When it comes to managing the efforts of multiple people, email has proven to be less than efficient. Email trails get lost in the midst of multiple reply all’s, and sending documents by email can be cumbersome and unsecure. 

 This is one of the reasons there’s been an explosion of team collaboration tools in the last 5 years. They’re designed to facilitate teamwork and communication and keep everyone in your group or organization on the same page no matter where they’re located.

86% of employees and executives say that lack of collaboration and communication is responsible for workplace failures. 

Whether you’re managing a company or a local swimming club, team collaboration tools can help you more smoothly communicate with everyone whether they’re at their desk or mobile and coordinate calendars, files, and project steps.

We find that often the only thing keeping people from taking advantage of cloud-based collaboration tools (many of which are free!) is that they just aren’t sure what’s out there. Our Cloud Care Premium Team not only helps guide clients to the best cloud-based applications to meet their needs, but also can do all the software updates for you.

What Team Collaboration Tools are the Best?

The space for team collaboration applications is getting crowded, but there are some tools that tend to rise to the top and are the most popular because of their ease of use and integrations with other software. 

Before we get into each one in detail, here are a few common features that most of these tools share: 

• Ability to chat real-time

• Chats separated by channel or project card

• Ability to designate which users can access chats or projects

• Drag and drop file sharing

• Built-in security and administrative tools

• Desktop and mobile apps

Here are some of the best collaboration tools that you may want to consider to get your team connected.

Microsoft Teams

Pricing: Free to $20.00/user/month

If you’re an Office 365 user, then you may be familiar with Microsoft Teams. Their team chat hub is designed to be a single launch point for all of your most used applications and a central communication hub for chat, file-sharing, and more. 

Highlights of Microsoft Teams:

• Allows video and voice chat within the chat channels

• Ability to launch MS Office programs, 3rdparty software, webpages and PDFs from your dashboard (“Tabs”)

• Integrates with SharePoint and OneDrive for powerful file storage

• Fluid integration with all MS Office programs (Word, Excel, etc…) 

Slack

Pricing: Free to $12.50/user/month

Slack has taken off in popularity since it was first introduced in 2013. It’s ease of use and quick adoptability is one of the key reasons it’s become so popular. So, if you’re looking for one of the simplest tools to use, this is a good contender. 

Highlights of Slack: 

• Easy to search chat history

• Simple user interface

• Video call capability

• Over 1,500 app integrations

Workplace by Facebook

Pricing: Free to $3.00/user/month

Facebook is one of the newer players in the team collaboration tool market, just announcing the beta of their Workplace by Facebook in 2015.It’s now had a few years to mature and is used by companies like Starbucks and Domino’s.

Highlights of Workplace by Facebook:

• Safety Check feature that connects your team during a crisis

• Video call capability

• Auto-translate feature for chat

• AI-powered personal news feeds

Asana

Pricing: Free to $19.99/user/month (Contact sales for higher tier) 

If you need to manage multiple projects with your team, Asana is designed for users to visually move a project card through a series of statuses that you set up – like “In-progress, awaiting approval, complete”.

Highlights of Asana:

• View tasks in list or project card views

• Coordinate team calendars

• Ability to create project timelines

• Over 100 app integrations

Wrike

Pricing: Free to $24.80/user/month (Contact sales for higher tier)

Wrike integrates the robust central work hub feel of Microsoft Teams and the project-focus of Asana. Centering on folders, tasks, and projects rather than the chat channels themselves.

Highlights of Wrike:

• Uses folders to help you stay organized

• Custom interfaces (Marketing, Creative, Project Management, All Teams)

• Integrates with over 400 cloud and on-premises apps

• Ability to create custom automations

Zoho Projects 

Pricing: 10 users for $25/month to 25 users for $150/month

If you’re looking for more of a total enterprise style communications and project management platform, then you may want to consider Zoho Projects, which offers a lot of ability to build out the platform for your needs. 

Highlights of Zoho Projects: 

• View tasks as a list or as cards in columns

• Assign project milestones

• Set up a knowledgebase for new users

• Ability to generate charts and reports

Trello

Pricing: Free to $20.83/user/month 

Just like Slack, Trello also has simplicity going for it. It’s easy for new users to adopt and learn. It’s more like Asana when it comes to the interface, being project oriented and using project cards that can be moved as a task progresses.

Highlights of Trello:

• Calendar integration

• Supports file uploads from popular cloud storage services (like OneDrive, Google Drive)

• Includes board utilities called “Power Ups” that can be added as needed

• Integrates with hundreds of apps

Set up Team Collaboration with Pro Tech Guy 

If you’d like some help setting up a team collaboration tool and getting your members up to speed on it quickly, give Pro Tech Guy a call. We’ll be happy to customize your setup for your organization’s workflow and show you all the tips and tricks of team collaboration.

Call us today to get started at 508-364-8189 or reach out online.

Few things are as frustrating as when you’re trying to get something finished and your computer starts freezing up and making you wait. Minutes can tick by as your productivity is brought to a standstill, looking at a spinning wheel, unsure if it’s faster to wait or reboot.

At Pro Tech Guy, we often have people call us to help fix a sluggish computer. They just want their computer to work as fast as they do, without slowing them down. Our PC repairs unit helps clients throughout the Framingham area with a variety of computer issues, including system speed problems. 

