Computer Hardware - Guide to the PC Hardware

Wireless networks have become incredibly popular - so much so that virtually all new laptop computers have wireless network cards included as part of a set of standard features. As a matter of fact, customers will offer salespeople a strange, blank look if wireless networking is not included as one of the standard features. People love the convenience of being able to boot up the laptop and surf the net wherever they may be.

Wireless networks have become so popular and affordable that many people are now opting to include this convenience in their homes also. If you happen to be one of the thousands of people who choose to install wireless networking in your home, then there are a few things that you will need to understand about how wireless networks work.

One of the best and most appealing features of wireless networks is the fact that they are wireless. This makes installation incredibly simple and affords you the freedom to roam about in your home with your laptop untethered. Wireless networks eliminate the need for the wires associated with traditional Ethernet networks.

Installing wireless networking in your home is a rather painless process. Plus, in comparison to traditional wired, or Ethernet, networking, it is relatively cost effective. Many times, you can set up a wireless network in your home for less than a hundred dollars. The only disadvantage to wireless networks is that they are slightly slower than Ethernet networks. However, the average consumer will never even notice the difference.

Most wireless networking technology available for home use operates on what is called 802.11g technology. What this means is that the data sent over the network is transmitted at 2.4 GHz at a speed of 54 megabits. For non-technical folks, that means the data is moving pretty fast. Newer technology is currently in the works for wireless networks (802.11n), but it is still in the beta, or testing, phase.

Wireless networks operate by using either modulating radio waves or pulsing infrared light. They include a router that is hardwired to your Internet connection and transmits data via these radio or light waves. Your computer receives the information via either an internal or external wireless adapter, which acts as a receiver.

If you are thinking of installing a wireless network in your home, you will need a high speed Internet connection, a router, and wireless adapters for each computer you wish to access the network. Most basic wireless routers only have a range of about 100 feet, so if you live in a larger home, you may need to also purchase a range extender or repeater for your network. And that is pretty much it.

Wireless networks are easy to install and convenient. If you have not already decided to bite the bullet and install one in your home, you are missing out. The installation process only requires reading and following a few simple instructions. Do this and you will have a wireless network that the entire family can enjoy.

Visit Computer Juice computer forums for computer forum and computer help

Not everybody is fortunate to work in an air-conditioned office, many of us have to endure warehouses and factory floors which can be dusty and grimy; often baking in the summer and freezing during the winter and full of potential hazards.

Of course our employers are at liberty to keep us protected. Overalls are provided to keep our clothes clean, jackets to keep us warm while hard hats and toe protection is now a legal requirement in many workplaces.

Obviously employees are a company’s greatest asset and only a fool or bad businessman would neglect the welfare of their staff. Yet with many more tasks and processes being automated, more and more computers are being utilized in these sorts of environments.

Of course IT and technological systems can be a great asset, reducing production times and increasing productivity, but computer hardware can also be a substantial investment - especially if they have to keep being repaired or replaced due to the nature of the environment they are situated

Computers are fragile pieces of technology, designed to work at optimum conditions and temperatures the opposite of the conditions in most warehouse, factories and production plants.

Dust can clog the keyboard and mouse making them unusable, whilst also blocking filters and clogging up the PC and causing it to overheat and often short circuit. Whilst the cold can freeze circuits destroying processors and data stored on drives while the heat can be even worse as it can actually melt the processors and sensitive hard drive.

Even if your warehouse has adequate heating and air-conditioning, knocks and bangs from fork lifts and pallet trucks could easily wreck a machine whilst spilt fluids can cause instant short circuits and even fires!

Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions available. Specialist industrial PCs are available but can be very expensive, particularly if you regularly upgrade your IT and have to replace them but cheaper alternatives in the form of dust covers and water and dustproof keyboards.

However, by far the best way of ensuring trouble free computing even in extreme conditions such as freezers and even ovens, are to use specially designed industrial pc enclosures. These are often air sealed and completely water and dust proof and can often contain heaters or air conditioners to assist in temperature control. They also have the benefit of being able to house conventional PCs so there is need to keep buying specialist equipment.

