The Perfect IT Setup for Home Business - Part 1 of 3 - Hardware

When you run a home office or home business, youre pretty much on your own when it comes to IT. Without the luxury slow broadband an IT budget? you have to choose, install, test, configure, maintain and troubleshoot all broadband telephone your own computer hardware and software ?all by yourself ?not to mention your website.

Yes, the Internet is a great source of information, but theres precious little out there that covers everything you want to know. Most articles stick to one particular technology, so getting guidance on your entire office IT suite is next to impossible.

At least, thats how I found it. I run a copywriting company from home, and it took me five years to get my computer technologies just the way I want them. And now that streamx malaysia there, I figured Id share my setup, so that others dont have to spend as long figuring things out as I did!

This series of articles describes a combination of computer hardware and peripherals that will maximise the efficiency of your workplace (whether youre in copywriting or any other field). It also discusses how to secure your computer and recover from disasters (part 2). And, finally, it takes a look at a few of the vast array of miscellaneous software applications and service providers that will help you in your day-to-day operations.

First, your IT hardware...

Computer

Im not going to delve into the intricacies of what kind of computer to buy or which operating system to install. Im a mere broadband speed checks so Im not qualified to offer that sort of advice; and I streamyx tv most people reading this article will be well beyond that point, anyway. Instead, Ill assume you have a decent PC with a fairly new version of Windows (like Windows XP), and Ill focus on some technologies that will allow you to do more with the PC you already have.

If you own a Mac, some of the below may still apply, but I cant say for sure, as Ive never worked with a Mac.

Internet Connectivity (ADSL only)

If youre on ADSL1 (in Australia), one of the best modems you can own is the Thomson SpeedTouch 546v6. This is especially true if youre quite a distance from the telephone exchange. The SpeedTouch 546 perak malaysia well with high attenuation malaysia tour package is a side-effect of living a long way from the exchange). Apparently it uses the same brand of hardware that Telstra uses in its telephone exchanges.

The other benefit of the 546 is that you can use it to connect multiple computers to the Internet (its got 4 network ports on the back). If youre in Australia, you can buy a Thomson SpeedTouch 546 from DVDirect for around AUD $130 (see http://www.dvdirect.com.au).

Note that the 546 is optimised for ADSL2+. Some people have found the older SpeedTouch 530 delivers faster speeds because its optimised for ADSL1. For a detailed discussion, go to http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=648231&p=1 . Note that I own both, and this is not the case for me. My 546 is faster than my 530.

TIP: If youre after a good Internet Service Provider (ISP) for a copywriter or any other home business, I recommend Westnet (http://www.westnet.com.au). See part 3 of this series for further discussion.

Networking

If you have more than one computer and youd like them to talk to each other, you can set up a network very easily (even if youre a technically challenged copywriter like me!). There are a few ways to do this; your choice depends mostly on your budget, though the price difference is minimal.

1) The simplest and cheapest way is to connect the computers directly with a crossover cable? But this method only allows you to network two computers, and connecting to the Internet on both is a challenge.

2) I prefer to use a multi-port modem (like the Thomson SpeedTouch 546). You can then run a network cable (Ethernet) from the network port on each of your computers to a port on the back of the modem. This way, both computers can connect to the Internet at the same time as well as talk to each other.

3) If you already own a modem, or AUD $130 is too expensive, you can simply buy a multi-port network switch and insert it between your computers and your modem. In other words, connect each of your computers to the switch by running a network cable (Ethernet) from each computers network port to a port on the switch. Then connect the switch to your modem. You should be able to buy one at your favourite online IT shop for around AUD $40. If youre in Australia, try http://www.theaxiom.com.au (they guarantee to beat any other advertised price in Australia!).

Whether you use a multi-port modem or a streamyx login password its really just a case of plugging everything in and turning it on. (Unless youre using firewall software, in which case youll also have to configure your firewall to allow your computers and modem to talk to each other. To do this, youll have to know the IP addresses of each.)

Storage

No matter how big your computers hard drive, its only a matter of time until you run out of space. tm net 1515 USB hard drives are a quick and easy way to increase your storage capacity without having to upgrade your computers internal hard drive (or your computer).

Whats more, theyre portable, which makes them great if you sometimes work on a client-site or you simply want to back up your computers hard drive and store the backup somewhere safe (see Part 2 of this series for a detailed discussion of backup and restore).

Assuming you buy one thats already formatted and comes with a case and cables, Windows will recognise it as soon as you plug it into a USB port. TIP: Make sure you buy a powered USB hard drive (i.e. one that has its own power cord). In my experience, the ones that run off the computers power are never as reliable. If youre in Australia, you can get a 320GB USB drive broadband providers ratings case for around AUD $150 at http://www.theaxiom.com.au. Actually, these little beauties are coming down in price so quickly that by the time you read this, theyll be a lot cheaper!

Peripheral Devices

Printer & fax ?Every office needs a printer and fax, and no explanation is really required as to why. Theres a lot of fancy stuff out there, but Ive always found that its not necessary to spend a lot of money unless you have very specific needs. The only advice I can offer in this regard is to ensure you dont buy a really cheap printer that requires really expensive ink cartridges. (If youre in Australia, go to http://www.choice.com.au and see if there are any comparisons that include lifespan cost. This is how I made my most recent choice.)

Scanner ?Its surprising how many times a scanner comes in handy ?even for a copywriter, like me, who doesnt deal in graphics very often. Ive used mine to scan invoices because clients couldnt open the original PDF, to scan and send photos or articles, to scan printed samples of my work and post it on my online portfolio, and for a host of other things. Its nothing fancy, just an old HP flat-bed scanner. A bit slow to setup streamyx mail up, but does the job.

Powered USB hubs ?Most devices these days are USB. Unfortunately, most computers only come with a few USB ports. streamyx 4 mb laptops. Mines only got 3 USB ports, and Ive got about 10 USB devices! (Long gone are the days when a copywriter could get by with just a word-processor!) Fortunately, if you run out of ports, theres no need to buy a new computer; you can simply buy a USB hub. Ive got a 7 port USB hub and a 4 port. I plug the 7 port one into one of my computers USB ports, and voila! Ive got another 7 USB ports. Then I plug the 4 port one into one of the ports on the 7 port hub! Now my computer has not 3, but 10 USB ports! Oh, and its also advisable to buy powered USB hubs (i.e. ones that have their own power cord). This way, you can plug things like USB hard drives into them without any problems. If youre in Australia, you can get 7 port powered USB hub for around AUD $40 at http://www.theaxiom.com.au.

USB adapters for laptops ?Now that everythings USB, you may find that youre a little short on the old types of connectors on your laptop (for traditional printers and old keyboards and mice, etc.). Fortunately, you can get a whole range of nifty adapters that will allow you to plug your older devices into a USB port on your computer. If youre in Australia, check out http://www.mittoni.com.au ?they have a good range of affordable goodies.

Conclusion

By incorporating the above collection of hardware devices into your office IT setup, youll be able to do much more with your existing computer, and youll be able to do it efficiently.

For petaling jaya on how to secure your computer against external threats and ensure you can bounce back from disaster, please see part 2 of this series. For information on a few of the vast array of miscellaneous software applications and service providers that will help you in your day-to-day operations, please see part 3 of this series.

* Glenn Murray is an SEO copywriter and article submission and article PR specialist. He is a director of article PR company, Article PR, and also of copywriting studio Divine Write. He can be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at glenn@divinewrite.com. Visit DivineWrite.com or ArticlePR.com for further details, more FREE articles, or to download his FREE SEO e-book.

Carphone Warehouse may put forward a new bid for Tiscali in hope of a bargain before administrators step in.

Best Rated Hosting - How To Find The Top Hosting Companies On The Net

So what's the malaysia 603 rated kuala lampur company for your website? Today, there are literally hundreds streamyx 2008 different website hosting companies available, and finding the right one can be xpeedometer rather difficult challenge. Quite simply, not all website hosting companies are created equal.

Some of them offer great customer service and very secure servers, and some of them offer incredibly poor customer service, and virtually no security on the servers. Use these tips to cut the clutter and find the best rated hosting for your website now.

First of all, you need to be aware of the different kind of hosting services that most companies offer in order to help identify the best ones for you. Remember, the requirements for each person will be different, so even if you know some people broadband video phone are quite happy labuan malaysia streamyx web certain hosting company, keep in mind that their requirements will probably be different than yours.

Sit down and figure out how much traffic you begin to your website, how many pages, etc. If you plan on having a rather large Internet presence, and especially to plan being a full-time Internet marketer, you'll certainly want your virtual Private server dedicated hosting for your website hosting needs.
With these options, you genting+kl access to either part or all of a complete server all to yourself. This malaysia to huge, because you won't have to be at risk in case somebody else jaring something to streamyx broadband up the server, as you would be with shared hosting.

If you opted to go with a shared hosting plan, not only when you get less space for your websites, but every time somebody else in the server must up something in there for most of the server, your site along with everybody else's would be affected. However, when you go with virtual Private server or dedicated hosting, this is not the case.

Of course, there is no one right Internet web hosting provider that is the best for everybody. Simply, there is no one best rated company that everybody should opt for. Again, as I said before, this will be different for everybody. living malaysia are some quick tips to help you find the best hosting company for you.

Keep in mind, any hosting provider you consider going with should have e-mail, and an auto responder service all wrapped up in this package. If it doesn't have all these options, then you should probably go somebody else. Remember, having your own personal email address is extremely crucial to having a lot of credibility. Without this, people probably not trust you when visiting your website.

Also, having access to an auto responder service is very important with your hosting company. This is where, any time a visitor comes to your website needs their contact information, you can keep following up with them by sending them either daily or weekly e-mail. This is crucial, because the statistics say that most customers will not purchase from you've been in contact with them at least seven or eight times.

Therefore, just about nobody will purchase from you on their first visit to your website. Being able to stay in contact with them is very crucial. Some hosting company will offer this, but if they don't, you'll have to go with a separate paid by month service for this. Therefore, try to find a hosting company that offers this service as part of their package. Don't worry about the best rated hosting service; follow these tips and find the best hosting company for you.

For tips on finding free web page hosting, visit http://www.websitehostingsuccess.com, and learn about ADSL web hosting and much more

Looks like the uproar over AT&T's recently-tweaked wireless terms of service banning video streaming and p2p activity caused some hasty rethinking in Dallas -- the company just sent us this statement:

The language added on March 30 to AT&T's wireless data service Terms and Conditions was done in error. It was brought to our attention and we have since removed it. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Well, that settles that, at least for now -- high fives all around, Internet friends.

Filed under: Cellphones

AT&T retracts new terms of service, apologizes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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