Sunday, February 19, 2012

Wireless Security:


The Internet And Home Surveillance

In the past, many have often wondered how they can keep check on things at home while they were on a trip or vacation – hundreds of thousands of miles away.  These days however, keeping tabs on your home while you’re away is quite possible.  With the Internet and today’s technology – you can keep watch on your home no matter how far away you may be.

Home Security Alarms:


The Best Ways To Prevent Burglary

These days, home burglary is one the rise.  Over 70% of all crime these days relates to property crimes, normally involving the home.  Although police and local authorities are doing everything they can to put a stop to crime, burglary is something that cannot be stopped.  Even though there are ways to protect yourself, burglars will always be lurking out there - waiting for their next victim.

Even though there are ways to prevent unwanted entry to your home, a determined burglar will always find a way to get in.  Breaking and entering is his job, and most burglars are extremely good at it.  Statistics show that burglaries occur every 15 seconds.  What that means, is that every 15 seconds there is someone out there getting robbed.

Over the years, home burglaries have received a lot of attention, some of which have even been on the news.  Although some burglars eventually get caught and arrested, most seem to disappear without a trace.  To protect yourself and your home, there are tactics such as security alarms, burglar alarms, and even security cameras that you can use.


Monday, February 13, 2012

iPhone Maintainence


How To Clean Your iPhone


When you have a product, such as the iPhone, it is imperative that you care for this electronic device so that it will last you many years.  However, one of the easiest ways to care for your Apple iPhone is not to go out and purchase various products to keep it safe throughout its life, while that is important, the best way to show your new cell phone some T.L.C. is through simply cleaning it.  However, this poses a major problem for many people.  The reason for this is because since the iPhone is such a unique device, and its screen is so sensitive to touch, many people don't know how they can properly clean their iPhone without damaging it. 



iPhone Battery Life Tips


How To Extend Your iPhone Battery Life


If there is anything that annoys more cell phone users, it is loosing battery power while you are on the phone.  This has happened to nearly, everybody and at least once, it caught you by complete surprise.  When you are running a cell phone as powerful as the iPhone, it's easy to understand why the battery power begins to drain.  When you are listening to your favorite song, checking your email and texting several friends at once, you are demanding a lot of the cell phones' power.  Thus, you will begin to drain your cell phone of battery life, quicker than you thought.


Even though, on the Apple website, they clearly explain the battery life expectations...

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Why Vi-Tel Favors The Entrepreneur


The most successful entrepreneurs will simply, give free advice about how communication is very vital when beginning any business opportunity. The image of the business opportunity needs to be supercharged and will be a positive guide in networking. In such manner, the business will acquire a good reputation as its image is being established. Furthermore, networking will allow your business the benefit of  targeting consumers you're targeting. It's advisable to read a guide about how to start your business the correct way.

So, how should you begin networking? How do you start? Where do you start? Before you pull a dollar from your pocket, you first must consult the experts. Take some time to investigate and research. Go to the library. Surf the internet. Simply, enter the words 'research, research, and research' in your mind to discover whether entrepreneurial opportunities are for you and learn the ways to deal with the trade the successful way. Furthermore, evaluate and analyze yourself as honestly, as possible. Do not entertain biases.

First things first:



Sunday, February 5, 2012

The HDTV Satellite Dish




To date, the TV industry is excited about a US Senate bill that proposes to implement a law or legislation that would allow the complete shift or focus in TV broadcast transmission from analog, the conventional, to digital, he modern type.


The proposal means that after February 17, 2009, the conventional, traditional and widely used analog TV sets in the country will be obsolete and completely useless.


Conventional analog TV sets would not be able to receive signal transmissions from digital broadcasters anymore. Thus, the lower-income TV viewers would have to be deprived of TV entertainment. That would certainly spell trouble, in big bold words.


But, take note that the US Senate also approved a resolution that would make the federal government subsidize the average-income consumers’ use of converter boxes to enable them to watch the proposed, improved, better and new digital broadcasts from their favorite TV network still using their analog TVs.


HDTV satellite dish will be very expensive like the HDTV sets, so the effort is very timely and will provide alternative to TV viewers.


The effort will be timely and called-for because HDTV antennas and HDTV satellite dish will come along with new HDTVs, and they would not be compatible with analog TVs.



How Entrepreneurs Start a Small Home Based Business




There are many roads to success for entrepreneurs. Some choose to take advantage of franchise opportunities and then, proceed to greater glories. 


There are a many things, that can be said about franchising. Firstly, franchise opportunities let you penetrate the market with an already-established brand name. People already know the product or service so, you won't have to go through the trouble of establishing a name for yourself. 


Of course, you have the responsibility to make a name for your business and not just the product. Consequently, you'll need to sell yourself. After all, people can get the product or service from other franchises so, what makes you any different? You'll have to show them that you are different from other businesses, even if, your products are the same. You must to do your best to convince people that purchasing the product from you, is the best decision that they can make.


If, you don't think that taking advantage of a franchise opportunity is the thing for you, maybe you should consider starting a small home based business.


Many developing entrepreneurs, start a small home based business for various reasons. 


Here is the short list of examples:



How the Internet Helps Entrepreneurs' Home Businesses



The internet is one tool that has revolutionized the way we do everything. The speed and connectivity offered by the internet has made the world smaller, and has brought people closer together. In fact, the internet has made us realize the fact that we now live in a global community and that everything we do affects the world around us.


The internet surely has gone a long way in changing the way we live. But how exactly has the internet changed entrepreneurs' home businesses? 



