By :Sunny Mock
Learning about this subject will help you more in the long run than you may realize, until the time comes when you really need it.
I consume a large part of my work living web conferencing with panel members around the world and many sundown's I conference call with colleague's complex in Internet marketing and other online interest ventures. My chief corporate job is a produce developer for a high-tech circle and my special time is useless developing web sites and symbols articles. while I consume so greatly time conference business and have been liability so for at slightest ten days now, I know what machinery, what doesn't work, what wishes improvement and how somebody can be an brilliant mass or guest anchor with most any conference call benefit.
First I'll address how best to consume the audio or influence module when with teleconferencing benefits. Think landline with a piece earphones as the answer when chatting on the phone. Entertain do not under any circumstances use a Bluetooth earphones when on a conference call. The gear worn by a conference call bringer is well exact to the frequencies worn by Bluetooth gear and language and sentences will be chopped off abruptly and is validly grating to the interview on the call. This is especially important for the call mass or guest anchor while this character will be the dominant spokesman during the call.
The next nastiest offender is a unit phone in interrupting the conference call gear. If you've ever been on a conference call and examined high slanting squeals and squawking advent over the line you can be certain that there are people on the call with unit phones. Unit phones are entirely fair to use on a conference call if you're not departing to be tongue and the unit phone has a taciturn gathering. If you're the mass or a anchor, wish revert to a landline with a earphones together quickly to the telephone.
As you continue to read this article, pay special attention to how parts 1 and 2 relate to one another.
Enunciate over IP (Void) or digital phone benefit machinery fair, as that's what I use in my home agency. If you use Wife or Apples Airport gear wherever in close proximity to your boundless style telephone gear, be certain to upgrade your boundless style phones to a method 5.8 GHz paradigm. The preceding generation of 2.4 GHz boundless style phones will interfere with the Wife or Airport frequencies and crack your Wife gear off the air. The greatly elder 900 MHz gear still machinery and won't interfere with Wife, it just doesn't have the extend of coldness from the support place that's open with the 5.8 GHz gear.
Hosting and running the teleconference or web conference call is of the chief importance. I've massed calls for up to 50-people and I've participated on calls that had close to 3000-people on the conference conduit. When the call is in open method, somebody can verbalize and each on the call can examine each moreover on the call. Think manifold conversations departing on at once, each character tongue over every other character tongue at the same time, kids shouting or babies crying in the background, television clamor advent through the line, dogs barking, doors slamming, husbands or wives chatting to the character who's on the phone, unit phones squealing and you have a cacophonous border of clamor advent through to each that's on the conference call. I've even examined the sounds of superstar in a bathroom with flushing clamor on an open conference call. Not what somebody moreover on the call particularly desires to examine. The answer is visibly to keep the call in mass method so that only the mass and any anchors are on the line that connects to the mass gathering of the conference call. This isn't greatly of a catch in a daytime interest environment, yet it's a valid big catch when a large portion of the participants are dialing into the call from home.
A tenet of thumb I use whether to keep the conference call in mass or open method is the number of people dialing in and whether it's a daytime or sundown call. Daytime and less than about 25-callers I keep the call open. Daytime and more than 25, I keep it in mass method. Sundown calls with more than about 12-callers, mass method only.
A tactic that's worn on marketing factor calls is to keep the call open while people are signing on and announcing where they're from to spawn excitement and enthusiasm. As more and more people enlist the call, the clamor catch described above fast escalates and the call starts out with almost each on the call upset and stressed by the clamor aspect. Here's a austere answer: when the call is advertised, launch a fling-away forward address along with the call and ask people to launch an forward when they've enlisted the call. This way the mass can keep the call in mass method and reveal and greet people as they enlist the conference. The mass can alter to open method for a few seconds just before the call agenda starts and let each say "Hi" to impart that beloved affection of excitement, kinship and participation, and this should last no longer than about 5-seconds. Something longer and the clamor protest aspect comes back into play.
This same method should be worn for fielding examines from the call participants for the mass or guest anchor. If the conference call is opened up for examines, typically more than one character attempts to ask a examine at the same time ensuing in intersect address and uncomfortable silences when each waits for each moreover to ask their examine first. Also the border clamor aspect comes into play and the examines are generally powerless to be examined openly by the interview. Again, the austere answer is to have examines submitted via forward. They can be sent to the mass and if the examines are for a guest anchor in another position, the mass can panel the examines and only launch those that are relatable to the subject being discussed on the call. If the examines are sent to the guest as they appear while they're tongue, the guest spokesman or mass will have an opportunity to see the examines that requisite to be answered and a bit of mental preparation can be done in the back of their thinker before answering. This avoids superstar being blind-sided by an off-subject or inappropriate examine.
All of these suggestions smear evenly to a web conferencing call. The apparent caveat for a web supported conference call is that each wishes to be on a high-hurry DSL or cable method, especially if there's a web supported visual presentation charming place during the call. Someone on dial-up even for a austere audio only conference call is at an great disadvantage and will be sure frustrated by the feeble outcome they experience.
An brilliant piece that could impart an information produce to whichever give away or plug is to capture a tape of the call. This is very important if the mass or guest anchor is well known or is a rising skilled in the subject of the call. There are software answers that will capture audio from whichever a teleconference or a web conference and the audio line can be reduced for clarity and made open for download. Another selection is to make the call open as a pod cast whichever in entire or ruined up into a cycle.
Once an mp3 line of the call is captured, then another selection is to have a transcription of the call made and available as an Adobe Acrobat e-Book. There are benefits that will transcribe from mp3 lines or alternatively, route the line through influence recognition software to establish a word deed or passage line that can then be available in Acrobat. This can then be made open for boundless or for deal via a download linkage or distributed by a line transmission answer such as Yosemite.
There are various web conferencing answers and teleconferencing benefits open ranging in charge from boundless to miserly and affordable. Keep in thinker the suggestions I've made here and smear them to your next conference call and you'll be wished with the outcome and the call participants will be obliged and exultant. Any you may just have the beginnings of a web supported interest with these suggestions as well.
Try searching for a particular keyword from the title of this article on your search engine and you are sure to find a wealth of knowledge.
Sunny Mock writes for http://www.gooteleconference.com where you can find out more about Teleconference and other topics.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sunny_Mock
Web Conference and Teleconference Tips for Excellence
Slow Startup
By Jeff Blake
I love my computer. I wouldn't trade it for the world. But sometimes it can drive me stark raving nuts -- because it seemingly inexplicably becomes so very slow. Perhaps no more so than at startup. Press the 'on' button for startup, and you may as well leave to do something else... because it's going to take an awfully long while. Sound familiar? The good news for both of us, is it doesn't have to be this way.
In this article, I am going to address this area of slow startup -- but I'm going to do it succinctly. No beating about the bush. Because I want to put these tools right in your hands, so that 20 minutes from now you'll have not only read this, but have done what it suggested, and seen the results. I know what a pain it can be to search for help on something, only to get a very long and complicated set of instructions that will take hours just to decode. So none of that here. Now I'll tell you right up front -- that means we'll not cover everything you could possibly do to eradicate slow startup. But big deal. The 2 tips I will give you are by far the most important, and they're quick and easy. Anything else is just icing on the cake. And icing is great if you've got endless hours to spend tinkering for minimal fine-tuning results, but most of us just want to get it sorted and move on.
So here goes: Tip 1. To overcome a slow startup, clean and organise your system registry. The what, you ask? The registry contains all the settings for the software on your computer -- it tells your computer exactly how to use everything. Problem is, over time all registries change, often becoming bloated, corrupted and containing redundant information. Some bits even go missing. This is by far the major cause for computer slowness, including slow startup. Now the trick is of course that something this important can't just be tinkered with haphazardly. Which is where a good registry cleaner comes in. All you need to do is download one, run it, let it tell you what needs fixed, and say 'yes, please do.' And that's you sorted.
Which brings us to tip 2 for eliminating a slow startup. Limit the number of programs that get to start up when you turn your computer on. The added bonus of using a good registry cleaner, is it gives you the option of helping you do this -- far easier than tinkering with Windows all by yourself.
And that's it. There are plenty of decent registry repair products out there. Here's one I'd recommend giving a go. It's completely compatible with all versions of Windows, from the older ones to XP and Vista. It's also thorough, easy to use and you can test it out for free.
Jeff Blake is a technical support advisor, whose PC mission in life is to save others the pain, frustration & money that being a computer owner can sometimes cause.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Blake
What Is DSL?
by: Toh Poh
DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. It is a service that makes the use of existing copper telephone wires for delivering data services at extremely fast speed rates. It does not hamper the existing telephone line. You can surf the Internet and talk on the phone, simultaneously.
DSL offers speeds that are around 5 to 25 times higher than a typical 56Kb dial-up connection. It is an always-on type of connection. This implies that websites would load quickly, downloads would be faster, buffering of videos would be fast and smooth and the domain of Online games would be illimitable.