Made from durable metals including food grade stainless steel, a decent enclosure should be able to withstand even the most ineffectual forklift driver, some are even bombproof! Many companies opt to store their IT in these enclosures even when the working environments are not particularly hostile.

Copyright 2008 © Richard N Williams
Richard N Williams is a technical author and a specialist in the industrial computer industry helping to develop industrial computer enclosures and protection for all environments. Please visit us for more information about industrial pc solutions.

Do you remember having to tune your radio next to your ZX80 computer, with 1k or ram, just to hear some squeaks and pops that you called computer music. Do your remember playing music on your Commodore 1541 5.25″ floppy drive. How about squinting to see your green or orange computer screen.

Well all good things must come to an end. Recently many common components on a PC have been removed. Most people purchasing a notebook will find that there is no longer a 1.44 floppy drive, parallel port and serial port. This trend has now moved to the desktop. Many motherboards no longer have floppy controllers, parallel ports and serial ports. Instead you are given 10 or more USB serial ports. In fact some manufactures have removed the IDE hard drive, IDE optical channel. Yes the old ribbon cable is going to be history. It does make sense to simplify components. Now your peripherals are USB and your internal components are mostly SATA.

So what do you do with your parallel laser printer? You can purchase USB to parallel cables. There are also parallel and serial PCI and PCIe add on cards.

If you have that pile of 1.44 floppies and you wonder how you will ever get the data off of them if needed. You can purchase external USB 1.44 floppy drives. Finally, you have an IDE hard drive full of data and you thought you could just put the drive into your new system but now you can’t. There are two options. You can purchase a IDE to SATA adapter and still connect your hard drive internally. This device is a small circuit board that converts the IDE single to SATA. The other option is to put your old IDE hard drive or optical drive in an external USB enclosure. This not only solves the problem but allows you to move the drive to any computer with a USB port.

So what’s next to go? My bet is on the optical device. Do you remember paying $8 for a blank CD? With 8GB flash drives selling for under $30 1gb for about $10, it is only a matter of time before flash memory is the cost of a blank optical disk and much easier to use.

About the Author:
Evan Freedman is an author for CSSZafco.com, distributor of computers and accessories. Evan has been diagnosing and fixing computer for over 25 years. Please visit the site to view a huge assortment of Computer Technology.

Accessing Your Wireless Router’s Configuration

To gain access to your wireless router settings and configuration menu then connect to the router either wirelessly or via a Ethernet cable. Open a web browser and type either:

http://192.168.1.1 or

http://192.168.2.1

1) Change Admin password

Most wireless routers ship with a blank password. It is essential that this is changed else a potential hacker could get into your router configuration and lock you out of your own hardware.

2) Change The Network Name (otherwise known as the SSID)

The default network name is usually made up of the name/model of your wireless router. This information gives a head start for a hacker and makes it easier for them to break into your network. Don’t rename it to something like your surname or house name as this unnecessarily exposes personal information. Rename it to an alpha-numeric string - this can be up to 32 characters long.

3) Turn off SSID broadcasting

By default, a wireless router’s SSID is broadcast so anyone in the vicinity of your wireless router can see that it. SSID broadcasting can be turned off thus making your wireless router virtually invisible.

4) Enabling Encryption

This is switched off by default. There is a choice of WEP, WPA and WPA2. Currently the latest encryption method is WPA2 so use this where possible. Both your wireless router and wireless PC adaptor must be configured to use the same encryption.

5) Mac Address Control

All hardware has a unique MAC address associated with it, including your PC adaptor card. This MAC address can be added to access control list in the wireless router. Only devices added to the router’s access control list are allowed to be connected.

6) Update router firmware

It is recommended that the latest router firmware is downloaded from the manufacturer’s website and installed in the router. This will hopefully fix any bugs that have been found for your router and also help with any known security flaws in the router itself.

7) Backup settings

Finally, backup all router settings. If you reset the router back to its factory default settings for whatever reason, your configuration can later be easily and quickly restored back into the router.

