Windows 10 update version 1909 (November 2019)
Windows 10 update issues caused due to major Microsoft Windows updates that are either pending or have failed to install properly. The Windows 10 updates are known as version 1803, 1809, 1903 and 1909 (current as of 26 November 2019) and are major updates Microsoft has rolled out to fix bugs and update older (not supported) versions of Windows 10. To check if you are running the latest version of Windows 10, check the “OS Build version” as follows: Settings -> System -> About Under “Windows specifications” should be: Version: 1909 OS build: 18363 If the OS Build is less than 18363, you have pending or failed updates and these can be slowing down your computer and risking your computer security. How to Update Windows 10 Click Settings -> System -> Update & Security Ignore the fact that windows states “You’re up to date“ Click the “Check for updates” button and wait…. If any updates are found, especially 1803, 1809, 1903 or 1909, either run them straight away or schedule them so they are run after hours as it may take a few minutes to many hours depending on the speed of your hard-disk and the speed of your internet. 1909 cannot be installed before 1803, 1809, 1903 and the computer may need to restart several times before they are totally updated. If you keep putting off and delaying the updates, eventually the update will happen automatically and may put your computers out of action completely or will install at an inconvenient time rendering the computer unusable for a time. If you have trouble updating Windows 10 yourself, call :phone: or drop by our office, or call out one of our technicians. :jk:
Is your ID Safe?
Once your identity (ID) has been stolen it can be almost impossible to recover. But don’t Panic!! Help is a click away Some of the things that criminals may be able to do with your identity include: tricking your bank or financial institution into giving them access to your money and other accounts opening new accounts and accumulating large debts in your name which will ruin your credit rating and good name taking control of your accounts including by changing the address on your credit card or other accounts so you don’t receive statements and don’t realise there is a problem opening a phone, internet or other service account in your name claiming government benefits in your name lodging fraudulent claims for tax refunds in your name and preventing you from being able to lodge your legitimate return Keep Your Driving License Safe Driver’s licences the ‘golden ticket’ of ID theft as authorities struggle to protect fraud victims …… more Protecting Your Identity Advice https://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/sites/g/files/net301/f/Protecting-Your-Identity-booklet-What-Everyone-Needs-to-Know.pdf If your identity is stolen: File a report at the Australian Cyber Security Centre Contact the three major Australian credit reporting agencies Equifax, Illion and Experian, and obtain a free copy of your credit file Place a ban on your credit file with those agencies — this can stop criminals accessing credit in your name Advise your bank and review your security arrangements Update your online banking, email and other passwords — use unique passwords for each account Set up multi-factor authentication — where possible don’t just use SMS, use something like an authenticator app This is to limit the damage done by SIM swaps and phone porting Monitor your phone closely — if it suddenly stops working it may have been ported. Support and Counselling Services IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service. They are a not-for-profit Australian charity that was formed to address a critical support gap for individuals confronting identity and cyber security concerns. IDCARE provides specialist Identity & Cyber Security Counsellors and Analysts that apply a human-centred approach to identity and cyber security. If you believe your are a victim of Identity theft, Click here to contact – ID Care :jk:
Smart wiring – Is it really necessary?
