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WELCOME TO KoD

(Knowledge on Demand)

I am Bruce Bryan. I teach people how to use technology for a living.

This website shows some of my work. I've got a busy life, so I can't update it as often as I'd like to. My goal is to post a new article each month, though.

RECENT ARTICLES

A Quick Guide to Malware

Malware is everywhere! According to AV-TEST, there are almost 800 million species of malicious applications in the wild. The term is generally used for hostile software which has the ability to infect our computers, but unfortunately it has recently spread to automobile operating systems as well, allowing hackers to take full control over the steering wheel, for example.


So yes, malware is bad. Really bad! It can encrypt computer data, rendering our PCs useless. It can turn our computers into remote-controlled machines that only take orders from hackers, attacking other computers over the Internet. It can be used to take down our home security systems, to give hackers access to our online banking accounts, and the list of negative issues could go on and on.


Malware ranges from plain viruses to worms, spyware, adware, ransomware and even... scareware, those annoying pop-us which tell you that your computer has got a problem, so you need to install a free "antivirus". Of course, by doing that, you are actually installing a virus, which will take full control over your PC.


Viruses attack the operating system, attaching themselves to it and to the installed applications. And each time you run one of the infected applications, the virus replicates itself, infecting even more apps. This way, critical computer files...


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Basic Facebook Security Tips

Many people are somewhat aware of the risks that arise from using any of the popular social media networks. According to Hootsuite, online scams have grown by 150% last year. Any yet, very few people know what to do to protect their identity online. Here are the most important Facebook tips that you should follow to the letter.


1. If you are a parent, tell your kids that they need to wait until they are at least 13 years old before opening a Facebook account. It's required by Facebook itself, and it will keep them out of harm's way.


2. Don't give away too much personal information in your public profile. This starts with your name; Facebook will only ask for your correct name, but will accept a nickname as a replacement for your surname. By doing this, predators won't be able to identify you. Of course, it helps to keep your email address and phone number(s) private as well. Yes, don't even allow your virtual Facebook friends to have access to this information, because some of them may not be that nice, in the end. My guess is that your real friends already have your cell phone number and email address, so why include them in your Facebook profile?


3. Keep your private information... private. Facebook is constantly tweaking its settings, so be sure to only show your profile information to people who have already been accepted as friends...


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Proven Tips that Boost Wireless Signal

Did you know that, according to CISCO, Wi-Fi and mobile-connected devices will generate about 70% of all Internet traffic in 2017? It's easy to understand why this may happen: people are using mobile gadgets in larger and larger numbers. So, the number of wireless networks can only grow in the future.


However, as surprising as it may seem, Wi-Fi hasn't evolved a lot lately. Even with today's most modern routers, people continue to experience sudden network slow downs, and sometimes even disconnects. Download speeds fluctuate a lot, and whenever you power on the microwave oven, which uses the same frequency with your Wi-Fi, you may lose wireless signal for good! And even if things work (apparently) well, specialists tell us that we should reboot our routers regularly, because this will improve network performance. So, what is a fella supposed to do to get and keep a strong Wi-Fi connection? Cheer up, because this article has all the key answers!


1. Use better antennas. Not all antennas are created equal, and most vendors use cheap components. So, go online and purchase an antenna that has a higher dBi gain. Most manufacturers ship their products with 5dBi antennas, so any replacement that has a gain of 9dBi or more will significantly improve Wi-Fi signal. For laptops, you can either purchase a new wireless adapter that has a good antenna, or you can utilize an external antenna that is connected to the Wi-Fi board using a standard connector or adapter...

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Beginner's Guide to VPNs

A VPN, the short form of "Virtual Private Network", is a technology that allows your computer to securely connect to another computer over the Internet. Due to it, we can keep our data safe, or have access to websites that (under normal conditions) would only be available to the people who live in a particular region of the globe. People who make use of virtual private networks are able to bypass most Internet censorship mechanisms.


However, it is important to understand that VPNs were invented because businesses wanted to make sure that their employees can access the company servers without risking the integrity of their confidential data.


Nevertheless, more and more people have started to use virtual private networks for a different purpose lately. Their Internet service providers (ISPs) are now allowed to collect and sell logs that include the URLs of the visited websites, the amount of time spent visiting each site, and so on. It's quite scary, I know, but fortunately VPNs can often times solve the problem for good. Read this article to understand the technology that makes this possible.


So, how does a VPN work in the first place? First, your computer, laptop, tablet or phone connects to one of the cloud-based servers that are either owned or rented by the virtual private network service provider. Then, since you are a part of that network...

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Did you know that the average salary for an IT Consultant is over $70,000 in the United States? I can get you there, so contact me today!