DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is a technology for bringing high-bandwidth information to homes and small businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines. It can carry both data and voice signals. The speed at which a DSL modem sends and receives data varies from hundreds of Kilobits per second to many Megabits.

Advantages:

• You can access both the internet and your phone line at the same time
• Faster speed than dial-up
• Ability to choose between different connection speeds and pricing from various providers

Disadvantages:

• Receives data faster than it sends it
• Sometimes not available in remote areas
• The farther you are from the provider’s central location, the slower the transmissionCable Internet works by using TV channel space for data transmission, with certain channels used for downstream transmission, and other channels for upstream transmission. Because the coaxial cable used by cable TV provides much greater bandwidth than telephone lines, a cable modem can be used to achieve extremely fast access to the Web.

What is Cable internet service?

Cable Internet works by using TV channel space for data transmission, with certain channels used for downstream transmission, and other channels for upstream transmission. Because the coaxial cable used by cable TV provides much greater bandwidth than telephone lines, a cable modem can be used to achieve extremely fast access to the Web.

Advantages:

• Unlike DSL, its performance doesn’t depend on distance from the central cable office.
• Cable Internet service doesn’t tie up a telephone line.
• Cable Internet is not as susceptible to drop out as dial-up connections are.
• There’s no tedious Internet “logging on” required, and you’re never subject to busy signals or other anomalies of telephone line Internet service..
• Fast downloads

Disadvantages:

• A fixed amount of bandwidth is shared by a population of users. In the case of cable internet, users in a neighborhood share the available bandwidth provided by a single coaxial cable line.
• Always on also brings with its security risk from hackers.
• Not all areas can access cable Internet.

By now you might be thinking, I wonder if I can downgrade from Vista to XP?

As with anything else in life, nothing is every just that easy!

One of the main problems is Windows Setup, you can not install an older version on top of a newer version. There are two “work around” scenarios if you are seriously considering downgrading.
1. Tricking the Setup into thinking there is no Windows at all on your PC.

or

2. Reformatting your hard drive and using the original XP disc shipped with your computer, or a genuine Windows XP installation CD.

Of the two I think personally your best bet might be to back up your work and reformat your hard drive to avoid if any conflicts you might run into down the road. In any case you will need to back up your work for either option.

If you recently purchased a PC with Vista pre-installed onto it, you may find it a bit harder to downgrade. You will need to contact your PC manufacture if you PC did not come with a XP CD. If one was not provided, reinstalling XP back onto your PC would be the least of your worries, but finding drivers for the hardware within your PC is the task at hand.

Option 1: Tricking the Setup

Insert your Windows XP disc and boot up to the CD ROM. You can usually do this by simply pressing the space bar once the system turns and displays the message, “Press any key to boot from CD ROM.” If this is not an option you may have to enter your computers BIOS or read up on how to boot up from your PC manual. (If you can’t boot from your CD, you can download free XP Setup boot disk files by searching for Q310994 at support.microsoft.com.)

When XP Setup starts, press R on the first page to open the Recovery Console. If you are asked to choose a Windows installation, type a number (usually 1) and press Enter.

You might be prompted for your Administrator password, if you don’t know it, you’ll have to boot back into Windows Vista, open the Start menu, type lusrmgr.msc, and press Enter. Open the C:\Users folder, double-click on the Administrator account, and turn off the Account is disabled option. Open the Start menu again, type Control userpasswords2 into the Search box, and press Enter. Next, click the Reset Password button, choose a new password, and start over.

at the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following commands to prep your hard disk for XP:

fixboot
fixmbr
cd \
ren windows winvista
exit

When your PC restarts, boot onto your XP CD once again, and then proceed with setup normally.

Once you have XP installed you will need to put move your backed up items and programs back onto your system.

Option 2: Reformatting your Hard Drive

Again remember to backup any files you want to keep. Unfortunately, you can’t use any of Vista’s built-in backup software for this, because XP doesn’t include any tools that can read Vista backups. Your best bet is to copy your data onto an external hard disk manually via USB. By copying the C:\Users folder, you can backup your Documents directory, anything on your desktop, and application data such as stored e-mail.

Insert your PC’s recover disc into your CD ROM drive, shut down your PC and boot up off the CD ROM drive.

Note: do NOT run the Windows installation from Windows itself.

The reason why booting from CD is important is because we’re going to delete the C: drive partition where Windows is installed and re-format it. You can’t do this if Windows booted from C:, because it can’t delete the partition from which it is running.

Once you have booted up to the Welcome to Setup page, press Enter. Press F8 to accept the Windows XP Licensing Agreement. You’ll be asked if you want to repair your existing Windows XP installation. Press ESC to bypass the repair and install a fresh copy.

You want to delete the current partition where Windows is installed. Use the arrow key to select it, and press D to delete it. Press L to confirm. Then, to create a new partition, select the unpartitioned space and press C. To create a new partition with the maximum amount of space allotted to it, press Enter.

