All You Need To Know About Firewall In Windows 8

by : John Reddy

If you have recently installed Windows 8, then you need to secure it so that it does not face any security hazards. To maximize the security in your Windows 8, it is important to activate Firewall in your system. Firewall is set of software codes that provide online Windows help by protecting your system from hackers and malicious software. It acts as a filter between your computer and internet. It checks for every information sent or received between your system and network and either allows it or blocks it from your computer system.


Many users think that the working of antivirus and firewall are same. However, this is a myth as Firewall protects you from hackers while antivirus protects you from viruses and other malware. In order to protect your system, you require antivirus as well as firewall security. Firewall comes as a part your Microsoft Windows 8 and is activated, by default.
However, you can alter the settings for your Firewall. As per the expert technicians providing online support for Windows, your firewall should be activated for all the network connection and types like private, public or domain.

How Can A User Turn On Or Turn Off Windows Firewall?

Turning off the Firewall is never recommended. However, if you want to turn it off due to certain software and then want to turn it back on, then follow these steps:

• Swipe to the right edge of screen and tab on Search. Type Firewall on the search box and press Enter. Click on Windows Firewall from the search result list.

• You will require the administrator password to turn on/off your Firewall. From there wither you can turn on the Firewall under the type of network and click on OK or you can turn in off under each network type and Hit Enter key.

Other than turning the Firewall on or off, there are other settings as well that you will need to completely protect your system. Some of your apps or software might stop working due to activated Firewall. You can either turn off the Firewall protection or get online Windows help and support to allow such application to work on your system by including them on the allowed apps list.

A Firewall blocks all incoming information to maximum protection. However, you can still view majority of website and mails, work on instant messenger, and access your email account. You can also turn on the notification about the new app locked by your Firewall. With this option, you can choose whether to block or unblock the software applications.

Security of Windows operating system is must for everyone. That is why it is important to secure your computer with the help of Windows Firewall.

How to Configure Windows Server as a Ntp Server

by : David Evans

The Microsoft Windows operating systems from Windows 2000 onwards has a built-in time synchronization service – ‘Windows Time'. This article describes how to configure the Microsoft Windows 2003 and Windows 2000 time service as a NTP time server. It shows how to modify registry entries to configure the Microsoft Windows Time Service. The Windows Time service allows a Windows network to provide synchronisation of all machines within a domain.  

Windows 2003 Server Configuration

Windows 2003 has expanded on the original Windows 2000 time service by providing a true NTP implementation. The time service, installed by default, can synchronise to a NTP Server. Indeed, by manipulating registry settings for the service it can act as both an NTP server and client to synchronise other network clients in the domain.

The 'Windows Time' service should be present in the systems service list. The application executable is 'w32time.exe'. The parameter list for w32time can be found in the registry at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time

Before modifying registry entries it is good a dood idea to backup the registry settings. The registry can then be restored in the event of problems being encountered.
To configure a Windows 2003 machine to synchronise to an external NTP server, edit the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\AnnounceFlags
Set the ‘Announce Flags' registry entry to 5, to indicate a reliable time source.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NTPClient\SpecialPollInterval
The ‘Special Poll Interval' registry entry defines the period in seconds that the Windows 2003 machine should poll the NTP server. A recommended value is 900 seconds, which equates to every 15 minutes.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\NtpServer
The ‘NTP Server' parameter is used to provide a list of IP addresses or DNS names, separated by a space, of NTP servers that the Windows 2003 machine can synchronise to.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NTPServer\Enabled
Changing the ‘Enabled' flag to the value 1 enables the NTP Server.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\Type
Change the server type to NTP by specifying ‘NTP' in the ‘Type' registry entry.

Windows 2000 Time Service Configuration

 
Windows 2000 has an integrated time synchronisation service, installed by default, which can synchronise to a NTP Server. Indeed, by manipulating registry settings, the service can act as both an SNTP client and SNTP server to synchronise other network clients.

