Agave IT Services - Computer Repair & IT Support Blog

Backing Up Your Important Data

Agave IT Services — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:03:54 +0000

    There’s a slightly disconcerting trend that I’ve been observing in my line of work and dealing with lots of data (transfers, backups, etc.). This trend is that far too many people have not developed the religious practice of backing up the crucial data on their laptops or desktops. Understandably, some of these machines just work and their users go about their daily business unaware of the (more common than you might think) possibility of their hard drive crashing. When I say crashing, I mean crashing to the point of having to spend anywhere from $700 to $2500 to recover the data on it. Who wants that?! If you get lucky, you can sometimes pull the drive out of the system and get the data off of it using another computer. But drives do crash catastrophically and, if you’ve been caught not backing up your data, it’s VERY expensive when they do.
    So, here’s the solution. There are a number of ways you can start backing up your data. USB thumb drives have decent amount of disk space, but not a ton, so if you have a few important documents or spreadsheets (even some pictures), just get into the habit of connecting your USB drive and copying (not moving) your docs over to the drive. Another version of this backup would be to purchase a small external hard drive, which will have a LOT more disk space allowing you to copy just about anything over to it. Do the same thing here, and get into the habit of connecting your drive and copying your important data over to it.
    The other method of backing up important data is actually becoming more popular and more affordable. The “set it and forget it” online backup service is extremely helpful to those with either not enough time on their hands or too many distractions to remember the USB / External drive methods. There are several companies that offer online backup services. A few of these are Mozy, Carbonite, and SOS. The pricing and product packaging vary from company to company so check those out and see what fits with your needs and budget. You can also google “onine backup” to see what other options are out there. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to email me at the address listed below!

Cheers,
Mark Son
Owner | Agave IT Services
512.351.3007 | mark@agaveits.com
www.agaveits.com
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@LogMeIn Ignition Review – A Mixed Bag

Agave IT Services — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 04:01:31 +0000

First I have to admit I was a little bit giddy when I learned that the folks over at LogMeIn had finally decided to release their mobile app “Ignition” for android devices. For quite a while it had only been available for iPhones and whatever other Apple devices were out at the time. I purchased and downloaded it and started taking it for a spin. In hindsight I don’t recall it being troublesome or feeling like I had wasted my money (the app costs about $30 by the way), but it wasn’t an app that I was going to be using on a really frequent basis so the initial observation was actually great. I figured it would really only be used in a pinch or if I couldn’t get to a computer right away to help a client out.
Anyway, a month or two went by and I ended up needing to use it for real. Well, it turns out that the app wasn’t the symphony-accompanied beam of light from the sky I had originally thought. I tried to log in and the app simply kept kicking me back to the login screen. After some persistence (about 10 minutes of repeatedly trying to log in) I was finally able to log in and help out my client. Obviously, I wanted to find out what the problem was. After some google searching I discovered some forum posts written by other disappointed Ignition users that, in a way, had unearthed the choice piece of info that LogMeIn will most likely not be plastering up on the Ignition product page any time soon. The app does NOT work well with 3G connections. Now, call me picky, but isn’t this the very environment that such an app should be tailored to? Technically, the amount of packet loss that occurs over 3G causes LogMeIn Ignition to be extremely unreliable (bordering on unusable), and you really don’t get much out of the app unless you’re using a WiFi connection. This defeats the purpose in my opinion. I don’t want to ramble on too much about it. Ignition is a handy little app once you get it to work, but if you’re thinking about buying it and you happen to be reading this, be aware. Ignition does not like 3G one bit. If you have any input or opinions please feel free to contact me.

Cheers,
Mark Son
Owner | Agave IT Services
512.351.3007 | mark@agaveits.com
www.agaveits.com
www.twitter.com/agaveits
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10 Tips For Optimizing Your Computer

Agave IT Services — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:35:56 +0000

1. Manage Running Applications - This is probably the best advice to offer in the world of keeping a PC running smoothly. Every PC, no matter how beefy, has a limited amount of resources it can use to run the applications you open on a day to day basis. Most modern PCs can handle a pretty good amount of processing, but it’s those little apps that run in your system tray (the line/list of icons next to your clock) that can accumulate very quickly if you’re not careful. Before you know it, you’ve opted in to install every toolbar or security scan under the sun, and you’ve ended up with a slew of running programs you never even use. The first step in clearing up this problem is paying attention to what you install. Nowadays, everything from shareware apps to java updates has a little check box (which, by the way, is always checked by default) that says “Install this or that or the other”. Unless you KNOW you’re going to use whatever it’s asking you to install, UNCHECK these boxes! The next step is to see what you actually have running. Usually you can just skim over the icons in your system tray and they’ll tell you what they are. Don’t disable your antivirus software. These do take up resources but they’re more important in the long run. Download and use a program like CCleaner to check in on which apps are starting up when you boot your PC. Some are kind of ambiguous, but you can always google these to find out what they are. Others are pretty obvious and if you know you don’t need that app to run constantly, disable or delete that entry from your startup list. The toughest part of this whole concept is getting a handle on what to keep and what to disable, but once you’ve got a decent grasp on it, your PC will thank you.

2. Keep Adequate Free Disk Space - Windows needs disk space to run efficiently. Most drives are more than large enough for the average user. However, if you have a massive iTunes library or you work in CAD or graphic design of some sort you can easily fill up a hard drive. If you reach the capacity of your hard drive, this can really start to cause problems with windows, so a good preemptive practice is to store video, music, pictures, and any other large files on an external USB or Firewire hard drive or a NAS (Network Attached Storage) unit. You can pick one of these up at Best Buy or any local electronics/computer hardware retailer, and they’re very easy to set up and use. Bottom line, don’t get caught with a tiny sliver of pink on your hard drive’s usage report.

3. Know Your PC’s Limits - This sounds pretty simple. That’s just because it is. Knowing what your machine can and cannot run is definitely an important thing to be aware of. If your PC is 6 years old, you’re probably not going to be able to run the latest and greatest 3D game on the market. This sort of ties into number 1 as well, but it’s more about simply knowing what your PC was built for and not trying to push it too hard.

4. Upgrade Your Memory - This is another sort of right-under-your-nose thing, but it actually is very helpful. Most PCs are being shipped with lots of memory. This is primarily due to operating systems like Windows Vista and Windows 7 which both need quite a bit. If you’re still running XP (which is perfectly fine), you may have 512MB or even less. A great tool for finding out what kind of memory your system uses and how much it can handle is SIW which you can download here. On the left hand side of SIW you go to “Hardware” then “Memory”. This page will tell you how much RAM you have, how much your motherboard can take, how many memory slots your motherboard has, and what kind of memory you need. Just copy this info and take it to your local computer store. Also, a good thing to be aware of is whether you’re running a 32-bit version of windows or a 64-bit version. This fact has some other little nuances, but just remember that a 32-bit system will NOT see anything higher than 4GB of memory.

5. Maintain An Antivirus Solution / Perform Regular Scans - Antivirus apps usually update themselves, but some require you to schedule a scan or manually perform one. We recommend avast! antivirus. They have a free version you can download which provides great protection from viruses, spyware and other forms of malware. Keeping your system protected with an antivirus solution will save you lots of headache in the long run. If you’ve ever been hit with something nasty, you know it can take quite a bit of time and maybe money to back up your data and rebuild your system.

6. Adjust Windows Theme Settings - XP, Vista and Windows 7 all have enhanced GUIs (grapical user interfaces) that can be adjusted to your preferences and to your system’s level of performance. You can keep the default settings (takes up the most memory), or you can strip windows down to look just like Windows 2000 (frees up the most memory). In XP you can find these settings under your control panel, then “Display”. In Vista and 7, it’s under control panel and “Personalization”. You can toy with these settings until you find a good middle ground that has the performance and responsiveness you want with the perfered appearance.

