Computer Networking Solutions

10/14/2025

Should you upgrade to Windows 11 if you can? Probably.

Should you panic because it's October 14th and you're still on Windows 10???!?!

Not at all.

Just login to OneDrive and backup your settings (skip backing up your folders) and you get a free year of updates.

Learn how to back up and restore apps, settings, files, photos, and Microsoft Edge favorites and preferences on your Windows PC using Windows Backup.

09/29/2025

The United States, drawn entirely from memory.

08/08/2025

Lots of spam in the quarantines this morning from legitimate senders with malware in attachments or links to legitimate file sharing services like SharePoint and ShareFile.

Be safe out there.

Call now to connect with business.

07/15/2025

"While 75% of developers reported feeling more productive with AI tools, the data tells a different story: every 25% increase in AI adoption showed a 1.5% dip in delivery speed and a 7.2% drop in system stability. Additionally, 39% of respondents reported having little or no trust in AI-generated code."

Despite glowing reviews, a rigorous study shows experienced coders take longer to complete tasks with AI, while still believing they’re faster.

06/18/2025

I've heard that Comcast tech support is a special kind of terrible, but I've seldom had the (dis)pleasure of experiencing it myself.

Yesterday, I visited a client who was having sporadic issues with their service after a weekend power outage. I spent multiple hours testing, reconfiguring equipment, running speed checks, etc. to narrow down the problem -- the Internet was (mostly) working, but the modem was behaving badly, so I called tech support for a replacement. Since this is a business, the support is supposed to be top-notch -- Service Level Agreement in place and all that.

The earliest appointment they had was Friday afternoon, but they said they sometimes can squeeze a visit in earlier, and would call me if that was the case. (This was 11:45 PM last night.) This morning at 8:15 AM, Comcast dispatch called to say that a tech was onsite and the doors were locked (the client opens at 9 AM -- of course they never inquired about business hours). They said they couldn't come back today, but promised to come 10-12 tomorrow. I then received a couple of texts confirming the appointment for Friday at 1-3 PM and also 3-5 PM, but that's par for the course when you make an "ASAP" request.

I just checked on the ticket in their business portal, and it showed as "Closed". I called customer (dis)service and they confirmed it had been closed. I rescheduled once again for Friday afternoon and requested ASAP -- they said they can get someone out 3-5 PM today. The business closes at 4:30 PM, so here's hoping they don't rattle the doors at 4:45 PM and then close the ticket again.

Fiber can't come to this area soon enough...

06/12/2025

Roanoke Hosts Free Residential Electronics Recycling Event

Roanoke residents can clean out unused electronics at a free, drive-in electronic recycling event from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 14, in the Roanoke Public Works Division parking lot, located at 1802 Courtland Rd NE, Roanoke VA 24012.

Residents may bring common household electronics, such as computers, tablets, printers, monitors, phones, small appliances, and televisions. Almost anything powered by electricity is acceptable, except for the following:

* Ballasts (PCB and non-PCB)
* Batteries (including lithium batteries for power tools, yard equipment, and power banks)
* Commercial Grade Electronics, such as a copy machine
* Fluorescent light bulbs
* Mercury switches
* Thermostats
* Thermometers

During the event, traffic controllers will direct drivers to ensure an orderly and efficient traffic flow. Participants should look for signs that will provide instructions about where to go, and what to expect upon arrival.

The City is providing this service in partnership with Clean Earth, a specialist in electronic waste recycling. Their process protects data privacy, reduces waste, and upholds best practices for disposal of e-waste.

https://www.roanokeva.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=2271

05/09/2025

It seems this old laptop does still support windows... 😆

02/13/2025

Be careful about relying on AI.

A BBC study published yesterday (PDF) found that AI news summarization tools frequently generate inaccurate or misleading summaries, with 51% of responses containing significant issues. The Register reports: The research focused on OpenAI's ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot, Google's Gemini, and Perplex....

11/21/2024

Sometimes people are perplexed why I don't always recommend the "latest, greatest" technology. Other times...

11/07/2024

We don't support unethical or illegal hacking, but at least these trolls did it in style.

(TL;DR they hacked a French company and demanded the ransom to be paid in baguettes.)

On Monday, a newly formed ransomware group called Hellcat claimed responsibility for breaching Schneider Electric, a leading provider of industrial and energy equipment, and stealing 40GB of user data.

Like other groups, Hellcat is promising it’ll delete the stolen data if the company pays up.

But the group’s ransom demand stands out for demanding the French company hand over $125,000 in bread form. X accounts that seem to be affiliated with Hellcat are also emphasizing the payment be made in baguettes.

In response to the threat, Schneider Electric wrote: "Our Global Incident Response team has been immediately mobilized to respond to the incident. Schneider Electric's products and services remain unaffected.”

🔗: https://www.pcmag.com/news/ransomware-group-demands-payment-in-french-baguettes

08/09/2024

I can't be certain my vendor is using AI to send out emails, but there are signs...