Before modifying registry entries it is good a dood idea to backup the registry settings. The registry can then be restored in the event of problems being encountered.
The 'Windows Time' service should be present in the systems service list. The application executable is 'w32time.exe'. The parameter list for w32time can be found in the registry at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

Windows 2000 can operate as an NTP client and synchronise to an NTP server by setting parameter 'NTP Server' to the IP address of a NTP Server.

By default, the Microsoft Windows 2000 machine will synchronise to the specified NTP time server every 8 hours (or 3 times a day), which may not be enough to maintain accurate synchronisation. The period can be reduced by setting the 'Period' parameter to how many times a day synchronisation is required. Setting the period to 48 will activate synchronisation with the NTP server once every half hour.
Windows 2000 can also be configured to act as an NTP server by setting the 'Local NTP' parameter to '1'.

After editing any of the registry entries for the windows time service, the service must be restarted for the settings to take effect. The services can be started or stopped from the service control applet in 'administrative tools'. Alternatively the service can be controlled via the DOS net command thus:

net start w32time
net stop w32time

NTP Troubleshooting

A number of problems can be encountered when configuring the Windows Time Service. NTP operates using the UDP protocol over TCP/IP. Therefore the TCP/IP network infrastructure must be operational for NTP to be effective. Synchronisation issues may arise when NTP attempts to synchronise to an inaccurate time reference or if network delays are excessive.

Synchronising Time on Network Devices

As well as synchronising Microsoft Windows servers and workstations, NTP can also be used to synchronise network devices, such as hubs, switches and routers. Any network device that can synchronise to a NTP server can be pointed to the Windows server to achieve time synchronisation. In this way the whole network and accompanying infrastructure can be synchronised. 

Convert any Video to ASCII using VLC Media Player

VLC is a video player with a lot of tricks. While you definitely would be aware about converting videos with it, the feature of converting any video to ASCII is one that is slightly less known. As ASCII version of movies like Star wars are very popular online, I think this feature of this amazing media player can be used to have lots of fun.



An example of a video in ASCII form

All you need to

Windows and Apple: A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock'n'Roll

by : Catherine Coloff

Whether you have good vibrations for Macs, or too much respect for Windows to consider any other operating system, enough software and cloud solutions are available to meet your needs!


MS Office for Mac is a robust version of Office that is very similar (almost identical) to Office for Windows.  Although Microsoft does not offer Access or Publisher for the Mac version, full versions of Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint are available for use.  The files you create are compatible and able to be opened, read, and changed back and forth using Mac and Windows version of Office.  Some people may be dancing in the street knowing they can get a Mac and not be concerned with compatibility!  Others may have been sittin' on the dock of the bay, and may now feel guilt free with the thought of having a Windows computer and a Mac to get their work done, and not be concerned about compatibility.

If you already own a Mac and have decided to use Pages and Numbers instead of purchasing Office, that's fine too!  Although not identical, both Pages and Numbers offer a "save as" feature that allows you to save your files in an alternative format to make them usable through MS office.

Still can't get no satisfaction?  Don't be cruel!  Let's shake, rattle, and roll toward cloud options that cater to both Mac and Windows alike!

Do you find yourself emailing file attachments back and forth all the live long day?  Google Docs may be a great option for you!  Think of Google Docs as your personal file share service on the Cloud.  Rather than worry about getting all shook up on which file version is the most recent one in your list of emails, just keep one copy of the file saved in Google Docs, and provide key people access to your Google Drive, so everyone can work from the same file copy, and not go crazy keeping track of who has the latest revision!  Google Docs also offers simplified versions of office applications, all for free, and all cross compatible with existing versions of MS Office.  And, of course, Google Docs is friendly to both Mac and Windows!