This is one issue that nearly everyone can relate to, whether you have a Windows or Mac computer. Both can begin to slow down and become sluggish after a while, but there are some quick fixes you can try that can buy you a little more speed and more time before you need to upgrade to a new device.

Speed Up Your Computer with These Tips from Pro Tech Guy

There are a number a reasons that computers can become sluggish over time and knowing the right settings to adjust can help you get more speed out of your PC and reduce lock-up issues.

Americans lose an average of 2 hours per week waiting on slow computers.

If you’re struggling with a slow computer and getting frustrated, try some of these pro tips.

 Upgrade Memory if Possible

Often a memory upgrade can do the trick if your computer is having problems, such as locking up when you open too many webpage tabs. You can typically look in your system memory settings to see what memory is currently installed and if there are additional memory slots or capacity to upgrade it. 

If you’re seeing 4GB as your current memory, then an upgrade to 8GB or higher will make a huge speed improvement. NOTE: Cheaper computers and laptops (especially) may not have upgradable memory.

Turn off Visual Effects

Those shadows under windows and animated fade out menus might look cool, but they’re taking up some of your system resources. Turning them off can give you a little more performance improvement.

Windows 10: Click the Windows key, type “Advanced system settings” in the search. Under “Performance”, click the Settings button and click “Adjust for best performance.” If you’re finding the text looks funny in your documents after doing that, click back on the single setting “Smooth edges of screen fonts.”

Mac: Open “System Preferences” and go to Dock and turn off the visual eye-candy you don’t need like animations for opening applications.

Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs 

Do you really need Skype to start automatically on sign in every time and run in the background? Often there are programs in your startups folder that you don’t need there and that can save on some system memory by taking them out. 

Windows 10: Click the Windows key and type “startup programs” to get a link to see and edit which programs are set to start automatically.

Mac: Open “System Preferences” > Users & Groups > Your nickname > Choose Login items tab and check the programs to remove. 

Clean Up Your Hard Drive

Multiple temporary files that you don’t need can build up over time, impacting your computer’s speed. Before you try downloading a “free disk cleanup tool” try your own operating systems tools.

Windows 10: Click the Windows key and type “Disk cleanup” to get to their native tool for cleaning your hard disk.

Mac: When the iOS Sierra was introduced, so was a disk cleaning tool for Mac that was built in. You can get there by searching “Storage management” in Spotlight.

Scan for Viruses & Malware 

Often a hidden virus or other malware can be the culprit causing your computer to slow down. Scan with a reliable anti-virus/anti-malware application to see if that’s the case and, if so, to remove it. Pro Tech Guy can also help you with an expert and thorough virus/malware scan and removal.

Make Sure Your Operating System (OS) and Drivers are Updated

OS updates can bring performance improvements, and of course they’re important for any security patches. And while one of the last things people are usually thinking about when at their computer is updating drivers for things like their graphics card, sometimes those outdated hardware drivers could be slowing you down.

OS updates are easy to find by checking for updates in both Windows (click Windows key and search ‘Updates’) and Mac (click the Apple). You can generally find driver updates in your computer’s updates section or the manufacturer’s specific update tool, like HP’s Support Assistant.

Need a Speed Boost for Your PC? 

If all of the above tips still aren’t getting you the speed you need, bring your computer in to Pro Tech Guy and we’ll be happy to take a look and let you know your options for increasing performance. 

Contact us anytime at 508-364-8189 or through our contact form.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are have already grown to bringing in $3.6 billion in revenue in 2018, a 30% increase over the previous year. Shipment of AR/VR headsets are expected to increase 54% in 2019 to 8.9 million units worldwide.

While AR/VR is still in its infancy, it’s growing up fast and is expected to create major changes in how we interact with both the world around us and virtual worlds inside VR headsets. 

When it comes to technology trends, our team at Pro Tech Guy is always excited to learn all about what’s on the horizon so we can answer questions and offer expert guidance to our managed IT services clients in Framingham and the Metrowest area. 

If you’ve been wondering what’s coming in the AR and VR worlds, read on for an exciting preview of things to come, as well as some technologies and games already available.

AR & VR are Coming… Are You Ready?

 Currently the most well-known products in the VR world are the headsets that make virtual reality possible. In order of 2018 sales, the biggest are:

• PlayStation VR

• Oculus Go

• Oculus Rift

• Samsung Gear VR

• HTC VIVE

• HTC VIVE Focus 

When it comes to AR, it’s all about the mobile games, with Pokemon Go being the most famous… so far. But it seems that those AR game creators have just released an entirely new AR mobile game based upon a popular magical franchise.

Once AR/VR gets beyond gaming, is when we can expect it to begin to mature and reach more widespread use. Currently, big tech players like Google and Apple working are on browser and viewer support for augmented and virtual reality applications.

Here are some exciting new things to watch out for. 

Harry Potter Goes Virtual

The biggest new augmented reality mobile game that’s going to take 2019 by storm is by the same studio that pushed the AR boundary with Pokemon Go, sending people of all ages around town looking for creatures.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite launched for iOS and Android devices in June 2019 and promises the same augmented reality experience, where players can look through their mobile devices and see characters and “Foundables” overlaid on top of the real world.

