 Phishing attempts become more sophisticated every day. It's hard to know if a call, email, or text message is legitimate or not. Even ads on Google might lead you to a phishing attempt (we know, because it happened to one of our employees). Often, these bad actors will want to gain control of your computer, and surprisingly it's really easy to do. All these hackers need to do is lead you to a website where they can gain control of your screen and ultimately your computer. But, what would they want to steal? They can steal your banking data, your contact list, credit card information, images, and other personal information. Ok, what should I do? Don't worry. There are a few things you can do to mitigate your risk: 1. Contact the Company Directly If they reached out to you about a billing or other concern that makes you question the legitimacy of the inquiry, stop and hang up. Look up the company's phone number (if they have one) and call them directly to see if there are issues on your account. Remember, government agencies and banks will usually send you a letter and that asks you to call them. 2. If You Can't Call Them, They Won't Call You Quite simply, if a major company doesn't have a way to contact customer service (like Google), it's unlikely they will ever call you about a billing concern. They will most likely email you. Furthermore, if there is an issue with your account, the service will stop. Platforms like Microsoft will limit the platform until you pay for the service. 3. Don't Follow Steps Without Asking Why Think twice before allowing someone access to your computer. Any reputable company will ask for your permission first and tell you WHY they need access to your computer to troubleshoot an issue. If you feel the person on the other end of the line is demanding you to go to a web address and type in codes without telling you the purpose, STOP. They are most likely leading you to a site where they can gain access of your computer. This allows them to install malware and even ransomware. 4. Don't Click Especially with text messages and emails, even if you are curious DO NOT CLICK links or open attachments. Doing so can put your device or email at risk. 5. Pay Attention to the Timing of Pop Ups If you're using Microsoft Word, for example, you might get a pop-up telling you your billing information is expiring on your Microsoft account. If you know that is true, it is likely a legitimate pop-up. Even then, if your billing information expires, the service will just stop... no big deal. You would also receive an email encouraging you to update your information. However, if you get a pop-up while you are browsing the Internet, think twice. It's most likely spam. Make sure you turn on pop-up blocking on your Internet browser to block attempts like this. Think you may have been hacked? Learn more about how to know and what to do if you've been hacked. If you're concerned that you've been compromised, our Tech Team can help. Tech TalkWhat do you want to know?Tune in on KSDM 104.1 FM, KGHS 1230 AM, KGHS 95.3 FM on Wednesday at 8:40 am for the next episode of Tech Talk.
Send your tech questions to info@smalltowntech.shop.
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Which web browser is the best? If you're looking for the best browser, it just depends on what is right for you. All of the main browsers – like Chrome, Ede (formerly Internet Explorer), Safari, and Firfox – are good choices and safe, although each has its own features or advantages. Compatible When choosing a browser, look for compatibility for things you frequent most. For example, there are Google video conferencing products that only work on Chrome. Ease of Use Choose one that suits your ease of use. Can you adjust how websites are displayed if you have visual impairments? Can you adjust the font size or easily find bookmarks to websites you want to save? Secure Equally as important, look for security. All the major browsers have the ability to block certain websites (like adult-only content) or unsafe websites. Unsafe websites could potentially set you up for credit card theft if you were to make a purchase on the website. Secure websites have an address that starts with "https://". Some browsers display a padlock on the address bar as well so you can quickly reference if it is secure or not. Speaking of address bars, we commonly hear people confuse an address bar with a search engine. Most browsers set its homepage to its preferred search engine, which is usually Google or Bing. If you type in a website address (such as smalltowntech.shop) in the search engine, it will not take you directly to the website. Instead, you will see corresponding search results, which in most cases there will be a link that leads you to the right website. If you have a specific URL address (website address), such as for a Zoom conference, it will not work to type this into the search engine. Look for the address bar, which is a short and long rectangle box at the top of any browser and type in website addresses there. No matter which browser you download, do not use password saving services from the browser. Your browser company has no incentive to protect your data, and in the fine print they absolve themselves from any breach of your data. Our Protech Enterprise plan comes with a password-saving platform that is secure. If you need help finding the browser right for you, our Tech Team is always here to help.  What do you want to know?Tune in on KSDM 104.1 FM, KGHS 1230 AM, KGHS 95.3 FM on Wednesday at 8:40 am for the next episode of Tech Talk.
Send your tech questions to info@smalltowntech.shop.  Let's talk about spam mail. Is it legal? Why am I getting this? First. do you know why it's called spam mail? It actually comes from the movie Monty Python. It means ubiquitous, unavoidable, and repetitive. Yep, nailed it! It's frustrating when the spam emails are inundating your inbox and you can't find the real emails from the spam. Now, there is a difference between phishing emails that are labeled spam and emails that you've subscribed to that you consider spam. This is why not all "junk" emails end up in your spam folder in your email. Your email provider works hard to block any phishing attempts. Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do about these emails except rely on your service provider to carry the load for you. What about the emails you've subscribed to? Sometimes, you might feel like the email newsletter knows more about you than you've told them about yourself. If you didn't know already:
Here's the thing, there are a lot of analytics being processed about what you've done with an email, and actions taken in response to how you've interacted with it. This is why you may get an email saying for example, "We noticed you didn't open our last email." If you physically subscribed to an email and you feel bombarded, look at the bottom of the email and look for the "unsubscribe" link. By law, solicitation emails need to offer an unsubscribe option. It's like the Do Not Call List, except you won't be emailed again. However, sometimes legitimate emails can end up in your spam folder. We advise that you check the folder on a weekly basis. If there is an email that is not spam, let your email know (there's usually an option to let it know it's not spam). If an email includes the word spam, includes unidentifiable attachments, or has provocative language, your email will most likely label it as spam. Likewise, if an email ends up in your inbox that is spam, let your email provider know by labeling it as spam/junk. It should remember your preferences for next time. What do you want to know?Tune in on KSDM 104.1 FM, KGHS 1230 AM, KGHS 95.3 FM on Wednesday at 8:40 am for the next episode of Tech Talk.
Send your tech questions to info@smalltowntech.shop. It can be confusing how some devices, like your phone, always seem to be connected to the internet and other devices, like a tablet, are only connected at home or where there is public Wi-Fi. Your computer and usually a tablet (unless you purchased it through your cell phone company), only connects to Wi-Fi. Some desktop computers may not even connect to Wi-Fi and need to be hardwired to the Ethernet cable (which connects to the router). Your phone connects to WiFi and LTE (Long Term Evolution). While Wi-Fi comes from your cable and internet provider, LTE is a wireless broadband sent through the radio spectrum. To access LTE, you pay your cell phone provider. You most likely pay a monthly bill for different data caps of usage. We break down what Wi-Fi is on this post. Your phone is more mobile than your computer, so it makes sense that you can access the Internet from nearly anywhere. So how can you tell if you're on Wi-Fi or LTE? Look on your phone on the top bar. If you see 4G or LTE, you're using LTE, or cell phone data. If you see a dot with three arches above it, you are on Wi-Fi.  Is WiFi more secure? Surprisingly, LTE is encrypted making it more secure than Wi-Fi. The safest way to use Wi-Fi is if there is a firewall and password protection. If it's not, your neighbor or anyone else can tap into your WiFi. Plus, the more people that are on it, the more that it slows down. We talk about how to speed up your Internet on this post. How do I know if someone is stealing my WiFi? Even with a password, it's possible that someone is using your Wi-Fi. If your internet is slow and nothing else seems to be affecting it, you can check if someone has hacked your Wi-Fi. If your computer is slow, there are ways to speed it up. We first suggest that you connect with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). You most likely have a provided modem and router from your ISP, and they can direct you how to check if someone is stealing your Wi-Fi. If you are a bit tech savvy, you can type in your IP address into your browser address bar. This will bring you to your router's administration page. There you can look for a list of Media Access Control (MAC) addresses that are connected to your Wi-Fi. If you see an address that you don't recognize, change your Wi-Fi password. If that's intimidating, the team at Small Town Tech can assist you. What is Wi-Fi short for? Wi-Fi... it sounds like an acronym or an abbreviation, but it's not. It's simply a name a marketing agency created for the creators of Wi-Fi, which originally was named "IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence." It's a good thing for the name change, or there may not have been as many computer cafés during the boom of the Dot Com Era! Can you imagine seeing "We have Coffee and Free IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence" on a sign? We can't either! In the 21st Century, most people dropped the hyphen and capitalization and simply write "wifi".  What do you want to know?Tune in on KSDM 104.1 FM, KGHS 1230 AM, KGHS 95.3 FM on Wednesday at 8:40 am for the next episode of Tech Talk.
Send your tech questions to info@smalltowntech.shop.  More employers are turning to remote working solutions, and it seems like it has greater safety benefits. Besides a global pandemic, you aren't dealing with the risks of commuting to work. But are you protected? Is working from home safer than working at the office? Just like you need to be aware of your surroundings and traffic when you're driving to work, you need to be aware of your security surroundings when you're working at home. If you're an employer, keep reading to learn how you need to protect your business. 1. How Employees Connect
Anytime you send something out into the Internet, there is ALWAYS a security risk. Anytime you're connecting remotely, you need to have security barriers. One way to do that is to fix how you're connecting to your company. Is it a website or cloud-based platform? Is there a firewall or password portal? Or are you connecting to your office computer from home? Good scenario: A common and the most affordable way to set up remote working solutions is to have your employees connect to cloud-based platforms, like Zoom, Slack, Trello, and G Suite. This allows your employees to communicate with another, send and receive documents, assign tasks, and more. Best scenario: While it's an investment, the best remote working solution is to set up a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN is essentially a portal in the Internet that creates a secure connection from your business's private server to your employee's computer at home. Think of it like a highway that was specifically built for only your employees to get to the office. No one else is able to drive on it. A VPN offers the highest security for your employees and your business data. 2. Where Employees Connect Another scenario employers should be aware of is if employees are working from a public place like a coffee shop or library and are connecting to public Wi-Fi. Beware, public Wi-Fi is not secure. Anyone attempting to steal your data doesn't need a lot of experience to breach your data on public Wi-Fi. More commonly, someone can simply look over your shoulder and see what you're doing. Even if you're not accessing financial documents, any sensitive data like your next product launch could be compromised. Good scenario: Create a company policy that doesn't allow your employees to work from public spaces on public Wi-Fi, like a coffee shop, library, or even a hotel. If employees must work from a place outside of their home, consider a reimbursement for a co-working space membership. Usually co-working spaces have secure networking solutions and private spaces for improved productivity. Best scenario: Ensure employees are connecting to the company's VPN on a secure Wi-Fi connection. What is your current business set up? Is your business secure or at risk of a data breach? Small Town Tech can find the right tools for you and your budget with a Free Tech Assessment, free with our Protech Enterprise plan. Passwords. You either can't remember your complicated password or it's not secure. Passwords are at the heart of everything we do online. A weak password means you're more vulnerable to cyber attacks, theft, and even your reputation could be damaged. Weak passwords are:
So, what is the ideal password? The latest research is that passwords don't have to be super complex, it should just be unusual and long - approximately twenty characters is best. We know what you're thinking. TWENTY CHARACTERS?! How will I remember that? Here are some tricks to create a secure and long password - that you will remember. 1. Random Words Take 3-4 random words that have nothing to do with you or each other. For example, turtlecanoemartiancandle. Most companies require that a password contain a capital letter, number, and special character, so simply replace characters or add numbers. For example, make e=3, a=@, i=1, and l=/. The password would then look something like: Turtl3c@noeMart1ancand/e. It's easy to remember your special code words, and after typing it a few times, you'll remember the character replacements. 2. Special Memories Every time you type in your password, you can remember a special time in your life. For example, you could base your password on your son's birthday. "My son's birthday is in February 2." To make that into a secure password, take the first letter of each word and put it together, for example MsbiiF2. Recall that we need a longer password, so you could make that more secure by adding more letters, for example MsbdayiiFeb2. Let's replace a few more letters with numbers and characters to strengthen it more. Make e=3, i=1 and add / for good measure to get: Ms/bday1F3b2 If you don't have a special memory, you could make a password about your favorite vehicle, a hobby you enjoy, your childhood street address, and more. The options are unlimited and you will be more secure. 3. One and Done No one needs to be a password super hero. If you have a lot of passwords that you are using, we highly recommend a password manager. This means you only need to remember ONE password and the software stores and retrieves your passwords for you. Just remember, not all password managers are created equal. Find a trustworthy platform. At Small Town Tech, our password management service is standard on our Protech Enterprise plan. If you're a business and you're reading this, call us (218-240-8802) and tell us you have "the secret password" and we will give you a free technology assessment. If your business has any security deficiencies, we will find it and recommend a solution. What do you want to know?Tune in on KSDM 104.1 FM, KGHS 1230 AM, KGHS 95.3 FM on Wednesday at 8:40 am for the next episode of Tech Talk.
Send your tech questions to info@smalltowntech.shop. Your computer is slow and you're not sure why or what's changed. A slow computer is a common concern, but there are several possible reasons. First, make sure it's your computer and not the internet. If your Internet is slow, you can learn how to fix that here. How do you know? If your computer is only slow when you're on the Internet, your computer should not be the issue. After you tried restarting it (learn why that usually works here), and you still find the computer is slow, there are steps you can take at home before bringing it in for a repair. 1. Dust Bunnies You would be surprised how much dust and hair can get trapped inside of your computer. If you have a pet especially and if your computer sits on the ground, it is inevitable that dust bunnies will make its way into your devices. That can significantly bog down your computer. Computer generate heat, so there are air vents and fans to help cool it down. If the vents are blocked from dust, it can cause your computer to overheat and can simply slow down the effectiveness of the hardware. What you can do: Get a bottle of canned air and try to blow it out. You can also grab your standard vacuum hose and suck out what you can. Review your warranty before removing any panels on your computer. 2. Old Hardware If your computer is getting old, it cannot work as efficiently as it used to. Think about an old, vintage car, it can't drive as fast as newer cars or play BluRay movies. It's much harder to retrofit an old device to keep up with the evolving technology. As your computer gets older and the software sizes increase, your computer may not be able to compute everything you are asking of it. What you can do: Clean old files and applications to clear up as much storage as possible. 3. Infection If neither of those things increase your computer speed, your computer may be infected. Viruses can severely impact your computer's speed and function. What you can do: Get a trusted antivirus software, like Protech. Try it for free for 14-days. If none of the above speeds up your computer, call your nearest computer technician service like Small Town Tech. What do you want to know?Tune in on KSDM 104.1 FM, KGHS 1230 AM, KGHS 95.3 FM on Wednesday at 8:40 am for the next episode of Tech Talk.
Send your tech questions to info@smalltowntech.shop. You received an email, you clicked a link, and now you believe you've been hacked. Now what? This is a common concern, and if you're like most people, it will happen to you at some point. You wonder, what should I do next and should I even be worried? First, take a deep breath and don't panic. If you opened the email, in most cases nothing has happened yet. If you didn't click on the link or open the attachment, you're likely not compromised and have nothing to worry about. No matter if you click or not, never respond to the attack. By simply responding it may give them an avenue to put a virus on your computer. At the very least, by responding you signal that there is a live person on the other end that they continue the conversation. They may start to ask you questions that look harmless, such as "What was your first pet's name?" This is an attempt to gather information from you that could answer common security questions to verify your identity. These are called phishing attacks. The hacker either pretend to be someone they are not - it might look like it comes from your bank or credit card company. They are hoping you think it's real and legit and you will click on the link. The important thing to remember is that large corporations like Microsoft, Google, PayPal, and Amazon, the government, and even your bank - will not ask you for money or sensitive information through an email. Don't share sensitive information like account numbers, social security numbers, your address, or other information. A simple way to see if an email is coming from the authorized service is to look at the sender's email address. If the email has extra digits and letters, it is most likely a phishing attack. If you did click, call your nearest computer technician service like Small Town Tech. What do you want to know?Tune in on KSDM 104.1 FM, KGHS 1230 AM, KGHS 95.3 FM on Wednesday at 8:40 am for the next episode of Tech Talk.
Send your tech questions to info@smalltowntech.shop. "Did you try restarting it?" It seems like any time you call a technician, this is the first question you're asked. This is a little secret of IT professionals... turning it off and turning it back on fixes 90% of technology problems. (Yes, that's a made up statistic, but it really does seem to solve a lot of problems.) But, there's a reason. There is actual science behind it. Why restarting it usually works Think of your electronics like a line of people completing a series of handshakes to make whatever process on the device occur. Thousands of handshakes have to occur in the right order, at the right speed, and at the right moment for everything to work correctly. If just one person in the chain of handshakes doesn't shake correctly, it won't work. Instead of trying to pinpoint the one shake that didn't work, we tell everyone to stop shaking hands and start at the beginning again. After restarting, it works. Think of all of your devices - like your computer, television, router, gaming devices, phone, and the like. There are thousands of processes that go on simultaneously as you're trying to operate it, and if something doesn't work, how do we track that one that little thing out of the thousands that isn't working? If we just restart it, a lot of errors in all those processes are cleared up. Another reason can be that the device has been "on" for too long. While electronics are turned on, things can change. As you open several tabs, applications, or different games, you leave "footprints" on your electronics. Sometimes these footprints get in the way of each other. By restarting your device, you clean up all the footprints and start with a clean slate. After you turn it off, why should you wait 10 seconds? After you unplug, many devices hold electricity after it is unplugged. You'll usually see this with a light that will slowly fade away. You want to make sure that the device has been completely turned off and allowed to reset before restarting it. When shouldn't you restart it? Never restart your device when it is finishing an update. Sometimes updates can take awhile, but be patient. If it seems like things are not working as it should or an update is taking too long, reach out to our Tech Team for assistance. What do you want to know?Tune in on KSDM 104.1 FM, KGHS 1230 AM, KGHS 95.3 FM on Wednesday at 8:40 am for the next episode of Tech Talk.
Send your tech questions to info@smalltowntech.shop.
If you've ever purchased a computer, your eyes probably glossed over the computer specifications. Maybe you called up your tech savvy friend for advice to interpret just what all that means!
Computer manufacturers have not simplified the purchasing process, but we will help by giving you two specifications that you need to know. If you understand just two specifications, you'll be able to purchase a computer with confidence. But first, you need to answer this: How are you going to use your computer? If you are a gamer, for example, you will need a different set up than someone who is using their computer to access accounting software. A videographer will need something different than a distance-learning first grader. You get the idea. Understanding HOW you use your computer helps you narrow down the right brand, screen size, whether you need a laptop or a desktop, and the memory and storage, which we discuss next. 1. RAM - Memory When you're shopping for a computer you will have a choice to keep the standard RAM or upgrade. RAM is your computer's memory, and it is usually 4 GB, 8 GB or 16 GB. It's always in multiples of 4. By the way, "GB" stands for gigabyte, and it's about eight billion bits of memory. Memory is different than storage though, which is also measured in gigabytes (or terabytes, which is 100 GB). Memory is your computer's ability to multi-task. Similar to our own brains, we are limited on how many tasks we can simultaneously complete. Imagine you have a pot of rice cooking on the stove when your neighbor knocks on the door. While you're talking to your neighbor, the phone rings and you answer it. Your neighbor waits at the door, you're still on the phone, and now your children are asking for help with their math homework. Then the dog starts barking. Consequently, you forget to check the rice and it burns. You can only do so much at one time! Your computer is the same way. Think about on average how many browser tabs you have opened, while at the same time, you're streaming a podcast, reviewing a document, and creating a presentation. You also have several applications open in the background that even though you aren't actively using it, your computer is thinking about. How many applications can you have opened before your computer's "brain" can't handle it anymore and crashes? It's like a juggling act. With RAM, you add more hands and more brains, so your computer can handle all of the balls in the air. It's best to get this right the first time. Maxing out your RAM when you purchase a computer is much better (and more affordable) than retrofitting it later on. How much RAM is right for me? For most people, 8 GB is sufficient. However, if you're a gamer, videographer, graphic designer, or another specialized category where you use large software, upgrade your RAM to 16 GB or more. 2. Storage Storage is like your longterm memory in your brain. In a computer, this is all your files - documents, pictures, videos, and more. Anything you click File > Save. If it looks like your computer is low on storage, don't panic. Storage can be added at any time. Just like in life, it's easy and affordable to add storage solutions. After all, you can always build a storage shed in your backyard. What happens to your files if your storage shed burns down? We recommend saving files to cloud-based platforms, like Protech Business, and then even if you can't access your computer, your files aren't lost due to a fires, floods, or theft. If you need assistance finding the right computer for you, our Tech Team is happy to help. What do you want to know?
Tune in on KSDM 104.1 FM, KGHS 1230 AM, KGHS 95.3 FM on Wednesday at 8:40 am for the next episode of Tech Talk.
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