Is Smart Wiring really necessary? Is it worth spending $3 – $15k on smart wiring? Is Smart Wiring really necessary? and what is it? Today, just about every new house comes with a smart wiring package, supposed to make your house “future-proof“. That statement may have been true 10 years ago but today it is NOT. We explain why. What is a smart-wired or smart wiring home? You see many houses being advertised as “smart” or “smart-wired” (smart-wiring) these days. Being “smart” does not mean that the house can think for itself or turn the lights on and off as you enter or leave a room (see a definition of smart home)… Smart in this case refers to the fact that it has been “hard-wired” with TV Aerial (coaxial), Foxtel (coaxial), Telephone and Ethernet (Networking and Security) cabling back to a central “junction box”, “smart-wiring panel” or “hub” usually located in a cupboard, garage or utility room. From the central hub, cables are run to various points in the house and terminating in wall plates such as the following. The true definition of smart wiring is defined here as a system that enables the combination of many different types of wires used around the home into a single location, which allows for the integration of many different smart home systems and sensors throughout your home, and the capacity to add more at a later date if you want to do so including lighting, security, internet communications, security systems and audio-visual or home entertainment systems. Having the ability to turn lights, air-conditioning or the oven on via your smart phone or schedule is a component of “home-automation”. A smart home may feature smart-wiring to help you achieve home-automation but it is not the same thing. The IT Guys (WA) can assist you in smart-wiring your home and offer alternatives that can save you a great deal of money. Contact us on 08 6118 2601 or email us at support@itguyswa.com.au for a FREE assessment. What does a Smart-Wiring Package give me? When building a new house, you may be given the option of adding a “smart-wiring” package at an additional cost. This will supposedly provide internet access through the home and is usually sub contracted to a smart-home sub-contractor specialist. To be honest, the builders electrical sub-contractors can do this work themselves but prefer to subcontract the work out as many electricians do not like installing and especially “terminating” Ethernet Wiring. Unfortunately, your builder will unlikely offer you a number of alternative smart-wiring-contractors. In Western Australia, one company in particular appear to have a strangle-hold over the major building companies. (For legal reasons we are not allowed to mention the companies name) Most major builders will NOT allow other smart-wiring contractors onto their sites during the building phase, leaving you with only two choices. Install their inferior and outdated smart-wiring package at great expense and then update it when you move in, or Save your money. Give us a call and install the correct package once you have moved in. A large multi-floored house can have high-speed WI-FI and cabled internet starting at only $500 + cabling (see below) If you are being sold such an “add-on” make sure you know in detail, what you are being quoted on by your builder, renovator, electrician and/or “smart-home” installer. Do not be pressured into accepting their proposal straight away. Ask for full details of what you are getting and then come and discuss the suitability of their proposal with us. For $78 bring your plans and/or the installers proposal to our office (or email them to us if you cannot make it to our office) and we can advise you on the suitability of their proposal. You can make payment over the phone by credit card. Ask yourself these questions…. How are Smart-phones, iPads and modern notebooks and laptops with no ethernet port supposed to pickup internet through the house when no wi-fi access points (WAPs) are supplied in the proposed package?? Some of these Smart-Wiring companies are living in the past, still installing outdated technology (hard-ethernet-wiring) and not making any provision for wi-fi coverage. Below we offer a number of Wireless (Wi-Fi) Smart-Wiring-Solutions. Wireless Smart-Wired-Home solutions for extra large sized homes with multiple floors Wireless Smart-Wired-Home solutions for large sized homes Wireless Smart-Wired-Home solutions for medium sized homes Wireless Smart-Wired-Home solutions for small home Wireless Smart-Wired-Home solutions for small unit or apartment Building or Renovating? Make yours a Smart-Wired Wi-Fi enabled Home Do I need ethernet points in the wall, to connect my TV? Possibly, if you do not have strong wi-fi and/or your TV is not Wi-Fi enabled. (Apple TV or Telstra TV can get around this issue as they are wi-fi enabled) Any TV purchased in the last few years will most likely be a “Smart-TV” and will connect to the Internet and streaming services such as Netflix, Stan, Amazon, iView etc via Wi-Fi or hard-wired cabling. A Smart-TV uses either a hard-wired Ethernet connection or built-in Wi-Fi to connect to a home network for internet access. Most models today have built-in Wi-Fi, but check that it does before you buy a new one. Non-Smart TV’s can also use streaming services such as Netflix over the Wi-Fi by purchasing “Apple-TV” or “Telstra-TV” but if you wish to watch standard free-to-air TV or “Fetch-TV” you will need to have hard-wired TV co-axial cabling and hard-wired Ethernet cabling to an outlet near your TV. If you are using external speakers such as the Sonos or Bose Playbar or Soundbar check to see if they will connect to your music system. You may need to connect them to your network using an Ethernet cable but most can do so using an Optical-Audio cable between your TV and the Soundbar. This allows the sound-bar to operate as an external TV speaker as well as a part of your music system. FETCH-TV boxes also need to be connected to your network using an Ethernet Cable (earlier models). […]
