Archive for category computers

There’s No Place Like 127.0.0.1

Did you realize that you can control what Internet sites (including advertisements) are displayed on your computer? Within Windows, there’s a file called “Hosts” that essentially controls what websites your computer can connect to. You can modify the Hosts file to block websites on your computer. It’s a great way to block ads, malicious sites, and as a filter for unwanted websites.

There is a terrific website, MVPS.com, that has loads more about the Hosts file. They also offer a pre-made Hosts file that you can use to block websites (mostly ad sites).

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , ,

World’s Scariest Technology Ideas

Ooo, this is a great slideshow: SO TRUE with a touch a very edgy sarcasm to it. It’s from eWeek, Security Hardware & IT Security Software: The 10 Scariest Technology Ideas. Here are just a few of the best:

  • Forget carrying all those silly credit cards. Just use your smartphone to pay for things? Isn’t that great? …And don’t worry that you are using a device whose lack of security capabilities makes Windows 95 look like Fort Knox…
  • Your cool new smartphone, your car, and your entertainment devices have neat GPS features…. making it easy for you to find your way around. This also makes it really easy for anyone else to find you– anytime, anywhere. But hey– at least you don’t have to look at maps anymore.
  • Twitter, Facebook, and the like are great for telling friends and colleagues what you’re doing… “Hey everybody! We’re all in Europe for the next two weeks!” The problem is, potential criminals also know…

Great points, and it sure makes you think twice about how our electronic toys make us so vulnerable.

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Fixing a Router Invalid MAC Address Problem

I have a very nice Netgear Wireless-B+G+N gateway router for our DSL connection. And I have a very nice Belkin Wireless-N adapter for one of our computers here. Since both gadgets are relatively new technology, I figured that connecting the Belkin to the Netgear would be a piece of cake.

WRONG.

I admit– this Belkin adapter is the EASIEST adapter I have ever installed. It was a breeze and it works right out of the box. But I have hefty wireless security for our home network: I have a long string of hexadecimal characters, MAC address filters, and etc. I won’t budge when it comes to security. I have ditched some of our old equipment because it won’t work with the modern encryption.

So this new Belkin has a funky MAC address that my Netgear router refused to accept. All the other MAC addresses I’ve seen begin with “00,” but this Belkin adapter began with “94.” The Netgear wouldn’t accept the MAC address.

Invalid MAC address

First time I’ve seen that. After checking for a firmware upgrade from Netgear for the router (there was no upgrade), I was on my own to make this adapter work, or return it to the store.

I figured out a hack. And it may help you should you have to do this. This is for my Netgear DGN2000, which allows me to save a config file as a backup. Basically, all I did was backup my config file, open it in Notepad (well, I use Notepad Pro+, a much better program), add the Belkin adapter’s MAC address to the config file, save it, and upload it to my Netgear router. Voila!

Long version of what I just said:

Most routers *should* give you an option to save your configuration settings. Save TWO of these, just in case you make a mistake and wipe out all your settings– you’ll have an untouched saved config file to upload, just in case. I saved one in my Documents folder for safe keeping, and another on my Desktop with which I altered. I had no problems, but it was nice to know that I had a pure backup for caution’s sake.

OK, so… your router will save the file as a “config” file. Right-click it and open it in a text-editing program (like Notepad or whatever). Scroll down, looking forĀ  “MAC+name” and “Trusted Wireless Stations.” That’s what Netgear calls it; I assume other routers call it something similar. It was easy for me to find it because I already have a bunch of connections for other computers in the Trusted Wireless Stations group.

Type in the code using EXACTLY the same format as you see for the other MAC addresses (assuming there are others, as I have), but insert your new adapter’s MAC and network name. For example:

[40102]“Trusted Wireless Stations”=00:55:44:33:88:8FHP-PAV

You see that I name all my network connections after the computers we have here. You could name yours George or Moe or Belkin2020 or whatever. The name is just a way for you to identify which wireless connection is where. But the MAC address you MUST have accurate, or your router will not accept it as a viable member of your wireless network.

netgrconfhack

After you have added in your adapter’s MAC address, save the file as it is– do NOT rename it as something else. Close it. Go back to your router and look for where you can upload a file for settings (usually “restore backup” or “restore settings” or something. Upload the config file. My Netgear gave a confirmation window, asking me if I was SURE I wanted to do this, because doing so would wipe out all my current settings. I said yes. The router automatically reboots. Go to your wireless settings, and allowed MAC addresses, and you will see your new adapter MAC address and new name there.

