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Prevent your laptop from overheatingAn overheating laptop is not an uncommon thing. Unfortunately, this can lead to decreased laptop efficiency and a shorter lifespan. Here’s how to protect your laptop from damage due to overheating. Causes of overheating Laptops generate heat when in use. That’s why they have internal fans that blow out hot air and suck in cooler […]

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Prevent your laptop from overheating

An overheating laptop is not an uncommon thing. Unfortunately, this can lead to decreased laptop efficiency and a shorter lifespan. Here’s how to protect your laptop from damage due to overheating.

Causes of overheating

Laptops generate heat when in use. That’s why they have internal fans that blow out hot air and suck in cooler air. So when your laptop keeps shutting down or suffers some serious slowdowns, chances are it’s overheating.

Some causes of overheating are:

Damaged or malfunctioning fans are due to dirt and grime clogging up the fan, preventing it from rotating properly.
Blocked air vents prevents air from flowing into the laptop.
Old laptop battery rely on lithium, a chemical that naturally decays over time; as the battery gets older, it becomes less efficient and generates more heat
Running too many software programs in the background can cause your processor and fans to go on overdrive.
Bad habits when using your laptop, such as using uneven or soft surfaces as padding, can block the air vents, leading to overheating.

What to do if your laptop’s overheating

If your laptop starts overheating, the first thing you should do is turn your laptop off and check if the fan is damaged in any way. This can slow down its rotation. Next, inspect the vents and fan for any dirt, grime, or other possible causes of blockage.

Also, check how many software programs or apps run immediately after switching your laptop on. If your laptop is overheating or shutting down after a while, you may have to disable applications on startup.

Keeping it cool

Always make sure that there’s adequate airflow when you’re using your laptop. Avoid using your laptop in bed or on a carpet. And never use pillows as padding as they can block the air vents of your laptop. Better yet, invest in a cooling pad. They lift your laptop and have built-in fans that facilitate better airflow.

Other ways to avoid overheating are limiting the number of programs that run when you start your laptop, changing your settings to power save mode, and shutting down your laptop when you’re not using it.

Users often take their laptops for granted because they’re built as plug-and-play devices. However, with a little extra care and attention, your laptops can last longer. If you want to prolong the lifespan of your hardware, call our experts today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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4 Reasons for slow mobile internet speedsHave you ever gotten frustrated with your smartphone because the web browser took more than five minutes to load? Before you start blaming your old phone, check out these four reasons that might be the cause of your slow internet connection. Router location One simple yet overlooked reason why your Wi-Fi-connected phone may be experiencing […]

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4 Reasons for slow mobile internet speeds

Have you ever gotten frustrated with your smartphone because the web browser took more than five minutes to load? Before you start blaming your old phone, check out these four reasons that might be the cause of your slow internet connection.

Router location

One simple yet overlooked reason why your Wi-Fi-connected phone may be experiencing internet lag is because of your router’s location. Although Wi-Fi has a range of up to 230 feet, the farther away you are from the router, the weaker the signal. Large objects like doors and walls situated in between you and the router can also weaken the transmission.

It’s recommended to place your router in a centralized location, preferably away from concrete and masonry walls or other big objects like a chimney. As the router signal radiates from all sides, blocking any side with big objects will impact your Wi-Fi’s signal quality and as a result, your phone’s internet speed is impeded.

Wi-Fi noise

Did you know that home electronic appliances emit wireless signals at a frequency similar to your router’s (2.4GHz)? So before deciding on your router’s location, determine whether there are any wireless devices nearby, as they emit signals that can interfere with your router’s signal. For example, even if the ideal location for your router is at the center of your house, you shouldn’t place it there if there’s a cordless phone nearby.

You can also set your router on a 5GHz band, as this frequency is less prone to interference from other appliances. But before you start tuning it, make sure your phone supports 5GHz; otherwise, it won’t be able to connect to the router.

Slow network

Another reason for your phone’s slow internet connection is fluctuating network speeds. Ask yourself these two questions to know the exact cause of this problem:

  1. How many people are connecting to the router?
  2. What are they doing over the internet?

You should increase your router’s internet bandwidth speed if you discover you have many users and all of them are either streaming movies, or downloading computer games or software updates. This will allow every phone to enjoy faster internet speeds.

If you’re outdoors, and you’re connected to a public Wi-Fi network, consider using your mobile data instead. You won’t have to share your internet when you use mobile data, enabling you to experience faster connectivity at all times as long as you have a high-speed data plan.

Too much cache

Last, you should check your smartphone’s cache if fixing your router, network, and positioning doesn’t improve your device’s internet speed. Cache is a component in your phone that saves data from earlier searches in order to increase the speed of similar searches in the future. Although your phone becomes more efficient for that particular search, it also makes your phone much slower when you do other things that require the internet.

You can clear out your cache manually or use a cache cleaner app to thoroughly get rid of useless cache and optimize your phone’s internet speed. If you decide to download a cache cleaner app, make sure that it is reputable and trustworthy so you don’t accidentally download a malware-infected program instead.

