Computer & Technology

Upgrade Spice MI-300 To Android 2.1 Éclair

2011-11-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

SpiceAndroid Phone: Spice MI-300. By Default, this handset comes withAndroid 1.6 Donut. But as this is the old version of Android OS, and the latestversion is Android 2.1 Eclair and you might be excited to upgrade your spicephone to new version i.e. Android 2.1 Eclair.

It is very easy to upgradeSpice MI-300 Firmware to Android 2.1 Eclair. Please note; take backup of yourphone contents because all those will be removed after upgrade.

Follow these steps

1. Download the software update tool from the official website ofSpice Mobile Phones. You can use the direct link of download Download here

2.Switch ON Your Mobile Phone and connect it to your pc with the help of USBCable

3. Run the setup file i.e.Setup.exe, just relax. Your Device will start updating.

4. Your phone will look like this during updation. You need not do anything during installation.

Within few minutes your phone will be furnished with the whole new operating system, Android 2.1 Eclair.

Phoenix Bios Setup Utility

2011-11-09T05:21:00.000-08:00

For changing boot device priority:

The instructions for changing the boot order are in the sidebar, but usually it requires pressing the + or – buttons to move items up and down in the order list. The first item in the list is what will be scanned first when booting. If boot media is not found, it will try the second device and so on.Finally, go to Exit and make sure you choose Yes to the Save configuration changes and exit now?

That’s pretty much it! If you have any questions or can’t get into the BIOS on your computer, post a comment here and I will try to help! Enjoy!

Near Field Communication

2011-11-08T08:28:00.000-08:00

In the realm of new technologies, near field communication (NFC) is not a new or sexy concept, but it does have clear potential and practical uses. This is why it’s been holding the attention of a slew of big-name companies for a long time. Nokia, Sony, and Royal Philips Electronics founded the NFC Forum in 2004 in order to promote the short-range wireless connectivity technology. Samsung, Motorola, Microsoft and more than 140 other organizations all joined the party shortly after.

NFC allows a device, usually a mobile phone, to collect data from another device or NFC tag at close range. In many ways, it’s like a contactless payment card that is integrated into a phone. In other ways, it’s similar to Bluetooth, except that instead of programming two devices to work together, they can simply touch to establish a connection.
A year after Nokia released the first commercial version of an NFC-enabled phone in 2007, the NFC forum instituted an annual global competition to award the best ideas for applications of NFC, and soon after, trials of NFC products started taking place everywhere from Malaysia to Germany. More than 100 NFC pilot projects have now been undertaken all over the world, and like any technology, NFC has taken some time to gain traction, but it’s on track to go mainstream soon.

What is NFC?

Near Field Communication (NFC) technology makes life easier and more convenient for consumers around the world by making it simpler to make transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch.

A standards-based connectivity technology, NFC harmonizes today's diverse contactless technologies, enabling current and future solutions in areas such as:

• Access control
• Consumer electronics
• Healthcare
• Information collection and exchange
• Loyalty and coupons
• Payments
• Transport

Key Benefits of NFC

NFC provides a range of benefits to consumers and businesses, such as:

1.Intuitive: NFC interactions require no more than a simple touch
2.Versatile: NFC is ideally suited to the broadest range of industries, environments, and uses
3.Open and standards-based: The underlying layers of NFC technology follow universally implemented ISO, ECMA, and ETSI standards
4.Technology-enabling: NFC facilitates fast and simple setup of wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.)
5.Inherently secure: NFC transmissions are short range (from a touch to a few centimeters)
6.Interoperable: NFC works with existing contactless card technologies
7.Security-ready: NFC has built-in capabilities to support secure applications

Here are six ways that NFC could have the most impact:

1. Contactless payment

Unlikemany other wireless technologies, NFC has a shortrange of about 1.5 inches. This makes it a good choice for secure transactions,such as contactless credit card payments. MasterCard and Visa are both membersof the NFC Forum, and both companies have been involved in pilot programs thatuse NFC-enabled phones as a flash payment option. Phones could “tap and go”using infrastructure already in place for credit card systems such as MasterCard’sPayPass program or Visa’s payWave.

2. Transportation

NFCworks with most contactless smart cards and readers, meaning it could easily beintegrated into the public transit payment systems in cities that already use asmart card swipe. In 2008, German rail operator Deutsche Bahn launched an NFC-ticketingpilot program in which 200 travelers touched their phones to an NFC tag when theyboarded the train and then to another when they got off. The fare wascalculated and added to their monthly bill. In January 2010, the successful programwas expanded to an additional 3,000 travelers. Madrid plans to start a similar pilotprogram with its bus system in 2010.

3. Health Care

Notonly can NFC tags provide medical professionals with information about whattreatments a patient should receive, but they can also keep track of when nurses and doctors have checked in with that patient and when. Each time thetag is scanned, the information about who scanned it and when can betransferred to a database. In addition to improving treatment, NFC tags alsohave potential in the research realm.