7. Optimize Your Page File - Windows uses what’s called a “page file” to extend the amount of physical RAM installed in a system. This is basically a chunk of your hard drive that windows uses as “virtual memory” to run applications. Optimizing the size of this file is pretty straight forward. By default, windows creates a page file that is 1.5 times the amount of RAM in the system. If you’re running 3 or 4GB of physical RAM, letting windows keep this setting is ok. Even a 1:1 ratio with 4GB of RAM is fine. It’s in the lower end of the RAM spectrum that you may want to give your page file some extra “oomph”. For instance, if you’re running 512MB or 1GB of RAM, you can adjust your page file size to 2x your RAM (1GB RAM = 2GB Page File, etc.). Changing the size of your page file is simple, but it’s a lengthy explanation that would dominate this blog. Click HERE for a plethora of resources on adjusting your page file.

8. Defrag Your Hard Drive - This is generally only needed if your hard drive has been in use for quite some time and has had LOADS of files created, saved, modified & deleted. Be aware that excessively defragging a hard drive can shorten its lifespan. A quick way to see if your drive needs a defrag is to hit “Windows Logo Key + R”, type in “cmd”, then in the command prompt window that opens type “defrag c: /a”. This will tell you whether or not your drive needs to be defragmented. If it does, open “My Computer”, right click on your C drive, click on “Properties”, go to the “Tools” tab, and open the defrag utility. A great little program called Defraggler that might simplify things is also available here for download. Defraggler can take care of your entire hard disk or it can defrag individual files if needed.

9. Keep Your System Clean - What this means is, don’t let your temporary internet files, tmp files and other detritus that windows likes to horde bog down your system. An amazing tool for keeping tabs on this is CCleaner. You can download this here. See the previous blog post on this wondrous little app to familiarize yourself with it.

10. Keep Your System Updated - This is kind of a combination of security and optimization. Updating your operating system and your installed applications keeps them secure and running at their potential. Some will disagree on this and I can explain why, but 90% of the time, turning windows update on and automating it is a very good idea. The ONLY reason one should ever spend time worrying about windows/program updates is if you’re dealing with a production server with known application or compatibility issues. Basically this is if you have a server running an application that could be hindered or damaged by an update of some sort. For desktop or home users, updates are a good thing!

Cheers,
Mark Son
Agave IT Services
512.351.3007
www.agaveits.com
support@agaveits.com

The Techie’s Toybox of @LogMeIn

Agave IT Services — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:33:30 +0000

I don’t think it would be morally correct to not write something about LogMeIn on here. Honestly this will probably sound like they’re paying me, but they’re really not . I just love their products. So far the developers at LogMeIn have floored me with a great collection of tech tools ranging from simple remote control software to full featured monitoring/reporting and an entirely software-based VPN solution that every small business with remote users or satellite offices should take a look at. One of the most appealing points about LogMeIn products is that small MSPs can offer and sell the similar services as the big boys without spending a fortune.

LogMeIn Free and Pro are, in my opinion, the apps that put these folks on the map. Both offer remote control capability without opening ports on your firewall (which for most users, isn’t even something they want to consider), but LogMeIn Pro has an arsenal of monitoring, alerting, logging, and file transfer tools. Of course Pro isn’t free but the prices are very fair considering any MSP could resell the service.

Hamachi is the aforementioned VPN solution. The EULA for Hamachi states that for home users, the software is free. In most cases, for businesses, it’s probably more affordable and practical than a bulky hardware solution that a) can be a pain to configure b) you can’t just deploy in a heartbeat, and c) will most likely require more support in the long run. Basically you have an encrypted “network”, hosted on the LogMeIn servers, between all your clients that you can perform simple file sharing over the internet with or (haven’t tried this yet) allow remote users full authentication on a domain controller as if they were in the office with the server. This is a tough one to explain, so my advice is to just go try it out if it’s something you’re looking into.

All in all, whether you’re a laptop user looking for the ability to remote into your home PC while you’re on the road, or you’re an IT services provider looking for tools that you can offer your clients, you should definitely go to www.logmein.com and explore what they’ve got to offer.

Cheers,
Mark Son
Agave IT Services
512.351.3007
www.agaveits.com
support@agaveits.com

Using Ccleaner to Clear Out the Clutter

Agave IT Services — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:01:04 +0000

If you haven’t heard of Ccleaner yet then here’s your introduction. Basically Ccleaner is a free application (available at www.ccleaner.com) that helps you clean out the junk that windows tends to accumulate. A lot of times the cache clearing tools that browsers have built in do a so so job. Ccleaner sees which browsers you have installed on your system and will actually clean all your internet cache with the click of one button. Browser cache isn’t the only thing it can get rid of though. Here’s a quick screenshot of Ccleaner’s main interface. On the left you can see all the options you have for different applications, windows temp files, old log files, etc. Ccleaner also has a great registry tool and startup inspection. These are more advanced tools but definitely come in handy if you get to know them.