You've surely heard it through the grapevine that Microsoft offers a menu of cloud solutions that satisfy both Mac and Windows!  MS Office 365 is Microsoft's cloud solution which offers options to accommodate to a variety of business needs, such as email, web-based Office apps, and OneDrive (Microsoft's hard drive in the sky).  As a business using Office 365, each user can log into a shared OneDrive to access files similar to how I mentioned with Google Docs.  OneDrive is also offered as a standalone service 8GB of free storage.  Imagine…another solution that works uniformly with Mac and Windows!

At last, the debate between Mac and Windows' usability may be coming to an end!  What a wonderful world it is today!  And if you are still California dreamin' and you still think Macs are for graphic designers, even Adobe Creative Suites has joined the cloud with Adobe Creative Cloud.  Graphic designers can keep on keeping on with Windows or Macs, and can share files with each other too!

If, after taking in all this information, you catch yourself saying, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for," IT Radix recommends giving your trusted IT provider a call.  Based on your needs, they'll tell you what you want, what you really, really want.

Making Older Desktop Pc Wireless

by : Austin Luna

Okay so your looking for information on making a desktop PC wireless. You'll be happy to know that just about any desktop PC can support a wireless internet connection. Even older desktops can connect to the internet via a wireless internet connection. 

First, make sure your desktop PC is in good working order. What I mean by good working order is just to make sure the desktop PC is free of unwanted spyware and other harmful files which could make a desktop computer's wireless connection slow down to a crawl. If you plan on making an older desktop PC wireless then you should really scan your computer for spyware and infections because the last thing you want is something stealing all your system resources when you don't have very much to begin with.

WHATS NEEDED TO MAKE DESKTOP PC WIRELESS

Let's start by assuming you already have an internet service (not dial-up) and are cruising the web with ease. You should have a cable modem connected to your desktop PC. If this is the case, then you're ready to begin your wireless setup. If you don't have an existing internet service and a cable modem then you'd better stop reading this because a wireless internet connection on your desktop PC can't be accomplished legally without them.



MAKING PC WIRELESS - WIRELESS ROUTER

First, before anything, you need to purchase a wireless router. If you've never owned a wireless router before then grabbing the most expensive model probably won't benefit you all that much unless you plan on receiving a wireless internet connection from inside of a multiple story building. In this case a more expensive router will offer a few features that are worth the extra money.

Remember when you go ahead and purchase a wireless router in hopes of making your desktop computer wireless you'll be happy to know that you'll be halfway done with your mission for wireless internet on your desktop. The only thing left is a wireless PC adapter.



MAKING PC WIRELESS - WIRELESS DESKTOP ADAPTERS

It's actually very easy to add a wireless desktop adapter to your comupter's arsenal of computing tools. There are two different types of wireless networking components that you can choose from. They are as follows.

1. Wireless USB adapter

2. Wireless PCI adapter

*both wireless devices are packaged with a setup CD-ROM which quickly installs everything needed to configure and use your PC's wireless internet connection.



A wireless USB adapter is the easiest way to make a desktop PC wireless. The cons of using a wireless USB adapter are the signal strength which is considerably weaker than a wireless PCI card. Most people experience no problems with signal strength as long as they stay within range of the wireless router that's sending out the wireless signal.

Basically, installing a wireless USB adapter plugs into any available USB port. In reality, it only takes a matter of seconds to plug in a USB adapter and start using the internet without the wires.

The second wireless device that can make desktop computers wireless is called a wireless PCI (PCI = white slots inside a computer) card adapter. This device enables high performance wireless connectivity for your desktop PC with extended range.

