Wi-Fi has forever changed the way we live, work and play. We can surf the internet throughout the office and surrounds. It is no wonder it was accepted with open arms, but is your Wi-Fi as good as it needs to be?

Twenty years after Wi-Fi first made its way into our homes and offices it has evolved into a juggernaut of speed and accessibility that we can not do without. Think about how many wireless devices your employees have – mobile phones, tablets and laptops.

While older devices are typically happy with a slice of slow internet, newer devices like video conferencing and and media streaming simply can’t function without fast internet. Add in another employee or two with mobile devices and your Wi-Fi is suddenly stretched beyond full capacity and struggling to keep up. Most people though don’t know how fast their Wi-Fi is, or if it’s working right– they only know how many bars they’ve got.

But relying on your Wi-Fi bar count might be ruining your internet experience:

Bars measure the wrong thing
While it is great to know you’ve got a ‘strong’ signal, it would be even better if you could have a ‘fast and constantly available’ signal. The internet could actually be down and you would still have full bars because it is only measuring how close to the Wi-Fi router you are. That proximity measure doesn’t take into account how many devices are fighting for the same bandwidth and whether there is any left for you. We can ensure your Wi-Fi isn’t just available, it’s up to the task.

Wi-Fi goes sideways
While next-door’s Wi-Fi can reach the back of their property, it can also go a similar distance sideways into your offices. This extra ‘noise’ disrupts and slows down your own Wi-Fi. In a lot of commercial areas each office has its own WiFi network, all using the same channel and frequency. It is an invisible digital crowd which seriously slows down your speeds. We can fix this by changing your Wi-Fi channel to one with less cross-talk.

Everyone uses the default settings
Most Wi-Fi uses a 2.4ghz frequency by default. While it makes things easier to to set up, it does mean you’re not getting the speeds you could be. Switching to the 5ghz frequency means your Wi-Fi is separated from the neighborhood cross-talk. 5ghz is also considerably faster, which is a bonus. We can help you upgrade to a 5Ghz-capable router or switch your existing frequency.

Priority isn’t set: While not Wi-Fi specific, we can also set up “Quality of Service” if your router supports it or supply you with one that does. This allows things like Skype calls to always take priority and remain uninterrupted over less important tasks like downloads.

Poor Coverage
With larger offices and more objects that can cause interference you may need extra or better quality WiFi routers. We can assist with a wireless audit to help you maximise the use of the best network with the least amount of access points.

Is your wireless not keeping up? Give us a call at 08 8326 4364 or

su*****@dp*********.au











 and we can improve your network experience.

More and more hacking attacks and data leaks are being reported and the perpetrators are exposing or selling customer data files in record numbers. But just like with any business threat, there are actions you can take to minimize the risk and ensure your business retains a positive reputation with customers.

Here are some suggestions on how to protect your valuable data:

1. Stop using the same password everywhere. Set a policy for all staff that passwords must be unique for each user and for your workplace. That means it can’t be like the one on their home PC, tablet or online banking. Passwords are hacked more than ever, so consider using a pass phrase that isn’t as easily hacked. If remembering them is an issue consider using a password management tool.

2. Go on a shredding spree. How much sensitive data do you just throw out in the bin? People often easily take valuable customer data straight out of the bins of small businesses and quickly sell or publish it. It only take 5 seconds to run documents through the shredder or if you have a large amount of document consider using a secure shredding company.

3. Ditch the accounting spreadsheets. Still using an Excel doc for all your financial calculations? As well as making your accountant’s job harder (and more expensive for you), you are opening your business to a massive range of vulnerabilities. Even password protected spreadsheets aren’t designed to safeguard your financials or those of your clients. Contact your accountant to assist you to upgrade to a proper accounting solution with built-in customer data protections and security guarantees.

4. Train staff explicitly. Don’t just rely on common sense because what you think is a given is an unknown to someone else. It is recommended to hold special data-safety training sessions once or twice a year as a reminder and don’t forget to train new staff into the way things are done.

5. Limit access to data. Just like the guard at your local bank, you can limit who accesses your data. Revoke employee access as soon as they leave your business and set rules around who can access what – and when. Do they need access to sensitive information while working from home? Should they be able to edit files or only view them? Do they really need access to that folder?

6. Keep your software updated. Having out-dated software can be an open invitation for cyber-criminals. They look for known weaknesses in business software and walk right in. While the nagging pop-ups and reminders to update software can feel like a selling ploy, they’re actually helping your business to stay in safe. Updated software closes off those holes and gives you protection against new viruses, hacking techniques and known weaknesses.

If you would like to make sure your business is secure from data breaches, give us a call at 08 8326 4364 or at

su*****@dp*********.au











.

So much of todays business is computer based and it can be a stressful time when you have computer issues. With computer repair you generally have 3 options:

1. Have a computer technician come to your site.
2. Take the computer to a computer repair shop.
3. Allow a technician to remotely connect to your machine.

Some people can be a bit unsure of allowing remote access so we have put together some pros and cons of remote access.

Benefits of Remote Support

Speed: If remote repair is a possibility, your technician can connect via the Internet and fix your issues in no time. If the issues is only minor you may choose to just leave your computer turned on overnight allowing the technician to fix the issue overnight. Without a remote option you need to juggle time in your diary to drop the system off at a store or work with  a technician to find a suitable time for them to come onsite.

Convenience: Rather than waiting on a tech to arrive at your site or having to lug your computer to a store having a technician quickly and easily remote in to your computer is a god send.

Negatives of Remote Support

Limited repair options: A remote connection can only repair certain software problems, and not hardware issues. It is not possible for the technician to swap out a failed part remotely, and unless you are confident in your own repair skills, guided physical repair isn’t very viable.

Sometimes the problem is caused by a device connected to the computer. The technician may be able to walk you through correcting some of these minor problems yourself but most invariably require a physical call-out or taking your computer in-store.

Connection speed: A slow or unstable Internet connection makes a remote repair take longer and increases the difficulty of the task. The extended time impacts the cost for the call, and in extreme cases, can negate any benefits of skipping the physical inspection. Your connection needs to provide a close to real time experience to see responses as if they were sitting at the computer.

Accessibility: If your Internet is down or the computer has trouble connecting to the Internet a remote technician can’t log in at all. This includes issues such as a ‘blue screen of death’, boot failure and Windows load failure. As much remote support is a great idea being able to log in to the computer is vital in the remote repair process.

For a fast response remote support is ideal but sometimes an issue can’t be solved remotely. In the event the remote repair is unsuccessful the technician now has a better idea of the problem and can speed up any on-site or in-store repairs. Remote support is the best option for many repairs and can get your computer working again with minimal disruption.

Remote access can be used on a case by case basis with users initiating the connection or an agent can be installed on your machine allowing the remote technician access without any interaction from you. We provide both types of access, please contact us on 08 8326 4364 or

su*****@dp*********.au











for further information.

To all our clients, Facebook friends, Youtube subscribers and blog readers we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

Instead of sending cards this year we have made a donation to the Hutt St Centre in Adelaide and have made the video below for you all to enjoy and hopefully have a laugh. 🙂

Over the Christmas / New Year period we will be on a skeleton staff so please contact us
ASAP if you require any type of work during this period.

Once again if we don’t see you before then all the best for Christmas and the New Year and we hope to see you again in 2017!