Awinner of last year’s NFC Forum’s 5,000 Euro prize was a program that helpstrack patients in low resource areas, and is currently being used in apneumonia study of young children in Pakistan. Each child is given a braceletwith an RFID tag on it. The tag is scanned every time the child visits aparticipating health care organization. The clinical and laboratory dataassociated with that patient is collected and posted to a secure server inreal-time.

4. Ease of Use

IfNFC-enabled phones become prevalent, you’ll likely be able to initiate atwo-player game by touching your phones together. You’ll be able to link aheadset to your phone or print a photo just by touching your device to aprinter. A second-place winner in the 2009 NFC Forum competition developed atouch-dial system for people who have trouble making phone calls. The user isable to tap a photo of the person he wants to call. The embedded NFC tag in thephoto transmits the proper number to the phone automatically.

5. Smart Objects

AnNFC tag often contains information like a phone number or URL. One of thelargest series of experiments that uses phones to pick up information fromtagged locations is SmartTouch, a project funded under the European ITEAresearch program between 2006 and 2008. Most of the trials took place in Oulu,Finland, where the city installed about 1,500 “infotags” — in buses, at busstops, the theater, a restaurant, and a pub — that could be read with a mobilephone. For instance, theater patrons could not only use their mobile phones astickets, or to order refreshments, but they could also scan tagged posters formore information about plays.

Foranother project, infotags were installed in schools. Students could get theirindividual daily schedule,

announcements,and information about homework by waving their phones past the tags. A trialheld in one pub allowed customers to tap cards with their NFC-enabled phonesfor more information about products.

NFCmay have similar applications as bar codes do now. You can put one on a posterand let pedestrians scan it on their phones for more information. But beingable to add more information to any object by integrating a tag has led to someinteresting applications that go far beyond billboards. A company calledObjecs, for instance, sells an NFC tablet for gravestones. Touching anNFC-enabled phone to the Personal Rosetta Stone provides additional informationabout the deceased.

6. Social Media

BeforeFoursquare took off, a German company called Servtag was working towards asimilar concept for NFC-enabled phones called Friendticker. The company appliedmore than 250 NFC-tag stickers at various locations in Berlin that users wouldswipe their phones past in order to alert their friends that they were “checkedin” at that location.

WhileFoursquare may have stolen the thunder for location-based networking, there arestill plenty of social media applications for NFC in the works. Last year, aGerman university (Technische Universität München) submitted a prototype to theNFC Forum competition that integrated with Facebook. The application,NFriendConnector, allowed people who met in a physical space to exchangeprofile data through their phones. Their respective statuses wouldautomatically be updated (for example, “I just met so and so”) and they couldchoose to include their location (“I just met so and so at this bar”). Insteadof stalking a new acquaintance’s profile after a night out, this applicationprovides an option to run a matching method based on variables the userprovides (such as interest, dislikes, and hobbies) while still chatting withthem in the bar.

NFC simplifies andexpands social networking options:

File Sharing: Tap one NFC device toanother to instantly share a contact, photo, song, application, video, orwebsite link.

Electronic business card: Tap oneNFC device to another to instantly share electronic business cards or resumes.

Electronic money: To pay a friend,you could tap the devices and enter the amount of the payment.

Mobile gaming: Tap one NFC device toanother to enter a multiplayer game.

Friend-to-friend: You could touchNFC devices together to Facebook friend each other or share a resume or to "check-in"at a location.

Bluetooth and WiFiConnections

NFCcan be used to initiate higher speed wireless connections for expanded contentsharing.

Bluetooth: Instant Bluetooth Pairingcan save searching, waiting, and entering codes. Touch the NFC devices togetherfor instant pairing.

WiFi: Instant WiFi Configuration canconfigure a device to a WiFi network automatically. Tap an NFC device to an NFCenabled router.

eCommerce

NFCexpands eCommerce opportunities, increases transaction speed and accuracy,while reducing staffing requirements. A Personal identification number (PIN) isusually only required for payments over $100 (in Australia) and £15 (in UK).

Mobile payment: An NFC device may makea payment like a credit card by touching a payment terminal at checkout or avending machine when a PIN is entered.

PayPal: PayPal may start acommercial NFC service in the second half of 2011.

Google Wallet is an Android app that storesvirtual versions of your credit cards for use at checkout when a PIN is used.

Ticketing: Tap an NFC device topurchase rail, metro, airline, movie, concert, or event tickets. A PIN isrequired.

Boarding pass: A NFC device may actas a boarding pass, reducing check-in delays and staffing requirements.

Point of Sale: Tap an SmartPostertag to see information, listen to an audio clip, watch a video, or see a movietrailer.

Coupons: Tapping an NFC tag on aretail display or SmartPoster may give the user a coupon for the product.

Tour guide: Tap a passive NFC tagfor information or an audio or video presentation at a museum, monument, orretail display (much like a QR Code).

Mobile Phones Buying Guide

2011-11-06T07:08:00.000-08:00

Features to Consider

When shopping for a phone, you can do some simple hands-on tests in the store to make sure the phone has everything you need.