Based on the types of service, DSL can be can be categorized in three divisions which are ASDL, IDSL and SDSL.
ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. It offers download speed of 1.5 Mbps and upload speed of 384 K. In order to acquire a ADSL connection, your location has to be within 3 miles of your local telephone office. Also, a DSL router is needed for this type of connection.
IDSL is a ISDN Digital Subscriber Line service which requires an ISDN router. It provides a connection speed of 144 K. in this type of connection distance is not a component to be considered.
SDSL means Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line. The speeds available under this type of DSL connection depends on the distance between your location and your local telephone office. The speed of downloads and uploads can go up to 1.1 Mbps.
Advantages of DSL
No installation of new wires is required. DSL uses the present telephone line to connect to the Internet. It provides extremely fast connection. Depending on the offer, you would not even have to pay for the DSL modem installation charges, since it is provided free by some of the companies on selection of the appropriate plan. The download rate is much higher in DSL connections. Many business organizations have gained the benefits of DSL. A DSL connection is very secure.
Disadvantages of DSL
The quality of your DSL connection depends on the distance between the DSL providers office and your location. Nearer you are, the better quality connection would you get. So, consumers located far from the local DSL office may face some trouble. DSL provide high speeds for downloading stuff but upload speeds are not that good.
DSL vs Cable Modems
The services provided through a cable modem can sometimes slow down or get hanged. It depends on the number of users accessing that particular service. But, in a DSL connection there is no such problem. The speed of DSL is consistent and high. This does not allow any kind of conjunction on the network. It provides more security than the cable modem connections. The popularity of DSL has risen to new heights which has resulted in disconnections and up gradations of the cable modem connections.
Ip Address Conflict: Easy Tip to Deal With It!
by:Abijah
In a network IP address Conflict is common and irritating problem. When a layman faces this problem normally they go for finding IP conflict Resolver software or script to solve the problem. But when curious person or network professionals like me face this problem, he/she may want to understand and go deeper taking it as opportunity to learn the case (unless you are in hurry). So, here I will be giving you few tips on the steps forward in very simple language.
First let me introduce you to IP Conflict as a formality, when two of your PC, Printer or any other device in the network claim to have same IP address ( e.g. Computer A and B both are showing same IP Address as current IP address ), that means you have IP Address conflict which is reported by system as : -
“The system has detected an IP Address conflict”,
“Windows System Error: IP Address Conflict with another system”,
“The system has detected an IP address conflict with another system on the network. Network operations on this system may be disrupted as a result. More details are available in the system event log. Consult your network administrator immediately to resolve the conflict”, etc.
In such condition system stops performing or performances very badly on the network. When you are getting this error first time, don’t ignore and simply write the exact string. Now try to release or renew IP, with command ipconfig /(release/renew), If you simply get another IP the problem is gone.
But if you still face the problem then find out the IP address that is causing the problem. Identify the conflicting devices. Identify the MAC Address of both devices. When you find the PC other than yours that is creating the problem, change its static IP address to outside the DHCP Range to a unique one. But if you don’t have access to that device or don’t know its MAC Address then start command prompt, type “ping –a ”. The device will return the device name, if it is windows compatible device. It can be helpful to identify the problem creating device.
If you only have MAC address of your device that is reporting the conflict error message, then use command in command prompt “arp –a ” (replace the with the IP Address) It will display the ARP Cache for the IP Address until you get a response other than MAC Address of same device.
Now you can continue with changing static IP Address to outside the DHCP Range to a unique one.
If you simply want to give a try to release or renew IP with script, following is the VB script for you:
’the script code begins here.
On Error Resume Next
Dim oBConfig
Set oBConfig = GetObject("winmgmts:Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration)
If oBConfig.ReleaseDHCPLeaseAll = 1 Then
MsgBox "IP address was Successfully Released!"
Else
MsgBox "Release was not successful!"
End If
If oBConfig.RenewDHCPLeaseAll = 1 Then
MsgBox "IP address was Successfully renewed!"
Else
MsgBox "Renew was not successful!"
End If
Set oBConfig = Nothing
’the script code Ends here.
Execute it as VB script inside a vbs file. (Note: Vbs file is simply a text file, which executes VB Script)
Author Abijah is Network Professional working in this field since 2002. And he has recently started writing articles online as volunteer.
Web Based Conferencing
by : Ricky Lim
Web based conferencing in simple terms can be defined as conferencing or discussions via the Internet. It is mainly used for conducting live discussions, meeting or presentations on the Internet. Earlier it was done via text messages on various chat engines, and did not include live discussions, and was known as computer conferencing or Web Based Conferencing.
But today with more advancements and faster technologies they are called live discussions. Through web based conferencing we are said to be living in a global village, where we do not need to travel from places to places to meet people and discuss various projects with them. The communication strategies and styles have changed a lot, life has become faster and interpretative, and we can talk to our clients or partners sitting abroad with the loss of not even a single penny.
Other features which help in increasing the effectiveness of a presentation are web cameras, slide presentations on power point, audio communication with the use of headphones and speakers, text chat for solving online problems and queries, and desktop sharing for sharing files or documents with other members of the conference.
Procedure Of Web Based Conferencing
In a live conference or web conference, each member or participant of the conference operates from his or her own PC either from home or from office. All the members of the conference are connected to each other via the Internet. The participants can simply log in to the conference or to the concerned forum by entering its URL address and individual passwords.
Web Based Conferencing is a service provided by a vendor, for which he charges a fixed amount of money. The money charged can be on the basis of usage per minute or can be purchased from the dealer for a fixed period of time having facilities of downloading and other advantages. These facilities provided differ according to the scheme or package purchased by the customer.
Ricky is the owner of http://www.webbasedconferencing.org, a site that provides reviews of the best web based conferencing services online.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Lim
Top Tips To Secure Your Wireless Signal
By: Lucy Stacey
With recent news reports of offenders being caught obtaining free Internet access by piggybacking someone else's unsecured wireless broadband connection, it’s clear consumers need to take action now to secure their WiFi signal.
Michael Phillips, BroadbandChoices.co.uk product director, explains, “A home wireless network can be incredibly useful and convenient but in a world where we all have to be on the lookout against identity theft, viruses and online fraud, it’s vital that you secure your WiFi signal.”
Philips continues, “Dishonestly obtaining free Internet access is an offence under the Communications Act 2003 and a potential breach of the Computer Misuse Act. Unfortunately this still doesn’t deter some from piggybacking on someone else’s wireless broadband connection.”
BroadbandChoices.co.uk five top tips for securing your wireless network:
1. Am I secured?
If you haven’t set up security passwords yourself then it’s not likely that you will be secured. To find out, simply go to ‘My Network Places’ on your PC and scan for your wireless network. In the list that appears, there should be a picture of a padlock next to the name of your network. If there is no padlock, then you need some security.
2. Use WPA
Most new routers now offer WiFi Protected Access (WPA) passwords as well as Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). WPA offers increased security, and if your computer and other hardware is compatible, you should always use WPA as it is far harder to hack into than previous encryption methods.
3. Added security
You should also always have comprehensive anti-virus software such as Norton or McAfee installed on your computer to protect you from viruses that can open your PC up to hackers. Make sure that these are always kept up to date by regularly checking for updates on the provider’s website. You should also use a firewall - many routers have one built-in but you should run one on your PC too.
4. Isolate your wireless signal
Wireless isolation works to make your signal invisible to anyone searching for WiFi in your area. It is built-in to some routers but must be physically enabled by the user - so check your router’s manual for instructions on how to do this.
5. Use an access list
If you’re still worried, you can create an access list. All computers have their own Media Access Control (MAC) address - a way of identifying each individual computer - and you can tell your router which MAC addresses it can allow access to; blocking all others. This means that anyone wanting to use your wireless signal would not only have to have your password but would have to be on the access list too.
About BroadbandChoices.co.uk:
BroadbandChoices.co.uk is a broadband comparison service in the UK. Unlike other comparison sites, BroadbandChoices.co.uk doesn’t just focus on price but total package value. Consumers can now refer to this impartial Website to access the latest broadband advice and deals, to help them make the right choice.
Lucy Stacey has gained popularity among the netizens due to the accuracy and information-rich content she provides on the Internet on topics as dynamic and technical as wireless broadband in the UK and other wireless telecommunication technologies. Lucy Stacey is currently associated with www.broadbanchoices.co.uk.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
The Many Problems When You Try To Fix A Wireless Network
By: P Abbey
When are having a type of problem with your wireless network it quickly becomes very frustrating. When you are looking to fix a wireless network you will need to look into many different things in order to fix the problem.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common problems that many people face.
Common Problem #1: Loose Wires
Many times a loose cat5 wire, or network card is the culprit to your wireless network connectivity problem. This is the best place to start when you are trying to fix a wireless network.
