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Viewing entries tagged with 'tech support issues'
When you have a router issue
You may not know it, but there are times when you can see folders and printers on other computers but you won't be able to surf the Internet. The folders and printers are part of the LAN or local area network, and the Internet access is a connection made through the Comcast cable modem or the Verizon phone line DSL modem or via a phone line dial-up service. If you have network neighbors (LAN is working) but no Internet access, I'd check the modem and the cables to it and the line from it to the wall jack or the cable modem cable to the outside. You will need to either visit the website of the vendor or use the CD to view the User Guide to check how the lights should be functioning. If you have Internet, but no LAN, check the cable between the Comcast/Verizon modem and your router, and the router itself. And you may have to view the management page of the modem via a browser. You can always ask me a question, no charge from my PC Help chat room on this website.
My top recommendations
1) Set a secure password on ALL accounts on your computer(s). 2) Use an anti-virus (AVG, Trend Micro, Symantec), and Malwarebytes and Spybot, configured to auto-update and scheduled to run every day. 3) Create a new login, limited user, for your kids to use if you must let them use your computer or laptop. 4) Use a credit card solely for the Internet and nothing else.
Secure Your PC with a couple of easy steps
I ran across this good Microsoft article on how to Securing User Accounts. These couple of sensible precautions can save you countless support hours.
Today I removed 75 trojans
At another client site, one whose kids were using a work laptop, where everything is on the laptop, nothing is backed up, and the machine was full of trojans. I cleaned it up, installed an online backup service ($5/month, by the way), and got her laptop to print to the wireless printer for the first time ever. Setting up wireless printers does seem to be difficult for most people. I think I can set it up in one hour or $60, so if you have a printer that you're still cabling because you can't figure out how to connect wirelessly, please email me susan@susanguggenheim-is.com
Traveled to customer site, repaired Hard drive
My customer's hard drive became unusable after a Logitech wireless mouse installation went bad. It's a known problem http://support.microsoft.com/kb/810980 just not known to my client. I recovered her data, but the hard drive was too corrupted, so I reinstalled all her software from CDs, and then used Ghost to image her hard drive to a separate partition. I also set her up for an online backup service. Now if something happens, I can have her up and running with all her apps and documents and files in about 30 minutes. Email me if you'd like my recommendation of a very balanced way of imaging your drive and/or backing up your important folders, files and documents. susan@susanguggenheim-is.com