Andy Jones is a technology expert with a broad range of hardware and software skills. To read more tips and techniques like the ones in this article, go to: http://www.setupwirelessrouter.com

The term Notebook computers and laptop computer is often used interchangeably. However notebook computers are smaller, lighter and costlier than laptop computers. You can carry this computer with you when you are away on a business trip, can watch movies and access internet also.

The first notebook computer which was launched in the market in 1981 was expensive and was not as versatile like present day computers .Portable versions of laptops were launched in the market by IBM and Epsom in 1983.

With introduction of Windows 95, the world of notebook computers took a giant leap forward and was now able to compete with other personal computers because of the operating system and the advancement of technology. Prices of these computers started falling, attracting more consumers. Life of battery improved and acids were no longer required. The notebook computers now consumed less power and could hold more data.

Notebook computers come in various sizes. For a quick reference, have a look at the following figures (without power adaptors and accessories): Tablet PC - it weighs less that 3 lbs; Ultra Portable - it weighs less than 4 lbs and less than 1.3 inches thick with size between 10 and 11 inches; Thin and Light - it is between 1 and 1.4 inches thick and weighs between 5 to 7 lbs with size from 11 to 14 inches; Desktop replacements (Largest) - it is 1.5 inches thick and heavier than 7 lbs. Size between 11 and 13 inches.

Some important points are listed here which may help you to have an informed purchasing decision:

Size and Weight: The point to remember that while choosing a very lightweight and small size, you may have to sacrifice some items such as drives. So you have to decide what you want.

Processor: Note book processors perform like desktop processors. Dual core processors carry multitasking and are common. Notebook processors directly impact the battery life and performance of the computers. For Intel premier processor, higher the number, the faster it will process. The rotational speed of the disk also affects the performance of these computers.

Memory (RAM): For Windows XP and Mac OS X, at least 256 MB is required. However the capacity of RAM is increasing with new varieties of notebook computer and in some machines it is 2 GB even!

Displays and Video: In a notebook computer video consists of video processor and display. Again the display consists of native resolution and screen size. But portability will be reduced with larger display. These days the popularity for the wide screen displays is increasing. Performance of PC gaming and 3D graphics will be determined by graphic processor.

Drives: Optical drives play an important role in notebook computers. These may be simple CD ROM drives to the high definition DVD burners. Most notebook computers these days are equipped with a dual layer DVD burner.

Connections: Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g, Fujitsu lifebook N6010 having trimode of 802.11a/b/g, etc are different wireless system available with notebook computers. Transferring rate of data depend on the type of wireless connection chosen.

Battery Life: Notebook computers come with four cell, 6 cell, and 8 cell batteries. Normal battery life is 2 to 3 hours. However 5 or 6 hours battery life is also available these days. Generally, the bigger the notebook computer, the lower is the battery life.

Warranty Plans: Make sure that you get at least one year warranty from the manufacturer while choosing your notebook computer. A system having a three year warranty will be a better choice if you are going to use your computer extensively.

It is suggested that you should update your knowledge periodically by logging onto the net keeping in mind the factors which need to be checked as stated above.

This article can also be accessed from page Notebook
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for PoloMercantil

Before you buy your new computer equipment you will want to decide on a PC monitor. After all you will be staring at it for the next few years! You will need to decide on the image quality, resolution, size, and type. You’re new one should have enough screen space for what you will be doing. The viewable size is about an inch smaller that the advertised tube size on CRTs. The best size for most people is 17-19 inch. Either of these sizes should be plenty for most computer equipment needs. An LCD screen is the full size it says so it really takes up a lot less space than the CRT, inch for inch.

Would A LCD or CRT PC Monitor Fit Your Style of Computer Equipment?

Is an LCD PC monitor for you?
For most computer users a 17 inch LCD is the optimal desktop pc monitor. A 15 inch is cheaper but will seem quite small if your current computer equipment as a 17 inch CRT. 17 inch will be most comfortable in size and price. The price is much higher when you get to an 18 to 19 inch PC monitor.

Maybe a CRT PC monitor is for you?
The 19 inch flat screen is great, the price is about the same as a conventional but the picture quality is much greater. Also, it will take up much less desk space then the conventional PC monitor.

Important Note From PCworld Magazine:
When you are finished using your current computer equipment never, ever send your old PC monitor to the dump. Recycle it instead. It’s not only good for the environment, but it’s also a legal requirement in some states that will not accept PC monitors in regular municipal landfills. CRTs contain four to six pounds of lead plus other toxic materials that leach into the soil and water if not properly disposed. Check with the vendor or your local government to find recyclers in your area that can handle CRTs.

For more Free Resources http://www.100computertips.com

When you’re after superior information about computer components, it will be intricate unscrambling quality advice from misguided computer components submissions and help so it is important to know how to judge the information you are presented with. Let us take a look about the few guidelines which really works…

CDW: Computer Hardware

Shop CDW.com for the latest desktops, notebooks, printers, electronics and more. Pay just $9.99 for Ground Service shipping of any order up to 70 lbs.

Here’s a few guidelines which we really think you should use when you’re seeking information about computer components. You need to realize the advice we tender is only pertinent to internet based information concerning computer components. We don’t offer any guidance or advice if you are receiving information offline.

Dell Small Business: Hardware & Accessories

Offers weekly specials on a range of computer hardware and accessories.

A great hint to follow when you’re presented with information and advice about a computer components article would be to determine who owns the site. This may show you the people behind the site computer components authority The easiest way to find out who is behind the computer components website is to look on the ‘about’ page or ‘contact’ page.

Any reputable site providing information concerning computer components, will almost certainly provide an ‘about’ webpage which will list the site owner’s details. The info should make known some specifications regarding the owner’s proficiency and credentials. You can then arrive at a decision about the webmaster’s familiarity and qualifications, to advise you on the topic of computer components.

For More Free Resources visit http://www.greateducationonline.com

The ati overclocking utility is called ATITool. This is designed for NVIDIA and ATI video cards.

Features

The main features of this ati overclocking utility are as follows - When support is given by VGA card, there is an adjustment of memory voltage and GPU. Gamma control is provided. There is 3D application detection so that the video card is overclocked only when necessary. These are OpenGL, Direct3D 9 and Direct3D 8. The video card BIOS can be extracted to file with the aim of a backup. Hotkeys for loading clocks from a profile can be used at any time. When an application or Windows starts up, a predefined clock profile can be loaded. The stability is tested by Artifact scanning mode. The catalyst overclocking lock is removed for 9600 or 9550 or 9200 or 9000 series. On some supported cards there is a fan speed control and temperature monitoring. The output can be scanned for visual artifacts. A Direct3D window is used for determining memory overclock and maximum core. In maximum ATI cards, the memory timings can be tweaked. In case of NVIDIA cards, overclocking is supported. Overclocking is unlimited. ATITool is compatible just with Windows 2003 or XP or 2000. In all the cases, there is support for 64 bit versions.

Latest version

0.26 is the most recent stable version. In this ati overclocking utility, all ATI and NVIDIA cards have the full support. However, there is no support for X1950 pro overclocking. For many ATI cards, there is current draw monitoring. “Driver tweaks” is the new settings tab. Adaptive anti-aliasing is controlled. Many X1800 and X1900 cards have voltage control facility. The default for thermal monitoring is on. In case of the X1000 series, the BIOS dump works. The default maximum size of the log file is 2.5 MB. There are several stream processors or active vertex shaders added on NVIDIA. It is possible to save the memory timings or fan settings to a profile. A new logo has been added. There is no need to disable the services in Windows in order to overclock ATI X1k cards.

Overclocking the ATI card

To find the latest and best drivers for the video card, it is necessary to search http://www.ati.com/support/driver.html or www.omegadrivers.net. The next step is to download. The essential items are ATI tool and radlinker. Both of these are available at www.guru3d.com. Then is

Billy Zype is an overclocking expert. You can check out his website at http://www.hotoverclocking.com

Some of the overclocking benchmarking programs are mentioned below. SiSoftware Sandra Lite XII 2008 (12.34) has a size of 14.09 MB and is added on 9/14/2007. OpenGL Fur Rendering Benchmark has a size of 1.27 MB and is added on 9/10/2007. In this overclocking benchmarking is focused on fur rendering with the use of real time shaders.

SiSoftware Sandra Lite XII 2008

12.34 is the most recent version of the utility that has won the award. This involves remote analysis, overclocking benchmarking as well as features for personal computers, servers, networks and PDAs. Along with time, there is a gradual increase in the portability of this software. This has led to the creation of this software which can be used on multiple platforms in the absence of the need of any recompilation. As the utility of this software virtual machine is on the increase, there is a growing need of providing a benchmark to calculate the performance. As these benchmarks have been introduced, it is possible to have the entire suite not only on Microsoft Windows but also on other operating systems. There is also other support for Runtime engines and Virtual machine engines to show the information to the new users. During this release, everything is not practical and there exists a very real entity in increasing the support and trying to foresee the novel needs of the users. There is support for cryptography and digital certificates. There is comprehensive information about the advanced charting, wireless networks, groups and users of the computer, policies and security settings.

New modules and functionality

This version has the following new modules. .NET Benchmarking is comprised of .NET Arithmetic and .NET Multi-media. The former demonstrates how the .NET arithmetic operations are handled by the system. This is done using the .NET CLR and is comparable to other .NET CLRs. The latter shows the same comparison but in case of .NET multi-media operations. Java Benchmarking is made up of Java Arithmetic and Java Multi-media. Both of these show how through the Java Runtime Engine the Java arithmetic and multi-media operations are handled by the system as compared with some other normal Java Virtual machines. Additionally, there is data regarding the software of virtual machines, runtime engines and software engines that have been uploaded on the computer. There is also data regarding the providers of cryptographic, security certificates and algorithms that have been put up on the computer. There is information regarding the users, user group accounts that have been registered on the computer and the client sessions hosted by the computer.

Billy Zype is an overclocking expert. You can check out his website at http://www.hotoverclocking.com

Overclocking in a proper way

In reality, there are a lot of ways which can tell a person whether he is overclocking in a proper way or not. There are various programs that can provide the person with a simple overclock interface and specific programs can tell him if his system is stable with a particular overclock. If the person’s system is stable, he will be able to keep his card overclocked even when he is playing some intense games. But, he is recommended not to just overclock any second hand read up on the video downloads. He should read as much as possible to know about overclocking before he decides to go for it.

Overclocking video concepts

Overclocking videos present people with how they can adopt the overclocking concept to their daily life presenting with updated technology as per the software. Such overclocking videos present them with overclocking of laptops, video games, CPU connections and software for the same. The Laptop overclocking, for example, is quick, 100 percent free and easy. One can get an idea on such technology and benefit in their daily life and their business approach too.

A person can get familiar with the concept of Laptop overclocking, how to overclock ice cooling systems, how to overclock the graphic cards to increase power, overclocking the computer and many more. For instance, he can have an idea on how to overclock the graphic cards to increase power. The video provides him with steps for the same in a visual manner. At first, he has to start his PC and while in the registry field, he should type a specific code provided on the video. Then he should click on the NVTweak folder and after viewing it, he has to create a new Dword value and name it as Coolbits. He has to make sure he uses uppercase letters of C and B. This is a tweak and the person can go to his display properties and select advanced in the settings tab and go to his detonator. So, after he has done that, he should right click on his desktop-properties-settings-advanced- and click his graphics card tab.

There will be a new function named clock frequently setting, which he has to click and overclock his graphics card. The safest way to overclock is to click the detect optimal frequencies tab. Such videos are created by Ryan Raven for people to be familiar with and to have fun with overclocking.

Billy Zype is an overclocking expert. You can check out his website at http://www.hotoverclocking.com