Select the new partition you just created to install Windows and choose Format the drive NTFS, (you may choose the Quick option but I recommend using the thorough). This will take a long while if you choose to be thorough, but once this is done you will find the rest of the Windows XP installtion self explanatory.

If you did not have the Recovery CD’s that came with your PC and were forced to use your genuine XP setup disc, once you have sucessfully installed XP you might have some drivers to install. From Control Panel, go to System, then Hardware, and click on the Device Manager. You might find some Yellow Question/Exclamation Marks, this is Windows way of saying, “I found some hardware, but do not know what it is.” If you have your PC’s drivers CD you can use that to reinstall these drivers, if not you will have to go onto your PC manufactures website and download them from another internet capable PC.

DataTraveler BlackBox is rugged and waterproof (up to 4 feet), with a titanium-coated, stainless steel casing for added data protection. And it’s easy to set up and use, with no admin rights or application installation required.

DataTraveler BlackBox is backed by a five-year warranty, 24/7 tech support and legendary Kingston® reliability.

For a full demonstration on how this product works Click Here.

In todays world no one is ever 100% completely safe even with the most sophisticated protection. This is why having at least some kind of protection is very important. Whether it be some kind of free anti-virus software or a paid version. For those of you who don’t have the proper funds or desire to maintain a subscription I highly recommend using one of the following free anitvirus versions.

AntiVir Personal Edition

Although this free antivirus software does not remove the Trojans and other threats, you can determine whether the program should repair infected files, delete them, or delete only if repair fails. A minor down fall in the free software is that AntiVir doesn’t specifically scan incoming or outgoing e-mail messages or attachments. In order for these attachments to be scanned they first must be launched or saved to disk.

AntiVir does run a complete system scan and generates a detailed report about the system, program versions, settings, and scanned files. You can then in return go to AntiVir’s website forum and submit your report to their tech support.

To Download AntiVir Free Click Here!

avast! 4 Home Edition

avast! 4 Home Edition works for 60 days after the installation in demo mode. You will obtain your FREE license key by E-mail after the registration. The license key is valid for 1 year. After one year you will need to just re-register.

This free software is a favorite by many due to their slick looking interface. When avast! detects malware running in memory, it offers to restart the system and run a boot-time scan (Windows NT/2000/XP only). This scan takes place before Windows has fully loaded, which means it may remove rootkits and other persistent threats.

Unlike AntiVir, avast! scans e-mail and attachments (both incoming and outgoing) as well as blocking suspicious email activity. By default avast! scans attachments arriving by any POP3 or IMAP mail account, through newsgroups, via P2P file sharing, or from over a dozen different instant-messaging clients.

The minor down fall here is the incapability of scheduling a regular full virus scan (only available with the professional version).

To download avast! 4 Home Edition Click Here.

AVG FREE Addition

AVG Free Addition is my personal favorite and also the most popular to use by users. What I like about AVG is that the first time you run AVG, it checks for updates and creates a rescue diskette for recover. AVG is easy to use, low in system resources, and provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run.

AVG integrates with Micorosoft Outlook, Eudora, and The BAT! to scan incoming and outgoing e-mail. AVG can also apply heuristic scanning techniques, block all password-protected archives, or automatically delete specific attachment types.

AVG also provides free software for Anti-Spyware. This is a separate download aside from the anti-virus download.

To download AVG Antivirus FREE Addition Click Here.

To download AVG Spyware FEE Addition Click Here.

I have done the research for you, now its up to you to utilize what is readily available to you for FREE!

The SSID is network name data your router transmits at an interval. Disabling the public broadcast of your wireless network is usually an option on your router’s basic settings page, once you have configured the clients you wish to allow access. Changing the SSID from the default router name is just as critical. When you first purchase a new router such as a Linksys or Netgear, a default network name is set by the manufactures for the particular router. Changing this name to a unique SSID can help prevent even the savvy hacker who knows your network’s there from hacking into the default network name, even if the network is no longer broadcasting it.

Since every router is different I have listed below the basics steps on how to set up security on your router. This is just a simple guide on the key points you need to tweak. Since their are many router brands out there you will have to reference you routers manual for the exact details.

1. Open up IE (Internet Explorer) or any other web browser that your router supports and type in your routers IP address. Your routers IP address is usually something along the lines of 192.168.0.1. You will then be prompted for the default user name and password, again refer to your routers manual for this reference.

2. Change your administrator password that you just used to login to your router. As I mentioned above this is the default password the manufacture has set by default. If you do not change this password your are vulnerable for someone to hack into your router.

3. Setup your encryption type. Usually found under the Security tab you can find where to enable the encryption. I recommend you using WPA (or WPA-PSK) if all devices on your network support it. Otherwise use 128-bit WEP. Next type in the key you would like to use or you may use a passphrase to generate the key if you’re using WEP. Note: if you are using a passphrase to generate the key you will need to write it down so we can later use it on your client machines.