Call quality: What good is a phone if it can't make calls? Some of the most simple, bare-bones "feature" phones offer the best call quality--and on the flip side, some fancy smartphones have dismal calling. When evaluating phones, be sure to make a few test calls. In PCWorld's hands-on tests, we generally make a few calls in a quiet room and a few calls in a noisy environment. You might not be able to replicate such tests indoors, but try your best. Take note of static, tinny voices, or any other interference. Ask the person on the other end of the line if they can hear a disruptive amount of background noise.

Design: Your choices range from flip-open clamshell-style phones to candy bar-style phones to slider-style phones with full-QWERTY keyboards. Whichever type of phone you select, check its ergonomics. Is it comfortable to hold against your ear, and can you hear callers without constant adjustment? Can you use the phone with one hand? Consider hands-free use: Can you comfortably hold the phone to your ear by scrunching your neck and shoulder?

Operating system: If you're looking to do more than make calls and send text messages with your phone, consider the platform on which it runs. The mobile operating system you choose will greatly affect the capabilities of your phone. The most popular platforms are Google's Android OS (found on multiple devices), iOS (found only on the iPhone) and BlackBerry OS (found on BlackBerrys of various designs). Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and you should definitely familiarize yourself with all of the platforms before settling on one. Other platforms include Symbian (found on most Nokia smartphones), Windows Phone 7 and Samsung's very-own Bada.

Display: If you intend to send and receive text messages, surf the Web, or use the phone's organizer, make sure the screen is up to snuff. Is it big enough for you to take full advantage of the phone's features? If you're going to surf the Web or edit office documents on your phone, a screen that measures less than 2.7 inches diagonally will feel very cramped.

The screen's contrast and backlight are also important. The phones we've seen show marked differences in viewing quality. If your phone allows you to adjust such settings, you can make text and graphics easily viewable--even in bright places.

Consider the screen's resolution, too. The higher the resolution, the better the screen will look--an important factor if you plan to use your phone to watch videos or view photos.

3G support and availability: Although a lot of buzz surrounds the next generation of wireless networks, 3G has finally seen the light of day in India. 3G's faster download speeds significantly improve streaming video and allow features such as videoconferencing and network gaming. All major telecom providers offer 3G services in most Indian cities today and therefore 3G compatibility is important for a new phone.

Cameras: If you intend to take a lot of photos with your phone, you'll definitely want to pay attention to the camera specs. For mid- to high-level smartphones, 5 megapixels is now pretty much the standard. Some phones ship with 8- or 12-megapixel cameras, but a higher megapixel count doesn't necessarily mean a better camera. Verify that the phone you're interested in has a flash--dual-LED or Xenon flashes work the best--or else you won't be able to take any pictures indoors or at night without their looking like blurry messes. Try to take a few pictures in the store to get a good idea of the camera's photo quality.

Most cell phone cameras also have video-capture capabilities; some high-end phones can even capture high-definition 720p or 1080p video. If video is your thing, make sure that the OS provides an easy way to upload your videos to Facebook or YouTube.

Android Icecream Sandwich

2011-11-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

Phones and tablets loaded with the Android 4.0 operating system start arriving in stores soon, but when will existing phones get the update and which models will be left out in the cold? Here's a rundown of the devices expected to get Google's Ice Cream Sandwich mobile OS first.

Galaxy Nexus
The newest "Google phone" is expected sometime soon from Samsung and is the only new phone known for sure that will come pre-loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich. Verizon is currently taking emails from those that want to be the first to get their hands on the new Android paired with the curved Galaxy Nexus with its 1.2 Ghz processor, NFC chip and 1080p HD video capability. A leaked screenshot purported to be from Verizon seems to show a planned Black Friday launch for the phone.

Nexus S
Google has confirmed it's working on an Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Nexus S. But that is apparently as far back as the update will go on the Google and Nexus line. There will be no ICS for the Nexus One or G1. If you don't feel like waiting for Google to roll the new Android out to your Nexus S, my colleague Sarah Mitroff found one way to get it now.

LG Optimus 2X
LG confirmed via its Facebook page that it is "in the process of planning the ICS OS update for the LG Optimus 2X as well as other LG high-end smartphones." No word on what those other high-end phones might be, but my bet is we'll see something new from LG with ICS in the next few months.

Motorola
Motorola says it will be upgrading the Droid Razr, Xoom, and Droid Bionic to Ice Cream Sandwich. The exact timing isn't clear, but the company has indicated that it will be no sooner than six weeks after Google's official release of the update.

Sony Xperia phones
Sony hasn't released many details, but the Dutch division of Sony Ericsson confirms via Facebook that Xperia phones will get Ice Cream Sandwich. There's no indication of when that might happen.

If prt scr not working on laptop:

2008-04-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

You press and hold the [Fn] key then hit the [prt sc] key once, after which you paste the image into a paint document or in word document etc... by clicking CTRL+V.
And if you just want to grab the active window, just press and hold, [ctrl]+[FN] and tap [prt sc].

How to enable Task Manager?