Augmented Reality in Web Pages

Google is working on a WebXR Device API that will allow use of both AR and VR inside the Chrome web browser. It’s currently being tested in their Chrome Canary and it can be explored by having the following:

• A compatible smartphone running Android O or later

• Installation of the ARCore

• Two Chrome flags, WebXRDevice API and Web XR Hit Test

Useful applications on the horizon using this technology include

• Home online shoppers able to fully visualize objects in 3D before purchase

• More in-depth learning on educational websites

• Better visualization of repairs or manuals (imagine being able to see in 3D how to repair a dripping faucet or install a video surveillance system)

Enhanced Computer Vision

While the Google Glass was a short-lived fad, it was an important peek at the future of augmented reality. With artificial intelligence taking massive strides forward every year, we can expect to see more sophisticated versions of an informational and responsive layer over the real world that a wearable, like glasses or a clear visor will enable.

Such as a Google maps overlay that guides you to the nearest Bagel shop and can intuitively include wait times to help you choose the best option during a lunch break. 

Virtual Training and Education

Imagine being able to put your recruits through a “real world” reconnaissance mission to hone their skills before they’re subject to the real thing. This is something the U.S. Army is exploring with the help of Microsoft and its HoloLens technology.

Likewise, mega-retailer Walmart is using Oculus Go headsets for employee training in a number of areas. A notable one was virtually training their team to use their new Pickup Tower automated vending unit prior to store deployment to ensure a smooth rollout. 

Social VR Experiences

Of course, one of the most anticipated technologies that many are waiting on VR to bring is something akin to Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Holodeck. That virtual world where you could go wherever you like to relax or explore the world from the comfort of your home.

Expect Facebook to be on the forefront of exploring the social opportunities that VR has to offer, which is illustrated through its purchase of Oculus back in 2016. 

And social VR environments aren’t only for home use, virtual meetings and boardrooms in the business world are expected to be another important branch of the “holodeck-style” virtual reality offerings. 

Does Your Computer Need an AR/VR Upgrade?  

Hardware requirements for AR and VR are definitely more demanding, which may require computer hardware or device updates to allow you to take full advantage of these new technologies. 

Pro Tech Guy can help you with computer upgrades and custom computer builds to ensure your PC has everything you need to take full advantage of new AR/VR applications.

Let’s discuss your computer needs today! Call 508-364-8189 or reach out online.

The big buzz word we’ve been hearing for the past year or two has been 5G. It’s supposed to revolutionize the way we connect with speeds faster than we’ve ever seen. 

Several mobile carriers have already begun rolling out 5G in 2019, including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. The “G” stands for generation, and 5G represents the next step in a progression of mobile technologies that began with 1G and has been dominated by 4G since it was made available in the US in 2010.

But is 5G really going to make that much of a difference in our day-to-day online lives? 

Pro Tech Guy is diving into 5G to give you the lowdown in this new mobile generation. We’ll explain how it differs from 4G in speed and bandwidth and let you know what it means when it comes to cloud-based applications and smart devices.

How Is 5G Different Than 4G?

While it’s been nearly a decade since it happened, when 3G was upgraded to 4G, there were a number of new online benefits thanks to the speed improvement that users enjoyed:

• Improved mobile web access

• High-definition mobile streaming of TV and movies

• Flourishing of cloud-computing apps on mobile

• AR mobile gaming (like Pokemon Go)

• Smoother video conferencing and VoIP

It’s important to note that although 4G was first available in December 2010 in the U.S., it wasn’t until a couple of years later that mobile applications started catching up and taking full advantage of it. The same is expected to be true for 5G.

5G Advances

When it comes to 5G, there are three key improvements that will transpire into multiple benefits that will make your online life better. These include:

• Faster Speed (Potentially 100x faster; 5G is expected to improve mobile data transfer speeds from 100 Mbps to 10 Gbps and beyond)

• Lower Latency (meaning faster response times between your device and the application on the other end of an internet connection)

• Higher Device Capacity (the ability to connect more internet-enabled devices without bandwidth lag)

How is 5G able to deliver faster and more responsive internet? 

The 5G platform uses larger channels, which allow them to handle higher speeds. 

Imagine if 4G was a two-lane highway filled with cars. Backups ensue when too many cars (or internet devices) are trying to use that same highway.

The city does a major road construction project, and now that two lane highway is expanded to eight lanes (5G), allowing all the cars to travel faster, even during rush hour, without backups.

What Benefits Will I Experience from 5G?

While it’s going to take a few years for technologies and devices to be developed that will fully take advantage of the new 5G network speed, there’s a lot of potential to see significant improvements both in convenience and life-saving technologies.

Remote Surgery

If you or a loved-one required a specific type of brain surgery, 5G has the speed and latency capabilities to allow the best brain surgeon in the world to login and perform it remotely. 

The medical industry is expecting big advances because 5G will allow for the laser precision, without any lag or network interruptions, to finally make remote procedures and surgeries possible on a large scale. 