To fix this you should check the cat5 wire at the computer and also at the router itself. Also make sure that the network card is properly inserted in the PCI slot and in the right slot as well. You don’t have to push too hard to get the network card into the slot securely but you do need to put some pressure on it. You don’t want the card to break otherwise you will be visiting your local computer store to purchase another one.
Common Problem #2: Wrong Driver
When you have the incorrect driver installed it will cause your wireless network not to work. So you should visit the manufacturer of your router and update the driver. And while you are there you should also update your software as well. It never hurts.
Common Problem #3: Wrong Configurations
It’s best to allow the software to set up your entire network, but this is sometimes not possible. This is the reason that many times the configurations are set incorrectly.
When the settings are wrong you will have some type of connection but it’s probably is going to be very limited, that you are not able to get on the internet. You can check the access points if you feel comfortable with changing the configurations. Another setting to check is your security settings and see if your SSID and your encryption key are on the same setting. This is an easy fix.
The easiest way to fix a wireless network that has incorrect settings is to set up the entire network from scratch. So you will need to uninstall the software and drivers to properly complete this task.
If none of these solutions fix your wireless network then your best bet is to contact your local internet provider and they are able to quickly fix a wireless network right over the phone.
P Abbey owns and operates http://www.wirelessnetworkfacts.com/fixawirelessnetwork.html Fix A Wireless Network
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
Social Networking Warning
By: Frank Cannon
This is a warning to all about social networking, social networking is not policed and is open to abuse by fraudsters and other scum that like to prey on the vulnerable.
Social networking is great for making friends, for sharing interests and uploading pictures so you can put a picture to people you are communicating online with - but beware their is a more sinister side to social networking.
The main point is that while social networking sites like Friends Reunited, Facebook,
and Myspace are the current and fun way to make friends these sites also can expose people’s personal information and ultimately highly vulnerable to fraud
and identity theft.
Millions of people are flocking to these social networking sites and passing over sensitive information that fraudsters can steal to open up accounts in their names. When people sign up for these sites the probably will probably include their date of birth, location, e-mail address, job, and marital status in the
|registration information this is exactly the information that Fraudsters can use steal their identity. See below an example of a one social networking's registration form, it really does ask for a lot of fraudster useful information, the asterix's means these fields must be completed.
Create your registration
Your First name Please enter your first name *
Your Last name Please enter your last name *
Gender Please select your gender Male Female *
Your Maiden name if applicable
Also known as Nickname or how people refer to you.
Date of birth Please select your month of birth
Please select your year of birth *
Your email address Please enter your email address *
Confirm your email The email addresses you have entered do not match *
Choose a password Please enter a password
Use letters/numbers, no spaces. 4-12 characters *
Confirm your password The passwords you have entered do not match *
Mobile phone So you can use the mobile services and text alerts later
Where do you live? Please choose the country you live in *
As you can see it's all useful information and that is just one example, to a fraudster it is so easy to duplicate your screen or place a keylog bug onto your system that then enables them to take whatever information you enter. Even if you think you are fully protected from spyware or other bugs your information can still be picked up when the information is transmitted, the cunning and determination of the fraudster should never be underestimated.
Maybe you think it's not to bad if you give the above information and somehow it is copied, it looks harmless enough, but their really is a more sinister animal on the net who's craving is to become more friendly with some vulnerable people. To be blunt the above information is a way for the online perverts to pretend they are a friend, and all they want to do is socialize online, over a period of time they such the most vulnerable into their despicable and perverted life and the results can be unimaginable.
My advise is:
A - If you are a parent then closely monitor what your kids are doing on the net.
B- -Make sure parental controls are set by your server.
C - Look carefully at anything you join online.
D - Do not pass over any sensitive information
E - If you are social networking then report anything suspicious
F - DO NOT put your picture online
I don't want to spoil anyones fun and online experience, but until l proper safeguards are in place and the internet is policed and monitored to cut out the fraudsters, and other perverted elements from abusing the social networking companies then take extreme care.
I have been on-line for many years and work for a major information company, I enjoy writing topical and hopefully useful articles. For more see my websites at: http://www.freetoolook.com or http://www.richkidsthings.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com
All about SHARED WEB HOSTING
By: CompareWebhosts
Shared hosting is the concluding solution for the commercial websites
which is being in use by the majority of small online businesses. It is
well versed with security and time-to-time up gradation in the field of
E-Commerce. It is a safety concept to pay for hosting your website to
enhance your business. Generally most of the web hosting companies
associated with shared hosting ,in fact where you must share the total
hard drive and bandwidth setup with many other online business websites
like yours. So your website is not the only one on the server you have
preferred. Obviously very few small online businesses requires the
usage of dedicated server though it is very expensive.
If you are searching around for a best web hosting service, doubtlessly
you have to choose shared web hosting which provides service including system administration
due its shared concept rule as it is used by many other small online
businessmen. This also comprises plus points for users. Shared web
hosting normally uses a web-based control panel system, such as
C-Panel, Plesk, Helm, H-Sphere, Ensim, Sphera are some of the control
panel products. But most of the companies provides a few dissimilar
types of shared web hosting services. So make sure how much disk space
you desire to have? What’s the cost you can able to pay for that?
According to that you purchase the shared web hosting service which
will support you a better succession in your business.
In shared web hosting, the service provider is normally in charge of
managing the servers, installing server’s software, security updating
and other related aspects of the web hosting service. While the servers
are based on the Linux operating systems as the control panel products
are made out of it. But still, some web service providers offers
Microsoft Windows based controls. More over you have to know the three
types of web hosting services that a web hosting server provides, they
are shared web hosting, dedicated server hosting and virtual private
server hosting.
A shared web hosting is a shareable server in which multiple customers
utilizes the web host but a unique domain name is provided to each and
every customer. This shared web hosting service is ideal for the small
business clients who are new to this web hosting and launches website
for the first time.
Shared web hosting can also be privatized by sharing the cost of operating a
server in a colocation centre through a web hosting known as
cooperative hosting. It can be done in two methods, may be name-based
or IP-based. If you opt a shared web hosting service, and if you
desire to maintain the same web host permanently for your website’s
lifetime. Then select for a web host server which offers either a
virtual private server or a dedicated server hosting service. The
web service provider manages website traffics successfully and
access to the daily functions of the host efficiently. By this way,
you can make the site to turn out to be famous and secure large traffics for your web site.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
Author – Compare Web hosts.
Our aim is to offer people cheap web hosting, dedicated servers, web hosting reviews, managed server, windows and Linux hosting, asp and cold fusion web hosting. Our network of comparison sites - www.CompareWebHosts.com, www.CompareWebResellers.com, www.CompareWebDesigners.com and www.WebHostIQ.com was designed to help web users find dedicated servers and cheap web hosting.
Bluetooth, Bluetooth Security and New Year War-nibbling
By: Todd Friesen
Bluetooth, Bluetooth Security and New Year War-nibbling.
Konstantin Sapronov
Why Bluetooth? Bluetooth Technology
New technologies are swiftly becoming part of every aspect of human life. It's now impossible to imagine life without devices which a few years ago were only to be seen in sci-fi films.
Bluetooth technology first started being developed by Ericsson in 1994. In 1998 Ericsson, IBM, Nokia, Intel and Toshiba formed the SIG consortium, which developed the Bluetooth standard. Many mobile phones and computer peripherals are now equipped with Bluetooth, and some household appliance manufacturers have also adopted this technology as well.
Transceivers which make it possible to use Bluetooth with devices that were designed without Bluetooth capability are now available. They make it possible to connect a telephone to a stereo system in order to download MP3 files to the handset or to listen to MP3 files in the phone's memory. Bluetooth earphones, handsfree devices and car kits are just a few examples of the ways in which Bluetooth can be used.
Bluetooth is now widely implemented; this, combined with the novelty of the technology meant that hackers started to target Bluetooth and its potential vulnerabilities at the beginning of the new millennium. After all, hackers are always attracted to new, unresearched technologies. Groups such as @stack and shmoo were involved in Bluetooth research.
Bluetooth is also an object of interest for the antivirus industry, as worms can use this technology to spread. For example, Cabir, Lasco, Comwar — all these worms run under Symbian OS and spread via Bluetooth. Because of the ability to transmit files (including potentially malicious ones) Bluetooth vulnerabilities are of real interest.
Bluetooth was originally designed to eliminate wires connecting devices. For example, if you connect a mouse, a printer, a mobile phone and, say, a GPS receiver to a laptop using wires, the laptop is no longer really portable. In addition, the machine may not have enough ports to connect all the devices.
However, at some stage Bluetooth began to make inroads into the world of wireless local area networks. Some people believe that it could become a viable alternative to Wi-Fi. In my opinion, the technologies are complementary and although similar, they have different applications.
Bluetooth technology is based on piconets consisting of a master unit and up to seven slave units located within 10 meters of the master unit. Piconets can be united into scatternets. The master unit communicates with the slave units; there is no direct communication between slave units.