2008-04-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

Click Start goto Run, type gpedit.msc and click OK. Navigate to this branch:
User Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / Ctrl+Alt+Delete Options / Remove Task Manager
Double-click the Remove Task Manager option. Set the policy to Not Configured

Use regedit to open the Registry Editor and locate the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System.Find the DWORD value named Disable TaskMgr and set it to 0 or delete it altogether

This will make the Task Manager available again, although you might need to log off for the changes to take effect.

This same process can be used to disable the Task Manager, but you might have to create the registry key System under the Policies key. After creating the System key, create a new REG_DWORD (DWORD value) named Disable TaskMgr and set the data value to 1.

LAN is not working!!!!!!!

2008-04-22T05:04:00.000-07:00

If LAN is not working there may be few reasons behind it.

First check whether your Network adapter is working properly or not.

Right click on My computer Icon Then properties then hardware then device manager then see for network adapters within that see whether ur network adapter is working or not.if it is disabled,enable it.

Then install the driver for ur network adapter which is present on your laptop's provider site.

Link:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=228&lc=en&cc=in&dlc=en&product=3446907&lang=en

Under Driver - Network download your driver and install it.Restart your pc and check whether LAN is working or not.
If it not works for you then reply here.I'l try to give another solution to your problem.

which antivirus and how to configure, to protect my lan including all the 8 comps attached to it?

2008-01-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware will work on any LAN connection with firewalls and proxies. Typically, no additional configuration is needed for ZoneAlarm to work on a LAN.
Making your computer visible on your local networkIf you cannot see the other computers on your local network, or they cannot see you, it is possible that ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware is blocking the NetBIOS traffic necessary for Windows network visibility. To make your computer visible to the others on your local network:
Add the network subnet (or, in a small network, the IP address of each computer with which you're sharing the network) to your Trusted Zone.
Set the Trusted Zone security level to Medium, and the Internet Zone security level to High.
This configuration allows trusted computers to access your shared files, but blocks all other machines from accessing them. Note: ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware will detect your network automatically and display the New Network alert. You can use the alert itself to add your network subnet to the Trusted Zone. Sharing files and printers across a local networkTo configure ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware for secure sharing:
Add the network subnet (or, in a small network, the IP address of each computer with which you're sharing the network) to your Trusted Zone.
Set the Trusted Zone security level to Medium. This setting allows trusted computers to access your shared files.
Set Internet Zone security level to High. This setting makes your computer invisible to non-trusted machines.
Note: ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware will detect your network automatically and display the New Network alert. You can use the alert itself to add your network subnet to the Trusted Zone. Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)If you are using Windows' Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) option, or a third-party connection sharing program, you can protect all of the computers that share the connection from inbound threats by installing ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware on the "gateway" machine only. However, to receive outbound (Program Control) protection, or to see alerts on the client machines, you must have ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware installed on each client machine as well. Tip: Before you configure ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware, use your ICS software to set up the gateway and client relationships . If you use hardware such as a server or router, rather than a host PC, to perform Internet connection sharing, do not follow the steps below. On the ICS gateway machine:
Go to Main tab of the Firewall panel.
Click Advanced.
Under Internet Connection Sharing, select This computer is an ICS gateway.
In the combination box, select or type the IP address of the gateway machine.
Select Suppress alerts locally if forwarded to clients if you do not want to see alerts that are forwarded to a client.
Note: That if you do not install ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware on the client machines, all alerts will be displayed on the gateway. For best security, make sure the security level for the Internet Zone is set to High. Make sure outgoing DNS and DHCP are allowed for the Internet Zone at High security. On the ICS client machines:
Go to Main tab of the Firewall panel.
Click Advanced.
Under Internet Connection Sharing, select This computer is a client of an ICS gateway running ZA Pro.
In the combination box, select or type the IP address of the gateway machine.
Select Forward alerts from gateway to this computer if you want alerts occurring on the gateway machine to be displayed on this client.

If Connecting through a proxy server

To enable your computer to connect to the Internet through a proxy server, add the proxy to your Trusted Zone

But if you want all three in one then use ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite, which integrates anti-virus, anti-spyware and a firewall.

To configure WPA for powerful encryption :

2008-01-10T06:34:00.000-08:00

Configuring WPA wireless security on the router

First, let's log on to the router.
Open your internet browser and type http://192.168.1.1 in the address bar. This is the default IP address of the browser.
In the login box that appears type 'admin' (without quotes) in both fields. 'admin' is the default username and password.
Write down the SSID
In the Wireless > Basic Wireless Settings menu you will see the Service Set Identifier or SSID. The SSID differentiates one wireless network from another. It is the 'network name'. Write it down, or copy paste it to a text file. You will need it later. You can first set your own SSID if you like.
In the Linksys WRT54G router you will find the wireless security options under Wireless > Wireless Security. This page allows you to set wireless encryption options.

Set the WPA alghoritm to TKIP.
Type a key in the WPA Shared Key field with a length between 8 and 32 characters. Remember that a longer key is more secure. Besides that, a key that is made up of random characters is harder to crack than a key that contains real words, because real words can be guessed far easier.
Write down the key or copy-paste to a text file, because you will need it later to connect to the network.
Click Save Settings
Your computer will now be disconnected from the router. You may see a 'page not found' warning or some other error message in your webbrowser. Your router now demands that computers that connect to it use WPA encryption and the correct WPA key. In other words: you have succesfully secured your network. Now let's configure your computer to reconnect to the router using the right WPA key.
Configuring WPA security in Windows XP SP2
I will show you how to configure WPA using Windows' built-in wireless network options. Most wireless network card manufacturers create have developed their own configuration software that you can use to manage wireless connections and security. You can use whichever software you like best. The settings remain the same. Please note that you will need a computer with a properly installed wireless network card to continue.

1.In Windows XP go to Start > Settings > Network Connections.
2.Doubleclick the wireless network connection. The wireless network connections window will appear. This window shows you the wireless networks that are within range.
3.If all is right than you should see your wireless network in the list, since your router is advertising your network's SSID to the outside world. In this example I used the word 'kazam' as the SSID.
4.Click change advanced settings in the bottom-left corner of the window. A new window will appear. Select the wireless networks tab.
5.Select your network's SSID from the list and click the properties button. This will bring up the window that allows you to fill out the network key.
6.Select WPA-PSK from the Network Authentication dropdown and select TKIP from the Data encryption menu.
7.Type or rather paste your network key in both the network key fields at the bottom.
8.Click OK.

Your computer should now reconnect to the router using WPA wireless security and the proper network key. You can consider your network well secured now.

How to encrypt data on lan (i m already using it password protected/authorised)?

2008-01-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

write your query clearly.There are different kinds of encryption but what type of it, is required by you? Anyways here it goes and tell if it helped or not by posting comment on the site so that i can help further. you have to read these things because i dont know which encryption are you using WEP or WPA.

KEY POINT to prevent misuse of WiFi Facility by unauthorized user, ALWAYS USE Security feature of WiFi router given above and repeated below again:

SSID : The SSID is a unique name to identify the ADSL Router in the wireless LAN. Wireless clients associating to the ADSL Router must have the same SSID.
Broadcast SSID Select No to hide the SSID such that a station can not obtain the SSID through passive scanning. Select Yes to make the SSID visible so a station can obtain the SSID through passive scanning.

Wireless LAN :: WEPWEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encrypts data frames before transmitting over the wireless network. Select Disable to allow all wireless computers to communicate with the access points without any data encryption.Select 64-bit WEP or 128-bit WEP to use data encryption.Key#1~Key#4 The WEP keys are used to encrypt data. Both the ADSL Router and the wireless clients must use the same WEP key for data transmission.If you chose 64-bit WEP, then enter any 5 Characters each key (1-4). If you chose 128-bit WEP, then enter 13 characters for each key (1-4).The values must be set up exactly the same on the Access Points as they are on the wireless client stations. The same value must be assigned to Key 1 on both the access point (your ADSL Router) and the client adapters, the same value must be assigned to Key 2 on both the access point and the client stations and so on, for all four WEP keys.
Wireless LAN :: WPA-PSKWi-Fi Protected Access, pre-shared key. Encrypts data frames before transmitting over the wireless network.Pre-shared Key The Pre-shared Key are used to encrypt data. Both the ADSL Router and the wireless clients must use the same WPA-PSK key for data transmission. Key Length 8 – 64 characters.

Wireless LAN :: MAC FilterYou can allow or deny a list of MAC addresses associated with the wireless stations access to the ADSL Router.Status Use the drop down list box to enable or disable MAC address filtering.Action Select Deny Association to block access to the router, MAC addresses not listed will be allowed to access the router. Select Allow Association to permit access to the router, MAC addresses not listed will be denied access to the router.

Or if you want folder encryption goto this site to download encryption software but all are shareware if i find some freeware then will post on this site :

http://www.hiteksoftware.com/autokrypt/download_file_encryption.htm

http://www.all-internet-security.com/encryption/

Say no to WEP & use WPA:

Back when the first consumer WLAN hardware hit the streets more than six years ago, they came with a technology called WEP, or wired equivalent privacy
WEP was designed to protect a wireless network from eavesdropping, but it soon became apparent that due to myriad flaws, WEP's privacy was not at all equivalent to that of a wired network. Therefore, it wasn't long (though at the time it seemed like forever) before a new technology called WPA — Wi-Fi Protected Access — debuted to address many of WEP's shortcomings.
WPA has been a mainstream technology for years now, but WEP remains a standard feature on virtually every wireless router on store shelves today. Although it's mainly there for backward compatibility with the oldest hardware, if reports and studies are accurate, a significant percentage of WLANs operating today (especially those used in homes) are still using outdated and insecure WEP for their encryption.
Widespread use of WEP is almost understandable given that to the layperson, the similar abbreviations WEP and WPA don't convey any meaningful difference between the two security methods (and they may even imply equivalence) Plus, WEP is almost always presented first by the security interface of most broadband routers since WEP comes before WPA both historically and alphabetically).
This week we'll take a look at why you shouldn't be using WEP anymore, and why WPA is a better choice.
WEP — The Weak Encryption Protocol
WEP's major weakness is its use of static encryption keys. When you set up a router with a WEP encryption key, that one key is used by every device on your network to encrypt every packet that's transmitted. But the fact that packets are encrypted doesn't prevent them from being intercepted, and due to some esoteric technical flaws it's entirely possible for an eavesdropper to intercept enough WEP-encrypted packets to eventually deduce what the key is.
This problem used to be something you could mitigate by periodically changing the WEP key (which is why routers generally allow you to store up to four keys). But few bother to do this because changing WEP keys is inconvenient and time-consuming — it has to be done not just on the router, but on every device that connects to it. As a result, most people just set up a single key and then continue using it ad infinitum.
A recent development reinforces how even changing WEP keys frequently is no longer sufficient to protect a WLAN. The process of "cracking" a WEP key used to require that a malicious hacker intercept millions of packets plus a fair amount of time and computing power.
But technology moves fast, and that's no longer the case. In fact, researchers in the computer science department of a German university recently demonstrated the capability to compromise a WEP-protected network very quickly. After spending less than a minute intercepting data (fewer than 100,000 packets in all) they were able to compromise a WEP key in just three seconds, and they did it using a system equipped with a mere 1.7 GHz Pentium M CPU, which is less powerful than the processor found in today's entry-level notebooks.
Of course, none of this means that there's necessarily someone lurking outside your window with the capability or desire to hack your wireless network in the blink of an eye. But given that it can be broken increasingly easily with commonly available equipment and software.

*** Important***

Switch to WPA
Even if your router is several years old, it almost certainly supports some form of WPA (and if it doesn't, upgrading to the latest firmware may fix that). The easiest-to-use and most widely supported version is WPA Personal, sometimes referred to as WPA Pre-Shared Key (PSK).
To encrypt a network with WPA Personal/PSK you provide your router not with an encryption key, but rather with a plain-English passphrase between 8 and 63 characters long. Using a technology called TKIP (for Temporal Key Integrity Protocol), that passphrase, along with the network SSID, is used to generate unique encryption keys for each wireless client. And those encryption keys are constantly changed. (Although WEP also supports passphrases, it does so only as a way to more easily create static keys, which are usually comprised of the hex characters 0-9 and A-F).
Unfortunately, there are still wireless devices being sold today — mostly of the consumer electronics variety — that don't support WPA. Frankly, you should avoid buying any wireless device that does not support WPA. When it comes to regular PCs, WPA is supported by both Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and Mac OS X (as well as Windows Vista, naturally). In XP you won't find WPA options in the Data encryption drop-down menu found within the properties sheet for a wireless network connection. Look for it instead under Network Authentication, and then make sure that the choice you make for Data encryption — TKIP or AES — matches what your router is set for. (Many routers support AES, which offers stronger encryption that the kind used by TKIP.)
Properly configured, WPA offers you infinitely better protection than WEP.
If your router or its firmware is of relatively recent vintage (within the last 18-24 months), it may support WPA2, which provides further improvements over WPA, including using AES encryption by default.

How to share drives/data on computers via lan (the dialer modem is in the wi-fi device itself, which receives the broadband connection)?

2008-01-06T09:17:00.001-08:00

For sharing drives first of all some points must be kept in mind:

1. All the computers in the network must be in same workgroup

2. The drive which contains the file or folder which is to be shared must be shared too! Means to share the lunch box with ur friend, you must open it completely and give full permission to take the bread.Ex: For sharing My document folder first you should share c: drive or the root drive.

1. To configure all computer in the same workgroup on xp:

Right click on the my computer icon from the desktop and select properties.Goto computer name tab Then click on change button against To rename this computer or join a domain,click change. You can provide a unique name to your computer in the computer name box.

After that in workgroup give the name of workgroup say MS office and click ok. This procedure should be applied on all the computers in the network. Provide the same name as MS office to all the computer's workgroup.

After that click on the Remote tab in the system properties window.There you can give permission to those who can remotely connect to your computer on the network. Then click ok.

After that goto My network places and from left hand side click on view network connectios. Then select the LAN through which this computer is in network and right click on it and then properties. In that window goto Internet protocol(TCP/IP) and click on properties and check the ip address is there or not. Because it should be there as your system is already in network. Then click ok.

After this ping every computer on the network with their ip address or computer name( present in my computer> right click properties> computer name>see full computer name.)

For pinging : Goto start> Run> cmd then ok. Come to C prompt or

C:\> Ping ip address or computer name. If all the computers will be on it will display Reply from say 34.67.191.178 ..........

The ping will show you that all the computers are working properly and are in the network.

Then comes the main part drive sharing.

2. To share a drive goto my computer by double clicking on it. Click on the drive which you want to share. Say C: Right click on it and goto Sharing and security Then click on the link If you understand the risk but still want to share the root of the drive,click here.

C: drive properties window will be opened.

Then in the Network sharing and security click on Network Setup wizard.It will take you further and then comes select a connection method. If your computer is the gateway then select first option or if some other computer is the default gateway then select second option else other. But recommended is second option and click next. then you can give description for this computer and can change the name of computer here also. Then workgroup name Ms Office as setup earlier then next.Then you can enable file and printer sharing then next.* Gateway: the first computer in the network having ip: 192.168.0.1 (Recommended)or something else.After that click on fourth option just want to finish. Then it will ask to restart your computer. Restart it.

Then again goto my computer and right click on C: drive sharing and security > go further Then under network sharing and security.Check the box share this folder on the network. you can give any share name which users on other networked computers will use to access this disk or folder. For maximum compatibility with all versions of Windows, use 1-12 characters. By default, users on other computers have full access: they can read, write, and delete shared files. If you only want them to be able to read files, un-check Allow network users to change my files.

Warning: If a user has full access, deleting a file doesn't put it in the Recycle Bin. Once it's deleted, it's gone for good.

3. On every machine you need to disable simple file sharing. Goto my computer then go to Tools -> Folder Options -> View -> and uncheck Use simple file sharing (Recommended).

4. Turn off the Windows firewall.

Restart your computer.
Follow the same steps as above on all computers in the network.

There is no relationship between sharing and wi-fi or wired connection there should be connection either wired or wireless. No relation again with broadband.your internet is working through LAN card but sharing is nothing to do with broadband or dial up or dsl.

To see which computers are in the workgroup goto My network places and view workgroup computers. In my network places you will be able to see all the drives which are shared in the network and can access from there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Work is done successfully! Further assistance would be provided in this regard.

ssd vs conventional hdd

2008-01-05T02:32:00.000-08:00

On the right hand side laptop using ssd and on the left conventional hard drive.

Is there any definite advantage of solid state hard drives as compared to the conventional hdd??

2008-01-05T01:58:00.001-08:00

Yes Solid State hard drives are better than conventional one but the demerits are it's very expensive.Read this article and hope you get your answer. See the video too n get your answer to the question.

The SSD drives with SATA interfaces are terrific because they can be used in current laptops with no mods, the real performance of flash memory is only going to be unlocked when we cast aside the legacy of spinning disks and their cases and interfaces and mount SSDs on the mobo like we do RAM modules.

Micron announced that they will be releasing the RealSSD line of solid state drives, including a 64GB drive. While the entire line ranges from 1GB to 64GB, the 32 and 64 GB models are geared toward notebook and desktop use. The drives feature a SATA II interface and draw a mere 2 watts of power.

The best way to explain why SSD is a buzz acronym for the solid state drives we want in our notebooks is to show the problems with practically stone-age spinning hard drives inside most computers (and iPod classics). Since they have platters w/ magnetized surfaces that spin fast as they read or write data—think record player—they can be quite slow, and are really fragile. Anyone who's owned a computer or iPod knows (or will one day learn) that if the read/write head bumps into the platter, it's all over. SSDs aren't like that at all.

SSDs have no moving parts, so seek time is drastically reduced. No spinning=less battery vampirage, so your laptop lasts longer too. And finally, the lack of a deadly read-write head means you can drop your SSD-powered lappy with far less chance of weeping. Right now, SSDs are usually made with either SDRAM (like RAM used in computers) or NAND flash (like in thumb drives, iPod nanos, etc.). Flash is more common, since it doesn't need a battery even though it's slower. Problems: Gig for gig, SSD is way expensive. The beefiest you'll be able to get soon is 128GB (or maybe 256GB)—but the current 64GB 2.5" SSDs go for $1,100 and up.

youtube download

2007-11-18T01:04:00.000-08:00

How one can download videos from youtube?
*download the required software from http://www.vdownloader.es/ . it works great.also converts the downloaded software from one format to another.

What is the proper way to clean tft monitor.Please suggest any good product for that.

2007-10-26T00:35:00.000-07:00

A damp, soft lint-free cloth (do not use solvents), or a drysoft lint-free cloth with Isopropyl Alcohol. Clean with straightstrokes in one direction only.

Under no circumstances use any of the following, or substances based on them:

Acetone,Ammonia,Ethyl Acid,Ethyl Alcohol,Methyl Chloride .

Do not use paper towels - they are abrasive.Only use "Computer Wipes" if they are specifically for LCD.

LCD Cleaning liquids are available in market.you can prefer any brand.

Increase virtual RAM

2007-09-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

To increase virtual memory of your pc to make it fast :
Whenever we open some applications all the files associated with it loaded in the windows reserved memory for fast processing. You can use it for playing games and running applications which require higher RAM. Just follow the steps given below.

Right click on My Computer Icon on Desktop >> Go to Properties >> Go to Advanced >> Go to Performance - Settings >> Go to Advanced >> Go to Virtual Memory - Change Keep the initial size same as recommended and maximum size double of it then restart your system. It will improve speed of windows and you can play some games which require higher RAM.

