DECADES OF INTERNET EXPERIENCE.
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Your Cloud Files Are Not a Backup. Here’s What Small Businesses Need Instead
I’ve been helping small businesses with phones, internet, and IT for over 40 years, and one mistake I see over and over is treating OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox as a backup. They’re handy for sharing files and working from more than one computer. They are not a backup plan. Back in the late ’80s…
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Your Copper Phone Lines Are Going Away. Here’s What a Small Business Should Do Now
I’ve spent more than 20 years selling and installing business phone systems, and one change is now hitting small businesses everywhere: the phone companies are retiring their old copper lines. Since 2019 the FCC has let carriers stop maintaining traditional copper “POTS” lines (plain old telephone service), and many carriers are raising prices sharply on…
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Starlink: The Future of Wireless Networking and Communication
Whether you live where cable and fiber never arrived, or you just want a dependable backup connection, Starlink has changed what’s possible for wireless internet. It delivers broadband from SpaceX’s satellite constellation and, according to Starlink, is available in 160+ countries, territories and other markets. Why Starlink? High-speed internet, even in remote areas: Starlink says…
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Need a Website or want to pay less?
Take a look at our Internet ABCs series. I like teaching, especially when it helps people understand the technical side of daily life. Ask yourself these questions: I am not a marketer, writer or graphic artist. There are plenty of those out there. I am more of an engineer (the one hiding in the cubicle),…
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The ABCs of an Internet presence. PART 5
What does it take to get on the internet with your business, hobby or interest? I’ve been helping people do exactly this since the internet went public. Step 5: You need professional-looking email. If you have spent the time and money to register the perfect domain name, why not use it for your email too?…
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The ABCs of an Internet presence. PART 4
What does it take to get on the internet with your business, hobby or interest? I’ve been helping people do exactly this since the internet went public. Step 4: You need software. There are so many options that I can’t cover them all here, so I will stick with the most popular ones, which are…
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The ABCs of an Internet presence. PART 3
What does it take to get on the internet with your business, hobby or interest? I’ve been helping people do exactly this since the internet went public. Step 3: You need a web server. Now that you have a registered domain name and a DNS server, it’s time to decide where your website will run.…
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The ABCs of an Internet presence. PART 2
What does it take to get on the internet with your business, hobby or interest? I’ve been helping people do exactly this since the internet went public. Step 2: You need a DNS server. What is a DNS server, you may ask? DNS stands for Domain Name System. A DNS server is how the rest…
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The ABCs of an Internet presence. PART 1
What does it take to get on the internet with your business, hobby or interest? I’ve been helping people do exactly this since the internet went public. Step 1: You need a domain name. What is a domain name? It is YOUR piece of the internet. It is how people get to know you and…
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My review of Starlink Gen 3
I purchased a Starlink Gen 3 on the roam plan as a backup for my RV life when cellular technology was not available. I have used it enough now to offer a review. The Starlink Gen 3 comes with a dish with a kickstand, Router, Power Supply, Power cable and outdoor rated Ethernet cable. Generally,…
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