How to restrict an Android Phone to phone-only use
How to give an Android Phone to a child and restrict it ONLY to be used as a Phone (Disable Texting, E-mail, Apps and Internet Access) Many parents want to keep in touch with their children when out of the house and are supplying them with smart-phones (iPhone, Android, Samsung) in order to do so. However, having a smart-phones also gives unrestricted access to texting, E-Mails, Apps and unfiltered Internet Access, not a good thing for an impressionable child. There are two solutions to the problem. Solution #1 – Non-Smart Phone Solution It is possible to still purchase non-smart phones such as the following “flip-phone“: However, many a “teen” or “tween” would probably be too embarrassed to let it be known to their peers that they were having to use 80’s tech. Plus you can still message (SMS) on one of these ancient flip-phones even though they don’t have the “Internet“ and “Apps” Which brings us to a more elegant solution Solution #2 – Restrict the smart-phone to only be used for telephone calls. How to Restrict an Android Phone or Tablet A cheaper and better option to an iPhone would be to use a smart-phone that uses the Google Android Operating System such as a Samsung, LG, Nokia, Oppo, Alcatel, Sony etc. Google has a very neat feature called “Family Link” (which apparently also works on iOS devices) which gives extensive parental control over “how” and “when” an Android device can be used and not used. How to restrict an iPhone to phone-only use If you would like any of these features to be implemented on a phone and cannot (or do not want) to do it yourself, bring it into our office and we will set it up for you for :30m: incl GST. :jk:
WAP’s v Network Range Extenders/Boosters
Like most people who cannot get wi-fi internet unless they sit next to the modem, you have probably purchased devices that boost or extend the wi-fi range into other rooms. And like most people you wish you had not wasted your money. There are hundreds of “Wi-Fi Range extenders“, “Wi-Fi boosters“, “POE (Power over Ethernet)” devices available at your local electrical retailer and although many do help, they do not provide a complete solution that provides full-strength, secure, multi-user, wi-fi access over a wide area (including outdoors) A properly configured WAP (Wireless-Access-Point) network provides seamless Wi-Fi access throughout buildings large or small by automatically switching to the WAP with the strongest signal, no need to keep manually switching between different wi-fi networks as you move from room to room. Some people try to get around this by configuring the extenders/boosters with the same name (SSID). This works as long as the signal from the modem and the extender do not overlap, if they do, network conflicts can occur and you can do more harm than good. The following articles show how: Wi-fi Problems? Wireless Smart-Wired-Home solutions for extra large sized homes with multiple floors Wireless Smart-Wired-Home solutions for medium sized homes Wireless Smart-Wired-Home solutions for small houses, units or apartment Wi-Fi Internet Extenders Smart wiring – Is it really necessary? WAP’s v Network Range Extenders/Boosters High-Definition IP Video Surveillance System Sonos Installation and Troubleshooting Networking and Internet Solutions Internet Service Provider Perth If you would like the IT Guys to quote you on a WAP Network system in your home or office, please contact us for a free quote. :jk:
Sonos Installation and Troubleshooting
Having issues with an existing Sonos system setup or need to setup a new system? We can help. The IT Guys have had to deal with many homes and business with old Sonos installations. Even though they may work seamlessly for years, fixing them when they stop working can be very tricky and time consuming especially if the system consists of multiple Sonos CONNECT, Sonos CONNECT:AMP and Sonos Boost units sometimes hidden in roof spaces or suspended ceilings. Installing a new system is much simpler today using any combination of Sonos Playbar, Sonos Playbase, Sonos Sub and Play:1, Play:3 Play:5 speakers but fixing or upgrading older systems can be challenging. Looking to buy Sonos speakers? click here Let the IT Guys (WA) help. We can send a technician out to investigate the issue for as little as :30mos: inc GST (See below) Onsite IT Support – Mobile IT Support and Call Outs – Perth Metro Area Internet Service Provider Perth :jk:
Why is my Mac Slow all of a Sudden?