Installation is not as hard as you might have thought. Simply remove the side panel from your desktop PC and insert the wireless PCI card into any one of the white slots inside. There is only one way the card can be installed. Reading the directions that are included when you purchase your wireless networking device is by far the best thing you can do to ensure a smooth installation and launch of your wireless connection.MAKING DESKTOP PC WIRELESS

5 Tips for Keeping Your Computer Virus Free

 by : Kelly Wroft

Computer viruses are all over the net, and we can easily inadvertently allow one to enter into our computer system. This can happen in a variety of ways, such as when we download a program or an attachment from our email. Or by following an email link that we did not realize leads to a virus. Virus in your system can result in a variety of problems and issues, such as data collection and data loss, and putting your private information and details at risk. Viruses also slow up your computer, making it frustrating to use. The good news is that a decent antivirus will quarantine most suspected viruses and help keep your system in great shape. Read on for 5 tips for keeping your computer virus free.

1: Install antivirus software

This should be a number one priority for protecting your computer. You should always have an antivirus software program installed, and with many free and economical versions available, there is no reason why you should not have one. Note that most free versions will not provide the same level of antivirus protection and premium paid for packages; however, it is still preferential to having nothing installed at all. Take a look at online reviews and customer feedback, in order to work out the best antivirus software for your needs. .

2: Ensure a firewall is set up

Firewall programs range from simple free programs to paid for programs, and work by helping to prevent hackers from hacking into your computer via the internet. Even if your computer is sitting idle, it can still be hacked into, if it is hooked up to a cable internet or DSL connection. Without a firewall system installed you are open to attacks at all hours, day and night, everyday of the week. So always ensure to have a firewall installed to help protect your computer and system.  

3: Keep a regular back up

You never know when you might be the victim of a virus or hacker, so it is important to regularly back up your computer in order to protect important and sensitive data. Your data can be backed up via a CD or external hard drive and this will ensure that if anything happens to your computer, your data will not be lost. Make sure that you take time to back up all your data regularly, in order to keep the data files updated to your most current data.

4: Protect with a password

Have strong passwords on all your online websites, such as internet banking, as difficult passwords are much harder to crack. Do not use the same password across the board on all your internet sites, or email accounts. For further security you should change your passwords every 3 months.

5: Source an IT repair company

A great It repair company is essential if something goes wrong that you do not know how to fix. An IT services company can assess the problem and, if within their power, will get your computer up and running efficiently and virus free again.  Sourcing a good tech company near you prior to any problem, will be a relief if anything were to ever go wrong. Make sure the IT repair company offers computer support services and computer consulting services, in order to help answer any questions you may have.

How to Connect to Another Computer Using Remote Access Software

by : Mitz

If you have Windows XP it has built in remote access software that helps you connect to a friends computer, by invitation, to help them by taking remote access control of their computer system. This means you could be in the USA and be helping your friend in Australia to find a solution to his or her computer problems. The technology to gain remote access to basically anyone's computer is available on most computer users start menu. I regularly give my friends computer support from the comfort of my own home.

What you need to use the Help and Support tool to gain remote access

1. An broadband or cable internet connection.
2. Windows Xp on both computers
3. An email address or be signed into Windows 
4. Live messenger.

The easiest way to connect

It is very easy to connect two computers over the internet. One computer can take control and fix problems on the other computer. Following these steps to use the Help and support software that is built in to Windows.

1. Sign in to Windows Live Messenger and have your friend do the same thing.
 
2. Go to the start menu and choose Help and Support (shown below) Just the computer user that wants to invite does this.
 
3. The Help and Support Center will appear.
 
4. Click on Invite a Friend to connect to your computer with Remote Assistance. Located under the Ask For Assistance menu.
 
5. Then press Invite someone to help you. The window below will appear.

 

6. Choose your friends name from the Windows Messenger contact list.
 
7. Click on Invite this person.
 
8. This will allow your friend to see your desktop. If they want to control your they must press the Take control button and the other person must agree by pressing ok..

Check out the Screenshots for this article at How to connect to another computer. This is what I see when I am in control of my friends computer...I can go on the internet or read their emails etc..

Reasons to use Windows remote help and support

--Your problem is so minor, you do not want to bother an IT support person.

--You cannot afford an It technician, and your know a computer whiz..

