Wireless and Routers

Late last year, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) ratified the 802.11n wireless networking standard and this affected the small-office wireless environment.

Now we have workgroup-level 802.11n wireless routers from Buffalo Technology, D-Link Systems, Edgecore Networks and Netgear. These devices were extremely easy to set up, often requiring only the setting of an IP address to get the local computer and wireless client to communicate to each other. They all had basic router functions, such as port forwarding and a firewall. And without exception, each router had all the latest security features, such as Wi-Fi Protected Access, WPA2 and WPA2-PSK certification, in addition to Wired Equivalent Privacy 64-bit and 128-bit encryption.


Now a number of tests have been conducted comparing each of these routers.

• It was found that each of the routers performed best over a particular distance.

• Each of the routers has different strengths and is best suited for a particular implementation, also depending on the number of users and how far they need to communicate.

• The routers were also compared according to the ease of setup and making changes to the settings.

• Lastly these were compared according to their prices.

Let us discuss them one by one.

The Nfiniti Wireless-N Essential High Power Router and Access Point (WHR-HP-G300N):

It is from Buffalo Technologies, it is the smallest and lightest router in this series. At a half a pound and an inch wide, an administrator should be able to easily find a place for the Nfiniti.

It has 10/100 ports for the local-area network and wide-area network connections. The practical limit for the Nfiniti is only 100 megabits/sec. This is because the wireless traffic eventually must go out of one of the wired ports. However, the radio performed well within that constraint. It came within 3 percent of that limit with a single user going from Ethernet to wireless and within 1 percent when sending packets the other way. It did just as well in the 10-user test as in the mixed 802.11g and 802.11n test, and it lost no significant bandwidth. It had a top performance at a distance of 80 feet and an effective throughput of 6.91 megabits/sec.

The Nfiniti’s retail price of $70 is a good one, considering its radio’s power and overall ease of use. It would do well for any workgroup that has AOSS devices to connect or has a mix of 802.11g and 802.11n users.

D-Link’s DIR-825 Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router:

It is from D-Link Systems and comes in a bright white case. One unique feature of D-Link is the SharePort, a USB port in the back that can be connected to a printer or external drive for access without the need of a computer. This feature is pretty useful in a workgroup environment.

D-Link has two independently controlled radios to support the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. When both are operational, the router can optimize bandwidth use by various kinds of traffic.

It is fastest at 40 feet, churning out an effective transfer rate of 13.96 megabits/sec. D-Link has set the list price for the DIR-825 Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router at $200.

This router would be good for a closely grouped set of users who have a variety of media they access wirelessly.

SMCWBR14S-N3 Barricade N:

It is from Edgecore Networks and can adequately meet a workgroup’s basic wireless needs. The Barricade N has 10/100 ports for its local-area network and wide-area network connections. Its top performance was at a distance of 60 foot, producing an effective throughput of 10.68 megabits/sec.

The Barricade N SMCWBR14S-N3 from EdgeCore Networks has a list price of $60. It would perform decently for a workgroup that has basic routing needs at close distances and doesn't have too much traffic at once.

Netgear ProSafe Wireless-N VPN Firewall (SRXN3205):

It is from Netgear and they are all packed inside a sturdy metal case that you can mount on a wall or rack. The ProSafe’s antenna array has, in addition to the two dipole antennae, a patch antenna in between. That allows the ProSafe to boost the signal in the direction the antenna faces, which can be especially useful if your implementation has long-distance users in roughly the same direction. When combined with the dual radios in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies, you end up with a formidable broadcast device, especially at greater distances.

In addition to router and firewall functions, the ProSafe also have extensive virtual private network capability, both for IP security and Secure Sockets Layer. Its best performance is at 100 feet with an effective throughput of 3.16 megabits/sec.

Netgear is selling SRXN3205 for $259. That is a good price for a router that has all the capabilities and power of the ProSafe. It would do well in an environment with many users who are at moderate to long distances from the router.

What is Storm Worm?

Storm Worm, also known as DoS.Storm.Worm or Win32.Storm.Worm, is a worm type virus that spreads via e-mail, using a variety of subject lines and text messages relating to news events or other current events. This worm virus tries to seek out Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) systems that do not have the proper security patches.

