safe out there!!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fifteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

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Year End Technology Tips

Posted on December 20, 2016April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in backup, Technology Tips, Tips

It’s the end of the year. Here are some Technology Tips of things that you should be doing!

Check Your WiFi Speed

Are you getting what you’re paying for? First, using your smartphone or on your computer, head over to SpeedTest. Then click on “Begin Test”. Have you signed up for the 10 Mbps plan but you’re only getting 6? Plug your computer directly to your router, then check it again. Sometimes there is a degradation of speed through the walls of your home. If it’s still below your threshold, check it again over the next few days, keeping a log. If your WiFi speed is consistently under your contracted speed (while plugged into the router), call your ISP. Tell them about your findings, then ask them to fix the issue AND request a refund for the time when they weren’t providing you with the contracted bandwidth.

Back Up Your Data

Yes, you probably should be doing this monthly. So, make the geeks happy and at least do it at the end of the year. As a result, if your hard drive happens to crash, you’ll at least have the one backup.

Change Your Password

First of all, take the time to change your password on all of your banking sites. Then, change the password on your social media sites. Finally, change the password on all of the other sites that you regularly log in to. I recently wrote a blog on creating a good secure password. You can find that here. (But, yes, you probably should be changing your passwords more frequently than once a year!)

Organize Your Files

Organize your photos by year and month. First of all, under your “My Photos” or “Camera Uploads” file, create a new folder for 2016. Then under that folder, create twelve more folders, one for each month. Next, select all the photos you took last January, drag and drop them into the January folder. Then, do that for each month. If you’re on a roll, or have time to kill, do the same for photos you took in 2015, 2014, and so on. It makes it much easier to look for the photos of your vacation in the June 2015 folder, than to search through one massive folder for those photos. For more info on organizing your files, check this blog I wrote last year.

Were these Technology Tips helpful? What else do you do at the end of the year?

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fourteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more at http://www.GeekForHireInc.com Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years. We like the free 2-3 day shipping and the online streaming. I will try the Kindle lending library next. Prime is normally $99/year, but you can try it for 30 day for free by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial (Yes, we’ll get a small commission when you sign up.)

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Movie Reviews From Computer Geeks

Posted on December 13, 2016May 9, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Entertainment, Tips

Movie Review Sites

It’s the holiday season and, in our family, we tend to head to the movies more than any other time of year. Usually it’s the Geek blockbusters that we want to see – the newest Star Wars or Harry Potter or Star Trek. If none of those appeal to us, we head online to see which new movies are highly rated. Here are some of the websites we use for movie reviews:

IMDb

The Internet Movie Database is my favorite website for movies and TV shows. It tells you what is playing in the theaters, and how other people have rated those movies. (If you create an account, you can rate movies too.) Most movies and TV shows have a complete listing of all the actors and directors. IMDb has been very helpful when I’ve forgotten the name of a particular movie but can remember two or three of the actors. What was that old movie with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan? Head over to IMDb to find out!

Rotten Tomatoes

I have been hearing about this site for years. For many of my friends, Rotten Tomatoes is their go-to site for movie reviews. Rotten Tomatoes shows ratings for new movies, movies on TV tonight, and soon-to-be released films. Their secret? The Tomatometer® is “based on the published opinions of hundreds of film and television critics – is a trusted measurement of movie and TV programming quality for millions of moviegoers. It represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show.”

Fandango

When we know we want to see a movie, now, we head to Fandango to see what’s playing, now (or in the next 20 minutes!), at our favorite theater. It gives times and descriptions.

NY Times

If it’s a Sunday that I have happened to pick up the Times, I’ll take a look at their movie reviews. What I like about them is that they’re not just reviewing the big theater movies. They’re reviewing movies at the little community theaters, the art theaters, etc. So, you hear about movies that the big sites aren’t reviewing.

Happy Holidays!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fifteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years. We like the free 2-3 day shipping and the online streaming. I haven’t tried the Kindle lending library yet. Maybe I’ll try that next! Prime is normally $99/year, but you can try it for 30 day for free by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial (Yes, we’ll get a small commission when you sign up.)

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