Well, only a few days overdue the eagerly anticipated new for 2009 Home Helpdesk website is now GO LIVE. It features an updated interface, more detailed analysis of what we do and why we do it, and more importantly, better offers!
We intend to keep this site updated and ever changing, as do we this blog, to feature all things digital deemed noteworthy.
As ever, comments and suggestions are always welcomed, and if you have any tech questions, please post them and we'll endeavour to answer them as quickly as possible.
- The Home Helpdesk Team
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Computer Viruses BITE!
Computer viruses can be a nightmare. Some can wipe out all of the information on a computer’s hard drive, steal your credit card details, replicate and send themselves to other computers and a whole lot more.
If you've never had a machine fall victim to a computer virus, you may wonder what the fuss is about. But the concern is understandable -- according to Consumer Reports, computer viruses helped contribute to £4.25 billion in consumer losses in 2008. Computer viruses are just one kind of online threat, but they're arguably the best known of the bunch.
Computer viruses have been around for many years. In fact, in 1949, a scientist named John von Neumann theorized that a self-replicated program was possible. The computer industry wasn't even a decade old, and already someone had figured out how to throw a monkey wrench into the figurative gears. But it took a few decades before programmers known as hackers began to build computer viruses.
While some pranksters created virus-like programs for large computer systems, it was really the introduction of the personal computer that brought computer viruses to the public's attention. A doctoral student named Fred Cohen was the first to describe self-replicating programs designed to modify computers as viruses. The name has stuck ever since.
In the good old days (i.e., the early 1980s), viruses depended on humans to do the hard work of spreading the virus to other computers. A hacker would save the virus to disks and then distribute the disks to other people. It wasn't until modems became common that virus transmission became a real problem. Today when we think of a computer virus, we usually imagine something that transmits itself via the Internet. It might infect computers through e-mail messages or corrupted Web links. Programs like these can spread much faster than the earliest computer viruses.
I have had numerous call outs in recent weeks to tackle a recent virus. It disguises itself as an ‘Anti Virus’ program that looks and acts like you would expect Windows to. It hounds and harasses you, asking for money, slowing your machine down and quite critically, sending information to someone anonymous in Portugal. I have had to remove this virus 6 times in 2 weeks from peoples machines.
This type of attack IS avoidable! You can take a few simple steps to prevent this happening to you.
1. Make sure you have Anti Virus software installed, like AVG, available free, and most importantly UP TO DATE!
2. Ensure you have active and up to date Anti Spyware on your system. A good program to use would be Spyware Doctor, available for free from Google.
If you’re ever unsure of what to do, or suspect that your computer may have fallen prey to a virus or malicious software, act now! Visit www.homehelpdesk.co.uk, I can offer you friendly, impartial and expert advice on what to do next.
If you've never had a machine fall victim to a computer virus, you may wonder what the fuss is about. But the concern is understandable -- according to Consumer Reports, computer viruses helped contribute to £4.25 billion in consumer losses in 2008. Computer viruses are just one kind of online threat, but they're arguably the best known of the bunch.
Computer viruses have been around for many years. In fact, in 1949, a scientist named John von Neumann theorized that a self-replicated program was possible. The computer industry wasn't even a decade old, and already someone had figured out how to throw a monkey wrench into the figurative gears. But it took a few decades before programmers known as hackers began to build computer viruses.
While some pranksters created virus-like programs for large computer systems, it was really the introduction of the personal computer that brought computer viruses to the public's attention. A doctoral student named Fred Cohen was the first to describe self-replicating programs designed to modify computers as viruses. The name has stuck ever since.
In the good old days (i.e., the early 1980s), viruses depended on humans to do the hard work of spreading the virus to other computers. A hacker would save the virus to disks and then distribute the disks to other people. It wasn't until modems became common that virus transmission became a real problem. Today when we think of a computer virus, we usually imagine something that transmits itself via the Internet. It might infect computers through e-mail messages or corrupted Web links. Programs like these can spread much faster than the earliest computer viruses.
I have had numerous call outs in recent weeks to tackle a recent virus. It disguises itself as an ‘Anti Virus’ program that looks and acts like you would expect Windows to. It hounds and harasses you, asking for money, slowing your machine down and quite critically, sending information to someone anonymous in Portugal. I have had to remove this virus 6 times in 2 weeks from peoples machines.
This type of attack IS avoidable! You can take a few simple steps to prevent this happening to you.
1. Make sure you have Anti Virus software installed, like AVG, available free, and most importantly UP TO DATE!
2. Ensure you have active and up to date Anti Spyware on your system. A good program to use would be Spyware Doctor, available for free from Google.
If you’re ever unsure of what to do, or suspect that your computer may have fallen prey to a virus or malicious software, act now! Visit www.homehelpdesk.co.uk, I can offer you friendly, impartial and expert advice on what to do next.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
WiFi is all around us!
Netgear Wall-Plugged Wireless range extender kit means WiFi all around your house!
As home networking continues to spread and evolve at rapid speed, some users find that their wireless router does not reach all corners or their home, or that they would like to have their wireless network originate from a point of their choosing, rather than be tethered to the point where the Internet enters their home. Other users would rather have a wireless network where no product is on the floor, and no cables are visible at all.
This new Netgear kit allows the user to have their wireless network originate from the middle of their home, or from even the furthest extremity, with no cables visible. The kit consists of a Wall-Plugged Ethernet bridge and a 54 Mbps Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender. The bridge connects to an existing wired or wireless router from any vendor, and the Extender can be plugged into any electrical outlet to create an area of wireless access.
Features
* Wireless-G 54Mbps Router/AP and Powerline adapters all-in-one kit
* Select between AP and Router modes through a simple user interface
* Allow your wireless network to originate from any chosen point in your home.
* Easily move this network around your house as your needs require, without running any unsightly Ethernet cables across your home
* An excellent flexible solution for filling in wireless "dead spots"
At Home Helpdesk we have used this technology successfully for our clients, with great feedback. It works particularly well if you have a larger, more solidly built home (think - 3 or more floors, barn conversions, farms etc), or anywhere with a WiFi blackspot.
For a limited time we are now offering a set of these little beauties, WITH installation in your home, all for only £199. Yes, that INCLUDES the actual range extender kit which retails for £100+.
Get in touch today, and get WiFi all over your home/business.
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