Biggest tips guide ever! (Part
4)
Broadband:
Wireless Security
WI-FI
Analyzer lets Android users check for channel congestion
Situating your router
Where you site your broadband router
can have a significant effect on the Wi-Fi signal that's carried around your home
and the connection you experience. Thick walls, interference from other
electrical items, and being placed low down rather than at waist height or
higher all make a difference.
Don't let it snow
The weather can affect your web
connection. Extreme cold, wind and wet can all hinder the service, "if you
hear noise on your phone line it's a fair indication of damage to the wiring itself.
If you hear any hissing, crackling or popping you should report it to your telephone
provider. When the noise is gone your broadband should return to normal," advises
broadband provider Plusnet.
Clean those filters
A fresh ADSL filter costs less than £5
and can improve your broadband connection. The BT Shop and some hardware stores
self them. Ensure the broadband connection is plugged in directly - A BT I-Plate
may further boost the contact point, although it is debatable.
Wi-Fi check
With so many of us using wireless networks
to get online, there's bound to be some jostling for priority. Android users can
check for channel congestion and make an informed choice of which one to switch
to using Wi-Fi Analyzer (tinyurl.com/7woLkvp).
Reset your IP address
Reset
your IP Address with a Command Prompt
if your system's connection to a network
is unreliable, or you're getting IP address conflict error messages, try renewing
your IP address. First, click on the Start button, navigate to the Command Prompt
(Start Menu, Applications, Accessories, Command Prompt), right-click it, and
select 'Run as Administrator' from the menu. Then type ipconfig /renew and
press Enter.
Flush your DNS cache
When you type an address into a browser,
your PC asks the DNS server to translate that URL into an IP address, and caches
that information. That data cache can occasionally become outdated or corrupt, which
can cause internet connection problems. To clear your DNS cache, run a Command Prompt
as the administrator, type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter. Restarting a Windows
7 system will also flush its ONS cache, but if any applications (malware, for
example) are altering the cache. flushing manually could also help.
Raise the antennae
One of the limiting factors for Wi-Fi routers
is that they tend to come as compact boxes. with little or no antenna protrusion.
However, the interplay between their multiple antennae magnifies their effectiveness.
We recommend that you screw on a larger, more powerful antenna for a noticeable
Wi-Fi boost.
Bluetooth lament
Bluetooth is a very useful, localized communication
and file-transfer technology. Gadgets with this feature switched on announce
themselves by broadcasting their presence and seeking devices with which to pair.
When not using the Bluetooth keyboard, headphones or headset for your laptop or
smartphone, disable Bluetooth. Rogue files can be transmitted by passers-by.
Avoid torrents
There's been a lot of press coverage about
the 'three strikes' rule relating to customers downloading pirated music. We don't
condone file sharing of copyrighted content, but nor do we think much of the strong-arm
tactics used by ACS: Law seeking to intimidate customers suspected of doing so.
More pertinently, using torrent and peer-to-peer sites leaves your computer vulnerable
to infection. Steer clear of such online temptations. It may well be cheaper in
the long run.
Internet
Firefox
is a good alternative browser to Internet Explorer
Defeat Facebook tagging
Do you hate it when your friends tag
you in photos? Facebook has recently added an option to report or block whoever
is tagging you. Click the Report/Remove Tag option below the offending image, decide
whether to simply tell Facebook to remove the tag, or go further and state how it
offends, harasses or infringes your rights, click Continue, then request its removal.
Better yet, have a quiet word with your friend.
Report Facebook spam
Facebook messages posted in your name are
bad news, and tagged images can be an unpleasant surprise, if your Facebook
account - or a friend's - is compromised, immediately report it and change your
password. This may be inconvenient, but it's better than your friends being phished.
Facebook's Report/Remove Tag beneath photos makes reporting it easy, too.
Remove unfortunate tweets
If you said something in haste on Twitter,
you can easily fix it. Go to your own feed and press Delete to remove the
offending missive. With luck, no-one else will have seen it; if you think it necessary,
immediately tweet an apology (but don't repeat what you said). If you tend to tweet
ill-advisedly late of an evening, use a tweet checker or tweet delayer to save future
red faces.
Can the Twitter Spam?
Twitter spam is easy to block - simply
click on the follower, then press Block Sender. Be particularly wary of people
sending you @messages. These are often spam and are designed mainly to appear in
your feed to trip up unsuspecting followers.
Internet Explorer has its uses
Not all browsers are the same. Google Chrome
and Firefox are often regarded as better than Internet Explorer, but there are
plenty of tasks that are optimized for Internet Explorer, which may not work properly
in other browsers - FTP sites being one.
Keep your browser options open
It's worth keeping your options open and
having several browsers Installed, so you can fire up an alternative if your
usual one freezes. If you use only one browser and then have to install a new
one If It goes down, you'll lose precious time installing it. You can use one browser
for work, one for email, and so on.
Get a custom home page
Why give MSN or Google your clicks? Either
go to the Toots menu in your browser and choose the site you visit most often, for
convenience, or give a charity site such as Everyclick (everyclick.com) a boost
by launching to its home page by default.
Give as you shop
Whether you like books (Flashlight Worthy),
bees (BBCT), animals or many other charities, clicking the links from its site as
you go to Amazon or other large e-tailers can be used to earn them micro-payments.
Lose the browser hangers-on
Browser extensions can cause Issues; if
your browser throws a wobbly, switching off all the extensions and then selectively
reinstating them can quickly Identify the culprit and banish them, while losing
only a minimal number of convenience keys.
Share photo albums over Wi-Fi
Facebook and Flickr don't have all the
best tricks: you can show off a photo gallery stored anywhere you wish without the
iniquity of sarcastic 'friend' comments using a SkyDrive and your smartphone or
laptop.