Characteristics Of Entrepreneur




Important Characteristics Every Entrepreneur Must Have


Are you planning to start and run your own business? Do you know the right qualifications and characteristics an entrepreneur must have to succeed? Does your profile match that of a successful entrepreneur? In this article we will explore and discuss the essential characteristics that every entrepreneur must have. There are several important traits and values that are common among successful entrepreneurs. Before you go and start your enterprise, it will be very helpful to think and reflect whether you have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. If not, you can also start developing these character traits.


1.  Successful Entrepreneurs are Self-Confident – to succeed in the highly competitive business world, confidence and trust in oneself is an indispensable trait. Self-confidence means trusting your own powers and capabilities. The world of entrepreneurship is not alien to failure and disappointments. To survive in such a cutthroat world, an entrepreneur must have the ability to look within himself and find the drive and persistence to pursue his enterprise. An entrepreneur must have the gumption to face any adversity and tackle any problems that may be encountered in the world of business. 


2.  Successful Entrepreneurs are Risk-takers – being an entrepreneur means having the ability to trust your hunches and acting on them. Great business ideas sometimes start as a hunch which enterprising individuals acted upon. There is always the risk of loss in any endeavor, and entrepreneurs have just the right confidence to take calculated risks to achieve their objective.  However, an entrepreneur’s risk-taking does not depend on luck, but on sheer effort and hard work.


3.  Successful Entrepreneurs know the value of money and are careful about their finances – to succeed in any business; an entrepreneur must understand the value of money and the cost of things. Typically, successful entrepreneurs learned how to earn and value money at a young age. Most of them started out by earning loose change as teenagers mowing lawns, doing groceries, babysitting for neighbors, etc.



Entrepreneur: Home Based Business



The Advantages of a Home Based Business to Entrepreneurs


Trials and hardships are what the budding entrepreneur always expects to encounter. No entrepreneur really expects to begin at the top, right? Anyway, even those lucky enough to be born rich face a lot of challenges when they decide to become entrepreneurs. For one thing, being born rich doesn't really equal being born with the talents of an entrepreneur of the year.


How do entrepreneurs get started? Well, there are a number of ways that you can get a business off the ground. There are a number of opportunities out there for people to use their entrepreneurial skills. 



Saturday, February 4, 2012

The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, A Model Organization




There are many different associations in the United States alone. Each association represents different sectors or field of specializations. One of the many associations is the NBFAA or the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association.


The NBFAA has served for about 60 years already. It supported the varying needs of the industry, the society, the nation, as well as its members. The association is also the biggest professional trade organization in the US; and it represents, enhances, and promotes the development and growth of electronic life security and safety. Members of NBFAA are benefited because the association provides timely information, products, development tools, and services to foster business' prosperity and growth.


Being an advocate, the association helps in increasing awareness about electronic safety, integrated systems, and security. They are engaged in different activities like trainings and media programs, especially the ones which support new technology. Public safety is one of the many considerations that NBFAA is much concerned about, together with financial stability, recognition, and commitment.



Buy A Wireless Burglar Alarm to Secure Your Home



Today, a crime can even happen in ones very own home! Today, more people are purchasing burglar alarm systems for their homes, since this is the safest means in securing your family and valuables. 


Because, of the increasing demand for burglar alarms, they are developed to provide more efficiency and one of the most demanded designs today, is the wireless burglar alarms. 


These systems do not necessitate wires to be connected to one another, anymore. Instead, they utilize radio waves coming from different sensors connected to the control panel to observe the activities inside the home.


The system of wireless burglar alarms is the utilization of motion sensors with the contact in the door and window to notify that there is an unwanted activity or possibly, an intruder within or near the house. The system is directed by a keypad, conveniently, located within the home. This keypad can activate or deactivate the alarm system remotely by entering a Password. 


Here are the following elements that composes the wireless burglar alarm:



Basics of a Wireless Burglar Alarm System




Safety and convenience – these two factors alone, are the major reasons behind every family’s choice to have a wireless burglar alarm system to protect their home. Compared to the standard burglar alarm system, which is connected using different wires, the wireless alarm utilizes radio waves. Having so, this lessens the many scattered and displayed wires inside your home.


More convenience, as well as, savings is brought by the wireless alarm since, you do not need to hire an electrician. Also, the equipment can easily, be attached on a wall area of your choice, as long as, you properly adhere to the manual guide, included in every package. 


It will be handier that upon installation of your wireless burglar alarm system, you have adept knowledge of the equipment’s composition.  


Humans have a brain...

The Benefits Of Satellite TV HDTV




High Definition Television, or HDTV, has been swiftly changing how we experience entertainment at the comforts of our own homes. HDTV is a TV broadcasting format which offers clearer and more brilliant resolution the than NSTC format which we are used to. It does so digitally through cable, satellite or over-air transmission. 


The digital delivery eliminates the effects of interference, ghosting and noise assuring perfect on-screen image in a 16 x 9 widescreen format. To maximize the benefits of HDTV, each phase in the transmission chain must use HD-compatible equipment. 


Analog or "standard definition" TV's won't work. At the least, the viewer needs an HD-ready TV set and a special new HD set top box, which works to decode the HD signals. 


If an ATSC tuner is built-into the HDTV set, it can receive all formats of television channels. However an HD-Ready TV set without this tuner will have to connect to a cable or satellite HDTV provider. Progams views from an HDTV connected to a satellite is called Satellite HDTV. 


Satellite HDTV programming is best viewed in in LCD or plasma screens, direct-view, rear screen or front screen projection. Naturally, a wide-array of top-of-the-line display choices have been made for a top-of-the-line display quality. S


Satellite HDTV quality is also truly outstanding because it is made withDolby Digital® coding. Viewers can experience full surround sound through 5.1 loudspeakers, using home theater amplifiers. They can really hear the difference. Satellite HDTV dramatically improves sound clarity and impact so much that viewers gain a feeling of "being there." 