Fig. 1
Bluetooth devices operate on an unlicensed frequency band between 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz. To avoid interference with other devices operating on the same band, the technology uses a frequency hopping algorithm with 1600 frequency hops per second.
The time during which devices operate in a certain frequency is called a time slot and is 625 microseconds in duration. Units in a piconet change frequency at the same time on command from the master unit, based on a pseudo-random hopping sequence. The frequency band is broken up into 79 channels spaced 1 MHz apart. Data is transmitted in frames, which can span 1, 3 or 5 slots.
There are two types of connection: ACL (asynchronous connectionless) and SCO (synchronous connection-oriented).
The first type of connection is used to transfer data that can be handled at any time. A slave unit can have only one ACL connection to the master unit.
The second link type is used for transferring data in real time, e.g. for transmitting voice data. A slave unit can have up to 3 SCO links with the main unit, each with a rate of 64 kb/sec.
The Bluetooth specification divides Bluetooth devices into three groups:
• Class 1 100 mW 100m
• Class 2 2.5 mW 10m
• Class 3 1 mW 1m
Most Bluetooth devices are Class 2 or Class 3.
The protocol stack looks like this:
Fig. 2
Further details can be found in the Bluetooth core specification.
Security Mechanisms
According to the specification, user information can be protected by encrypting transmitted data, while the access code and the packet header are transmitted over an unencrypted channel. Data is encrypted using the E0 stream cipher.
Attacks at the communication link level are therefore clearly possible.
Bluetooth can operate in one of three Security Modes:
Security Mode 1 – unprotected (no security) In this mode, no encryption or authentication is used, while the device itself operates in a non-discriminating, i.e. broadcasting (promiscuous) mode.
Security Mode 2 – application/service based (L2CAP) In this mode, once a connection is established, Security Manager performs authentication, thereby restricting access to the device.
Security Mode 3 – link-layer PIN authentification/ MAC address encryption. Authentication is performed prior to a connection be established. Although transparent encryption is used, even in this mode the device can be compromised.
Bluetooth security is based on the generation of keys using a PIN code, which can be 1 to 16 bytes in length. Most devices currently use 4-byte PINs. First, the E2 algorithm is used to generate a 16-byte Link Key based on the PIN code.
Then an Encryption Key based on the Link Key is calculated using the E3 algorithm.
The first key is used for authentication, the second for encryption.
Fig.
The authentication process is as follows:
1. The device initiating the connection sends its address (BD_ADDR). This 48-bit address is unique, like a network adaptor's MAC address. A device's manufacturer can be determined by this address.
2. In response a random 128-bit challenge sequence is sent (AU_RAND).
3. Both devices generate an authentication response string called SRES based on BD_ADDR, Link Key and AU_RAND.
4. The device trying to establish the connection sends its SRES.
5. The other device compares the SRES received with its own and if the two strings match, establishes a connection.
Fig. 4
Although the PIN code is not transmitted openly, it can be cracked if BD_ADDR, AU_RAND and SRES are intercepted.
Types of Bluetooth Attack
BlueBug
This vulnerability allows an attacker to perform unauthorized actions on a Bluetooth-enabled device.
Under ideal conditions, a BlueBug attack takes only a few seconds. The distance from the victim's device to the attacker's device during the attack is limited by the transmitting power of class 2 Bluetooth radios, which is, as mentioned above, 10-15 meters. A directional antenna can be used in order to increase the range.
Since some telephones allow for the issue of AT commands, an attacker can perform the following actions:
• initiate a phone call
• send SMSs to any number
• read SMSs from the phone
• read and write phonebook entries
• configure call forwarding
• etc.
Blueprinting
Blueprinting can be used for accessing the details of Bluetooth-enabled victim devices. As mentioned above, each Bluetooth device has a unique address. This address consists of 6 bytes (usually given in a form similar to that of MAC addresses MM:MM:MM:XX:XX:XX). The first three bytes of this address (the M-bytes) refer to the manufacturer of the chipset. Unfortunately, in the case of the remaining three bytes (the X-bytes), the situations is not as simple and it's not possible to identify the device model 100%.
All Bluetooth-enabled devices have a range of services. The list of services can be obtained via the service discovery protocol (SDP). The device can be queried which results in information in a specific format which can then be used to identify the device model.
BlueSmack
BlueSmack is a DoS attack that can be conducted using standard tools that are shipped with Linux Bluez.
BlueSmack is similar to a well-known attack which was used to attack early versions of Microsoft Windows 95. At L2CAP level it's possible to request an echo from another Bluetooth device.
As with the ICMP ping, the idea of the L2CAP ping is also to check connectivity and to measure roundtrip time on an established link. With the help of the l2ping utility that ships with the standard BlueZ distributive, he user can specify the length of packets to be sent. To achieve the desired result, the -s option can be used to specify a size of about 600 bytes.
BlueSnarf
This is is probably the best known type of Bluetooth attack. The attacker uses the OBEX Push Profile (OPP), originally developed for exchanging business cards and other objects. In most cases this service does not require authentication. The BlueSnarf attack conducts an OBEX GET request for known filenames such as 'telecom/pb.vcf' (the phone book) or 'telecom/cal.vcs' (the calendar file). If firmware on the victim device has been incorrectly implemented, the attacker is able to gain access to all files on the victim device.
BlueSnarf++
This attack is very similar to BlueSnarf. The main difference is the method used by an attacker to gain access to the victim device file system. BlueSnarf++ gives the attacker full read/write access via the OBEX Push Profile. If an OBEX FTP server is running on the device, a connection can be established via the OBEX Push service without pairing.
The attacker can view all files in the file system (using the ls command) or even delete files (the rm command). The attacker is also able to perform actions on any memory installed in the device, including memory extension cards such as Memory Stick or SD cards.
HelloMoto
This is a combination of BlueSnarf and BlueBug.
This attack exploits incorrect processing of 'trusted device' handling on some Motorola phones.
The attacker initiates a connection using the OBEX Push Profile and mimics sending a vCard. The send process is then interrupted, but the attacker's device remains on the trusted device list on the victim's phone. Using this entry on the trusted device list, the attacker is able to connect to the headset profile without authentication. Once a connection is established, the attacker is able to take control of the device by using AT commands.
BlueBump
This attack utilizes social engineering. The idea is to establish a trusted connection with the victim device. This can be achieved by sending a business card in order to make the recipient perform authentication. The attacker keeps the connection open but asks the victim to delete the link key for the attacker's device. The victim is not aware that the connection is still active. The attacker then requests re-generation of the link-key. As a result, the attacker's device gets a new entry on the list without authentification. The attacker then has access to the victim device until the key is deleted.
BlueDump attack
In this case the attacker needs to know the BDADDR of a set of paired devices. The attacker spoofs the address of one of the devices and connects to the other. Since the attacker has no link key, when the victim device requests authentication, the attacker's device will respond with an 'HCI_Link_Key_Request_Negative_Reply', which will, in some cases, cause the target device to delete its own link key and go into pairing mode.
BlueChop
The purpose of this attack is to disrupt an established piconet by using a device that is not part of the network. This attack is based on the fact that the master unit supports multiple connections that can be used to create an extended network (a scatternet). The attacker spoofs the address of a random device that is part of the piconet and links to the master unit, disrupting the piconet.
Research, or New Year War-nibbling
The run-up to New Year, the most important Russian holiday, is an excellent time to conduct Bluetooth research. Shopping centers are crammed with customers looking for presents for their loved ones. This makes shopping centers an ideal arena for investigating how many Bluetooth devices are in open (discoverable) mode, and which of these devices have vulnerabilities. Best of all, this can be combined with present shopping!
My friend and I went shopping, and took a laptop with a Bluetooth adaptor with us. The equipment we used for our research is listed below:
1. A Sony Vaio fxa 53 laptop computer.
2. SuSE 10.0 OSS.
3. a PCMCIA Bluetooth adapter
4. btscanner 2.1
We visited several shopping centers and collected the data below.
Devices (mobile phones and PDAs) can operate in discoverarable or non-discoverable mode. It is possible to scanning non-discoverable devices using a brute force approach (trying a large number of different addresses). However, we did not do this, and scanned only devices in discoverable mode.
Fig. 5
In total, 194 devices were detected, mostly mobile phones. Figure 6 shows a breakdown of these devices by manufacturer. Nokia and Sony-Ericsson dominate, and this is borne out by other studies.
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
These devices which are most commonly used are also the most vulnerable to the commonest Bluetooth attacks. The Btscanner program showed that 25% of all devices scanned were vulnerable to the snarf attack.
Fig. 8
Additionally, 25% of users of the devices detected accepted files transmitted to their devices.
