Lancashire Computer Repair and Pc RepairWelcome to Lancashire Computer Repair and Pc Repair, part of the Computer Repair UK network. Lancashire computer repair and Pc repair covers the entire Lancashire area so to find your local repairer simply enter your city, town or village in the search box on the left to go straight to your area page. First Things First Has your computer stopped
working or is it just running poorly? If it is just running
slowly then you may only need to install more memory or have
your local repairer do this for you. You can check to see if
you have sufficient memory in your computer by running a
free memory
scan which
you can do here. The Crucial Memory
Advisor Tool takes the guesswork out of
upgrading. If it has stopped working then before you call out a computer repairer check to make sure that all the power leads are connected correctly and that none of the fuses have blown. If it is still not working then you will need a computer repair call out. Computer or Laptop Just Running Slow? If your computer is just running slowly we advise that you downloaded and run our recommended system repair software if you have not done so already. Invariably we find that many problems are only software related and this will help you avoid paying for uneccessary call out charges. If your computer is only running poorly then there is a fair chance that your problem is software or virus related. Each year people waste hundreds of pounds on computer repair call outs that are really not neccessary and ones that they could easily remedy themselves with the appropriate software. With call out charges ranging between £25-£45, a 2-3 hour repair can easily cost well in excess of £100 which is sometimes more than the computer is actually worth. If it is out of hours, or your computer is just running slow, then we recommend you run your own diagnostics before calling out a professional - you could possibly be saving yourself hundreds of pounds in potential call out charges. System repair tools are inexpensive in this day and age and are designed to be easy to use by both the novice and professional alike, and at less than the cost of a typical initial call out charge this software will not only help get your system back up and running quickly, but will also help keep your computer in tip top condition as long as you have the software installed. We would recommend the award winning XP Repair Pro. XP Repair Pro 2007 By ddXSoftware
Lancashire Computer Repairers
Computer Repair Tips From Computers Repairs UK PC Security — Firewalls — Part Two Fighting Fire With Firewalls Personal firewalls offer a selection of protection levels depending on whether they're connecting to a private network or the Internet. Computers in a home network, for example, will usually be allowed to share files and access common resources like printers without restriction. In this case, the firewall will allow more access than when connecting to the Internet. Since Internet access is riskier, it should be more strictly controlled. In this case, firewalls should be configured to restrict more types of incoming and outgoing data and close unnecessary ports. 'Ports' are standardized numbers used by network software to route traffic. Not to worry about any need to become a computer geek. Things are usually configured well by default. When they need modification, alerts are generated to allow making the change. Most personal firewalls have two basic components. The first examines data as it arrives at your computer to determine whether it should be allowed through. The second sets up rules ('a policy') for specific applications. This second component may be very lax — it simply allows a particular program to access the Internet. The first component, the packet filter, analyzes each data packet and either allows it to pass or drops it. Data routed on networks is grouped into chunks called 'packets'. Packets must comply with a set of rules ('the policy') in order to pass, and those that fail to meet the rules may signal an alert or simply be dropped, depending on the firewall settings. The second component, the application filter, determines whether specific programs can send and receive data through certain ports. For example, a browser needs access to the Internet, so the policy is configured to allow sending and receiving data through Port 80, the standard number. Since your web browser is only using port 80, and the personal firewall is blocking all other ports, your computer is secure, right? Well, not exactly. Application filters are usually set up for specific programs and not the components they are made up of. Each program may use several modules and these individual modules can become infected. In Windows, they often take the form of DLLs — dynamic link libraries — but that's more info than you need. Your antivirus program will typically be able to detect an infected module, but a brand new virus which is not yet in the antivirus database could remain hidden. If this happens to your web browser and your personal firewall is allowing traffic to pass based on the application filter, your system is open to attack. Firewalls don't provide absolute protection from hackers or viruses. They're effective at keeping average hackers out, but should be supplemented with up-to-date antivirus software and safe file sharing practices. Remember, the rule of thumb for firewalls: If you don't recognize the visitor, treat them as risky. |