12 Reasons why your Mac or MacBook is so slow all of a sudden? Without putting the Slow Mac or Macbook through an Apple Diagnostics test, it is impossible to say if you are experiencing one or more than one issue. Your slow mac may have suddenly started or it may have become slower over time. When programs become unresponsive and you see the spinning-wheel-of-death too often, … something is amiss and needs rectifying. Only by running a full diagnostic can you accurately identify the problem. If you live in Perth, Western Australia, the IT Guys WA can do this for you but we cannot do anything or quote prices until we have ‘Tested & Assessed‘ your device in our workshop. You will need to bring or deliver your device to our workshop at :address: between :opening-hours: No appointment is necessary. A Test & Assess fee of :assess-fee: is required to be paid on drop-off and is non-refundable. The following is a list of 12 potential problems we will test for plus some suggested fixes. HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid-State-Drive) is full or nearly full. HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid-State-Drive) is old/failing and needs replacing HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid-State-Drive) SATA Cable failing GPU (Video Card) Failing OS (Operating System) is out-of-date and in need of updating to a later version. Too many programs open for available RAM Virus or Malware needs removing Failed or Pending Mac OS (Operating System) update Hanging programs Battery is failing and needs replacing (MacBooks Only) Too many programs trying to open upon startup Too many items on your desktop. 1. Slow Mac? – HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid-State-Drive) is full or nearly full. When the HDD or SSD drive on your computer becomes full or almost full, the OS cannot use the disk space for “caching” and it causes programs to become slow and sometimes unresponsive. If the HDD or SSD become critically low on storage you may see a warning, freeing up as much space as possible may improve performance if this is the only issue. See also The Mac “Startup Disk Almost Full” Message and How to Fix It 2. Slow Mac? – HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid-State-Drive) is old/failing and needs replacing If your Mac is slow to restart after a full power down or update and/or if you can hear an audible clicking sound and your computer is over four years old, the chances are that you have a failed or failing Hard Disk or SSD. Full diagnostics of the drive will be required by a service technician to determine if this is the case. Apple Mac Repair Required? If your computer is a pre-2012 model then it is most likely to have a conventional HDD, which is now > 5 years old and has a 50% chance of failing as well as slowing down due to age and an accumulation of old programs, utilities and old operating systems. How old is my Mac? You have two choices, replace the drive with another conventional HDD or upgrade to an SSD. Upgrading or adding an SSD (Solid-State-Drive) Solid State Drives (SSDs) have no working parts so you can read and write data to and from them very quickly. Think of them as a very large USB Thumb drive or Flash Drive. They use the same technology. SSD‘s range in size from 250 GB to 4000 GB (4 TB). Most commonly pre-installed HDD are 500 GB to 1 TB in size. Current prices for SSD‘s range from $220 installed. iMac Upgrades – Apple iMac Upgrades Macbook Air Upgrades – Apple Macintosh Upgrades Macbook Upgrades – Apple Macbook and Macbook Pro Upgrades See… How old is my Mac? Simply replacing the old drive with a newer version of the same drive, will increase performance and data security but you are not going to get the same speed boost as upgrading to an SSD. If your Mac is less than 5 years old but slower than usual, try a disk repair first. See… How to run a disk repair on a Mac 3. Slow Mac? – HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid-State-Drive) SATA Cable failing See… Macbook Slow? Could be the HDD or the SATA Cable? 4. Slow Mac? – GPU (Video Card) Failing See… Mac video problems are bad news for iMacs and Macbooks and could signal it’s end-of-life 5. Slow Mac? – OS (Operating System) is out-of-date and in need of updating to a later version. Many problems are fixed by Apple releasing periodic OS (Operating System) updates. Updating to the latest operating system will fix many issues and provide new features and compatibility with other devices. However, before making any updates : a) Make a full Time Machine Backup of your computer See… How to backup a Mac, b) Make sure the new OS is compatible with your existing programs such as Adobe PS (if you use it) by reading the following guide. See… Things you should check before updating the OS on a Mac See… Are you Apple devices up-to-date? 6. Slow Mac? – Too many programs open for available RAM Earlier Mac’s were shipped with 2GB RAM or less. The later Mac OS such as Sierra and High Sierra and Mojave will only operate with a minimum 4GB of RAM. Latest MacOS needs 8GB RAM. Adding extra RAM also increase the speed of certain memory hungry programs that do a lot of processing such as video and image editing and rendering programs including Auto CAD, iMovie and Final Cut Pro but generally will not be noticeable if you already have 8GB or 16GB of RAM Extra RAM may help if you have multiple programs running at the same time, closing all but the essential ones may increase performance Click on “Apple Symbol” > “Force Quit” and close any unnecessary programs and see if this resolves the issue. 7. Slow Mac? – Virus or Malware (Mackeeper) or (CleanMyMac) needs removing Yes, Mac’s do get viruses that can […]