This brings us to the sad conclusion that most users don't even think about security, and only realize that it is an issue when they fall victim to an attack. Failure to consider security issues could lead to serious safety problems. Bluetooth-enabled cars are already on the market; if a car's on-board computer was penetrated, this could put the lives of driver, passengers and the surrounding public at risk.
Additionally, unprotected mobile devices make it possible for malicious code to spread extremely quickly, which could, in turn, lead to an epidemic.
Protection
• Set the device to non-discoverable mode.
• Enable PIN-based authentication.
• Use antivirus software
Leading antivirus vendors already have products for mobile devices. Kaspersky Lab itself offers products such as Kaspersky Mobile for Symbian smartphones (available in the near future) and Kaspersky Security for PDA.
Use additional software(Blooover, Blooover II, BT Audit)
Blooover is a free application written in Java. It can be used only if the phone supports J2ME MIDP 2.0 VM with JSR-82 API. Such devices include Nokia 6600, Nokia 7610, Sony Ericsson P900 and Siemens S65. Essentialy, Blooover is a vulnerability scanner that can be used to check a mobile phone for vulnerability to certain attacks. Blooover was first released in December 2004 and has since been downloaded 150,000 times. Blooover II, which is able to detect additional attacks, was released in December 2005.
BT Audit scans open RFCOMM channels and L2CAP PSM and generates reports on their status.
Click here for a FREE trial of any of Kaspersky Lab’s antivirus software.
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Computer Mice : Their Telephone Origins
By: maxwell Rubin
Like so many developments that we take for common on our computers the humble mouse had its origins in the innovative work done for more than two decades at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). The PARC mouse had two rollers for horizontal and vertical motion and a single button. The deucedly boxy shape was favored by many of developers at PARC and remarkably has persisted through many mouse (or mice) incarnations.
Firstly the Microsoft mouse design has had major impacts in the mice industry. Microsoft mice always had ergonomic design. The first Microsoft mouse had a broad teardrop shape with two buttons. The original green buttoned model had a steel ball that spawned an industry in foam mouse pads. The next iteration had larger buttons, a larger body, and a rubber coated ball.
When Microsoft decided that the mouse needed to be redesigned, it turned to the venerable firm Matrix Design of San Francisco. Microsoft routinely used and uses third parties to design and software develop many of the items and software that we take for granted today that Microsoft devoted alone . Mike Nuttal, one of Matrix Designs founders was intrigued by Microsoft’s project: reshaping the exterior without altering the internal mechanism.
Matrix did change one internal element: the position of the mouse ball. “Almost the first thing we tried was to move the ball forward”, Nuttal remarked later. In the old design the ball sat forward under the palm. A computer mouse user has a natural tendency to put their weight on the palms of their hands and thus on the ball. By moving the mouse ball forward the result was much greater accuracy of the mouse.
“We knew the buttons had to be larger “Nuttal as well said “We tried several button sizes and in the process of designing we ended up incorporating the buttons into the body of the mouse.” Another change was in the relative size of the buttons. It was felt that the left buttons should be larger than the right. The results were more than favorable especially with left handed users. By making the left button larger finger position no longer was a major factor therefore the index finger could curve form lower left to upper right ( vice versa in lefties ) . This is the position the index finger naturally favors. In addition the previous rubber-dome switches were replaced with micro switches that had a short travel depression and better tactile feedback.
It was not long before the firm Logitech responded to Microsoft’s mice innovations.
Logitech’s first mouse was truly one of the first examples of the upcoming international efforts in product development and design. A Swiss based Professor: Professor Niklaus Wirth spent a year on sabbatical at Xerox PARC in 1970 and returned to Europe to test mouse designs, working closely with Inria, a French design center for office automation products. In the end their final design was a round mouse with front mounted buttons.
Product development and testing ensued over the position of the buttons, and the front position won over the top.
However, Logitech soon found that the buttons on the front made the mouse jump backward slightly when clicked. The design was abandoned in favor of a wedge shape, which was followed by the rectangular shape that we today.
What is interesting about all of this is the effect of outside products on an item that we take for granted today - the humble mouse which so functional that we seldom give it second thought.
The rounded heel that fits so well in the palm of your hand, the large buttons, and the smooth edges all have roots in the most universal of electrical / electronic products.
Mr. Nuttal and Matrix Design’s area in great expertise was in the design and development of telephones.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
Early Vintage Computer Buses and Their Influence on the Computers You Take for Granted Today
By: Stoney Mountain
The term “expansion bus “is a frequent term in vintage computer terminology which requires elaboration. Much of the legacy of vintage bus systems are in our current computer systems today.
To begin with the “expansion bus” is a data highway for computer data information to travel on: the bandwidth is in essence the number of lanes. The bigger the bandwidth the more data can be sent. As examples, an 8 megabyte bandwidth means that data can be sent in 8 bits chunks. Our current systems use between 32 bit and now 64 bit bandwidth.
An expansion bus is where cards connect to the computer; Cards have an expansion edge, which fits snugly into the bus much like an electrical plug fits into a wall socket.
When cards are plugged into the bus, they communicate with the system, sometimes through the BIOS and others not. (The BIOS is the basic input /output system that tells the computer how to move data from the different components.) The 8, 16 or 32 bit bandwidth is an important consideration due to communication time between the cards. For example you have a 16 bit vintage 286 PC and it is sending out data at 16 bits a: your video card is also 8 bits. If you have an older 8 bit bus, such as in early IBM PCs and clones, the bus will become a bottleneck in the system; it is like having a 4 lane highway connected to another 4 lane highway by way of a 1 lane road. At most times regardless of the faster 4 lane highway traffic will be slow – limited by the single lane connection road.
There were basically 3 types of expansion bus available in vintage computers: ISA, MCA, EISA systems.
Each early development in major ways paved the way for the later systems which indeed we take for granted today. This was both in terms of hardware and basic concepts in our computer systems and technology as well as computer marketing that we take for granted today as simple basic facts of life without any consideration due.
Basically the newer buses offered increased performance over the older technology buses.
The basic explanations of the buses are as follows:
The 3 bus standards to note were Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) .Micro Channel Channel Architecture (MSA) and Extended Industry Standard (EISA) bus systems.
Industry Standard Architecture (ISA). This was the original AT bus also called an ISA bus. It was the original 8 bit IBM PC bus which was bumped up to 16 bits at some point in its later development. Fine for a 16 bit 286 or very early 386 computers
Micro Channel Architecture (MSA). This was an early 32 bit bus system which was not received well but set the stage for an industry consortium of the major non IBM computer manufacturers ( at the time referred to as “The Group of Nine) to develop the EISA standard bus.
Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA). The EISA bus standard was a standard of its own right which was 32 bit, included bus mastering and importantly remained compatible with previous older expansion cards. 32 bit systems were first to incorporate in later 386 systems. The 486 line solidified and standardized the 32 bit systems in the established software of the day.
Backward compatibility at the time was a novel new concept which has remained an important consideration in the computer industry.
EISA slots would accommodate both the ISA and EISA expansion slots to allow hardware upgrades, However the EISA expansion boards would be of little advantage and would seldom work in the older ISA expansion slots.
On the other hand the Micro Channel setup was not backward compatible. On the one hand the Micro Channel developers were free to initiate new radical changes in computer development and hardware which would have allowed for major new useful features in computer software. However owners of previous systems would have been left with then obsolete vintage useless hardware which would have been of no use and certainly little financial value.
Hence there was a lot of resistance to the Micro Channel bus setup.
It died a lingering death with its legacy living on in the aspirations of features offered in future developments and standards.
Thus the die was set for future hardware standards and software function as well as standard computer marketing concepts that we take for granted like mother’s milk today.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
Get on the Vintage Computer Bus System
By: maxwell Rubin
Vintage Computer Add-in cards come in three basic flavors: 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit. These terms refer to the number of data bits the card sends out at one time. Ideally a 16-bit video card sends an image to the monitor in half the time it would take for an 8-bit version. It is important to know what kind of card your vintage computer accepts. The older PCs and XTs usually have an 8-bit or PC bus, which accepts the older PC bus, which accepts only the 8-bit cards. Vintage computers which are of more recent vintage use a PCI bus combined with ISA (Industry Standard Architecture).
The ISA bus was basically the original AT vintage computer bus. This expansion bus originated with the IBM PC at an 8-bit bandwidth. IBM improved on the design with the PC/AT raising the bandwidth to the 16-bit standard.
In addition to the ISA bus, there is typically an auxiliary bus such as the VL-bus or the even more recent and now accepted standard the PCI bus both were designed for video cards so that they could operate at faster speeds. The PCI bus as we know went on to become the industry standard all purpose bus. Another bus called EISA was going to become the industry standard but instead went on to have a life almost exclusively in the server realm.
What was the basis of the development of the PCI bus? When the Pentium chip was released Intel saw the need for a more general purpose local bus that would eventually supplant the ISA/EISA and VL-bus designs completely. So Intel invented the Personal Computer Interconnect bus now more commonly without the comprehension of the historical background – the PCI bus.
