Volume 11, March 2013 | Systems & Strategies

Unwanted Browser Toolbars
When asked to cleanup computers, I almost always find extra “toolbars” installed in browsers – especially Internet Explorer. Almost always the owner of the computer has no knowledge of what the toolbar does or how it got there. Unfortunately many of them are installed when updating or installing new software. When Java is installing updates, for example, you may just be overlooking the check box (always checked!) that says “Install the Ask Toolbar and make Ask my default search engine”. Watch the options carefully when updating – Java, Adobe, etc… Take the check out of those boxes.Some of these can be uninstalled from the Control Panel – Add or Remove Software. Look for toolbar names like “Ask”, “Mywebsearch”, “Yahoo”, “Dogpile” just to name a few. Besides cluttering your screen, they can also slow down your computer and allow other infections to take over.
More on Passwords – Taken from pcworld.com Top ten worst!
1. password 2. 123456 3. 12345678 4. abc123 5. qwerty 6. monkey 7. letmein 8. dragon 9. 111111 10. baseballiPad Apps
Kindle– cost: Free – Even if you don’t have an actual Kindle, Amazon’s still the king of ebooks. Their iPad app lets you buy books from the vast Kindle library, and you can rest easy knowing that they’re on a platform that’s almost guaranteed to have some staying power.Pulse– cost: free -If you like the idea of RSS – news coming to you, instead of you going to it – but don’t want to deal with adding feeds and endless lists of headlines. Pulse makes the whole thing visual, giving you swipeable columns and rows of stories and sources. PhotoSync – cost: $2 -With PhotoSync, you don’t have to plug in your iPad to transfer photos and videos to and from your computer. It transfers your photos and videos wirelessly and is plenty fast. You could even swap photos from your iPhone to iPad too.

Tip of the month

When to replace your router

Most people replace their routers when they stop working. The router is the device that takes your high speed internet signal and splits it off – ports for multiple pcs or for wireless surfing.

If your router is over four years old, it is probably time to replace it.

If you are experiencing intermittent outages or slow performance, your router may be the cause. Over time, heat can damage its internal components.
If the router you have is labeled “b” or “g”, you are definitely not getting the speed or the range you could be. If you do have an “n” router, but it was purchased prior to 2009, it may also be out of date.
If it isn’t a dual-band wireless router, you may be having interference from other household or office products such as cordless phones or garage door openers.

Many stores offer a good return policy, so you can purchase a better router, install it, then see if it makes a difference in your environment. If it doesn’t, by all means, take it back!

Extending your range is also a possibility with a few different devices. If you want your wireless signal to be stronger and reach rooms not currently accessible, use a range “extender”. There are many on the market due to the popularity of wireless. If you need a “port” in another room to use with an ethernet cable, you can use a powerline adapter. It actually comes with 2 parts. One piece plugs into an open port on your router with a cable, and the other plugs into a power outlet in the room where you need internet access. Your computer then plugs directly into that piece with an ethernet cable.

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