Hologram Calls

Not only are your regular video conference calls going to be much smoother without that “stuck-in-place” phenomenon happening, VoIP providers, like Skype, are exploring the ability to offer 3D hologram calls, with a faster network that can handle the bandwidth requirements needed for this kind of feat. 

Connect More Devices Without Speed Issues

Homes and offices are already starting to suffer the network lag from connecting multiple smart devices to a single internet connection. Smart security cameras, smart TVs, smart thermostats… all connect to the internet and all require some amount of bandwidth. And how many families go looking for the person doing a heavy download when their internet starts to lag?

5G is going to allow you to connect multiple devices doing multiple internet activities without the lag time that currently comes with several devices fighting for the bandwidth on a single internet connection. 

More Autonomous Cars (and Bikes Too!)

Autonomous cars and trucks are currently still in a field trial phase but expected to drastically chance our transportation infrastructure over the next 10 to 20 years. Just like remote surgery requires the types of internet connections that can enable precision communications without any lag time, this is also a requirement for driverless technology, so cars can stop or turn on a dime when an obstacle is detected.

5G is going to open up the market even more, and beyond automobiles, smart bikes, which do just about everything except ride themselves, are also in development. The network speed of 5G is going to accelerate the capabilities and adoptions of these autonomous transportation technologies.

Stay in Control of the Cloud with Cloud Care Premium

With all those cloud technologies about to run even faster, you want to make sure you’ve got control of your IT security. With Pro Tech Guy’s Cloud Care Premium, you can get managed antivirus and malware protection, plus all the support you need.

Contact us today to learn more at 508-364-8189 or through our contact form.

Everything’s going smoothly and you’re racing to get a document finished before a deadline. Then, suddenly your computer starts acting up and now the minutes you’re spending trying to fix the issue are turning into hours.

Technology issues aren’t only frustrating, they can cost you time and money, especially if you don’t have the back up of a Managed IT Services Plan.

Whether you’re using your computer at home or the office, having your technology running well and secure from viruses and hackers is important. In fact, more people than ever now telecommute, with home computers evolving from “just for personal” to being vital to monthly income.

The cost of computer downtime adds up fast with each minute that goes by. Businesses & remote workers deal with multiple costs during an unexpected downtime incident, such as: 

• Lost productivity

• Emergency repairs

• Loss of business

• Missed deadlines

Unexpected downtime costs businesses an average of $5,600 per minute.

When you consider the costs of only fixing your technology when someone goes wrong (i.e. break/fix service) as compared to proactively maintaining it with a service plan, it’s clear that being proactive is more cost efficient than waiting until something breaks down.

Saving Money with a Proactive IT Services Plans

Whether you have a Cadillac or a Kia, most people get regular oil changes done for their car proactively to reduce the chance of a costly breakdown. But they don’t always make the same cost-saving connection when it comes to the computers, devices, and network that they also use every day. 

Pro Tech Guy helps keep technology maintained, secure and virus-free, and running efficiently for multiple business and home clients in Framingham, Natick, Sudbury, Wayland, Wellsley, Ashland, and the surrounding Metrowest area. 

Our clients find that they save not only money, but also a lot of stress and hassle, by using either our Managed IT Services for Business or Residential Managed Services.

What Comes with a Managed Services Plan?

While plans can be tailored according to your needs, here is an overview of the type of things you can get with our Cloud Care Premium managed services plan: 

• Managed Anti-virus and Malware Protection

• Hacker Check

• Proactive Threat Detection

• Hardware Monitoring

• 3rdParty Software Updates

• Managed Windows Updates

• Unlimited Cloud Backup

• Remote Support

• Priority Support Tier

• Free Computer Tune-up

How a Maintenance & Anti-virus/Malware Plan Save You Money

1. Reduces Downtime

Keeping your technology regularly maintained and monitored for any threats significantly reduces downtime and the associated costs. Each minute a device or network is down, it’s costing money in lost productivity whether it’s located in a home or office. Using a Managed IT Services Plan is insurance against costly outages.

2. Predictable Monthly IT Costs

If you’re not keeping your IT infrastructure maintained, you can get hit with high, unexpected IT costs that you didn’t budget for. An all-inclusive IT services plan has a predictable monthly price which is typically much lower than those unexpected emergency repairs and you don’t end up with costly surprises. 

3. Technical Support

How much time do you or your employees spend trying to figure out a computer issue? As the minutes tick by, you’re losing money, but calling someone for help when you don’t have a service plan in place can be costly or leave you forever on hold with a manufacturer’s tech hotline.  

With a Managed IT Services Plan, you have your very own “tech hot line” and can get quick assistance remotely to take care of any number of IT issues or 3rdparty software questions.

4. Protection from Hacks & Breaches

Hackers are constantly trying to plant malware and viruses that allow them to breach networks and steal all types of sensitive data. If you’re going it alone, you can end up with an unusable computer that’s crippled with malware or an infiltration of spyware that’s recording keystrokes and siphoning off files.

The average cost for each lost or stolen computer file is $148.

Managed IT security ensures all your devices and network are protected and monitored for any attempted breaches or virus infiltrations.

5. Managed Patches and Updates

Do you ever click “later” on those update notifications? You wouldn’t be alone. Many people find them annoying and don’t want to interrupt what they’re doing to go through an update, so they put it off until “later.”

