Basic Computer Tips
Spyware
Virus Protection
Wireless Security
Computer Maintenance

Basic Computer Tips
1. Never, never, turn your computer off with the power switch until Windows has shut down.
The one exception to this rule is when your computer locks up and your hard drive is not running (hard drive light is not blinking). In this situation, you can turn the power off without harmful effects to the hard drive. As cutting the power can also result in lost data or Windows files, you should only do this when you have to.

Following this rule will prevent permanent hard drive defects caused by the hard drive heads contacting the surface of the drive disc, and it will prevent a host of Windows problems.
Whenever possible, recover from crashes by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time. Press them again to reboot your computer.

2. FrontierPC highly recommends that you purchase an UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for your computer.
This will keep your computer from crashing during power outages, and will protect your computer from low and high voltage occurrences.
An UPS is far superior to a surge protector and will save your computer from almost any power type of disaster. (See #1 above for what happens when your computer crashes.)

3. Backup, backup, backup, any data you cannot afford to lose to at least two separate physical drives.
So backup data to floppies, Zip disks, CD-RWs etc.
The time to backup is when you create something you can't afford to lose. Don't wait until tomorrow.

4. Never unplug peripherals from the computer when it is powered up. Unplugging with the power on can short out the connector socket or the motherboard.

The only exception to this rule is if you know a peripheral is "hot pluggable". If you do not know what "hot pluggable" means then ignore this exception.

5. Do keep at least 100 MBs of your C: drive free for Windows to use.
If you use Windows Me or Windows XP then you should have 200 MBs of free space on your C: drive.
If you do not have enough free space you will choke Windows and it will start dumping data to your hard drive, or it will just get really, really, slow.
Use the ADD/Delete tool in the Windows Control Panel to delete unneeded programs from your drive.
You can also use Cleansweep included in Norton Utilities to clean up your drive. If you do use Cleansweep or another hard drive cleaner, do not delete shared files unless you back them up. The cleaners do a rotten job of knowing if another program uses shared files.

6. Do not let a lot of programs load up when you start your computer. They use valuable memory and Windows Resources (Windows internal workspace).
All programs in your Windows System Tray (in the lower left of your screen) are running on your computer. Close them if you don't need them or run them and configure them not to load when you boot up.
Other programs running in the background can be found by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete at the same time.

7. If you have a high speed Internet connection you need a firewall program.
A firewall program keeps those who want to hijack your computer from gaining access to your system. You really do not want someone else running your computer.
FrontierPC suggests you purchase and run Norton's Personal Firewall program. Your firewall should boot up with your computer to protect it from invasion.

Case in point: When I run Windows Me for 10 hours or more with my DSL connection, my computer is usually attacked by a hacker at least once.
Do not think you are safe from hackers!! Hackers use search programs to seek out computers at random. Get a firewall program and use it.

8. Keep track of the software disks you receive with your computer and new peripherals.
These disks contain valuable software drivers and programs for Windows and are needed when Windows must be reloaded. Keep these disks and your Windows software disks in a safe, dry, place -- you never know when you will need them.

Spyware
It is strongly recommended that there be Spyware removal/protection software installed on your computer. Pop-ups are very annoying. Spyware removal/protection software can remove a good portion of those pesky pop-ups you see on your screen. Once all the spyware is removed, protection software can protect you from further access into your system.
FrontierPC uses a few different pieces of software and manual techniques to wipe out traces of these tracking programs, because there is no one piece of Spyware removal software that will effectively do the job alone.

Spyware Tips
1. Do not install any toolbars without knowing the company thoroughly.
2. Set your Internet Security settings to at least Medium.

• Open Internet Explorer and click the Tools menu and then the Internet Options... sub-menu.
• Click on the Security tab at the top. Next click on the Internet icon. The Security Level bar should be set to Medium.
• Next click on the Restricted Sites icon. The Security Level bar should be set to High.
• Next click on the Trusted Sites icon. The Security Level bar should be set to Low.
• Now click OK and you're done.

• Open the latest Spybot Fixes log. (Found in install directory).
• 2.Open Spyware Blaster, and go to tools section to add spyware to the database.
• 3.Copy in CLSIDs. If the CLSID is already being "watched" then it will stay black so you can delete it, but if it turns red then it will never bother you again.

Virus Protection

FrontierPC Tips that will keep you Virus Free:

Always have the most current version of your AntiVirus program.
By staying up to date with your product's version guarantees you the best protection as well as scanning technology.

Always keep your virus scan ON!
By enabling auto-protect (Norton AntiVirus) or virus-shield (McAfee) keeps you system protected. Both of these programs scan files or disks you use as well as downloaded information from the Internet while your computer is on.