The Storm Worm began infecting mostly private computers in Europe and U.S. in 2007. In that year this worm virus accounted for 8% of malware infections globally. The virus spread through e-mails as an attachment. When an attachment is opened, the malware installs the wincom32 service, and injects a payload, passing on e-mail to destinations encoded within the malware itself. According to some antivirus company reports, it may also download and run the Trojan.Abwiz.F trojan, and the W32.Mixor.Q@mm worm. The Trojan disguises on the spam with names such as "postcard.exe" and "Flash Postcard.exe," with more changes from the original attack as it mutates. Some of the known names for the attachments include:

• Postcard.exe

• ecard.exe

• FullVideo.exe

• Full Story.exe

• Video.exe

• Read More.exe

• FullClip.exe

• GreetingPostcard.exe

• MoreHere.exe

• FlashPostcard.exe

• GreetingCard.exe

• ClickHere.exe

• ReadMore.exe

• FlashPostcard.exe

• FullNews.exe

• NflStatTracker.exe

• ArcadeWorld.exe

• ArcadeWorldGame.exe

• with_love.exe

• withlove.exe

• love.exe

• frommetoyou.exe

• iheartyou.exe

• fck2008.exe

• fck2009.exe

Bluetooth Technology: Know How it Works

Bluetooth technology is a popular technology these days and has found its use in different ways like mobile phones, hands free headsets, printers etc. The wireless technology works on different international standards and 802.11 happens to be the most common of the wireless IEEE standards. The Bluetooth is based on the 802.15 IEEE standards and is used for short distance wireless communication based on a Personal Area Network (PAN) which is actually the adhoc mode of connection, in other words it is a wireless connection without the involvement of a router in between devices. We should not confuse it with the normal 802.11 wireless. It supports upto eight devices in the Bluetooth network. It supports a data transfer of 24 Mbit/s for the version 3 type Bluetooth device and the class1 type supports upto 100 meters of distance for transmission. The PAN, SPP, DUN, HID, HCRP are the Bluetooth profiles supported in Windows XP, Vista or 7.

However we have seen that Bluetooth devices need maintenance as well. A Bluetooth icon should always be there for an active Bluetooth device connected to the computer. If the Bluetooth device does not get detected then make sure that the option “Turn discovery on” check-box is checked in the Options tab when you click the Open Bluetooth Settings tab after right clicking the Bluetooth icon in the system tray. “Allow Bluetooth device to be connected to this computer” and “Alert me when a Bluetooth device wants to connect to this computer” are the options in the same “Options” tab that needs to be checked. Removing the Bluetooth device should remove the entries in the device manager which can be reloaded in a proper way. A Bluetooth device uses 500 milliamps of power when connected to a USB port and that makes it necessary for the proper power distribution at the ports otherwise the device will fail to get detected. Make sure that a cordless phone or a true Wi-Fi set-up or microwave ovens are not emitting radio waves which can hinder the proper functioning of the Bluetooth device. Double click the Bluetooth icon in the control panel and see whether the Bluetooth device is listed under the Device tab or not. From here we can click on the Add button to add a Bluetooth device to the computer. For devices to get detected the two devices should “pair” properly. When two devices pair properly they exchange passwords and device information properly. Troubleshooting can be done at the device manager level or in the registry as well but it is better to contact a technician for that.

One point to note is that even if a PAN is used for connectivity an APIPA (automatic Private IP Addressing) address is taken up by the computer that is an IP starting with 169.x.x.x. It uses TCP /IP for communicating and all this happens without the presence of any router !! The peripheral other than the computer, for example a Bluetooth printer should have a similar IP address. Make sure that the printer is configured first for Bluetooth and then you can run the Bluetooth installation wizard from the control panel of the computer.

Restore Files on Server 2003

Is it really possible to get back the files that you have deleted from the computer? You might not have taken the back up for the files and deleted that from the computer. Well to some extent it is possible to get back the data. But is it possible in Windows Server 2003? Yes it is! We can use data recovery software or else we can use some board programs that will help us to restore the deleted files. But we have to choose the correct program to get back the data.

2) You are recommended to download NTFS Undelete, Diskeeper Undelete, or recuva. This is totally depends on you that which one you want to install.

2) Save the file on your desktop for Windows server 2003. Now double click on it and follow the on screen options to complete the process.

3) Now open the file recovery program to choose and select the letter of the drive that contains the deleted files.

4) Select the file to be restored from the onscreen list and press the Restore on undelete options. Now this will show you the deleted files on the drive that are not deleted by using the chosen program.

Computer with No Video

Did this ever happen to you? You turn on your PC and you have no video on your monitor. You have power but no video. You can listen to the songs but can’t watch them .We understand that it is so frustrating. But again don’t worry it could be a simple problem if the screen is not broken.


The following steps will help you to resolve the problem. You can save your time & money and easily you can become an Expert for sure.

1. If you have power and the power supply fan is working you can rule out the power supply as your problem. The power supply can be culprit but generally in this case its not.

2. Disconnect all the peripherals from the computer and leave the power cord and the monitor cable. If it works the problem is with the other peripherals that were connected to the PC.

3. Turn it on if you have video now your mouse or keyboard could be the culprit. It does happen.

4. Check the graphics card fan is working or not. It does not happen

5. Take out the static electricity from the Computer. Disconnect all the peripherals and then press & hold the power button for one minute and then restart the computer. If does not work.