4. Change your default SSID. This is the name of your wireless network that people will see if they search for a wireless network within the proper range of your router. I recommend changing this to something unique, something that sets you aside from the rest of the world. Typically I rename my routers after villains from movies such as Predator or DrEvil. This way if you choose not to disable your broadcast at least anyone who finds your network might think twice about clicking hacking it.

5. Disable your SSID. By disabling your SSID you have to type in the network name manually and it will not show up in the Windows wireless network scans. You can also turn on MAC address filtering, which limits access to your network to a list of clients that you specifically approve.

The internet has grown vastly in so many ways as have the tools we use to crawl the web.

Here are 10 good reasons why you should switch today to Firefox.

1. Tabbed Browsing - Tabbed browsing allows you to keep track of several sites at once all in the same browser window. Using Ctrl+T simply brings up a new blanks tab. Tabbed browsing makes moving from page to page an ease.

2. Popup Blocking - Finally a browser that does what you want it to without the annoying popups we all have learned to hate.

3. Find Stuff Easier - Using Ctrl+K takes your immediately to the Google bar within Firefox for a quick Google search or if your looking for a specific word within content simply press Ctrl+F.

4. Privacy - As with most recent browsers Firefox logs each page you visit, Cookies, files you have downloaded, information you typed into a form, etc… Just as easy it is to be storied within your browser it is easy to remove as well. By pressing Ctrl+Shift+Del or simply going to Tools>Clear Private Data you can permanently delete this logged information.

5. Bookmarks with History - Have you ever been to a website, forgot to bookmark it, and couldn’t remember the url. Well Firefox has a neat feature where you can browse through your

6. Accessible - As I have shown you in some example above, Firefox makes it simple for use to access the things we use the most using hot keys. A few good shortcuts to remember are…

Ctrl+b for bookmarks
Ctrl+f to find a specific word within content
Ctrl_t for a new blank tab
Ctrl+r to reload a page

For a complete list of Firefox shortcuts click here.

7. Customizable - Firefox allows you to customize your tool bar to your own look and feel. You can have a fat tool bar including ever Firefox function to having a nice slim look. For those you who like a little style you can download a theme

8. Download Manager - Firefox has incorporated its own download manger into the browser which makes it easy for a user to cancel or retry a failed download.

9. Standards - Firefox is Open Source which means it is completely FREE as well as being open for development. They are also known for being a leader in The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards.

10. Free Add-Ons - Last but not least, There are several thousand Plugins, Themes, Languages & Dictionaries and add-ons available for free. Being that Firefox is an Open-Source application, 1000’s of users are constantly contributing by creating Firefox Add-ons.

Once you have downloaded Mozilla Firefox, feel free to check out Firefox Plugins for Graphic Designers

Not just on the inside but the outside a well. Such areas as the monitor/screen, tower or desktop, mouse and keyboard, all of these parts need careful maintenance to keep them looking and running well.

The Monitor is a fairly easy thing to clean with a damp cloth.
Caution: Please ensure that no water or moisture gets into the vents, underneath the buttons, or the edges of the screen as water and electrical components DO NOT mix. Keep the top your monitor clear of any dirt or paper, books etc, as monitors need air flow to stop them from over-heating. Many people have the habit of putting their fingers on the screen of the monitor leaving marks. The screen needs a daily wipe with a slightly damp cloth, using window cleaner. Polish the screen with a clean dry cloth afterwards or it will leave streaks.

The mouse is another item that must be looked after carefully. Sometimes the mouse will not glide in the direction you want it to go. Its probably just dirt accumulated around the ball inside the mouse. Make sure your computer is turned off, turn the mouse over and you will see the ball underneath, there is usually a cover that can be removed and the ball can be taken out of the mouse. You will see rollers inside that are probably caked with a dirt build up. This dirt can easily be removed with a pair of tweezers and a cloth.

TIP:- Always when doing your own maintenance be very careful to ensure you do not lose any of the small parts inside. Some mice have little springs inside, and while you are cleaning they can easily pop out!

The Keyboard is another part that must be kept clean and free from water, coffee, crumbs etc. If the worst does happen you local computer shop will be able to sell you cans of compressed air which can blow dust or crumbs out.

TIP:- When cleaning your keyboard, the vacuum cleaner does a terrific job as well. Be very careful if your vacuum cleaner has metal tubing because of the static discharge.

TIP:- When you are not using your computer or printer, put a dust cover over them. Dust covers can be purchased at any computer shop or retail outlet. They help keep the dust out and save on service fees.

Never place your computer on the ground, always use computer table or shelf for this purpose.

To clean computer case first unplugs your system power from the electrical outlet. Remove all cables and connectors from the back side of your computer.

Now blow the air around all the hardware components and keeping away your blower nozzle 4 to 5 inches away from main board components. You can use vacuum cleaner also for this purpose but compressed air is the better solution to clean a system.

At the end using lightly dampened cloth or spray any cleaning fluids on the computer case and use paper towel to dry it.

Never clean inside computer components or other circuit board with damp or wet cloth.

Always be careful to eat or drink around the computer.