A lot of people connect their PCs, laptops, DVD players and VCR's to their Satellite HDTV's because the improvement in picture quality is really substantial.


With satellite HDTV, no subscription is necessary. A household which has a satellite HDTV can get more than 200 channels, free. Signals are transmitted via satellite to a dish installed at the property. The satellite HDTV dish must have a direct line of sight to the south in order to receive a signal. 


Satellite HDTV dishes may be placed indoors, however, many types of window glass degrade the satellite signal. Therefore, outside installation is recommended. 


Upon subscription, however, the household can obtain another 200 plus channels. It is necessary to check if there are no restrictions on satellite dishes in your area. 


Sattelite HDTV subscriptions have increased over the years, especially in America. Having more than 15 million subscribers in the country, DIRECTV leads the American satellite HDTV industry. It offers 250 channels with crisp digital-quality pictures and sounds. It also provides special sports and concerts and other entertainment events through pay per view. 


With subscription to DIRECTV satellite HDTV, one can enjoy customizable on-screen guides and built-in parent control feature to ban shows which are not suitable for viewing of minors. 


Upon subscription to this satellite HDTV service, receivers will be provided with controls, batteries, component cables and additional S-cables for PC connection are added. USB cables and telephone lines can also be connected to the receiver. 


Digital Video Recorders (DVR’s) with 250 GB capacity are also provided with  DIRECTV satellite subscription. DVRs can be used to record hundreds of hours of regular TV programming and 30 hours of HDTV programming. It can also pause or rewind live TV programs, order slow motions and skip commercials. 


DVRs from this satellite HDTV company can set TV recording for the whole season including extra overtime programming. It can also be ordered to skip reruns. DVRs can be set to record two weeks before the actual program airing. How long the recorder will run can also be set by the viewer. 



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com



What the Heck are Botnets?


"A botnet is comparable to compulsory military service for windows boxes" - Stromberg (http://project.honeynet.org/papers/bots/)

Botnets are networks of computers that hackers have infected and grouped together under their control to propagate viruses, send illegal spam, and carry out attacks that cause web sites to crash.

What makes botnets exceedingly bad is the difficulty in tracing them back to their creators as well as the ever-increasing use of them in extortion schemes. How are they used in extortion schemes? Imagine someone sending you messages to either pay up or see your web site crash. This scenario is starting to replay itself over and over again.

Botnets can consist of thousands of compromised machines. With such a large network, botnets can use Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) as a method to cause mayhem and chaos. For example a small botnet with only 500 bots can bring corporate web sites to there knees by using the combined bandwidth of all the computers to overwhelm corporate systems and thereby cause the web site to appear offline.

Jeremy Kirk, IDG NewsService on January 19, 2006, quotes Kevin Hogan, senior manager for Symantec Security Response, in his article "Botnets shrinking in size, harder to trace", Hogan says "extortion schemes have emerged backed by the muscle of botnets, and hackers are also renting the use of armadas of computers for illegal purposes through advertisements on the Web."

One well-known technique to combat botnets is a honeypot. Honeypots help discover how attackers infiltrate systems. A Honeypot is essentially a set of resources that one intends to be compromised in order to study how the hackers break the system. Unpatched Windows 2000 or XP machines make great honeypots given the ease with which one can take over such systems.

A great site to read up on this topic more is The Honeynet Project: (http://project.honeynet.org) which, describes its own site's objective as "To learn the tools, tactics and motives involved in computer and network attacks, and share the lessons learned."

Bart D. Ebinger









Sharpening Your Skills Through Online Computer Training




Information Technology (IT) professionals require training to stay proficient in their occupational field.  More often than not, not only training is required, but constant refreshing with up-to-date materials is essential.  With the ever-expanding world of computers this can not be over-stated or over-emphasized.  Just as other professionals in other fields run into a dilemma with time constraints, so do IT professionals.  


More and more there IT pro's look online for their computer training; whether it be for an upgraded skill or a new one.  The manner of obtaining this new or upgraded skill online is a relatively simple process.  A Google search for online computer training in the desired field will return numerous results.  Computer training institutions have long recognized the need for online training.  At first online computer training was a niche market filled by few institutions, but as the demand grew so did the number of these service providers.  


Before registering for an online computer training course, due diligence on the part of the prospective student should be accomplished.  A quick check of the credentials of one of these institutions is relatively easy.  A Google search for accredited online computer training schools will provide a good and viable starting point.  While this may seem to be a common sense move, there are those who have failed to diligently research this area.  These persons have been duped, or even completely scammed out of their education dollars by less than reputable 'learning' institutions.  Fortunately, nowadays there are checks and balances in place for reducing the possibilities of fraud.  In some cases, financial institutions and government lenders require proof of accreditation before releasing funds to any learning institution.  Even more firm requirements are placed on  online 'learning' institution


Some of these online computer training schools purport to teach in two weeks what normally requires a month to accomplish.  They promise twenty-four hour support through 800 numbers an email.  In this manner they provide computer training mentorship with a trained IT professional.  As in many other endeavors, the worth of this has a direct correlation to what you put into it.  


Whether you are looking to for a new certification or to upgrade, it is a relatively simple task to accomplish through online computer training.  These online courses are often structured to provide the student the opportunity for self-paced instruction.  The self-paced portion of instruction has more than helped in the growth in popularity of such online computer training pursuits.  Generally, through self-paced instruction require a minimal time for completion as opposed to a maximum.  What this means is that to obtain 14 hours training in a requisite skill, the student is prevented from completing it in anything less than 14 hours, thereby maintaining the integrity of the certification. Another aspect of this type of training is in progress tracking.  The student's progress is saved along with other pertinent data.  In that manner, the student may stop at any given point and pick-up where they left off from later on.  


All tolled, whether sharpening a skill or obtaining a new skill through online computer training is a viable and relatively 
simple process. 



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com



Free Online Computer Training




So, you are on a tight budget and you want some computer training, right?  In this day and age there are a lot of options for people seeking to better themselves through various training programs and certification classes.  However, some folks just don't have the cash flow to make some of these options possible.  That is where free online computer training comes in to play.  Where else can you go and get enough information to teach yourself all about computers?  From learning HTML (hyper-text mark up language, used to build websites) to how to tear down and rebuild a CPU (central processing unit)?


If, you can plug in to a free online computer training system or set of resources, you can literally teach yourself almost anything.  There are a variety of different ways to go about this process, so let's start at the beginning.  



  • The very first thing, before you ever embark on your online adventure, is to determine exactly what you want to learn from your free online computer training.  Pick out your base subject, and then you can get started researching online sources for free training.  For our examples, let's take the subject of HTML and see where we can get some free online computer training to learn HTML.




  • For the first step, let's get on a major search engine like Yahoo or Google and do a search for the term 'free HTML training' or 'free online computer training'.  You will find quite a few results come up in reference to these terms, but don't be fooled.  Most of these won't really have free training, maybe just a free sample class or two.  Some of these won't have anything free at all, they either buy an advertising slot or they develop their website in a way to show up higher in the results to get your attention.  Remember, what you are looking for is a site that is truly going to give you free online computer training.




  • Sometimes the best results for free online computer training can come in the form of free forums or bulletin boards.  For those of you who are really new to the Internet, let's talk about this for a minute.  Forums and bulletin boards are web pages that allow visitors to sign up as 'users', usually for free.  Once you are registered with these sights, you can then post and respond to others on the forums or boards and ask questions.  The beauty of these resources is that there are literally hundreds of them out there on almost any subject imaginable, especially dealing with computers.  So, for someone looking for free online computer training, they are a great resource and should definitely not be overlooked.  They can contain a great wealth of information from other users who have asked questions and had them answered on the boards.



Another great source of free online computer training consists of e-zines and newsletters.  Do another search and use the terms 'e-zine' and 'newsletters' in conjunction with the free online computer training you are looking for.  Most of these will be free as well, and you will have to subscribe for a short time to separate those that truly want to share some information with you versus those that are really only looking to sell you a product or a service through their correspondence.  Overall it can be said that where there is a will, there is a way, especially when it comes to free online computer training.



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com






Home Security Camera Provides Peace of Mind




Using a home security camera provides homeowners with peace of mind about loved ones, pets, and personal property.  Affordability and ease of installation make setting up a home security camera something almost anyone can do.
Why use a home security camera? Using a home security camera lets homeowners know what's going on in their home, on their property or in a setting involving loved ones, pets or property. Monitoring the actions of caregivers and service people, making sure teenagers are where they're supposed to be and making sure important belongings aren't bothered are some of the reasons to install a home security camera.


Nanny cams, as they were called, were the first affordable version of a home security camera. Technology has advanced, improving the images captured with nanny cams and increasing options for use.  This type of home security camera sends images to a base station for viewing via cell phone, computer or television.  While small and easy to use, wireless nanny cameras may not include encryption. Unencrypted wireless signals can easily be hacked by others.
Using a home security camera to monitor loved ones is nothing new. Nanny cams have been around for some time, capturing what really goes in when parents aren't home.  Infants and children are not the only reason to use a home security camera. Many people are taking care of aging parents and ill loved ones. With a camera recording all activity, viewers can make sure caregivers are responsible and patients are comfortable.


Pet owners find using a home security camera a simple and inexpensive way to keep an eye on beloved pets. Not only can they make sure pets aren't getting into something harmful, they can also make sure pets aren't enough for you name was quoted as saying without being harmed by others.


Homeowners can use a home security camera to monitor any part of home or home business. If animals or equipment are housed in outbuildings, surveillance equipment can be utilized to monitor the area.


Choosing a home security camera is a matter of need and budget. For monitoring small or confined areas, the nanny cam or simple web cam is often adequate. They're low cost and easy to hide if secret surveillance is required.


When it's necessary to monitor more area such as the entire home, kits are available. Homeowners choose the kit most appropriate for the layout and surveillance needs.  Wired and wireless home security cameras are available.


Installing a wired home security camera is easier when first building the home or when remodeling. Using wireless technology eliminates the need for wiring. Many homeowners are already using wireless computer connections.  A wireless home security camera operates the same way. Images are sent via signals through the wireless network. Advances in wireless security make protecting wireless networks simpler and more efficient.


The classic home security camera sends images to the television or a computer. New technology allows the home security camera user to monitor images from anywhere there is an internet or cell phone connection. 
Home security cameras enable users to maintain and protect property while maintaining their usual and customary lifestyle.



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com



Choosing and Using a Wireless Home Security System


A wireless home security system provides home and business owners with the ability to easily monitor what's going on in the protected environment.


When choosing a wireless home security system, consider the reason or need for the system, the location and budget.
Many home and business owners choose wireless systems because they're easy to install and can easily be moved. There's less chance of needing to hire a professional installer. Moving to another location or just moving furniture around isn't a problem. Inexpensive systems save users money while providing usable images.


Why install a wireless home security system? Homeowners use them to protect property inside and outside the home. Parents can go to work knowing they can still keep an eye on infants and children while away from home.  Service workers and other commercial employees can be monitored while inside the home. 


Homeowners can make sure the repairman is doing only what was authorized and no more. Pet owners can make sure pets are protected and aren't out of control. Expensive and/or confidential information can be protected.
The location of a wireless security system is a factor in choosing the right one. Will the camera be used indoors or out? If the camera is to be used in a low-light area, consider a camera with infrared capabilities. Infrared is great for both night and low-light situations.


Will the camera be covering large or small areas? If setting up a wireless home security system just to keep an eye on the new baby in the nursery, a simple single camera setup is all that's needed. Web cams are inexpensive (often as low as $10) and easy to setup for small, fixed area coverage.


Covering larger areas requires more cameras.  Sixteen cameras is often the maximum for a wireless home security system.  For the best coverage, homeowners often choose a wireless home security system kit.
Wireless Home Security System kits can often be customized to fit the need.  A standard kit that sells for approximately $100 online, features the option to cover multiple zones, loud internal sirens with different tones for emergency, burglary and fire sensors. The kit also features interior and exterior sensors, chimes for doors and windows, and visual status indicators.


Available but not included options include exterior siren, rechargeable backup battery, smoke detector sensor, glass break sensor, voice dialer and subscription monitoring services. Home and business owners have the option of monitoring the system themselves or subscribing to a company that monitors everything for a monthly fee.
When considering a wireless home security system, decide what areas will need to be covered, the type of lighting in those areas, and preferable options. Take the list of answers to the wireless home security system specialist at local stores for system recommendations. Online stores and auction services also offer a wide variety of wireless home security system parts and kits. 


Make sure other wireless items in the home or office will not interfere with the security system. Sometimes wireless internet connections and cordless telephones operate on a frequency that disrupts the wireless security system transmissions.



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com


Standard Home Security System Information


The standard home security system allows users to monitor interior and exterior areas. General features usually include sensors mounted at doors and windows.  A motion sensor detects movement. The system is operated by a control center where commands are entered via touch keypad. Some systems are powered by battery and some are electric.


Home security systems can be optimized for location and need. Additional sensors can be added. Optional sensors include additional door/window sensors, motion sensors, smoke detection sensors, temperature change sensors, breakage and leakage sensors and latchkey sensors. Sirens are available for interior and exterior use. They sound loud alarms when triggered.
More sophisticated home security systems allow users to use closed-circuit television (CCT) and wireless video surveillance (VSS). This type of system connects to a television, VCR or DVR.


Before purchasing a home security system, a risk assessment should be performed. Many alarm and security companies provide free risk assessment. Once the required type of alarm is determined, an appropriate system can be purchased. The best place to purchase home security systems is from a reputable, local dealer. Even if the plan is for do-it-yourself installation, it's best to get good equipment from a reliable source. If the need is for a more elaborate, sophisticated system, professional installation will probably be required.


Purchase from a licensed seller. Many states require businesses that provide alarm and security equipment and services to have special permits and certification. 


Remote monitoring is a service provided by home security system companies.  The companies monitor the home security system and alert the homeowner and proper authorities if an alarm is triggered. Services are by monthly subscription and may require a long term contract. Homeowners who live in low-crime areas and are rarely away from home for extended periods of time may prefer to monitor the system themselves. The system sends a voice message when any part of the home security system is triggered.


Homeowners who live in high-crime areas, live alone or are frequently away from home may prefer the security of remote monitoring. Business owners who have offices outside the home often choose remote monitoring.


No matter which type of service is used, the home security system lawn and yard decals and signs have been shown to be an effective burglary deterrent. Burglars prefer an easier target. Home security systems require little maintenance. Those that run on battery require battery replacement. Those that run on electricity often have battery backup power. 
Whatever home security system is installed, the system must be used in order to work. Leaving the system unarmed or inactive leaves the property unprotected.


Using a home security system to protect property and family is a smart move. By spending a few dollars, an extra layer of protection is placed around property. Installation usually results in a home owner's insurance discount, saving money.
Standard DIY home security system kits include everything that's needed to set up a basic system. Add-ons allow the system to be fully customized. Systems are simple to operate and provide assurance that criminals won't find it easy to harm people or property.



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com



Protect Your Home with Wireless Home Security






Home security has evolved to more than deadbolts and peep holes in doors. Wireless home security offers an affordable and effective means of protecting home and hearth. Wireless systems can easily be configured to meet the current needs, don't have to cost a fortune and can usually be installed by the homeowner. There's no professional installation fee. The only installation cost is the time it takes to complete the install.


Wireless Home Security Use


Who can benefit from wireless home security? Anyone and everyone. Wireless cameras allow surveillance and monitoring of any area of the home, indoors or out. Homeowners who need to keep an eye on the garage, or the nursery, or any other part of the house can do so with a wireless home security system. Systems can be visible and serve as an added deterrent or they can be hidden, allowing covert surveillance. Both types of camera can be included in a single system.


Wireless Home Security Cost


Wireless home security cost depends on the area to be secured. Small areas such as a home office, the nursery, or a child's room, can often be covered with a simple webcam. Webcams are often less than $20. 
Complete home security systems can be found for less than $100 dollars. Choose the system that best fits the need. Some systems come with many cameras. They work well for large homes or multiple surveillance places. Other systems come with 
just one or two cameras. 


No matter which wireless home security system is chosen, the system should include adequate window/door sensors, control, motion detector and voice dialer. Many popular systems include keychain remotes, making operation of the system easy.


Wireless Home Security Options


One of the biggest complaints about wireless home security is the cost of monthly fees. Subscribing to a monitoring service is optional. Fees have come down considerably from initial costs back when wired was the only option available. Other optional add-ons include light sensors, temperature detectors, leak detectors, smoke detectors, and various sirens.


Wireless Home Security Shopping


Before shopping, know where the camera(s) will be used and how many are needed. If purchasing hidden cameras, consider the area they'll be hidden in. While hidden cameras are available in fake plants, clocks and other objects, these cameras usually do not result in top quality images. 


Know how images will be viewed. Will they need to be transmitted to a cell phone or computer or will a VCR be used? 


Determine lighting needs. Will a night vision camera be required?  Night vision cameras are great for low-light areas as well as night time. Infrared is required for clear images in low or no light settings.


Wireless home security equipment can be purchased separately or as a complete system package. Shopping locally allows buyers to see and try the product before using it. Many discount stores now carry reputable wireless home security products. 


There are many online stores selling wireless home security systems and products. Shopping with a reputable dealer who provides a money back guarantee and technical support is wise. Specials on wireless home security products can result in big savings when it comes time to pay.


Using wireless home security products gives homeowners time to think about other, more important things.  Things like vacations and golf or time with family and friends. Setting up a wireless home security system doesn't have to be hard and often takes less than 30 minutes.



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com


Dust Kills




'Cleaning the Unit Fan is Essential Computer Care'


Between taking care of the household, the kids, the pets, and the district PTA, computer care is probably one of the last things that you think of doing on a regular basis.  Without a regular maintenance schedule however, you could find out (the hard way) that a neglected computer is an energy hog - one that works harder than it needs to and one that could be a financial burden to replace.


Let's talk about maintaining hardware.  So much emphasis is put on maintaining a computer's operating system that we sometimes forget how important it is to maintain a computer's hardware components. Since there can be quite a few components to take care of, let's talk about the most important one.


The most important component of a computer's hardware system is its fan. The fan is located on the computer's CPU unit and when that thing gets clogged with dirt and dust, it can run down a computer faster than you can say, "Something's wrong with my computer and I don't know what it is!" In short, the fan is responsible for keeping a computer's motor cool and this motor is what keeps the computer's hard drive and peripherals functioning the way you need them to, which translates to "fast." 


A dirty fan doesn't rotate fast enough to keep that motor cool and a completely clogged fan just stops rotating altogether. This causes the computer's motor to work harder - and a harder working motor can raise the electric bill! Worst case scenario: the motor can overheat and stop working as well. No motor equals no computer. 


Keep your computer's fan clean by preventing the fan from getting dirty or dusty in the first place. Use the computer in a dust-free environment and never smoke around it. Nicotine and tar mean certain death when it comes to computer fans, however should you find a need to clean the fan, do so with extreme care.


It's quite easy to cause more damage from cleaning so if you're not comfortable with cleaning your PC yourself, take it to a shop for servicing. Otherwise, you can unplug and disassemble the computer to do it yourself.


You'll need a can of compressed air and an anti-static rag to remove stubborn clumps of dust. Hold the can perfectly vertical and spray the fan being careful not to spray the dust off the fan onto other sensitive parts of the computer like circuit boards or inside the motor casing. Wipe up remaining dust with your anti-static rag and then reassemble the computer.


One thing that you certainly don't want to use to remove computer dust is a vacuum cleaner. Although using a vacuum cleaner seems to make more sense, the strong suction of a vacuum cleaner can actually spark damaging static electricity or dislodge loose cables. You also don't want to use oil-based cleaners. Although Pledge may dust your wooden tables and cabinets to a perfect shine, the oil inside a cleaner like this will erode sensitive computer parts. Stick to a liquid-free dusting method and your dusting routine will be safe enough to repeat as often as you need.


As previously mentioned, preventing dust from entering the computer is extremely important and will reduce the need to open and dust your system in the first place. The severity of outside elements (smoking, humidity, pets, etc.) will ultimately determine how often you'll need to de-dust your machine. But as an average, you shouldn't need to perform this procedure any more than once or twice a year.


The entire exercise should take no more than twenty minutes tops and once complete, you'll immediately see and hear the difference in your machine. The computer's keyboard and mouse will run more smoothly, hardware won't take as long to connect, and the entire machine won't be as loud as one that's corroded with ugly dust bunnies.



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com






Computer Help




'Where and How to Get It'


Well there's no denying it - No matter how new or how well maintained our computers are, we all encounter computer problems sooner or later. The good news is that we don't have to face them alone. There are a ton of resources available to walk us through computer issues but it may take a little knowledge in knowing how to access them. This article will show you how.



  • 1. Remember help files. It's funny, but people seem to forget that every computer and every program installed on a computer comes with its own help file. Even the operating system of a computer has a help file and it really should be the first place to look for answers. Help files are designed not only to guide the usage of a computer, they're  also designed to solve problems. Inside a help file, look for a section called, "Troubleshooting" (or something similar) when you need to resolve an issue. This section is reserved for solving problems specific to the software or hardware that you're using.




  • 2. Product websites. If you're having a problem with a piece of software or with a hardware part, try the website of that software's or hardware's manufacturer. Most (if not all) manufacturer's reserve a portion of cyberspace and dedicate it to support the products that they build. Microsoft's help desk is good example.




  • 3. Fan sites. Fan sites probably isn't a good name for this resource, but you can find websites that are dedicated toward supporting the users of a particular software program or piece of hardware. We've called them "fan sites" because the maintainers of these sites have no affiliation with the manufacturers that they support! Call them what you will, but their free help is immeasurable and without it, we wouldn't have some of the wonderful workarounds and unique problem solving techniques that we have today.




  • 4. Usenet newsgroups. Another underused resource on the Internet, Usenet newsgroups have hundreds of discussion groups dedicated to some of the most popular computer systems, operating systems, hardware manufacturers, and individual software programs. Sometimes, the representatives of these companies participate, but most of the time, the support in this group is user to user, which is just as valid because you're working with a team of experienced people.




  • 5. Support Lines. Another source for help that we shouldn't forget are the support systems of various manufacturers. You can reach these systems by calling the phone number associated with the product that you're having trouble with. Calls may be free (1-800 or 1-877 number), or they may cost a small fee (1-900).




  • 6. PC support groups or user groups are another option for help. These are groups that meet in libraries, computer stores, or other local areas and they discuss all sorts of issues related with a particular product. Even if you aren't experiencing a computer or software problem, user groups are fun to participate in and they can help you network into other interests such as job or teaching opportunities.




  • 7. Surprisingly, you may even get a helping hand from the salespersons at your local computer store. We don't recommend that you make this your first pit stop when you experience a problem, but we don't recommend that you rule this option out altogether either. Computer salespersons are hired for a reason - and that's their knowledge. Often, these kind folks can help you resolve an issue over the phone and prevent you form having to buy a costly solution.



As you can see, help is easy to find - You've just got to know where to look for it. Most of the contacts within these resources are extremely friendly and willing to take the time to walk you through a problem at little to no cost. From online discussion groups to the files on your own computer, help is often just a click away.



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com



Protecting Children Online




Steps Toward Making Your Computer "Weirdo-Proof"


It's an unfortunate fact of reality, but children are the most victimized computer users on the Internet today. The good news is that there are some practical steps you can take to protect your children from sexual predators, hackers, and other seedy individuals who want to cause harm. This article will describe a few of them.



  • The first step in protecting your children at the computer is to prevent their access to  passwords. This will keep them from sharing passwords with others and inadvertently enabling hacking into your system. If you think about it, there's no reason why a five, seven, or even twelve year old needs to know the passwords to sensitive areas on the computer unless you've given them permission! In fact, children don't need to know the password used to access the Internet either. It may be a hassle to type it in each time they want to get online, but it's better to know the times that they connect than to have them sneak online without your permission and knowledge of their activities.




  • The second step towards protecting your children online is using the computer together. Siting next to your child while he or she peruses the Internet, you can guide him or her to make safe and intelligent decisions. You can approve websites and bookmark them together. You can monitor the conversations your children have with their friends and teach them appropriate online behavior at the same time. You can make recommendations and create a private time for quality time as well.




  • The third step involves blocking access to inappropriate areas altogether. You and your children may not always agree about what's appropriate, but as a guardian, you're in control and you're ultimately responsible for their safety. Take the time to investigate software tools that put you in control and allow you to block access to certain websites. If you use an online service like AOL (America Online), you can use its internal Parental Control settings to block access to various chatrooms and websites. You could even block instant messaging and email from anyone who isn't a fellow AOL user.



  • Other tools available online operate similar to the way that AOL's Parental Control settings work, however no collection of tools could replace the reinforcement of mom and dad. Never let your children speak with strangers and never leave them alone at the computer unattended. Children just don't have the experience that adults have and they don't have the skills required to handle inappropriate conversations, emails, or images found online.



NOTE: Some of these tools include kid-specific web browsers that will visit pre-approved websites. Others include browser plug-ins that won't allow access to online areas that contain forbidden keywords.



  • Another step requires teaching your children to never ever volunteer personal information. Under no circumstances, should children give their personal names, home addresses, phone numbers, or school information to anyone over the Internet regardless of the situation.  In the even this information is required to enter a contest of some sort, be sure that you're the one who makes the decision to supply it and that you're the one who does it.



Performing all of these steps won't be easy. However you can help minimize resistance to your monitoring efforts by explaining why you're taking these precautions. Smaller children will probably enjoy the time you spend together at the computer, but older children and pre-teens may resent it. To help build a case for your concern, you might want to show your older children a few news stories that exemplify the dangers that unsupervised children are exposed to. The newspaper is unfortunately full of examples but with your help, we can reduce them world-wide.



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com


Networking Home Computers




'Increasing Productivity With the Whole Family'


Have you ever thought about networking your computers at home? If you have a small collection of computers around the house (and a small collection of computer users), you can connect each one of those computers to one another and share data, software, and hardware including a single Internet connection. There are many creative uses for home networking, however it's an ideal situation when upgrading each computer to the same capability is financially out of the question. On a home network, each computer has access to the equipment of the better machine in the group as if that equipment were their own. 


Connecting computers with either an Ethernet cable or a Wireless connection can create a home network. The easiest and cheapest method uses an Ethernet connection, which requires a series of network cards, a cable for each computer, and a router. The network card is similar to the old modems we used in the past to connect to the Internet, however in a home network, it's used to communicate with every computer that's connected to it. 


You'll want to first, select the computers that will connect to each other and then install the network cards inside each of them. Then you'll connect a cable to each computer that will communicate with the server. These cables won't connect to the server directly. Instead, they'll connect to the router. To enable Internet access for each computer, this router will need to connect with a modem of the host machine. 


Once the hardware is set up correctly (you'll need to read the instruction manual of your equipment for details), you can then setup the network from Windows on each machine. Within Windows, you can set up a home network similar to the way that you set up an Internet connection. Only this time, you'll set up a LAN (Local Area Network) connection. 

Windows should walk you through setting up a LAN after starting the computer and once complete, you can begin to connect one of your machines to the network. You can do this through Internet Explorer by typing in the address and password required to access the router (the address and password required to access the router will be in the router manual). 


Connected to the network, each computer can send files back and forth, open programs on a remote computer, play the sound files and videos located on another computer, and share a single Internet account to browse the web, download files, or chat with someone in an entirely different country.  If a single printer is available on only one computer in the network, every connected PC can send documents to it and print them out. Kids will enjoy the ability to play multi-player games and adults will enjoy the ability to blast a single message to everyone at once or maintain a group schedule.


Since we're describing a home network that will connect to the Internet, you're strongly advised to install a protective firewall program to thwart Internet viruses, worms, or other damaging spyware code. Firewalls prevent - but they don't repair. Only anti-virus and anti-spyware programs can reverse damage. So you should install a firewall on the computer that grants access to the computer, and then install an anti-virus and anti-spyware program on each of the remaining computers in the network.

If you have files that shouldn't be shared (bank statements, credit card information, etc.), you can restrict their access in one of several ways. You can put them in a new folder and then remove the "read" permissions for that folder. Or you can specify who can (and who cannot) access specific files with a password from within Windows Control Panel.



Bart D. Ebinger


vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com


http://247access.vitelwireless.com


When Less Is More



Clean Your Disk Drive of Unnecessary Files and Your Computer's Performance Will Improve

When it comes to maintaining your computer, you've probably heard it all before. "Run Defrag!" "Scan Your Disk for Errors!" Although these two activities are important, there's  more you can do to extend the life of your computer beyond today's predicted two-year span. In fact, by following the simple advice below, you can enjoy the use of your computer to up to five years or more - reserving expenses to simple software upgrades rather then complete and costly hardware upgrades.

One of the easiest and least expensive things you can do to extend the life of your computer is to get rid of unnecessary programs, folders, and files. A disk drive that's clogged with unnecessary and unused files is disk drive that works harder than it has to. Although Window's defrag system can ease some of the stress that these files place onto the drive, it doesn't do much to get rid of the problem in the first place. This is because the defrag program simply organizes the files in a system that makes it easier for the computer to access. (Thus cutting down on the work required to find and load them). But this method merely "relieves" the symptoms that these files induce  - it doesn't attack the cause. These files need to be deleted - not "organized!"

Of course, deleting files can be a scary adventure to most users. Most computer users don't know which files are safe to delete and which aren't.

The worst thing anyone could do is snoop around crucial Window directories and haphazardly delete files that don't look familiar. Doing so could render important programs inoperable, corrupt the Windows operating system, and possibly prevent the computer from even starting. That's why using special deletion software is so important. Deletion programs will analyze a computer's operating system and installed programs to determine which files are crucial to computer function versus which files are safe to delete.

You already have such a program on your computer and it's Windows' Add/Remove Programs (available from the Control Panel). This software will assist you with deleting programs that you not only no longer want, but additional files that these program use as well (dynamic link libraries, database files, registry references, shortcut icons, etc.).

But sometimes Windows' Add/Remove Programs isn't enough. Although this software does a pretty good job of removing unwanted programs, it can leave some files behind even after a complete uninstall - files which become orphan files. And it's these orphan files that can really clutter up a hard drive and shorten the life of an otherwise, young and robust PC.

Orphans are usually files that contain temporary data created by a program, files created by the user, partial files left over from a computer crash, or any other kind of miscellaneous files created for almost any other reason. The problem is that an uninstall program doesn't delete the orphan files it leaves behind because they were never part of the program when it was first installed. An uninstall program can remove only the files it placed onto a hard drive during its install routine.

So while Windows' Add/Remove Programs can remove an entire program, you'll need to get rid of those pesky little things with a more advance file cleaner like CleanSweep for example. CleanSweep is a unique program that will specifically seek out files that are no longer associated with a program, and then ask if you want to delete them.

The only time that you wouldn't want to delete an orphan file is if the file were an actual document that you created before deleting a program. If you were to say, uninstall Microsoft Word, all the documents that you created with Word would then turn into orphan files. Or if you were to uninstall a graphics-editing program, all the pictures you made with the program would become orphan files.

The smart thing to do when you don't want to lose the data that you created with an unwanted program is to:


  • 1. Save or convert your documents to a format that will work with different program first (that is, a program that you intend to keep)
  • 2. Archive them onto a floppy disk, flash drive, or CD-ROM
  • 3. Proceed with a program like CleanSweep.  


Using CleanSweep or any other similar type of utility could delete anywhere from less than a megabyte of hard drive space to over five megabytes and up. That may seem like a small amount of "clog material" to you, but to your computer, it's a lot less to process!


Bart D. Ebinger

vitel.wireless.247access@gmail.com

http://247access.vitelwireless.com




Before Saying “Hello”


Buying a cellular phone may seem to be very easy when you have the money intended for the purchase but this is not the only consideration, you have to see to it that you are taking the right points before buying a cellular phone.

You have to consider first the type of phone you need or you want to have. There are three major types of cellular phones:

  • Analog phones

This type is really suitable for those who travel a lot. Price wise, it is less expensive if compared to alternative phones. This would be a great choice for those who have budgeted amount to purchase one. On the other hand, the quality of the sound from such phones is not that high as compared to alternatives. Another negative point to be considered is that rate minute is now rising as well.


  • Digital phones

This type of phone is really good when it comes to saving the cost of rates. These phones in general have better signals. The disadvantage point is that they could be very bad in receiving and maintaining signals. This could really be a big factor to consider.

  • PCS phones

This stands for Personal Communications. It is as practical as the digital phones when it comes to practical features this has to be considered a lot for it may make or break your satisfaction to the phone you have chosen.

What are the other features to consider?

You must consider before buying: dual mode phones, weigh, battery life, size, and also color. Though these are small details, they matter a lot to us. Be careful in choosing the phone to buy.

Bart D. Ebinger