There’s also the fear that an operating system (OS) update will get stuck or cause some type of problem if it doesn’t go smoothly. A Managed IT Services Plan includes management of OS and 3rdparty software updates and security patches, which are vital to ensuring your devices and network are safe and have all the latest protections against known vulnerabilities installed.

Learn More About Pro Tech Guy’s Managed IT Plans Today!

Have you thought that maybe you were too small to get a Managed IT Plan? Even just one computer can benefit from being proactively managed for a low monthly cost! Save time, money, and frustration by relying on your own IT pro.

Contact us today at 508-364-8189 or through our contact form to learn more about our affordable managed IT services.

Have you been seeing those “Free Dark Web Scan” ads online? You may have been tempted to click it to see if your personal data is being sold on the dark web but stopped, wondering if it was legit. 

The digital age has brought with it the unfortunate risk of identity theft with hackers around every virtual corner just trying to get you to click on a malicious link. And this has also encouraged both legitimate and less than legitimate software ads promising to help protect you.

Pro Tech Guy is often called to help clients in the Framingham, MA and Metrowest area with an urgent virus or malware removal. Even the most diligent computer user can get fooled into downloading a dangerous script by a well-crafted phishing email. Many of our clients ask us about dark web scans and if they really are helpful or not.

Read on to get the facts about those dark web scans and whether they really do what they say.

Are Dark Web Scans Safe or Necessary?

To understand exactly what a dark web scan does, let first discuss the dark web and how it differs from the internet you use every day.

The dark web is like the “back alley” of the internet, it’s designed to be hard to find and can’t be accessed from normal browsers. It’s pages also aren’t indexed in the typical search engines used online, like Google, Bing, or Yahoo.

Websites on the dark web, also known as Darknet, are only accessible through a special platform like Tor or I2P. The clandestine nature of the dark web attracts cybercriminals and hackers from around the world who use it to do illicit business. 

Just like online shopping is big on the main (non-dark) web, it’s big on the dark web too, but for very different types of products and services. 

Hiring someone to steal payment data starts at $270 on the dark web.

Some of the illegal products and services that are popular on the dark web include:

• Malware (ransomware, spyware, viruses, etc.)

• Exploits (for known and zero-day vulnerabilities)

• Data (personal, accounting, payment, etc.)

• Access (passwords for websites or servers)

The sale of your personal data is what those free dark web scans are targeting by telling you they’ll check to see if personal information happens to be up for sale on the dark web and let you know if it is. 

What Does a Dark Web Scan Do?

One of the initial dangers of clicking to one of those dark web scan ads is that the ad may or may not be legitimate. Often hackers disguise their malware beneath an ad offering help for viruses or identity theft protection. So you need to be very wary.

One of the legitimate companies that advertises dark web scans is Experian, and they offer a free one-time scan for your:

• Social Security Number

• Email

• Phone Number

So, do they actually scan the whole dark web for your personal data? Not quite. 

They state that they search “over 600,000” web pages. If the dark web was even 25% as large as the indexed web, it would have over a billion web pages (that’s a lot more than 600,00). But it’s actually considered to be much larger than that. 

According to internet research, there are approximately 4.5 billion websites indexed by search engines on our normal “surface” internet. The deep web, of which the dark web is a subset, is estimated to be as much as 500 times larger than the surface web. So that gives you an idea of how many sites could possibly be selling your data that aren’t included in a standard dark web scan. 

How Helpful is a Dark Web Scan?

The main purpose of a free dark web scan looks to be a marketing tactic to get you to purchase other identity protection services, like monthly monitoring plans. The free scan itself has very limited benefit. If your data happens to be found on one of the small percentage of dark web sites scanned, then you can get a heads up to be on high alert for identify theft.

However, the free scan doesn’t include your credit card details, a hot commodity on the dark web, you’ll have to pay extra for that. And again, the scan is limited to a small part of the entire dark web.

Another caveat about these free dark web scanning services is that you have to give them some personal data in order for them to scan for it. So, you’re taking a chance of your data being stolen or breached for little, if any, benefit.

What’s a better thing to do? Get a managed antivirus plan that keeps you protected from virus infections and malware that can steal that data in the first place. You won’t have to worry about revealing your personal data to a questionable site and will have a local IT contact you can trust.

Want to Learn More about Pro Tech Guy’s Managed Antivirus?

Keep your devices and your data protected with an affordable managed antivirus plan. We use industry-proven software and ensure you’re covered for any online or phishing threats out there.

Learn more by calling 508-364-8189 or reach out online today!

It’s hard to remember a world when we weren’t all connected to the nearest Wi-Fi. As technology evolves, it seems more of our devices, from tablets to baby monitors to TVs, are relying on having a strong internet connection. But, has router technology kept up?

If you’re like a lot of people, you may have Wi-Fi “dead zones” or areas in your home where the signal isn’t the best. These weak Wi-Fi spots dictate where you can set up your technology and how you use your own living space.