Screenshot of Ccleaner

Cheers,
Mark Son
Agave IT Services
512.351.3007
www.agaveits.com
support@agaveits.com

Setting Up A Solid Wireless Network

Agave IT Services — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:56:25 +0000

When most folks go out and purchase hardware to enable wireless networking in their home or at their business they don’t end up properly configuring the new devices. This is mainly in a security sense, but there are so many factors that can not only make your wireless network much more stable and reliable, but can prevent wireless “eavesdroppers” from seeing stuff they’re not supposed to see and can stop unwanted borrowing of your broadband service. This is particularly important for businesses with which client confidentiality is an issue. If you don’t know how to log into your router, you can usually get there by going to an internet browser and typing in http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1 . You’ll need to know your admin user name and password.

The first step you’ll want to take towards configuring your wireless network will be to choose a network name or an SSID. This should be something unique but you don’t have to worry too much about it. It can really be anything (ilikecookies, joes-network, etc.). Don’t use “netgear” or “linksys” which are typical default SSIDs for common routers.

Second, you’ll want to use some form of security or encryption for your network. The first security protocol implemented for wireless networking was WEP. Personally, I find WEP to be temperamental and usually try to avoid it if possible. There are character limitations on passphrases and it’s not as solid as WPA or WPA2. You can search for “WEP vs. WPA” on google to learn about the differences between the two and the vulnerabilities of WEP. Once you select your security type, you’ll need to create a passphrase to join devices to your wireless network. If you really want to protect your network you should employ the same principals for creating this password that you would for creating any other password (i.e. don’t use something super obvious, easy to guess, or overly simple).

Now that you’ve got your wireless network created and secured, you’ll definitely want to change the admin password for logging into your router’s control panel. Don’t make this the same as your wireless network passphrase if you plan on sharing that. If you do make the two passwords the same, be mindful of who’s privy to your info.

That’s pretty much it for configuring your router’s wireless settings. Now if you have a large area that needs solid wireless coverage, or if there’s some source of signal blockage that creates a dead spot, you can expand the network with access points. Make sure you specifically get access points though. They have capability for what’s called DHCP Pass Through. Some routers will allow “access point mode” but there’s no point in wasting money buying another router and just disabling most of its functionality. Bear in mind that access points usually need to have a network cable that connects it directly to the router. Most businesses have some form of network cabling installed in the building and some houses do. It’s pretty straight forward. If you have an attic and/or a knack for running speaker wire it shouldn’t give you much trouble.

The setup for your access point(s) is sort of a repeat of the router setup aside from a couple of things. To keep things easy to remember, set your access point’s admin password the same as the routers. You’ll also want your SSID, security type, and passphrase to be the same as they are on the router. This will let your laptop, iphone, or other wireless device jump from your router to an access point (or vice versa) if need be without having to reconnect. As far as the IP address settings of your access points, I usually give each one its own static IP address. This usually means disabling the “DHCP Client” setting within the access point’s admin panel. When you assign the IP address, make sure it’s consistent with your router’s DHCP settings. Also, I either reserve that IP address for the respective access point within the router’s DHCP settings or I use an IP address that’s outside of the router’s DHCP range. To explain that, if your router has a “DHCP Range” of 192.168.0.2 – 192.168.0.250, you can use 192.168.0.251 for your first access point, 252 for the second, and so on. Specifying these settings and documenting them makes it easier to log into and perform maintenance on your access points if you need to. You won’t have to go hunting through your router’s DHCP client list guessing which AP you’re logging into each time.

Hopefully this article has been helpful and will improve your experience with wireless networking. If you have any questions at all, feel free to email me at support@agaveits.com.

Cheers,
Mark Son
Agave IT Services
512.351.3007
www.agaveits.com
support@agaveits.com