Update your virus definitions at least ONCE A WEEK!
Both McAfee and Symantec (makers of the Norton products) have active antivirus research centers that will post new definitions for download every seven days. Having the most recent definitions provides maximum protection.

Never download attachments.
Viruses are spread today mostly by email attachments. You should never download attachments if you do not know the person who sent you the email with the attachment. You should also scan the attachment before downloading if you know who sent the email. Even if you know who sent you the email, it is always best to scan the entire email and attachment to make sure it is virus free. A friend that may have been infected with a virus could easily send you one. On top of that, viruses now can automatically send themselves to anyone in your address book without you knowing!

Use the Email Scanning option.
If your AntiVirus program comes with an email scanning option, make sure you use it. Norton and McAfee products have this option and can scan email before it is downloaded to your computer. This is a valuable tool especially if you use Outlook, Eudora, or another email program.
Never open a floppy disk until you have scanned it.
Believe it or not, there are still people who spread viruses the old fashioned way.

Don't save unsigned downloads.
A company signs a program to let you know it has been verified and that the distributor can be held liable for any problems. Unsigned programs are thresholds for hackers to compile malicious code that can destroy your computer and network.

NEVER SEND OR FORWARD ATTACHMENTS IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT TO YOUR EMAIL BOX!
How would you like it if one of your friends sent/forwarded you a virus? Be smart. Chain letters are fake and a hassle!

Wireless Security
Is your wireless network secure from intruders accessing your files and abusing your internet connection?
The point of properly securing a wireless access point is to close off the network from outsiders who do not have authorization to use your services. A properly secured access point is said to be closed to outsiders. A wireless network is more difficult to secure than a typical wired network due to its nature. A wired network has a limited number of fixed physical points of access while a wireless network can be used at any point within the range of the antennas.

Plan antenna placement
The first step in implementing a closed wireless access point is to place the access points antenna in such a way that it limits how much the signal can reach areas outside the coverage area. Dont place the antenna near a window, as the glass does not block the signal. Ideally, your antenna will be placed in the center of the area you want covered with as little signal leaking outside the walls as possible. Of course, its next to impossible to completely control this, so other measures need to be taken as well.

Use WEP
Wireless encryption protocol (WEP) is a standard method to encrypt traffic over a wireless network. While it has major weaknesses, it is useful in deterring casual hackers. Many wireless access point vendors ship their units with WEP disabled in order to make the product installation easier. This practice gives hackers immediate access to the traffic on a wireless network as soon as it goes into production since the data is directly readable with a wireless sniffer.

Change the SSID and disable its broadcast
The Service Set Identifier (SSID) is the identification string used by the wireless access point by which clients are able to initiate connections. This identifier is set by the manufacturer and each one uses a default phrase, such as 101 for 3Com devices. Hackers that know these pass phrases can easily make unauthorized use of your wireless services. For each wireless access point you deploy, choose a unique and difficult-to-guess SSID, and, if possible, suppress the broadcast of this identifier out over the antenna so that your network is not broadcast for use. It will still be usable, but it wont show up in a list of available networks.

Disable DHCP
At first, this may sound like a strange security tactic, but for wireless networks, it makes sense. With this step, hackers would be forced to decipher your IP address, subnet mask, and other required TCP/IP parameters. If a hacker is able to make use of your access point for whatever reason, he or she will still need to figure out your IP addressing as well.

Disable or modify SNMP settings
If your access point supports SNMP, either disable it or change both the public and private community strings. If you dont take this step, hackers can use SNMP to gain important information about your network.

Use access lists
To further lock down your wireless network, implement an access list, if possible. Not all wireless access points support this feature, but if yours does, it will allow you to specify exactly what machines are allowed to connect to your access point. The access points that support this feature can sometimes use Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) to periodically download updated lists in order to prevent the administrative nightmare of having to sync these lists on every unit.

Computer Maintenance
Use these routine maintenance tips to keep your computer running at peak performance. With the amount of information available for download on the internet, it's easy to quickly fill up your valuable hard drive space and turn your computer into a sluggish, unresponsive monster. Keeping your hard drive clean is essential to the high performance that the latest computers can achieve. Fortunately, it's a simple process; one that can easily be performed on a regular basis and, with some organization, keep your computer running like a well-oiled machine.

You can discover how much hard drive space is available on your computer by accessing the DriveSpace program in your System Tools. A pie graph will show you the amount of used and unused space for each of your drives. Check this often to keep an idea of how much space you are using.

There are six simple steps to clearing up your hard drive:

1. Uninstall unused programs.
Many times a new program will come along that looks fun to have or play with, but after a week or two you simply stop using it. These programs clutter up your drive and take up valuable space. You might be tempted to delete these p