One of the newer technologies to come out to help us keep up with the ever-increasing demand on our wireless connection is called a wireless mesh network. And it is an evolution of router technology that allows you to do several things with the signal you get from your internet service provider (ISP), including:

• Extend signal range

• Reduce bottlenecking

• Strengthen Wi-Fi signal throughout your property

• Improve speed

• Use Wi-Fi outside

When we’re providing trusted managed IT services to homes in Framingham, Natick, Sudbury, and the surrounding Metrowest area, the need to improve Wi-Fi reliability is a common issue we hear repeated in multiple households. 

Is it time to move to a wireless mesh internet connection? We’ll give you the scoop on this technology so you can decide. 

How is a Wireless Mesh Network Different from a Regular Router?

Most homes are used to using one wireless router that’s connected to the modem from an ISP. The problem is that if you’re in a multi-level home, a large home, or have solid brick or block walls, the signal from that one router can get blocked or lose its strength.

A wireless mesh network differs because instead of just one router sending a signal throughout your home, it uses multiple units. They’re called satellites or nodes. One node connects to the ISP modem and the others can be placed throughout your home.

Each of these wireless nodes communicates with the others as well as with the base unit connected to the modem. So, they create a web (or mesh) of signals throughout your property that can ensure a stronger and more wide-reaching Wi-Fi connection.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Wireless Mesh Wi-Fi?

 If you don’t have any issues with your Wi-Fi signal and don’t care to extend it, then you probably won’t see a big benefit in a wireless mesh system. However, if you have any weak or dead areas where you can’t get a strong Wi-Fi connection, then a using a mesh network can significantly improve your online life.

Here are some key benefits of this technology.

Extends Wi-Fi Range  

Each wireless mesh node gives you a certain range of coverage, and adding more can increase it without weakening the signal. For example, each unit in the Google WIFI mesh network has a range of about 1,500 S.F. So, their 3-pack of units covers 4,500 S.F. of strong wireless signal. 

You can buy one node at a time, which allows you to easily add on more coverage without needing to purchase another internet service plan.

The Units are Portable

The wireless mesh nodes are fairly compact, about the size of a coffee mug, and can easily be moved around your home. They can either be mounted on a wall or placed on a surface.

Get Routed to the Best Signal

Do you have issues with an “internet hog” at home, downloading large files that cause your connection to slow down? Wireless mesh networks have the ability to route you around slower nodes and place you on the least congested channel. Because there are several units instead of just the one router, you’ve got multiple options for a faster connection.

Use Wi-Fi Outside

If you’ve ever dreamed of having a strong Wi-Fi signal reach out to your backyard pool or garage? A wireless mesh network can make that happen. There are nodes designed specifically for outdoor use that can communicate with the indoor nodes and extend your internet connection to outside spaces.

Remove Signal Barriers

Certain types of solid brick or block construction can make it difficult for a wireless router’s signal to reach the other side. And if you have a tri-level home, that signal might not reach all the way to the upper or lower floors.

A mesh network allows you to deploy the nodes like “mini-routers” in multiple areas of your home and the web-like blanket of connections between the nodes ensures that the signal gets beyond any barriers so you can enjoy the same speed and strength throughout your living space.

Have Questions About a Wireless Mesh Set Up?

If you’re interested in learning more about a wireless mesh set up in your home, Pro Tech Guy can help! We can answer all your questions and get a well-positioned mesh network set up for you in no time.

Schedule a wireless mesh setup today at 508-364-8189 or through our contact form.

As each year goes by it seems that more things in our homes and offices are “going online.” The Internet of Things (IoT) has gone from catchphrase to reality as we get used to asking voice assistants to turn on our favorite music or check in on our doorbell cam from work.

And while smart devices can be fun, they also are improving efficiency, helping us save time, and improving collaboration and sharing across the country.

Our team at Pro Tech Guy has had a front row seat to the evolution of smart technologies, helping our clients make the most of new innovations like smart home security systems and intelligent climate control. 

We pride ourselves on expert, responsive, and secure home and office IT support that doesn’t just fix problems, but explores solutions.

So, which smart home and office technologies should you be looking at? Which ones can help you save time and increase productivity? We’ve got our seven favorites next, which have been making a huge impact.

The Best IoT Technologies to Make Your Life Easier 

There are several reasons to upgrade to smart gadgets at work or home, but the main reason people use them is to save time.  

57% of Americans say smart products save them about 30 minutes per day.

About 47% of Millennials already own an IoT device at home and that number is growing steadily.

Offices are also quickly adopting smart devices to streamline operations and improve control over multiple building functions. The global smart office market is expected to more than double between 2017 and 2024, from 21.2 billion to 49.7 billion.

Here are the top trending smart technologies that are quickly becoming mainstays in homes and offices around the world. 

Smart Security Cameras & Doorbell Cams

There used to be a time when a closed-circuit security system was hardwired to a recording device and it all had to be accessed on-premise. But with the advent of “the cloud” and smart devices, security cameras have not only become easier to access, they’ve also gotten smaller and more multi-purpose.

Smart doorbells, baby monitors, and other types of security cameras can allow you to tap into them from any mobile device to keep an eye on things. They also have the ability to record in much higher quality than the devices used decades ago and have the added functionality of two-way communication.

Smart Locks 

Internet enabled smart locks make securing property much easier for many businesses. Now, instead of having to issue keys, then change locks if an employee leaves without turning theirs in, locks can be programmed to allow or revoke entry to anyone with a few keystrokes.