How to Backup a MacBook
Backing up the data on your Macbook on a regular basis is essential to ensure you do not lose any information should the device become damaged, lost or corrupted. There are a number of options, listed and detailed below on how to achieve this listed in the order of ease and simplicity Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Cloud Backup over the Internet Time Machine is Apple‘s built-in program for backup and restoring data and it is very easy to use. How to use Apple Time Machine to backup to an external storage device Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Connect a USB storage or flash-drive to a spare USB port and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. This maybe applicable for Mac‘s that only have small internal HDD or SSD of 128 or 256GB. Other wise use an External HDD which come in sizes up to 4 or 6 TB. Connect an External HDD to a spare USB port with the supplied wire and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. A 1 TB external HDD drive will be suitable for most backup needs. The IT Guys can supply these for $99 and help you setup the backup. Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Backing up an Apple Computer Wirelessly Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Backups can be made to any other device, computer or server that are visible over the network. When setting up the destination of the backup, any available network locations will appear. If they do not show up, they may require some technical help in settting up the source computer, drive or NAS. Contact the IT Guys for help. Cloud Backup over the Internet The IT Guys recommend having two forms of backup, onsite (local, as above) and offsite (in the cloud) There are many cloud backup services available per month depending on the amount of data you require backing up. An alternative to a dedicated cloud backup service is to simply store all your data on a cloud-storage service such as Apple iCloud or Microsoft OneDrive. These service, keep your data safe but they do not backup your programs. :jk:
How to Backup a Macbook Pro
Backing up the data on your Mac on a regular basis is essential to ensure you do not lose any information should the device become damaged, lost or corrupted. There are a number of options, listed and detailed below on how to achieve this listed in the order of ease and simplicity Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Cloud Backup over the Internet Time Machine is Apple‘s built-in program for backup and restoring data and it is very easy to use. How to use an Apple Time Machine to backup to an external storage device Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Connect a USB storage or flash-drive to a spare USB port and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. This maybe applicable for Mac’s that only have small internal HDD or SSD of 128 or 256GB. Other wise use an External HDD which come in sizes up to 4 or 6 TB. Connect an External HDD to a spare USB port with the supplied wire and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. A 1 TB external HDD drive will be suitable for most backup needs. The IT Guys can supply these for $99 and help you setup the backup. Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Backup all your home Apple computers to backup wirelessly Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Backups can be made to any other device, computer or server that are visible over the network. When setting up the destination of the backup, any available network locations will appear. If they do not show up, they may require some technical help in setting up the source computer, drive or NAS. Contact the IT Guys for help. Cloud Backup over the Internet The IT Guys recommend having two forms of backup, onsite (local, as above) and offsite (in the cloud) There are many cloud backup services available per month depending on the amount of data you require backing up. An alternative to a dedicated cloud backup service is to simply store all your data on a cloud-storage service such as Apple iCloud or Microsoft OneDrive. These service, keep your data safe but they do not backup your programs. :jk:
How to Backup a Macbook Air
