I often get calls from people having trouble with "the internet". Most of the time it's because they are having problems with their browser... and most of the time that's Internet Explorer. When I arrive on-site, my first and most important fix is to suggest kicking Internet Explorer to the curb. Many people are unaware of what a “Web browser” is, so lets start there. A web browser is simply a program that allows you to look at webpages, or “browse the web”. Simple enough, right?

I received an email from my cousin with a bizarre looking link. No other information, no subject, no personal endorsement, just a link. This is certainly a hijacked account.

In today’s world we have better spam filters and anti-virus software, however the endless cat-and-mouse game never ends. Instead of sending spam from random addresses, people often attempt to hijack accounts in order to send spam, or viruses.

I often receive calls from customers with slow computer issues. Very often when I plop down in-front of their computer I notice they have installed registry cleaners and “speed boosting” programs such as RegCure or "double my speed". One of the first things I do is kick those bad-boys to the curb.

For most people, there have been times where you wish you had access to your computer, to pull up an address, phone number or picture on your computer. There’s an app for that… several actually! These apps that allow you to access your computer as if you were sitting right in front of them are called Remote Access apps.

GoToMyPC is probably the most well-known remote access application, but others exist that don’t charge. The main difference? The advertising budget.

Two remote access programs I like to use are TeamViewer and LogMeIn.

These days it seems like nobody answers their phone. As annoying as that is, it gets worse when you have to sit for 25 minutes listening to the slow computerized greeting message that explains your options. "To leave a numeric page ..." Really? That's used like once every 10 years. Or there is the person who has half a song as their voice mail... yeah. However this tech tip will help you avoid the annoyance and bypass the voice mail message.