6. As long as you have no video and no beeping we won't deal with the memory. Bad memory stick will cause the PC to beep 3 times when turning on.

7. Most people do not have a spare monitor to try but if you do you can try that first before doing any of these steps.

8. Some newer PC's have on board video and added graphics cards or if you have a spare one you can check whether its your card or not.

Important: If there is no sound and no video in that case could be the problem with the software or the hardware. They might get affected through VIRUS. We have the documents how to remove the Virus .So don’t panic. Incase if the one of the hardware goes bad we can check that and do the needful.

What’s New in Office 2010?

Office 2010 is the new office suite from Microsoft, which is due to be released. The new Office 2010 has many improvements over its previous version. In office 2010, files can be accessed via a PC, a Windows mobile phone or through a web browser. Several new features have been introduced in the new Office suite. For example, simultaneous works can be performed on the same file from different locations by different people. This feature has been incorporated in PowerPoint 2010, Word 2010, OneNote 2010 & Excel Web App.


Currently the new Office 2010 is available just as a BETA version, which you can download to try from Microsoft’s website. Office 2010 will be available in seven different versions. They are:

1. Microsoft Office Starter 2010
2. Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010
3. Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 (for non-commercial use)
4. Microsoft Office Home And Business 2010
5. Microsoft Office Professional 2010
6. Microsoft Office Standard 2010 (only for volume license)
7. Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 (only for volume license)

MALACIOUS SERVERS

With the growing use of Internet, online business has become one of the major types of business these days. As this mode of business is quite fast and also convenient at the same time, more number of people are also getting associated with it day by day. As a result, online business has become a fast growing one in short time. People of different industry verticals are going for online business these days. We often buy products or services through internet. Similarly, while buying a domain, you often go for online registration. Service providers are also increasingly opting for online transactions.

For all the online transactions, web servers are required. However, these web servers are being surreptitiously used by unscrupulous users to float out malicious programs, which would creep into systems as Trojans. Trojans as we know appear to be harmless to the system files but once into the system, they would auto-enable itself as JavaScripts and download the actual virus programs from the internet without the knowledge of the user.

A survey conducted by Kaspersky shows that 28% of 1.9 million servers are infected with viruses. So you can easily imagine the number if we consider the individual machines that regularly get connected to various servers. When accessing a web server for viewing a website, people often download PDF files. These PDF files are getting affected by the viruses like Win32.Pdfka and Exploit.Win32.Pidief. In most systems antivirus software are taking care of the security issues, but at the same time, it is always a cat and mouse game between the security software and the malicious programs.


However a help desk specialist know how to extract the maximum out of an antivirus software. S/he knows in details the security involved in a router. For better security, it is always good to configure it at your own, rather than relying on the default configuration.

You need to follow the below mentioned steps:

1. Configure your antivirus software properly.

2. Use a version later than 9.3 for Adobe.

3. Always download the specific file in a folder that you have created already. Now, right click on the folder, scan the folder for threats and then open it. Do not open the file before you scan it.

4. Do not be fooled with file extensions. A“.exe” could be the last entry after a number of periods like “a1v2q.png.exe”. These files could be harmful.

5. If you get a virus alert from an UNKNOWN antivirus software that you haven’t ever installed, then definitely your computer is on the verge of getting infected. Be cautious, do not access any other file and immediately run your antivirus scan (go for renowned antivirus that you have bought, like AVG or Norton or McAfee etc.)

Intel and Qualcomm Brings Dual-Core Processor for Small Devices

A great boost for ultra-mobile computing! Two of world’s biggest tech-giants have come forward to manufacture dual-core processor for small devices. Powered by dual-core processors, ultra-mobile computing would never be the same again as before. With these, the performance of small devices would certainly shoot up.

Intel, in an announcement at the Computex conference in Taiwan, revealed that it would manufacture dual-core Atom processors for Netbooks – small laptops weighing less than 3 pounds. The production of the processors is already on and will be available in the market before the coming winter holiday season. According to Matthew Parker, General Manager – Client Division, Intel Atom, “the new technology will enable very, very thin form factors with dual-core Atom”.

So, how would users get benefited from this dual-core processor? It’s all about rich features, more ease of work and better performances. As dual-core processor helps to speed up your PC,it would similarly make small devices perform faster. "What dual core will bring is the ability to have a more responsive experience. You can video conference with our single-core product, but with the dual-core product you'll have better multiparty video conferencing," explained Mr. Parker.

On the other hand, Qualcomm has also started manufacturing its first dual-core processor, Snapdragon silicon, meant for high-end smartphones and smartbooks (devices pretty similar to Notebooks). In fact, the company has already started sample shipment of the processors. This MSM8x60 series of Qualcomm chips will have two CPUs of up to 1.2 GHz, one GPU with 3D/2D acceleration engines, dedicated low power audio engine, and an integrated low power GPS.