Backing up the data on your Macbook Air on a regular basis is essential to ensure you do not lose any information should the device become damaged, lost or corrupted. There are a number of options, listed and detailed below on how to achieve this listed in the order of ease and simplicity Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Cloud Backup over the Internet Time Machine is Apple‘s built-in program for backup and restoring data and it is very easy to use. How to use Apple Time Machine to backup to an external storage device Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Connect a USB storage or flash-drive to a spare USB port and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. This maybe applicable for Mac‘s that only have small internal HDD or SSD of 128 or 256GB. Other wise use an External HDD which come in sizes up to 4 or 6 TB. Connect an External HDD to a spare USB port with the supplied wire and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. A 1 TB external HDD drive will be suitable for most backup needs. The IT Guys can supply these for $99 and help you setup the backup. Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Backing up an Apple Computer Wirelessly Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Backups can be made to any other device, computer or server that are visible over the network. When setting up the destination of the backup, any available network locations will appear. If they do not show up, they may require some technical help in settting up the source computer, drive or NAS. Contact the IT Guys for help. Cloud Backup over the Internet The IT Guys recommend having two forms of backup, onsite (local, as above) and offsite (in the cloud) There are many cloud backup services available per month depending on the amount of data you require backing up. An alternative to a dedicated cloud backup service is to simply store all your data on a cloud-storage service such as Apple iCloud or Microsoft OneDrive. These service, keep your data safe but they do not backup your programs. :jk:
How to Backup a Mac Mini
Backing up the data on your Mac Mini on a regular basis is essential to ensure you do not lose any information should the device become damaged, lost or corrupted. There are a number of options, listed and detailed below on how to achieve this listed in the order of ease and simplicity Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Cloud Backup over the Internet Time Machine is Apple’s built-in program for backup and restoring data and it is very easy to use. How to use Apple Time Machine to backup to an external storage device Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Connect a USB storage or flash-drive to a spare USB port and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. This maybe applicable for Mac‘s that only have small internal HDD or SSD of 128 or 256GB. Other wise use an External HDD which come in sizes up to 4 or 6 TB. Connect an External HDD to a spare USB port with the supplied wire and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. A 1 TB external HDD drive will be suitable for most backup needs. The IT Guys can supply these for $99 and help you setup the backup. Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Backing up an Apple Computer Wirelessly Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Backups can be made to any other device, computer or server that are visible over the network. When setting up the destination of the backup, any available network locations will appear. If they do not show up, they may require some technical help in setting up the source computer, drive or NAS. Contact the IT Guys for help. Cloud Backup over the Internet The IT Guys recommend having two forms of backup, onsite (local, as above) and offsite (in the cloud) There are many cloud backup services available per month depending on the amount of data you require backing up. An alternative to a dedicated cloud backup service is to simply store all your data on a cloud-storage service such as Apple iCloud or Microsoft OneDrive. These service, keep your data safe but they do not backup your programs. :jk:
How to Backup an iMac
Backing up the data on your iMac on a regular basis is essential to ensure you do not lose any information should the device become damaged, lost or corrupted. There are a number of options, listed and detailed below on how to achieve this listed in the order of ease and simplicity Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule (no longer available for purchase) Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Cloud Backup over the Internet Time Machine is Apple’s built-in program for backup and restoring data and it is very easy to use. How to Backup a Mac using Time machine Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Connect a USB storage or flash-drive to a spare USB port and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. This maybe applicable for Mac‘s that only have small internal HDD or SSD of 128 or 256GB. Other wise use an External HDD which come in sizes up to 4 or 6 TB. Connect an External HDD to a spare USB port with the supplied wire and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. A 1 TB external HDD drive will be suitable for most backup needs. The IT Guys can supply these for $99 and help you setup the backup. Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Apple Time Capsules are no longer produced by Apple. But of you still have one, they remain the easiest way to backup wirelessly. How to backup a mac to a Time Capsule Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Backups can be made to any other device, computer or server that are visible over the network. When setting up the destination of the backup, any available network locations will appear. If they do not show up, they may require some technical help in setting up the source computer, drive or NAS. Contact the IT Guys for help. Cloud Backup over the Internet The IT Guys recommend having two forms of backup, onsite (local, as above) and offsite (in the cloud) There are many cloud backup services available per month depending on the amount of data you require backing up. An alternative to a dedicated cloud backup service is to simply store all your data on a cloud-storage service such as Apple iCloud or Microsoft OneDrive. These service, keep your data safe but they do not backup your programs. :jk:
How to Backup a Mac
Backing up the data on your Mac on a regular basis is essential to ensure you do not lose any information should the device become damaged, lost or corrupted. There are a number of options, listed and detailed below on how to achieve this listed in the order of ease and simplicity Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Cloud Backup over the Internet Time Machine is Apple’s built-in program for backup and restoring data and it is very easy to use. How to use Apple Time Machine to backup to an external storage device Time Machine backup to an External HDD or USB Thumb Drive Connect a USB storage or flash-drive to a spare USB port and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. This maybe applicable for Mac‘s that only have small internal HDD or SSD of 128 or 256GB. Other wise use an External HDD which come in sizes up to 4 or 6 TB. Connect an External HDD to a spare USB port with the supplied wire and setup Time Machine to use that for backups. A 1 TB external HDD drive will be suitable for most backup needs. The IT Guys can supply these for $99 and help you setup the backup. Time Machine backup to Apple Airport Time Capsule Backup all your home Apple computers, easily and wirelessly Time Machine Backup to a Server, NAS Drive or Networked Storage Backups can be made to any other device, computer or server that are visible over the network. When setting up the destination of the backup, any available network locations will appear. If they do not show up, they may require some technical help in settting up the source computer, drive or NAS. Contact the IT Guys for help. Cloud Backup over the Internet The IT Guys recommend having two forms of backup, onsite (local, as above) and offsite (in the cloud) There are many cloud backup services available for $20 – $50 per month depending on the amount of data you require backing up. We use CrashPlan Pro and can set it up and have it automatically running in the background for an ongoing fee of $20 per month per device. Unlimited cloud backup for $20 per month :jk:
NBN over HFC delayed until Q3/Q4 2018
If your home is scheduled to get NBN over the HFC (Foxtel Cable) Network and you have not already made the move to NBN, your going to be delayed until mid or late 2018. As Reported By The Australian Financial Review on November 27th 2017 NBN is immediately halting the rollout of super-fast broadband delivered over pay television cables due to mounting issues with service dropouts, which could see $120 million of Telstra‘s earnings in 2017-18 kicked further down the road. Read more: http://www.afr.com/technology/web/nbn/nbn-halts-hfc-rollout-effective-immediately-as-issues-mount-20171127-gztg2i#ixzz5308QhrS0 In April 2018, The Australian Financial review also confirmed that “NBN is adding more than 400,000 new homes and businesses to its fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC) rollout, taking the total number of such customers to nearly 1.5 million. The move to expand FTTC, which was revealed by The Australian Financial Review on Monday, was announced on Tuesday morning and will see the new technology rollout take the place of premises earmarked for hybrid fibre coaxial which sat within or adjacent to Telstra’s HFC network and and fibre-to-the-node where there were long coppers lines, which will also resume its rollout and sales later this month after being delayed in November because of mounting issues and service dropouts. …. Read more: http://www.afr.com/technology/web/nbn/nbn-confirms-faster-fibretothecurb-internet-for-440000-customers-20180409-h0yjy6 “NBN also confirmed it will resume the wholesale sale of HFC services from April 27, starting with 1000 premises in Melbourne and Sydney, before an additional 38,000 by the end of June across capital cities. From July, NBN said it expects the HFC rollout to ramp up to around 100,000 premises per month.” Read more: http://www.afr.com/technology/web/nbn/nbn-confirms-faster-fibretothecurb-internet-for-440000-customers-20180409-h0yjy6#ixzz5CijpZY6s As Reported by Telstra – Telstra stopping selling HFC connections from 7th December 2017 “On 27th November 2017 nbn co announced it’s applying a temporary cease sale to the HFC (Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial) access network. The cease sale will come into effect on 11 December and is expected to last 6-9 months. To make things simpler for our customers, Telstra will stop selling