Your wireless adapter with computer is now part of your wireless network, and all is secure. :)

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , , , , ,

Photography=Fun; Photo Uploading=BORING

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Eye-Fi. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have a slew of blogs, and one of them is a travel blog. We have THREE cameras and a camcorder with which I or the kids take photos. It’s so much fun to snap photos! But when it comes time to get them off the camera and upload them– what a snooze! It’s become quite a chore. I usually leave the photos in my camera until I have time (or motivation) to work on them. Then, there’s the tagging, the organizing into folders…. BOOOORING. :S

I’ve seen a gadget on a few other blogs, and now it’s my turn to take a look at it: it’s called Eye-Fi. It’s a very special SD card, and it basically allows you to upload your photos and videos wirelessly from your camera to your computer, or even to your photo-sharing website (such as Flickr, Shutterfly, WalMart, etc) even if your computer is off. All you need is a camera that takes SD cards (and most digital cameras do) and a wireless connection at home (through your Internet router). Very cool! There’s a video by Erin Manning that shows how the Eye-Fi cards work. I found it very informative.

The Eye-Fi SD cards have 2 to 4GB space on them for photos and videos. It will automatically back up and sort your data into folders organized by date.

Technology just never ceases to amaze me. The Eye-Fi is the first wireless SD card. I had to go to the Eye-Fi website to see how this thing works. There’s a small wireless device in the SD card. You must activate the card first, then take photos for upload. There are four kinds of Eye-Fi cards: Home , Share, Explore, and Pro.

  • Home works in a basic way. It uploads only photos to your computer through wireless. All you have to do is snap photos, come home, and turn your camera on. The Eye-Fi will do the rest. It only comes in 2 GB size.
  • Share is a step up. It will upload photos and videos to your computer AND to your photo-sharing site. It comes in 4 GB size.
  • Explore is a little more adventuresome. The Explore will locate nearby Wi-Fi public networks, and upload your photos and videos wirelessly to your online sharing website, and will also tag your photos by location (called geo-tagging).
  • Pro is the top of the line. It will upload photos, videos, and RAW files and do everything the Explore does; but Pro also accepts Ad hoc wireless uploads.

You can visit the Eye-Fi website to see a comparison of the cards and more information. The cards aren’t terribly expensive– only a little more than a high-speed SD card would be. It’s all very convenient! I love the geo-tagging feature, that would save me a ton of time. Eye-Fi may just be the wave of the future, eh?
SocialSpark Disclosure Badge

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: ,

Microsoft Denies NSA Backdoor in Windows 7

This is eyebrow-raising.

Microsoft denies it built ‘backdoor’ in Windows 7
Don’t worry, company tells users; NSA involved only in security compliance standards

November 19, 2009 (Computerworld) Microsoft today denied that it has built a backdoor into Windows 7, a concern that surfaced yesterday after a senior National Security Agency (NSA) official testified before Congress that the agency had worked on the operating system.

“Microsoft has not and will not put ‘backdoors’ into Windows,” a company spokeswoman said, reacting to a Computerworld story Wednesday.

On Monday, Richard Schaeffer, the NSA’s information assurance director, told the Senate’s Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security that the agency had partnered with the developer during the creation of Windows 7 “to enhance Microsoft’s operating system security guide.”

Pardon me, but I find it VERRRRY hard to believe anything Microsoft OR the NSA has to say. Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t. It does not help that both companies resort to Newspeak, either: “enhance” the security guide?? Enhance, huh?

*bells and whistles*

The story goes on:

Microsoft’s rejection of the idea that it’s hidden a backdoor in Windows came as no surprise to security researchers, who yesterday expressed doubt that the company would put its reputation at such risk. “I can’t imagine NSA and Microsoft would do anything deliberate, because the repercussions would be enormous if they got caught,” Roger Thompson, the chief research officer of antivirus vendor AVG Technologies, said yesterday.

John Pescatore, an analyst with Gartner Research, agreed. “[The concerns] are way overstated,” he said today in an e-mail. “NSA worked with Microsoft and others, like Cisco, on security configuration standards for [their] products.”

Cisco, in fact, has built “lawful intercept” capabilities into its products, including its Internetworking Operating System (ISO) and its VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) lines. The term describes the process by which law enforcement agencies conduct electronic surveillance of circuit and packet-mode communications under authorization, such as electronic wiretap orders.

“Lawful intercept” capabilities, eh? What law? This is surveillance without probable cause. I’d like to know where in the Constitution it says government can monitor the activities of American citizens.

It’s getting crazy out there…

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

Tags: , ,