--You have already rang software support or your internet service provider and they could not help

--You constantly need desktop computer help and using remote access software is easy!!


Notes:

--If you close the Remote Assistance Window it will disconnect. And you will have to start your remote access again if you want to connect.

--Don't worry if it is a bit slow because that is normal. The speed of your remote access depends on your speed of both internet connections.

--You can also connect using an email address. The invitation is sent through email.

  

How to Make a Bootable Antivirus CD

by : Matthew Rizos

How to Make a Bootable Antivirus Disc

Purpose of this document.
This document will teach you how to make a bootable anti-malware ( bootable antivirus ) cd/dvd step-by-step. 

Why Bootable Antivirus?
In a bootable environment we are running a stripped down version of windows in a ram disk (programs are loaded directly into ram), thus the hard drive on the PC is treated as attached storage (like a flash drive). In this state malware (malware consists of viruses, trojans, spyware, adware, rootkits, etc) is helpless and totally at your mercy. This is the best free way to remove any piece of malware with a 100% success rate.

Steps:
Please follow all the steps below:

1. Go to http://ubcd4win.com/downloads.htm
 
2. Select a mirror with a green status. (like "Mirror#3" for example)
 
3. When you click on the mirror it will take you to another site where the download will be available.
 
4. Click the download link for Ultimate Boot CD and save the download to wherever you download stuff.
 
5. Once the installer has been downloaded double click it.
 
6. Choose your language
 
7. Click next about 3 more times and select the file path where you would like to install ultimate boot cd 4 win. Please note that you should have a drive with at least 5-10 gb of free space to allow for future plugin growth. I will choose C:UBCD4Win. The install should take a few minutes.
 
8. Click Yes to the MD5 Hash Check. The install will continue once the hash check succeeds.
 
9. Click Yes to see if a patch file exists.
 
10. Click the checkbox to launch ubcd4winbuilder.exe. 

 

11.Click the "i agree" button.

12. Click "NO" to searching for windows files.
 
13. Obtain a windows xp operating system disc w/SP2.
 
14. Explore the disc and copy the entire content (all the folders and files on the windows xp cd) to any location on your computer. You should allocate at least 700 MB of free space for the windows xp disc.
 
15. Open UBCD4win (if it's not already open). Click Source browse button (3 dots ...) and browse to your i386 folder. My path was C:WindowsXPcd for example.
 
16. Next go to the media output section and choose a spot for your ISO image to be created. This ISO can be burned with almost any burning software. Once the ISO is burned it will be bootable.
 
17. Next, click the plugins button. Don't be too overwhelmed here, actually you should be very happy! Look at all those plugins!
 
18. Now it's time to update our anti-malware software packages.
 
19. The first one I have on my list is a-squared free anti-spyware. Click that line and then click the config button. A command prompt will automatically open and start downloading the latest updates for that program...totally awesome, isn't it!
 
20. So, now you need to update all the anti-malware programs in our plugin list. Click each one and then hit the config button.
 
21. After you're done configing/updating your plugins click the close button.
 
22. Next, click Build.
 
23. Click yes to create a directory and then click i agree.
 
24. At this point your ISO is created and is ready to be burned.

This concludes the How to Make a Bootable Antivirus CD tutorial.

Acer H226HQL bid 21.5-Inch Widescreen LCD Monitor Review

While most "hardcore" modern PC gamers swear by fast monitors with 144hz refresh rates and 1ms response times, we've noticed that superior color accuracy and saturation actually can add to a more immersive gaming experience. The good thing is that it can be obtained for cheap with IPS displays.

It's not all about speed.

