Originally Posted January 20, 1008

If your Internet connection seems to be running slow or if you can't even connect, try these quick remedies before calling technical support.  Most likely, this will solve your problem before you have to call tech support:

Reset your communication components to establish a fresh connection between you and your ISP.
1. Turn off all your computers
2. Unplug your Router from the power - If you don't know what is your router, look for a box that has one of the popular brands like Linksys, D-Link, or Netgear printed on it.  Your setup may not even have a router and be connected directly to the Modem.  If so, to to step 3.
3. Unplug your Modem from the power -  If you don't know what is your modem, look for a box that has one of the popular brands like 2Wire, Toshiba, or Siemens.  If you have Time Warner, Grande, or even SuddenLink look for an unmarked black box that is connected connected to your Router or directly to your computer
4. Wait 30 seconds
-Complete the following in order:
5. Plug in the Modem to the power
6. Wait 30 seconds
7. Plug in the Router to the power
8. Wait 30 seconds
9. Turn on your computers

If the above didn't help, try clearing your Browser's cache.  Your Browser saves website files on your computer that will accumulate over time.  If they haven't been deleted, this will bog down your computer - here's how to clear them out:

If you have Internet Explorer 7.0 (You may have to press your ALT key to reveal the menu).
1. Tools > Internet Options
2. Click the 'Delete...' button
3. Click 'Delete all...'
-The Delete Files window appears
4. Check the 'Delete all offline content' checkbox
5. Click 'OK'

If you have Internet Explorer 6.0
1. Tools > Internet Options....
-The Internet Options window appears
2. Click the 'Delete Files...' button
-The Delete Files window appears
3. Check the Delete all offline content checkbox
4. Click 'OK'

If you use AOL
-With AOL Closed
1. Start > All Programs > America On Line (or AOL) > AOL System Information
2. Click on the 'Utilities' tab
3. Click Clear Browser Cache' button
4. Click 'Close'

If you use Firefox 2.0:
1. Start Firefox
2. Click Tools > Clear Private Data...
3. Check all boxes for a thorough cleaning or just Cache for the cached files
3. Click the 'Clear Private Data Now' button

If neither of these seems to help, it is time to call the professionals - like us!

October 1 2007
If you use Internet Explorer version 7 (the one with tabs), you may find that some of the webpages are a little hard to read because the text is too small.  Using the new Zoom feature will quickly make the text easier to ready.

With Internet Explorer 7 open:
1. Hold Down your Control Key on your keyboard
2. Scroll away from you using your scroll wheel on your mouse

If you don't have a scroll wheel on your Mouse
1. Look at the lower right hand side of the IE window and find '100%'
2. Click the drop-down to the right of '100%'
3. Select the desired Zoom level

How do you know if you have Internet Explorer 7?
1. Press the Alt key - this reveals the Menu Bar
2. Help > About Internet Explorer

If you don't have Internet Explorer 7 (ver 6 or older) you can adjust the Text Size (not the same as using the Zoom, but close)
1. View > Text Size >
2. Select the desired size

April 30 2007
You probably use Google to do research, find the lowest price, or look for the closest restaurant.  Even I use it to find technical information.  It is absolutely indespenible.  But, did you know Google can help you find mathematical answers?  How about conversions?  Here's how...

When you want to convert units:
1. Open the Google web page
2. Enter the conversion into the Google search field like:
 '15 miles to kilometers' or '4 cups to ounces' or whatever


3. Press 'Google Search'
-The results are displayed on the next page

-This even works if you have Google setup as your default search provider in Internet Explorer 7.0 or

-You can use the Google Toolbar if it is visible in your Toolbar (near your clock)

You can even:

• Calculate exponents, square roots, sin, cos and more http://www.google.com/help/calculator.html
• Convert Currency http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/features.html#currency
• And more  http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/features.html

I hope this saves you time!

April 24 2006
Q: When I try to log on to my bank website using Internet Explorer, I get a blank screen and the technical support at my bank hasn’t been able to help.  Is there anything I can do?

A: This problem usually stems from a security feature called the Pop-up blocker which is a new security feature included in the Windows SP2 update.  When the SP2 update is downloaded to your computer (usually automatic) it installs itself into your Internet Explorer.  This feature is designed to suppress unwanted windows from popping up uncontrollably if you land on a less-than-scrupulous website, but it sometimes it suppresses the ones we need to access.

What we need to do is to add the friendly websites to the Allowed list for Pop-ups.  Here’s how:

In Internet Explorer:
1. Tools > Pop-up Blocker > Pop-up Blocker Settings…
2. Type in the website you want to allow in the ‘Address of Website site to allow:’ field (be sure to include the ‘www’ & ‘.com, .net, etc’
3. Click the ‘Add’ button
4. Click the ‘Close’ button

Note:  If you have installed a Toolbar plug-in from Yahoo, Google or another search site into your Internet Explorer and are still having the same problem, you have to turn-off the Pop-up blocker that is included with the respective plug-in (Yes, these Toolbar plug-ins have their own pop-up blocker that runs separately from the one in Internet Explorer).

Each one of these differs slightly, but what you want to do is look for the Tools > Options menu that is on the specific Toolbar or look for a button that has cross-hairs or a target icon and click on it.  Once there, you will see an option to turn-off the pop-up blocker.  Select this option since Explorer already is doing the Pop-up blocking duty.
 

January 23 2006
Q: I noticed that Internet Explorer captures all the web addresses that I entered manually into the Address bar.  Is there a way to clear them out?

A: If you are a neat-freak or just paranoid you can clear them out.  Here’s how:
In Internet Explorer:
1. Tools > Internet Options…
-The Internet Options window appears
2. Click the ‘Content’ tab
3. Click the ‘AutoComplete…’ button
-The AutoComplete settings window appears
4. Click the ‘Clear Forms’ button
5. Click OK
6. Click Apply
7. Click OK (again)
That’s it!

While you are in the AutoComplete window you can also:
-Turn on/off the AutoComplete for Web Addresses
-Turn on/off the AutoComplete for Form
-Turn on/off just the AutoComplete Passwords
-Turn on/off a prompt to save for Passwords

January 10 2005
Q: When I print specific web pages, a portion of it is either cut-off or I get extra pages at the bottom.  How can I fix this?
A: Well, this is actually a result of how the web page is 'translated' to your browser program (Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Mozilla Firefox etc.).   I won't get into the specifics of the technology, but there are two solutions that work around this.

The first solution is:
-On the more thoughtful websites click on a link/button that says something like:
'Printable Version', 'Print Page', 'Printer Friendly' or something similar.
-These links/buttons usually are at the top, bottom, or in the margin of the page you are viewing
1. Click on this link
-A new page will appear with some formatting removed
2. Print from that window usually by going to the File > Print menu

If there is no 'Printable Version' link/button, you can use the second solution:
-In Internet Explorer (In other web browsers, the option will be in a similar location)
1. Select/highlight what you want to print using your Mouse
2. File > Print
-Under the 'Page Range' section:
3. Select 'Selection'
4. Click the 'Print' button
-The text you selected/highlighted is printed

April 11 2005
Q: When I am looking for a website using a search engine, I sometimes have to scan lengthy web pages to look for specific text.  How can I do this faster?
A: After you have opened the website (Either in Internet Explorer or Firefox):
1. Press the CTRL + F keys
-This brings up the ‘Find’ window
2. Type in the text you are looking for into the ‘Find what:’ field
3. Press the ‘Find Next’ button
You are taken to the first location where your text appears occurs on that web page!

You can also use CTRL + F to search through lengthy documents or spreadsheets.