nbn HFC from 7 December. Customers in these areas are able to connect to ADSL or Cable services. Why has nbn co decided this? nbn co has made the decision to stop sell driven by concerns with the customer experience on its HFC access network. According to nbn co, a small portion of customers in these areas are experiencing connection delays and dropouts. It will use the next 6-9 months to address these concerns. When will the temporary cease sale commence and end? nbn Co has stated the temporary cease sale will begin on 11 December, and is expected to last 6-9 months, across the entire nbn HFC network. As a result, Telstra will cease selling nbn HFC from 7 December. What does this mean for customers in existing HFC serviceable areas? From 7 December, any premise that is currently listed as ready for service with HFC, and does not have an nbn HFC order in-train, will be rolled back to ‘unserviceable’. You’ll be able to connect to Cable and/or ADSL in those areas if available. I am waiting to be connected to HFC nbn with Telstra, will my order be cancelled? No, as you already have an order in place, it will progress. If you no longer want this HFC service, please call us on 1800 531 939 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm AEST and we’ll organise this for you. What if I want to cancel my nbn HFC order? We can proceed with your request to cancel the order. Please call us on 1800 531 939 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm AEST and we’ll organise this for you. What is happening to the nbn areas that are scheduled for HFC? For now, the rollout will just be delayed and customers will be able to continue to order Telstra broadband services over ADSL or Cable in those areas. What happens to my existing nbn HFC service? We’ll continue to support you with any requests you have relating to your nbn HFC service. How do I know if I am an nbn HFC customer? You can check your nbn technology type via the Telstra 24×7 App and My Account. What does this mean for small business customers? Similar to our consumer customers, Telstra will be offering Telstra Cable or ADSL to Small Business customers in HFC serviceable areas from 7 December. We encourage our business customers to call us on 13 2000 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm AEST at any time to discuss their options.” NBN Alternatives 3G/4G mobile broadband from Telstra, Optus or Wireless broadband from Node1 maybe the only alternative if you live in an HFC area. :jk:
If you use passwords such as ‘123456’, ‘123456789’, ‘qwerty’, ‘password’ or ‘111111’ you are likely to get hacked
You are advised to check you have strong and different passwords for all of your online accounts, following continued reporting that billions of people have had their logins and passwords exposed online. Weak passwords uncovered in large data breach A large data dump including more than 1.4 billion email addresses, passwords, and other credentials has been found on the Dark Web. Security shop 4iQ has discovered an online database that aggregates information from over 200 previous data exposures. The database reveals peoples’ usernames and passwords for a number of different social media and other online accounts. If your credentials (usernames and passwords) become publically available, a criminal could use the information to login to your online accounts. The database also shows that most people continue to use weak passwords. In this case the most common password used was 123456, followed by 123456789, qwerty, password and 111111. Weak passwords make it easy for a cyber hacker to guess your password and gain access to your accounts. Additionally, individuals continue to reuse passwords for multiple accounts. If you reuse a password, then the risk of someone compromising multiple accounts is significantly increased. For example, if you use ‘Password1′ as your password for your social media, internet banking, and email accounts, a hacker has a very good chance of cracking your password, and then being able to access all of your accounts. They can use the information gained from these accounts for financial crime, identity theft and sending phishing emails. Staying Safe Use strong passwords for all of your online accounts and avoid using information that may be included in your social networking profiles that could be used to crack your password. Create a different password for each of your online accounts so that if one password is stolen, not all of your accounts will be at risk. Stay Smart Online recommends setting strong, unique passwords that: are at least 12 characters long mix upper and lower case letters, numbers and other symbols use a passphrase to make them easy to remember, for example ‘horseshoe31#’ use two-factor authentication whenever possible. Do not include: recognisable words or names, in any language repeated characters personal information—especially information that is included in your social media profiles anything you have previously used. The original article is on The Australia Governments “Stay Smart Online” Website https://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/alert-service/weak-passwords-uncovered-large-data-breach :jk: