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Adware: Software designed to collect data about the user’s interests and behavior. Adware can track which sites the computer user visits and then sends the information to advertisers who use the information to sell their products or services. The methods that adware use range from using cookies to track visits to a website, installing unwanted toolbars, and installing unwanted programs which are packaged with software the user wants. Along with privacy issues associated with adware, these added programs and toolbars are a major cause of users’ complaints about their “slow computer”. Click here for Spyware Removal by E-Geniuses.
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Help Desk: Help Desk refers to the ability for a client to be able to be assisted remotely by a technician via phone or connected computer to computer via the Internet. Help desk technicians work specifically with clients who need remote technical support. Many problems can be solved remotely therefore reducing the costs of an on-site I.T. department. Click here to Download the E-Geniuses Help Desk Utility. You can also chat with a live E-Geniuses Technician here.
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Malware: Short for malicious software and describes any type of unwanted software. It is a more general term which includes spyware and all of the different types of viruses. Click here for Malware Removal by E-Geniuses.
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Managed Systems: A consolidated network usually consisting of a group of a computers, VOIP phones, network printers and a service provider that is in charge of maintaining the network and all of its components: as opposed to having a different provider for a phone system, for a computer network, and yet another technician for printers. Managed systems reduce costs through consolidation of service providers. The service providers are usually liable for ensuring that the system is monitored regularly. Click here for Managed Services by E-Geniuses.
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Modem: A device that converts signals to usable data. The most common modems are DSL modems and Cable modems. There are also T1 modems, Fiber optic modems, and dial-up modems. The type of modem depends on the type of signal being converted. In a typical network it is the device that connects directly to the cable or telephone line. For shared Internet connections, the modem attaches to a router which splits the converted signal (data). Click here for Modem Setup and Configuration from E-Geniuses.
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Monthly Maintenance Plan: A computer maintenance plan in which the client’s computers are maintained on a scheduled (usually monthly) basis as opposed to waiting problems to occur. This is a form of preventive maintenance can lower overall long-term costs associated with owning a computer and maintaining the integrity of the system’s speed, security and stability. Maintenance may be performed on-site, in-home, or remotely based on the plan type and the company performing the services. A computer maintenance technician can prevent viruses, spyware, and malware. Companies offer the services to clients who want an added layer of protection when dealing with important data, backing up critical data online, or online banking. In many cases, manual updates and scans must be performed by a technician. An antivirus software can offer a layer of security, but cannot perform all of the tasks necessary to keep a system safe from users with malicious intent. See E-Geniuses’ Monthly Maintenance Plans for an example.
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PC: Some people use the term personal computer, or PC, to refer to a computer which runs the Microsoft Windows Operating System. Although computers made by Apple are also personal computers, they are not referred to as PC’s and instead called Macs, short for Macintosh.
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Personal Technician: A computer technician or a group of service technicians whose job it is to maintain a clients computers and network. They are usually assigned to a particular client. It is the technicians duty to become familiar with the client’s setup in order to more efficiently and effectively maintain the integrity of the client’s systems. They are on-call when there are technical issues. Many small and mid-sized businesses are using personal technicians instead of in-house I.T. departments and full-time staff. Personal technicians can be called as needed. A retainer fee is common. Some companies offer discounted rates to clients who purchase personal technician maintenance plans as a way to keep costs steady and to prevent sudden fluctuations in computer service costs. Personal technicians may also service employees of businesses who are telecommuting and working from home or away from the office. See E-Geniuses Personal Technician Services as an example of a personal technician plan.
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Router: A device that is used to connect local computers, peripherals and other devices over distances longer that 5 ft. using networking cable. A router is commonly used to share a single Internet connection among multiple computers on a network. It can separate incoming request from the outside (Internet/WAN) from the requests from within the local network (LAN). This keeps users within the network protected. Routers with this capability have built-in firewalls. Routers can be either wired or wireless. Click here for Wired and Wireless Network Setup from E-Geniuses.
Related terms: firewall security, network security, linkysys, dlink, belkin, buffalo, cisco, switch, hub, cat5, ethernet, cat6, networking, wireless router, wep, wpa, wpa2, 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 54g, wrt54g
Viruses: Programs that are designed to take over a user’s computer without the user’s permission. Trojans or trojan-horse viruses are meant to attack the computer “from the inside” like the story of Troy. Trojans are usually downloaders which are designed to download more viruses. Sometimes, so many viruses are downloaded, the infected computer runs out of resources eventually slowing the computer down so much that it is virtually unusable. Worms are viruses which spread themselves over a network or through the internet via email. Many viruses can self-replicate and can change filenames making them difficult to remove. Most viruses are set to automatically start when the computer boots into the operating system. Many viruses attach themselves to necessary system files. This causes problems because when the viruses are removed, the system files that the computer needs to function properly are removed as well. Some viruses even have the ability to disable antivirus programs. Another type of virus is the keylogger which is created to record the user’s keystrokes, can possibly take screenshots, record audio if a microphone is connected, video if a webcam is connected, and send the recorded information to the intended recipient. Users who do online banking must be particularly careful since their passwords can be exposed. This is one method that criminals use to steal a person’s identity. Digital identity theft is one of the main reasons why keyloggers are used and why E-Geniuses is commited to preventing viruses. The last type of virus does not have a specific name although it does have a specific purpose. Usually worms, the purpose of these viruses is to spread to as many users as possible. Once hundreds, thousands and sometimes millions of computers are infected, the virus creator can control all of the infected computers. The computers are called zombie computers since the control is no longer in the hands of the computer user, but instead by the virus creator. With the ability to control, the botnet, the term used for all of the infected computers, the criminal can send a signal for all of the computers to visit a website at a precise time. This causes the website to crash. This is called a ddos attack which stands for distributed denial of service attack. A company who relies on its website for business can be extorted by the criminal who threatens to attack the website. Click here for Virus Removal from E-Geniuses.
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