An important point to remember is that the EISA is backward compatible with 8-bit cards (8 bit cards fit into EISAand EISA slots) but MCA will not work with either of the other two standards. (Backward compatible means that the device works with all previous hardware technology, but will not necessarily work with newer configuration standards). In other words cards for an EISA bus computer the cards from an ISA bus computer will work in the EISA vintage computer. However if you try to use these cards in a newer IBM you are out of luck if you want to use your older cards.
Many video cards manufactured later were available in AT-ISA, PCI and VL bus. What would be considered newer more recent vintage computers were equipped with either a couple of VL slots and / or some PCI slots? If the vintage computer supports PCI bus this is a wise choice for performance and should be utilized if at all possible.
Vintage computer add-in cards can also be described in terms of length – ? length, ? length and full size cards. This along with less common XT height refers to the physical size of the cards. However the terms were rather arbitrary and there were no actual industry standards.
Basically what happened over the next time period for vintage computers there was a mixture of both the ISA and PCI buses on vintage computer motherboards until at some point the ISA standard eventually disappeared from view.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
Max Rubin IT Computing Linux Unix GCSS vintagecomputermanuals@yahoo.com www.vintagecomputermanuals.com www.adgerlinux.com
How Does A Security System Work?
By: Gray Rollins -
Protecting your family and your possessions is important to most people. A home security system may minimize the risk of having a burglar enter your home. Studies show that criminals will avoid risky ventures and will generally stay away from homes where there is some type of security device. Most thieves case the neighborhood to determine which homes are easiest to break into and will target those before risking getting caught by disarming an alarm system. Even if a thief does access your home they are likely to leave quickly (thus taking less and minimizing damage) when an alarm is sounding.
A security system consists of a key pad, usually located near the entrance of the home and alarms that will sound when there is an alert. You arm the alarm by pushing a button. If you are leaving home, you will have a few seconds to leave before the alarm is fully functioning. If re-entering, you will have a few seconds to disarm the alarm by entering a pass code.
A security system works by a variety of different means or a combination of them. Contacts placed on doors and windows will detect when they are opened. When you are not in the home, use of motion sensors can be helpful. Your home should not have activity when you are gone, so any motion detected will signal an alarm because it is assumed there is activity where there should not be any. Glass breakage detectors will sound if an intruder forcibly breaks a window or door in your home.
A combination of these sensors is recommended for maximum protection and security. Motion sensors alone may not provide adequate security and only work after someone has already entered the premises. These may also get triggered by active pets, causing a false alarm. Most alarm systems will allow you to remove this option when you are inside the house so anyone awakening during the night will not accidentally set off the system. Another good feature to have is a panic setting. These will allow you to immediately set the alarm off in case of an intruder. A special code is often assigned for cases of kidnapping or forced entry. If a criminal forces you to disarm the alarm, you can put in the special code. This will send a silent alarm to the police, alerting them of a possible hostage incident. No alarm will sound but police will be dispatched.
For maximum security, monitored alarms should be used. This will alert police when the alarm sounds. Generally a callback will be made to determine if there is an actual problem before dispatching authorities. If nobody answers or the secret word that was assigned is not used, police will then be dispatched to investigate. Monitoring is done on a monthly basis for a small fee. It also usually requires an annual permit that can be obtained inexpensively. False alarms where police are dispatched may be charged to the customer for needlessly sending out authorities, so be sure to call the monitoring company if there is a false alarm.
Using a home security system will provide comfort to the family. Knowing you, your family, and your possessions are secure from theft and break-ins is invaluable. Security systems are inexpensive yet provide a valuable sense of security.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
Online Lotteries Are the Latest Trend in Online Gaming
By: Chris Robertson
Since their introduction several decades ago, state lotteries, multi-state lotteries, and national lotteries have brought in trillions of dollars for educational systems and other governmental programs. When prize pools roll over and the winning tickets are potentially worth tens of millions of dollars, they make the news. Co-workers combine their money and buy dozens of tickets, individuals line up at lottery ticket counters and machines, and everyone keeps their fingers crossed. The latest trend, though, doesn't require waiting; online lotteries are taking off and players are entering with only a few clicks of a mouse.
Some of these online lotteries are a departure from the traditional random draws of, say, a U.S. Powerball lottery or a U.K. National Lottery. Just as online gaming has drawn bettors eager to wager on everything from celebrity marriages to natural disasters, online lotteries are now basing winning numbers on such things as the closing figures of six major European stock exchanges. One such online lottery is the GlobalWon game. Aficionados are avid about GlobalWon, saying that the odds of winning are 80 times better than U.S. Powerball and 14 times better than the U.K. National Lottery.
Moreover, these online gaming sites have developed a unique twist on the traditional lottery approach, in that they are set up as network marketing opportunities. The referral programs involved in such ventures allow players to not only win via choosing lottery numbers, but also to profit from the winnings of those players in their downline. In other words, the game plays like a lottery and builds like a business.
The other unique aspect of these online lotteries is that they may not fall under restrictions that typically apply to online gaming. Because they do not constitute online gaming in the traditional sense - such as online casinos and bingo parlors - they are viewed by many as legal and licensed to play worldwide. As an example, GlobalWon uses stock exchange numbers from the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Austria. The stock exchanges are offline, so purchasing lottery tickets is a much different experience, say, than playing online poker.
Just as other games and network marketing opportunities have staked their claim in cyberspace, so have online lotteries.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
The History and Origins of Our PC Computer Keyboards
By: maxwell Rubin
The keyboard is among the most underappreciated and taken for granted component of the Personal Computer (PC) that we use everyday.
We are all creatures of habit. We generally use certain keys and not others in certain way.
What are the origins and history of the now current accepted PC computer keyboard?
Interestingly enough the standard keyboard layout did not originate in one fell swoop. It developed through three separate IBM keyboard projects and often involved mistakes and pitfalls along its evolutionary path.
Most keyboard setups have their direct origin in the original IBM keyboard – “The IBM Enhanced 101 Key Keyboard “which IBM set as the standard in the year of 1987. The Enhanced Keyboard was not the first but rather IBM’s third keyboard standard for PCs.
What were these previous frameworks of IBM keyboard models?
First the original IBM PC and XT keyboards had 83 keys. There were 10 function keys on the left side of the keyboard, a combined number pad and a cursor pad placed on the right hand side. The now called Control (Ctrl), Left Shift, and Alt keys were arranged in a line next to the function keys.
The Escape (Esc) as we know it was to the left of the numbers in the top row. To the right of the Right Shift Key, an unshifted asterisk key allowed the user to type the now common *.* without acrobatics. Between the tiny Left Shift key and the Zee key was a Backslash / Vertical key. The Enter key was narrow and vertically aligned and very easy to miss by most early PC users.
The design of this original IBM keyboard standard was a mixture of sensible and absurd keyboard layout decisions so much so that the admired components overshadowed the less thought out shortcomings and thus here we are today.
IBM’s next design was the original AT keyboard. This was somehow made incompatible with the earlier PC/XT design but a calculating user could reprogram in essence the newer keyboard to work.
The AT keyboard again had the then accepted ten function keys on the left, but exiled the Esc and the unshifted asterisk to the number pad. The Enter key was L-shaped and the Backsplash key, which now occupied the spot which used to be the left half of the Backspace key. Was reduced in size to the width of a single “alpha” key.
At some point when market forces pushed IBM to upgrade the venerable AT computer, it introduced the Enhanced model keyboard which was compatible with the original AT model, but had a drastically different layout. The ESC key and the 12 function keys were now along the top, the number pad was moved to the right. And a new cursor pad was placed between the alpha keys a number pad. The cursor pad ( which was actually split into two sets of keys ) consisted of four arrow keys in an inverted T at the bottom and a separate bank of 6 keys at the top: Ins ( Insert) , Del (Delete) , Home and End, and PgUp (Page up_ and PgDn ( Page down) .
What happened is that the computer users of the time disastrously started to press the Delete key when they meant end. There was virtually little memory, by today’s standards’ hence no advanced features of rescue that we take for granted today. A computer user who may have spent hours typing a major endeavor such as master’s thesis may have seen his hard work disappear into never never land.
It did not take too long for the complaints to arrive at IBM head office to rectify the situation. “Leave well enough alone “was the refrain. And the Backspace key returned to its original double width. The backslash key now occupied a single row. Caps lock migrated to the old side of the Ctrl key, and twin Ctrl and Alt keys flanked the spacebar.
The Del key though remained in its now current place although in some keyboards it is now double sized.
Like it or not this layout has become the standard by which we live with our computer enhanced lives.
The keyboard is among the most underappreciated and taken for granted component in our every day computer lives. We seldom stop to think why certain keys are laid out in the given way. Like it or not we owe a debt to thoughtfulness and thoroughness of the original IBM PC project engineers.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
VoIP Problems?