There are more reasons to your phone’s lagging internet speed. If your business relies heavily on a speedy mobile internet connection and you’re unable to fix the problem, call our experts today. We’re always ready to help you.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Hijackers might be using your PC to mine for BTCBecause of the increasing value of cryptocurrency, it comes as no surprise that hackers have geared up to get more of it.  They use a process called cryptojacking, which can considerably slow your PC down. If you notice your computer is performing in a subpar manner, hackers may already be using your hardware to make […]

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Hijackers might be using your PC to mine for BTC

Because of the increasing value of cryptocurrency, it comes as no surprise that hackers have geared up to get more of it.  They use a process called cryptojacking, which can considerably slow your PC down. If you notice your computer is performing in a subpar manner, hackers may already be using your hardware to make easy money.

Surge in cryptojacking

The biggest reason why cryptojacking is becoming so popular is that it’s a low-risk, high-reward scheme. Instead of extorting money directly from the victim, hackers can secretly generate digital currencies without the victim knowing. And even if it’s detected, it’s almost impossible to track down who initiated the attack. Moreover, since nothing was actually “stolen” (other than a portion of computing power), victims have little incentive to apprehend the culprit.

Cryptojacking is also a cheap investment. For as little as $30, anyone can purchase a cryptojacking kit from the dark web to force other computers to generate Bitcoin or Monero for them. And while it’s difficult to tell how much exactly are hackers earning by cryptojacking, we can only surmise that it’s more than the initial $30.

Because of these reasons, there’s a good chance that this type of attack will be as popular as ransomware was in 2017. According to several reports, even sites like The Pirate Bay, Openload, and OnlineVideoConverter are allegedly using cryptojacking exploits to diversify their revenue streams.

Prevention and response

Prevention is always better than cure, so include cryptojacking in your monthly security training sessions. If employees practice extra caution in dealing with unsolicited emails and suspicious links, then hackers will have no way into your systems. Using ad-blocker or anti-cryptomining extensions on web browsers is also a great way to stay protected.

Beyond prevention, network monitoring solutions should also be used to detect any unusual computer behavior. For example, if you notice a significant number of PCs running slower than usual, assume that cryptojacking is taking place. And once it’s confirmed, advise your staff to close browser tabs and update browser extensions as soon as possible.

Because cryptojacking doesn’t steal data, it may seem less threatening than some malware, but in reality, its effects are just as severe — it can incur real power, cooling, and performance costs to your business when several systems are compromised. To make sure your business stays in top form (and that you don’t end up enriching any hackers), contact us today. Our hardware solutions and cybersecurity tips will keep your business safe and sound.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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5 ways to enhance your new laptopGetting a new laptop, especially one of the latest models, can be very exciting. You can look forward to a better user experience with faster speed, more memory, and better battery life. But it’s all for nought if you don’t take certain preventive steps before using your new machine. Do these five things before you […]

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5 ways to enhance your new laptop

Getting a new laptop, especially one of the latest models, can be very exciting. You can look forward to a better user experience with faster speed, more memory, and better battery life. But it’s all for nought if you don’t take certain preventive steps before using your new machine. Do these five things before you start exploring your new toy.

1. Update your laptop’s operating system

One of the first things you should do before using your laptop is upgrade its operating system (OS). Assuming you did not purchase the laptop when it was first released, your laptop will still be running an older OS. With important patches and fixes released with each new update, it is recommended that you install the latest one to ensure your laptop is free of any vulnerabilities.

2. Remove bloatware

When turning on your laptop for the first time, you might notice that there are several preloaded software in the system — some of which you will probably never use. These are known as bloatware.

These apps take up a lot of your valuable drive space, so consider getting rid of them. The easiest way to do this is by downloading a bulk uninstaller, which allows you to check all the bloatware apps you don’t want and remove them in one fell swoop.

3. Install protection software

It’s no secret that the world we live in is unsafe. And with so much confidential information nowadays becoming digitalized, it is necessary to protect yourself against losing important data from your computer. The solution to this is very simple. By installing antivirus software that can automatically — or manually — scan your computer at a scheduled time, potential attacks can be thwarted before they become more serious.

Not only is your laptop’s data vulnerable to cyberattacks, but there is always a chance your laptop can get lost or stolen. While there are preventive steps you can take — such as being mindful while using your laptop in public places — another solution would be to install anti-theft software. Security features such as Find My Device for Windows 10 and Prey for other operating systems can help you locate your device if it’s ever stolen or misplaced.

4. Optimize your power settings

One of the most frequent problems that laptop users have is that their batteries run out of juice too fast. However, you can actually extend the battery life by making a few tweaks to your power settings.

Reduce your display brightness, but not so much that it causes eye and mental fatigue.
Use the Sleep or Hibernate mode for your operating system.

5. Set up a backup plan

Imagine spending months working on an important project and suddenly finding it nonexistent the next day just because your laptop crashed. Deadlines will be missed. Profit margins will decrease. Customers will leave unhappy. And if worse comes to worst, you’ll be out of business.

Why add stress if you can prevent it from happening in the first place? By setting up an automatic backup system, you can regularly save all your important files; that way, you’d still be able to recover your data should anything happen to the original file.

You can also store all your important documents in the cloud, which ensures access whenever you need, even if your laptop crashes or gets stolen.

Getting a new laptop can be fun, but the joy might be short-lived if you don’t set up any preventive measures from the start. Call us for information on how we can help you secure your company’s laptops today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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