Customer wifi, safe and beneficial to you

Created on Monday, 26 December 2011 10:39

One thing that is becoming extremely popular is for businesses to offer their customers or guests free or paid-for wifi internet access while in your establishment.  What you DON'T want to do is simply install a residential-grade wireless router on your business network, as this will probably allow all of those internet users access to your own information!

The best solution is to install a captive portal system that will also safeguard you from legal obligations such as "protecting" your customers from themselves.  Users can get free internet by clicking "I accept" to a terms and conditions agreement, informing them that the internet is unfiltered and that they take responsibility to safeguard themselves from malicious websites.

HotSpotSystem.com is a wonderful service that allows your business to safely extend the courtesy of wifi internet to your patrons without expensive and complicated equipment.  The service also allows you to view reports of usage, collect email addresses, street addresses, telephone numbers, etc. for your own internal marketing if you wish.  The system will also throttle back the customer network so that it doesn't take over your internet connection completely.

For more information, call (815) 596-9005 or fill out the Contact form at http://elipeters.net/contact today!

Thank you for reading!

Eli Peters

Graphics Card Upgrades

Created on Saturday, 08 October 2011 17:14

The difference between a mediocre experience and all-out impressive gameplay satisfaction may just be attainable with a graphics card upgrade.

While this is certainly not the only factor in improving how a game feels, it is a rather big one.  Many families rely on a store-bought computer for their main source of digital entertainment.  These computers almost always have "integrated" graphics processors that have very sub-par video abilities, and much of the horsepower is stolen from the main CPU.  That, in turn, leaves less power to run the game in the first place.  By upgrading the graphics with a PCI Express video card, or AGP video card for older systems, you can breathe new life into machine and save money by not having to replace it as soon.  Not all computers can be upgraded with a new primary graphics card.  Call me today to schedule an upgrade, and I'll get you a few options within your price range that are guaranteed to make a positive difference.

Thanks for reading!

Eli Peters

Private Consulting Services

Protection from Power Outages

Created on Friday, 21 October 2011 08:59

There are few things on a computer as frustrating as having the power die on you while you're in the middle of something important.  To safeguard against this, you can install a simple battery backup solution that also filters out surges and swells.  What is a surge and swell?  That's simply when your electric company is pushing too much power or too little power, and sensitive electronics like your computer can become the victim.  Most people know that surges can destroy the electronic equipment connected to the electricity, but swells often slip under the radar.  They too, can be harmful.  The six-outlet "surge strip" isn't doing anything to protect the computer - the "circuit breaker" on it will definitely trip if you pull too much power through the line, but when disaster happens, they do not keep your equipment safe.  That's where a power conditioning battery backup system helps.

American Power Conversion makes several models with different features.  The basic models include a limited runtime, as in the number of minutes your computer will stay on if the power flickers.  The more advanced models include LCD screen readouts that will show you critical information about the health of the device.  Most models include the option to connect the battery to your computer in a way that the battery can actually initiate a shutdown when the battery reaches a low level.  This is especially important for servers and workstations with shared data on them.  Many of the models can accommodate your internet connection hardware as well, making sure you can finish that important email before shutting down your computer.

If you're interested in installing an uninterruptible power supply (UPS for short), it's important to gauge the power rating correctly.  Generally speaking, the larger the computer, or the higher the number of devices that have to be plugged into it, the larger the power rating you'll need.  Buying too small of a device for a computer with a large load will result in the computer simply shutting off before you get a chance to shut it down correctly.  And, if you're in an area where new construction is occurring, those power outages may be frequent and harmful if the electric company  experiences problems creating new connections.

For more information, please call and schedule an on-site consultation.

Thanks for reading!

Eli Peters

Private Consulting Services

(815) 596-9005

Network Attached Storage

Created on Saturday, 08 October 2011 09:27

Offices regularly have to share files between employees, and many utilize a central database for various needs.  Unless a fully-functional server is necessary, a network attached storage device can save you thousands of dollars and help you reach those goals.

These small boxes sit somewhere in your office, plug into the network, require no keyboard, mouse, or monitor, and provide you with many services that you can benefit from.

Read more: Network Attached Storage