Many hours of record keeping and trying to keep up with physical keys have been replaced by a much more efficient computerized system. And smart locks can be built-in, such as on an entry door, or used as needed like a padlock.

Smart Thermostats & Sensors 

Smart thermostats such as Nest allow you to automatically adjust your thermostat when you’re home or away for comfort and help save energy by adjusting temperature for occupancy.

Offices using smart sensor technology can have a system that automatically knows when a room is empty and how often it’s used and adjust the heating or A/C accordingly to lower energy costs.  

They also have to ability to send you alerts when your room temperature is higher or lower than your “warning setting” so you don’t end up with unexpected expenses.

Smart Video Systems

The days of spending hours just trying to get a multi-person video conference set up are gone. As technology has evolved so has our ability to bring people together virtually from around the world.

Offices are using smart TVs that connect to VoIP phone systems and cloud-based smart whiteboards for a fully interactive meeting experience. 

One of the trending gadgets for homes right now is the new Portal by Facebook which adds a whole new dimension to video calls with a monitor that tracks your movements and rotates to keep you in the picture.

Smart Lighting

Another energy saving IoT technology are computer-controlled lighting systems that can turn lights off automatically when a room is unoccupied. Another feature is the ability to be programmed with different colors so you could have a light turn red, for example, when your front door security camera senses someone standing out front.

Voice Assistants 

Voice assistants, which were first brought to us by Apple’s Siri, have now become a common feature in many homes through the Amazon Echo, Google Home, and more.

They’re integrated to work with multiple other smart devices to give you a central control from which you can tell your smart coffee maker to brew a new pot or turn your thermostat down a few degrees.

Automated Reception 

An evolution of the smart assistant is built into a smart device that’s used as a virtual reception desk, which can help visitors with directions or allow them to call up to a specific office to announce their arrival. These are being used to help take some of the workload off the reception desk by handling the most common directional questions with an AI assistant. 

Ensure Your Smart Tech is Set Up Right! 

Pro Tech Guy can help you set up your new smart products to ensure they’re optimized, secure, and connected just the way you want. Security is key when you’re introducing new internet-connected devices into your home or office and we’ll make sure they’re properly protected. 

Contact us today for a smart tech set up at 508-364-8189 or reach out online.

There comes a time in every Windows product’s life when it’s no longer supported. No more security patches, updates of any kind, and no more technical support. This is referred to as the end of life (EOL) of a product.

The popular Windows 7 operating system is less than a year from its EOL date of January 14, 2020, and if you’re still using it at home or work, you’re going to want prepare now and know exactly what EOL will mean for the security and operation of your computer.

As certified IT technicians in Framingham, Natick, Sudbury, and the surrounding Metrowest area, our team at Pro Tech Guy has been helping our business and residential clients prepare for the EOL of Windows 7 (and Windows Server 2008, EOL on the same date). Whether you use one computer at home or have several of them at your small business, it’s important to be using a supported operating system (OS). 

33.44% of computers were using Windows 7 as of March 2019. (Statcounter)

When you look at user stats for Windows 7 and the current Windows OS, Windows 10, over the last 12 months, it’s easy to tell that Windows 7 is reaching end of life and users are rushing to upgrade before it’s too late. 

• As of March 2018:

• Windows 7 market share: 41.51%

• Windows 10 market share: 43.95%

• As of March 2019: 

• Windows 7 market share: 33.44%

• Windows 10 market share: 55.77%

Read on to find out how to prepare and what happens if you keep on using Windows 7 past its end of life date.

What Does Windows 7 EOL Mean and Why is It important?

The Windows lifecycle for a product is planned out years in advance. Typically, all support is provided a minimum of 5 years after a product is first released (Mainstream support), and critical security patches and paid technical support are continued for no less than 10 years after a product release (Extended support).

So, while a product still has extended support, which ends when a product hits the EOL date, you can still count on those important security updates to keep your PC safe from any known threats or vulnerabilities.

Windows 7 Lifecycle:

• Release date: July 22, 2009

• End of Mainstream Support: January 13, 2015

• End of Extended Support: January 14, 2020

Can I still use Windows 7 after the EOL date? 

There are a number of reasons people don’t want to upgrade their OS until they absolutely have to. One is the cost, and another is that they just like what they’re using and don’t want to switch.

 But while you can technically keep on using Windows 7 after its EOL date, you’re putting the security of your computer, data, and network at risk as well as setting yourself up for some software and hardware incompatibilities.

You’re basically on your own when it comes to support, as Microsoft will no longer provide any and your system will be at risk because it will not be getting any security patches or updates for found vulnerabilities. This is actually something hackers look forward to, because when an OS is no longer supported it means something they can exploit with malware or a virus, won’t be getting patched.

Another inconvenience of still using Windows 7 after its end of life is that as more software and hardware come out, fewer and fewer of them will be operational on Windows 7, since the developers no longer need to include that OS compatibility in their designs.

Steps for Preparing Before the EOL Date of Windows 7

The good news is that you still have several months before that extended support is lost for Windows 7, but the date will creep up on you before you know it if you don’t prepare soon.

Here are our tips for preparing before that January 2020 deadline.