By: FullService Broadband Provider -
Well of course there's VoIP problems, although I think problems is too strong of a word. Instead I would call this VoIP issues. (Just semantics? maybe, read on!)
Some may be old enough to remember making long distance calls where there was static or crackling on the phone line connection. Maybe you remember having to speak LOUDER in order to be heard on the line. Was that a problem? Maybe to you it was but to the companies providing the service, it was a merely a technical issue that needed to be addressed. The issue was addressed and resolved. Now you expect this high quality service right?
Ok, what about cellular phones? Maybe you're old enough to remember when calls were dropped or barely audible. Maybe you remember lugging around those heavy phones. This was a time when a cellular phone was just that, a phone! Was this a problem? Maybe to you it was but to the companies providing the service, it was merely a technical issue that needed to be addressed. The issue was addressed and resolved. Now? Well, there's not too many cellular phones that are 'just' phones. You can surf the internet with them, take pictures, record short video clips, change the ringers, store your address and phone numbers, etc.
For both these 'problems' above, it was a relatively short time frame between 'issue' and resolution. We can draw comparison after comparison between technology and technology issues. I could start talking about echo cancellers, VoIP gateways, multiplexors, etc. and the current circuitry vs. the research and new circuitry on it's way, but that's not the point of this article. The point is simply that 'yes' there are issues with VoIP but also, 'yes' issues are to be expected and 'yes' issues will be resolved.
Some of the most common quality issues are echo and delay. I myself use VoIP over my residential broadband connection and frankly I think it's just fine. I like the service and quality of calls, but yes, at times, the echo and delay can be annoying. This is usually infrequent and not worth me canceling my service. The point I'm trying to make here is that, for me, it's acceptable. Why? Because I understand that this is 'relatively' new. I understand that equipment manufactures are building better technology to address these issues. I understand that the popularity of VoIP will expedite the issue resolution. I've worked in information technology for over 20 years now and certainly understand this progression in technology.
Other issues are in the E911 service and of course there's issues with most residential DSL subscribers. Both these issues are directly with the existing phone companies. The FCC is already involved in both these cases and I believe it will be sooner rather than later for these to be resolved as well.
I for one do have E911 service and I am not a DSL subscriber. So E911 for me is a non-issue and using cable access eliminates having to keep my local telephone company for my primary phone service.
The bottom line, for me, is the cost savings. The cost savings over shadows the occasional echo and delay. E911 has already made its way into my area and using cable internet access removes my dependency on the local telephone company.
VoIP can be a great way for you to save money on your phone service, but don't go into this blindly. Most consumers are intelligent enough to understand the progression that occurs with any technology. It's pretty good as it is and yes I would agree it needs to be better. I also know, heck I'm confident that the quality of service will continue to improve.
So what's the bottom line? Go for it. Find a service that will provide you with a free trial period. Take it for a test drive, kick the tires, etc. The higher your existing monthly phone bill is, the sooner you should try out this service.
It's ok to demand perfection, but perfection takes time. Change is hard and change takes time. Change is upon us and VoIP, in my humble opinion is here to stay. Give it a try, be realistic. Get the information, get your quote, get your free trial period, you really have nothing to loose and quite possibly money to save!
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
Wireless Installation Checklist
By: Lee Asher
Buyer Beware - Ignorance can be a financial waste and a lot of hassals. Before you buy any wireless equipment, you need to be sure about what you're doing. There's nothing worse than having everything there and finding that it doesn't work in your house, or with your computers, or over the distances you need. Here's a handy checklist of the things that you really ought to do before you go out and spend any of your hard-earned cash on wireless networking equipment.
Interference Checks
While it won't stop a wireless network from working altogether, interference in its frequency range can slow it down significantly, as well as reducing its range. If something is causing interference, the first thing you'll know about it is when your connection stops working -- unless you know what to look for.
There are two very common causes of wireless interference: wireless phones and microwave ovens. 2.4Ghz, the most common wireless networking frequency, is also a commonly-used wireless phone frequency. It is possible, though, to find phones that use other frequencies. Microwave ovens, on the other hand, operate at around 2.4Ghz by definition. It should be alright to have devices like these in your house, but certainly not in the same room as any computer that you plan to use a wireless connection with.
Wall Construction
Wireless can, in theory, pass through walls and other partitions easily. In practice, though, some walls are more solid than others, which means that they are more likely to block some of the signal. Note that it's only your interior partitions that matter, not the exterior ones. This does, however, include your floors, if you want the connection to work between levels.
Wireless does well with partitions made from: drywall, plywood, other wood (including doors), glass.
Wireless has trouble with: brick, plaster, cement, metal, stone, double-glazed glass.
Basically, it's all to do with how porous the materials are -- ones that let more of other things through also let more of your wireless signal through.
If you have a wall made of one of the 'bad' materials, it's not the end of the world. It just means that your wireless connection might have a slower speed or a shorter range. You may want to spend more than you otherwise would to get better equipment and overcome this problem.
Decide Your Budget.
You need to stand back, take a look at your needs, and decide how much you're going to spend. Do you have long distances to cover? Do you want your connection to go through stone walls? Each factor will help you decide how much you should be looking to spend -- remember that the more problems you have, the more power you will need. On the other hand, if you live in a small wooden house, you can probably just go for the cheapest thing you can find.
Read Reviews.
It's well worth searching a site like amazon.com for wireless equipment, and taking a look at people's reviews to see what the different brands out there are like, and what you can get for your money. It is always a very bad idea to buy something without getting a second, third and fourth opinion, especially if you're buying it online. If you can, try to get to a computer shop and see some wireless networking equipment in action before you commit yourself.
Install and Update Windows XP.
Finally, your wireless life will really be improved if you have the latest version of Windows. Because wireless is such a new technology, it wasn't really around in any significant way back when Windows 98, ME and 2000 were released, and support for them wasn't built in to the system. You'll have a lot more trouble getting wireless to work on systems like these than you would on Windows XP.
Even if you've got Windows XP, though, that doesn't solve the problem entirely. Windows XP Service Pack 2 (an updated version of Windows XP) contains much easier-to-use tools for configuring and using wireless than the un-updated versions do. If you've been using your copy of Windows for a while without updating it, you should really make sure you've got all the latest updates from http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com before you go any further.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
You Had Me At EVDO
By: Russell Snapper -
I have been having too much fun, so now is the time to get a little technical. The ironic thing is that today’s more technical comments are about technology that is meant to allow people to have a lot of fun on their mobile phones and waste tons of productive time just watching movies and TV from their phone. We have come full circle. Cell phones originally were developed to allow people to be more productive and now they will allow people to screw around anytime, anywhere. That is progress!
What Is EVDO?
EVDO is short for “Evolution, Data Only” although sometimes referred to as “Evolution, Data Optimized”. EVDO is a highly adaptive standard for wireless broadband that has been introduced to improve the performance of 3rd generation, 3G, mobile Internet access.
Wireless broadband has its obvious advantages over standard, hard wire broadband connections and the most pertinent of these advantages is the mobility of the broadband device. By using wireless Internet connections it has been possible to access the Internet using not only notepad computers but also cellular phones and other mobile devices.
The Advantages Of EVDO.
While mobile Internet access has progressed, the existing standards do have limitations. The bandwidth is limited and subsequently only comparatively small amounts of data can be transmitted to end-users without a loss of performance and quality. EVDO is unique in its approach to try and counteract this. Complex mathematical formulas are used in order to assign a unique signature to every mobile device. Once this device sends a signal requesting data transmission, the signature is applied to the signal and the altered message is sent. The receiver uses the inverse of the equation to convert the signal back again. EVDO also breaks data down into smaller packages of information and sends these packages separately. In essence this means that the bandwidth usage from any single device is cut down massively, allowing for many other users to gain high speed Internet access through any mobile device. It also means that in total less information needs to be sent. Without the use of EVDO, mobile devices struggle to gain the bandwidth they require in order to seamlessly log onto websites, especially if those sites have a lot of data to send. With EVDO this basically becomes a thing of the past and millions of people on their cell phones can access the same sites at the same time with little or no effect.
EVDO Performance.
EVDO can potentially produce a 2.4-megabit throughput. This is as powerful as a great many American DSL broadband connections found in people’s homes. Of course, because EVDO is truly wireless and portable it doesn’t matter where you are, you can access the Internet on your cell phone, your notepad or any mobile device without fear of poor quality.
The Existing Technology.
EVDO has been introduced to compete with existing wireless Internet technology called W-CDMA. However, W-CDMA requires a permanent path to be created between receiver and transmitter, unnecessarily using vast amounts of the available bandwidth. EVDO does not require this because it creates packages and sends the information in smaller parts. One of the big advantages of introducing EVDO, though, is that it uses exactly the same frequencies as existing methods, meaning there would be no structural change required to establish a usable network.