Free mobile softwares

2007-09-27T03:31:00.000-07:00

MsvdriveE : ( freeware)

It saves your msgs directly on to your memory card(mmc).but first take back up of your messages and contacts and save them to your pc.then install this software on your cellphone.Because after installing this software you will not be able to see your previous
messages on your phone memory.works great for Nokia 3230 , n-gage & many more.

Name of software (freeware) : Msvdrivee

Search this software in google search on this page.

Get free mobile webcam software WWIGO:

Download from here:

http://motvik.com/

first you have to register on this site and then you can download the software for almost all cellphones.

Free Softwares

2007-09-27T03:25:00.000-07:00

oebackup for outlook express backup :

Backup ur mails, contacts n settings of outlook express using this free software:

Name of software(freeware): outlook express quick backup or oebackup

search this using google search on this page.

Tips & Tweaks

2007-09-27T03:05:00.000-07:00

1) Download videos from YouTube & google videos:

Goto youtube.com and open any video by searching through search button.

Then copy the url of that video from the address bar of browser and then

open http://www.videodl.org/ paste the copied url in the address bar of

videodl.org n click GET IT. Then a download link will be provided click on

that link and download any video of your choice. After downloading

rename the file as : name.flv where name is name of file which may be anything and .flv is extension of flv file format .Same process for downloading through google videos.

2) Gmail configuration for outlook express :

First of all go in your gmail inbox and under setting option enable pop and

save the new settings.then in outlook express goto option tools and

choose account.Tools>Accounts>Mail>add>mail> Display name: your name.Email address: your full email addressMy incoming mail server is : pop3incoming mail server : pop.gmail.comoutgoing mail server : smtp.gmail.comAccount name : your full email address i.e. someone.2@gmail.compassword : your password check the box remember your password.then next and then finish.then goto Tools>Accounts>Mail click on your mail a/c and then click on properties.goto server option and then check the box my server requires authentication.then click on log on using enter ur full a/c of gmail and your password.click ok then under connection option check the box always connect to this a/c using select ur connection type. Click the 'Advanced' tab. Check the box next to 'This server requires a secure connection (SSL)'
under 'Outgoing Mail (SMTP).' Enter '465' in the 'Outgoing mail (SMTP):' field. Check the box next to 'This server requires a secure connection (SSL)' under 'Incoming mail (POP3).' The port will change to 995.after that click OK .now your a/c is ready 2 use.Yahoo mails configuration is also same as Gmail .Recently yahoo has changed its port , it’s same as gmail now as following: Click the 'Advanced' tab. Check the box next to 'This server requires a secure connection (SSL)'
under 'Outgoing Mail (SMTP).' Enter '465' in the 'Outgoing mail (SMTP):' field. Check the box next to 'This server requires a secure connection (SSL)' under 'Incoming mail (POP3).' The port will change to 995.after that click OK .now ur a/c is ready 2 use.

3) You can run a program as a different user without logging out and back

in again. Right click the icon, select Run As... and enter the user name

and password you want to use. This only applies for that run. The trick is

particularly useful if you need to have administrative permissions to install

a program, which many require. Note that you can have some fun by

running programs multiple times on the same system as different users,

but this can have unforeseen effects.

4) You can start up without needing to enter a user name or password.

Select Run... from the start menu and type 'control userpasswords2' without quotes, which will open the user accounts application. On the Users tab, clear the box for Users Must Enter A User Name And Password To Use This Computer, and click on OK.

5) A great new feature in Microsoft Windows XP is the ability to do a boot

defragment. This places all boot files next to each other on the disk to

allow for faster booting. By default this option is enabled,but on some

systems it is not, so below is the information on how to turn it on:

Go to Start Menu and Click RunType in regedit then click okFind "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOpt

imizeFunction"Select "Enable" from the list on the rightRight on it and select "Modify"Change the value to Y .Reboot your Pc and see the change yourself.

6) Folder options has been disabled :

go to run in the start menu.type gpedit.msc then select user

config/administrative templates/windows componets/windows

explorer....on the right you find a screen where there is an option.... hide

folder options.disable it

7) Increase performance of your computer :

a)Right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop or in your start

panel and select properties.b) Next, Click on the Advanced tab and hit the setting button under

performance.c) On the visual effects tab, select Adjust for Best Performance and hit OK. Hit OK once more to exit system properties.

if you want your pc really fast than after the step c) select CUSTOM option

and select 'Use common tasks in floders' n than ok... remember that in

custom option 'use common tasks option' will be selected only then hit OK

Now your computer will run slightly faster !!!!!!!!

8) Disable unwanted services.....Run > services.msc and speed up your

pc.

But dont disable important services.

How can you block all remote connections to your computer

2007-09-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

How can I block all remote connection to my computer?

If you are using Windows Xp then first of all right click on My computer icon on desktop and go to properties then go to remote tab and uncheck the box written Allow users to connect remotely to this computer and click ok. This will not allow your pc to connect remotely.