Preparation Tips for Residential Users:

• Ensure your computer or laptop meets the requirements for Windows 10.

• Compare the cost of upgrading your current PC with the cost of a new one that already has Windows 10 installed.

• Budget for the upgrade and plan to switch before the Windows 7 EOL date.

• Familiarize yourself with Windows 10 through online or in person training to make the switch easier for yourself.

Preparation Tips for Business Users:  

• Create a list of computers that will need to be upgraded at your office and those which cannot be upgraded.

• Develop security controls to handle older PCs that won’t run Windows 10 and won’t be supported with security updates. 

• Consider costs of upgrading older computers to Windows 10 vs purchasing news ones that will have it installed and have a longer lifespan.

• Put together a timeline and budget for necessary OS and/or computer upgrades. 

• Schedule employee training on the new Windows 10 operating system.

Get Help with a Windows 10 Upgrade from Pro Tech Guy

Need help with an operating system upgrade to Windows 10? Our experts at Pro Tech Guy can ensure a smooth transition. We’ll evaluate whether your current PC meets the hardware requirements, do the upgrade for you to ensure there are no issues, and can provide training to help you ramp up the learning curve fast.

Be fully prepared for Windows 7 EOL by calling us today at 508-364-8189 or using our contact form.

We’ve all been there. Your computer has been getting slower and slower, and you’ve gotten so frustrated at how long it’s taking just to open your email or use a certain application, that you do a Google search on PC tune-up software and start clicking on free tools.

Often tons of ads and links will come up, some to legitimate sites, and many of them to questionable downloads. But the thing is, that you most likely don’t need that app at all to do a proper cleanup on your PC, especially if you’re running Windows 10.

 One of the dangers of clicking around on any PC cleaning tool link that comes up is that you could end up infecting your system with adware or a virus. We’ve often been called out for a virus removal and PC optimization after someone tried and failed to cleanup their computer using a free tool they found online.

PC tune-up tools have been around nearly as long as the Windows operating system itself, and while some of them have provided some help in the past cleaning registries and freeing up disk space, their days of usefulness are soon coming to an end.

Don’t Fall for the Slick Ads

It’s hard not to be enticed by those slick ads that promise you a faster computer in seconds or scare you with a free “scan” that shows you hundreds of thousands of registry errors. Don’t fall for them.

The ads are designed to prey upon your frustration at a slow computer and desire for an instant fix. But it’s been found that these tools, even the paid ones, don’t do anything more for you than Windows 10’s own tools can do.

According to How-To Geek, things like registry entries (a hot button word with PC tune-up apps) are not typically a problem when it comes to a slow computer. They also cite a test by Windows Secrets that found Windows was just as adept at disk cleanup up as paid PC cleaning apps. 

If you still feel like you must try a tune-up app even after reading the Windows cleaning ‘How-To” tips below, CCleaner is the one that’s most often recommended by computer pros and isn’t adware.

How to Tune-Up Your Computer with the Built-in Windows 10 Apps

Windows 10 makes your PC a lot more self-sufficient and can handle many types of tasks that a typical tune-up app employs. Older versions of Windows didn’t have that same capability, so some cleanup apps did make those maintenance tasks a little easier, but that’s not the case with Windows 10.

 Windows 10 maintenance capabilities include the following features that all come built-in, so there’s no reason to buy a separate program to do them. 

Disk Cleanup

Hard disk cleanup is one of the key headlines you’ll see in those computer tune-up ads online. Some charge you $39.99 for something your system can already do itself.

Search for “Disk cleanup” in the Windows 10 taskbar, then select the drive you want to clean up, then click “OK”. You’ll be provided a choice of file types to delete. 

Free Up Disk Space 

Running out of hard drive space it can be frustrating. Two ways that you can free up disk space with Windows 10 are as follows: 

1. Freeing up more disk space can also be done in the Disk cleanup tool. Just click the option “Clean up system files” and choose the files to remove.

2. You can also use the Storage sense tool, which is in Settings > System > Storage. Under Storage sense, click “Free up space now” and follow the prompts.

Defragment Your Computer

Using defrag on your drives can help your PC boot up faster and run more smoothly. To use this tool, use the task bar search to look for “defrag” then select “Defragment and Optimize Drive.” Select the disk you want to defrag and click “Optimize.”

Windows 10 Automatic Maintenance 

Windows 10 may also be doing some maintenance you’re not even aware of. The Automatic Maintenance feature performs tasks behind the scenes to maintain the health and performance of your computer.

Some of these automated tasks include:

• Keeping Windows and applications updated

• Checking security

• Running scans for malware

• Disk defragmentation and optimization

• Other system diagnostic tasks

You can also convert any Task Scheduler task to a maintenance task to run along with the automated schedule.  

The default setting is to run at 2:00 A.M., but you can adjust this in the application. Just type “maintenance” in the search taskbar and then go to Security and Maintenance > Automatic Maintenance.

Need Help with a Virus or Slow Computer?

The fastest way to take care of a sluggish computer is to call a pro… or Pro Tech Guy to be exact!  We offer a virus/malware/ransomware removal and PC optimization package for one easy flat rate.  

Contact us today for fast and effective IT repair and optimization at 508-364-8189 or reach out online.