EVDO Service Providers In America.
Korea and America are leading the way in introducing EVDO to personal users and several services in the US are already operating several pricing and limit plans in order to allow users to easily access an effective Internet connection over their cell phone. Amp’d is one of the more recent plans to enter the market and with a service costing $15 per month for an all-inclusive EVDO package, they look to be leading the way in pricing as well. The Amp’d service provides a wide range of MTV provided channels and media for you to download, if this is the package you choose, and there is sure to be something for everyone’s tastes. Verizon and Sprint also offer EVDO capable phones, which could be worth the look if you are looking for something more than the ‘extreme’ entertainment channels that Ampd Mobile offers.
By the way, you can purchase the same Amp’d Mobile Phones through Dealking.com at the same or cheaper prices, but also receive $25 cash back. Check it out at dealking.com.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
Your Guide to Hidden Cameras and Other Security Cameras
By: Chris Robertson
Hidden cameras have become very popular in recent years with business owners, law enforcement officers and parents. Business owners often use surveillance systems to keep an eye on employees or their store to protect the business from theft or abuse. Hidden cameras are used by the police to catch criminals in the act or to record arrests as they occur. Parents use nanny cams to make sure their children are being properly treated. If you're thinking of buying a hidden camera or other type of security camera, here's a quick guide below.
How Hidden Cameras Work
There are two types of hidden cameras - wireless and wired. Wireless hidden cameras use batteries and have the camera and transmitter concealed with no visible wire from the camera to the recording equipment. Wired cameras will have a physical wire running from a VCR or PC to the camera.
To determine if you need a wireless or wired hidden camera, consider the length of time you will need to record. Will the batteries hold up long enough? The location of the hidden camera is also important. Hidden cameras come in a variety of shapes, forms and themes. Choose a camera that goes well with the environment around so it will be unnoticeable. Some cameras feature wide-angle viewing, which comes in handy when you need to survey a large area. Also, the lighting of the area is important. Check the hidden camera's resolution before buying.
Types of Hidden Cameras and Security Cameras
There are many types of hidden cameras and security cameras for all situations. From dummy cameras to professional cameras, each one serves its own unique purpose. Here are some types of cameras and their benefits.
Nanny Cams
Protect your children throughout the day with a nanny cam. Even if you have a nanny you feel you can trust, it doesn't hurt to have a nanny cam for the safety of your children and home. Nanny cams are actually hidden cameras that come in many shapes and sizes. The camera might be embedded in children's items such as teddy bears, backpacks, baby wipe containers, dolls, stuffed animals, etc. These items can be placed in the child's room along with other toys. There are also nanny cams for other rooms of the home, including clocks, radios, table lamps, food containers, thermostats, pillows, picture frames, hair dryers, DVD players, etc. Every room can have a nanny cam if needed. Check with your local law enforcement before getting a nanny cam or hidden camera for your home to be sure there are no restrictions.
Surveillance Systems
If you need more than a few hidden cameras, consider a surveillance system. Surveillance systems enable you to observe multiple locations through one sophisticated system. With a channel DVR system, hidden cameras are set up in different areas and interconnected so you can survey all the areas through multiple channels. You can expand your surveillance system as your business or operation grows. There are also portable DVR surveillance systems and those that enable you to monitor the area from any location online.
Monitors
Monitors are screens that show what is going on as it happens. Many public places have monitors set up to let people know they are being recorded. Some monitors are used by the owners or security guards to keep an eye on areas from behind the scenes.
Dummy Cameras
Dummy cameras are not hidden cameras or even real security cameras. They look like real security cameras and give an appearance that the area is being recorded. The thieves won't know if the camera is real or not. Dummy cameras are often used as a deterrent by many business owners.
Professional Cameras
Professional cameras are often used to survey large businesses or offices, inside or outside. They can be mounted on walls or ceiling brackets. Some are waterproof for outdoor surveillance. A variety of professional cameras are available for different situations.
Hidden cameras and security cameras are great for protecting your children, home, business or property. Use the guide above to find the hidden camera or security camera that's right for you.
Article Source: http://articles-4-free.com
Skype Explained
P2P Telephony Explained — For Geeks Only
See also the Skype Technical FAQ for answer to specific questions.
Peer-to-peer (“P2P”) technology was first widely deployed and popularized by file-sharing applications such as Napster and KaZaA. In this context, P2P technology allows users to share, search for and download files. The P2P term has been widely used and just as often abused. Companies both large and small, self-proclaimed “pundits” and others to trying to cash in on the “P2P buzz” use this term as long as it involves some direct communication between users or nodes. This description of P2P completely misses the point.
A true P2P system, in our opinion, is one where all nodes in a network join together dynamically to participate in traffic routing-, processing- and bandwidth intensive tasks that would otherwise be handled by central servers.
A true P2P application empowers small teams with good ideas to develop software and businesses that can successfully challenge those of large companies. True P2P, when applied to ripe markets, is disruptive technology.
Decentralized P2P networks have several advantages over traditional client-server networks. These networks scale indefinitely without increasing search time and without the need for costly centralized resources. They utilize the processing and networking power of the end-users machines since these resources always grow in direct proportion to the network itself. Each new node added to the network adds potential processing power and bandwidth to the network. Thus, by decentralizing resources, second generation (2G) P2P networks have been able to virtually eliminate costs associated with a large centralized infrastructure.
P2P telephony became a natural next step where P2P could have a significant disruptive impact and Skype was founded to develop the first P2P telephony network.
Internet-based telephony – Voice-over-IP – (VoIP) has been around for years but has not reached the mainstream market. The reasons for this are quite clear to those of us who have tried VoIP software:
- Products which have a true cost-saving advantage over standard telephones do not have comparable quality.
- Call-completion rates are very low due to firewalls and the use of Network Address Translation (which renders over 50% of residential computers unable to communicate with traditional VoIP software).
- The User Interface is typically bloated and requires substantial configuration and technical skills.
Centralization can overcome some of these difficulties by routing calls through firewalls or NAT's. However, this brings the cost of running the network to levels approaching that of the existing telecom networks. In addition, these costs scale proportionally with the number of users. The result is that companies operating such services typically allocate very little resources on their servers per user which seriously degrades the call quality.
The Skype team has succeeded in leveraging all of the available resources in a network. This has allowed us to raise the call completion rate and quality in the Skype network to levels exceeding that of POTS (“Plain Old Telephony System”). This is all achieved without the need for costly centralized resources. In addition, we also believe that we have created the most user friendly interface around!
The following are some of the techniques that Skype employs to deliver state-of-the-art IP-based telephony.
Firewall and NAT (Network Address Translation) traversal.
Non-firewalled clients and clients on publicly routable IP addresses are able to help NAT’ed nodes to communicate by routing calls. This allows two clients who otherwise would not be able to communicate to speak with each other. Because the calls are encrypted end-to-end, proxies limit the security or privacy risk.
Likewise, only proxies with available spare resources are chosen so that the performance for these users is not affected.
Several new techniques were also developed in order to avoid end-user configuration of gateways and firewalls, whose non-intuitive configuration settings typically prohibit the majority of users from communicating successfully. In short, Skype works behind the majority of firewalls and gateways with no special configuration.
Global decentralized user directory.
Most instant message or communication software requires some form of centralized directory for the purposes of establishing a connection between end users in order to associate a static username and identity with an IP number that is likely to change. This change can occur when a user relocates or reconnects to a network with a dynamic IP address. Most Internet-based communication tools track users with a central directory which logs each username and IP number and keeps track of whether users are online or not. Central directories are extremely costly when the user base scales into the millions. By decentralizing this resource-hungry infrastructure, Skype is able to focus all of our resources on developing cutting-edge functionality.
P2P network technologies used by file-sharing applications would be almost suitable for decentralizing this, but those networks are fragmented in nature – a search does not reach all nodes in the network. Clearly, in order to deliver high quality telephony with the lowest possible costs, a third generation of P2P technology (“3G P2P”), or Global Index (GI) was a necessary development and represents yet another paradigm shift in the notion of scaleable networks. The Global Index technology is a multi-tiered network where supernodes communicate in such a way that every node in the network has full knowledge of all available users and resources with minimal latency.
Intelligent routing.
By using every possible resource, Skype is able to intelligently route encrypted calls through the most effective path possible. Skype even keeps multiple connection paths open and dynamically chooses the one that is best suited at the time. This has the noticeable effect of reducing latency and increasing call quality throughout the network.
Security.
Skype encrypts all calls and instant messages end-to-end for unrivaled privacy. Encryption was necessary since all calls are routed through the public Internet.
Super-simple UI.
We believe that software should work for you and not against you and so we have designed Skype to be dead-simple to use – people who can use Windows and telephones will feel at home with Skype immediately, and the software works equally well and is simple to use also on other platforms where Skype runs (Pocket PC, Linux, Mac OS X).
Article from : www.skype.com