Enter the Acer H226HQLbid. While the IPS panel has become famous through Korean 2560x1440p monitors such as the X-Star dp2710, which currently starts at $280, there are many great options for the budget minded gamer or standard user looking at the lower resolution of 1080p in the sub $150 price range. The Acer H226HQLbid has an amazing value as you get a beautiful IPS display for a measly $130. But that's not all you get:

Specs

Screen size - 21.5"

Resolution - 1920 x 1080

Refresh rate - 60hz

Response time - 5ms (grey to grey)

Finish - gloss

VESA - no

Connectivity - VGA (1), DVI (1), HDMI (1)

Energy consumption - 26w


Acer H226HQL bid 21.5-Inch Widescreen LCD Monitor

First Impressions

After getting the monitor setup the first thing I noticed was how glossy the screen was. This screen is basically a mirror and reflects every bit of light. The build quality of the stand is fairly decent, a little flimsy but strong enough. There is tilt, no pivot, and no VESA mounts. The unit itself is very sleek and thin and the bezels look non-existent when the display is off.

Screen Size

Why on earth would anyone want to buy a tiny a 21.5" display when I can get a 23" or a 27" monitor, bigger is always better right? The answer to that question depends on personal preference. We prefer pixel density over screen size any day of the week. The more pixels you can cram into a smaller space, the sharper the display will look. Here are some numbers to help you put things into perspective.

Pixel density measured in PPI:

27" 2560 x 1440p - 109

27" 1920 x 1080p - 82

23" 1920 x 1080p - 96

21.5" 1920 x 1080p - 102

While 1080p at 21.5" doesn't have the same amazing pixel density as a 1440p display, it does get very close without forcing the user to upgrade graphics cards to push the higher resolution. Most entry level gaming PC's can easily play the latest games at 1080p, but the same cannot be said at 1440p. The Acer H226HQLbid offers a very good compromise in this situation as you get a very nice pixel density for the price.

Color Comparison
For the purpose of this review, we have an Insignia LCD 24" 1080p 60hz to compare to the IPS display of the Acer H226HQLbid. When I first booted into the windows environment, I immediately noticed how much better the colors of the IPS panel looked side by side to a TN panel. The smaller screen size was slightly disappointing at first, but I after I got used to it I did notice the better pixel density.

Gaming Performance

Throughout the course of several weeks, I've played several games to test the response time and superior colors of the display. The list of games is as follows: Crysis 3, Battlefield 4, Battlefield 3, Battlefield Bad Company 2, Mass Effect 3, Dota 2, Mirror's Edge, Skyrim, ESO, Metro: Last Light, and Half-Life 2. Throughout the testing I never encountered any input lag or ghosting. The 5ms response time is plenty for my tastes. The colors were beautiful and games seemed more vibrant. The only problem I've come across with IPS is that blacks are too dark in dark game environments. It's extremely hard to see and navigate in any game while in a dark environment. This was a significant problem in Metro: Last Light. Turning up the gamma in Nvidia control panel helped solve this issue, but it's still difficult to see compared to a TN panel. After playing with IPS, I switched back to my old TN panel and was disgusted. The colors seemed washed out and games weren't as enjoyable to play. It only took a few minutes of BF4 to know for sure that I didn't want to play on TN anymore. Gaming during the day is a challenge however. The glare due to the extremely glossy panel makes it hard to focus. I would suggest only purchasing this monitor if you have a 100% dark room or prefer playing at night.

Conclusion

While the Acer H226HQLbid does have it's flaws, it is one the best monitor choices you can make under $180, especially if your sold on the idea of IPS. I don't regret the purchase of this monitor, but in the future I'll be purchasing screens with matte finishes as this is the first glossy panel I've owned. Yes, it does look very crisp but the glare really bothers when I try to play with the lights or during the day. If your concerned about the glass finish, Dell and AOC make some good budget IPS display under $180 that might be worth looking into. Overall, I give this monitor an 7.5/10, docking points for the very glossy screen and flimsy stand. Everything else about this monitor is great; perfect pixels, amazing colors, great pixel density, good response time, sleek design. If glossy screens don't bother you, definitely consider picking this monitor up. You can't beat at $130 shipped.