How to use Google searching effectively?

In order for people to surf the web efficiently and find what they want right away, it would be beneficial to learn how to use a website like Google effectively. By using quotation marks, the search results will only bring up exactly what is in the quotations. For example, if I was searching “Oprah Winfrey book club” it will bring up information having to do with the Oprah Winfrey book club only. If a search must contain a particular word or phrase than use a + sign; this will demonstrate that the word or phrase is the important part. For example, if I typed in +”Oprah Winfrey” book club, then information about Oprah will show up but not necessarily about her book club.

To narrow down a search more, the dash symbol - can be used to eliminate certain searches pertaining to that topic. For example, if I wanted to search flowers – wedding this will return all results having to do with flowers but not weddings. Other tips to keep in mind are to make sure you spell the word or phrase that you are searching correctly. If you want to define a word simply put; define: computer. This can also be done for maps: which is a shortcut to Google maps; phone: which can help to find a person’s telephone number; cache: Google will highlight the word(s) in the document; info: will further bring up specific information about the topic and weather: will allow you to find out the weather wherever you are.

http://forums.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?t=54555

Wireless networking precautions

The majority of information posted on the internet about wireless networking precautions is mainly directed towards corporations. However, wireless security is also important for the home because if your internet is unsecure than anyone who is close by can spy on what you are doing online. “Depending on how your home network is configured, someone could even gain full access to your computer’s hard drive over an unsecured wireless network.” In addition, even if you are not using your internet, your neighbors could be using your wireless connection. If they decide to perform some illegal behavior while on your internet connection, it can be traced back to your home network.

Wireless networks are almost available anywhere and most of them are insecure. There are also many hackers out there that are aware of the unsecure networks and use them for their own benefit. In order to secure your wireless connection, users need to use encryption, which is similar to a secret code only you and your family will know. If your wireless access point allows you to disable your identifier then do so, so that it will be harder for you to be identified by hackers. Another step to secure wireless connection is to limit the access to your access point to which computers are allowed to use it.

http://www.windowsecurity.com/articles/Wireless-Network-Security-Home.html

Strong password (how to create and use them)

Creating a strong password will help you to not worry if people will be able to hack onto your computer or account. A strong password should have a random string of characters and be lengthy. Your password should be 8 or more characters in length; 14 characters or longer is best. It is also a good idea to combine letters, numbers, and symbols. The fewer types of characters in your password, the longer it must be. Use the whole keyboard not just the familiar characters. Furthermore, it is important to not have the same letter or symbol for the entire password or use a numbers in sequential order.

Make use of words and phrases that are easy for you to remember, but harder for others to guess. There are six easy steps to creating a strong password. First, think of a sentence you can remember. Secondly, check if the computer or online system supports the pass phrases, and then convert it to a password. Make it complex by using both uppercase and lowercase letters plus numbers. You can also use some special characters to make it even more difficult to guess such as using $, #, *. Finally, test your password with password checker.

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/password/create.mspx

Internet parental control software

There are various types of parental control software available for purchase, depending on what a consumer may be looking for. Access control is just one of many brands of internet parental control software. This allows parents to set a particular time and day when their child may use the internet or play a specific game. Access Control also lets you lock down the computer and sort through what your children may be viewing on the internet. The control settings can be changed to what fits the family best.

Another brand of internet parental control software is called Net Nanny. This software allows parents to not have to worry about what their child is doing while on the internet because it filters out what is not appropriate for them to see. Net Nanny also is available for Mac users. With the use of Net Nanny, parents can block websites such as MySpace, schedule when and for how long a child can be on a particular site, and stop unacceptable chat and child predators.

http://internet-parental-control-software.com/software.html
http://www.netnanny.com/

Internet monitoring, blocking and tracking

Internet monitoring is “testing or tracking how end-users interact with a website or web application.” Monitoring is mostly used by businesses to make sure that customers are able to shop on-line, perform research, and check an account balance or generally searching the internet. Monitoring is necessary to make sure that a website is accessible to users and downtime is reduced. Internet blocking is mostly used in businesses and schools to regulate what employees and students cannot use. Furthermore, it can also be used at home for the safety of children.
Businesses use internet blocking to monitor what employees are allowed view. Blocking is helpful in protecting the computer form receiving a virus and can improve how the network functions. Internet tracking is used to see what individuals are doing on the internet. The reason being is that in schools especially students are playing games on-line or checking their Facebook or MySpace rather than doing research. Schools that install internet tracking are able to see what sites students are viewing and can catch computer misuse. There is much available computer software that is available to help with internet monitoring, blocking, and tracking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_monitoring
http://www.work.com/internet-blocking-and-filtering-118/
http://www.systracker.com/old_webs/Internet_Tracking.asp

Internet Filters

When parents discover what their children could be up to while using the internet, they may decide for the benefit of their children to buy an internet filter for their home computer. Since internet filters are flexible in its capabilities of control and protection they become helpful while a child is using the internet. An internet filter is a type of software that allows parents to exercise their right in making sure that their children are secure while using the internet.

Another big issue to take into consideration is that children may be able to stumble across a chat room site and start talking to strangers. The people who use the chat rooms may not always be a friendly person. People may pretend to be a young child and talk to children to get personal information and lure them into meeting each other. Internet filters are “purchased by every [level] of society; by people with a wide range of views, attitudes and moral [points of views].” “The reason why Internet filters are so popular [with] so many people is because the degree of restriction that they bring to your computer and your child’s use of the Internet can be completely customized to suit your needs.”
http://www.softforyou.com/articles_tutorials/buy_internet_filter.html

Internet Parental Guidance

Nowadays, parents are trying to put parental guidance settings on their child’s internet usage because of what they may be able to encounter while on the internet. In addition, parents do this as a way to protect their children from any predators that are out to get their children. Concerned parents need to be responsible for checking and observing what the child is doing on the internet and how much time they spend on the internet.

By doing these things, it will hopefully stop pornography; create privacy and safety for your home, and other distasteful material from entering your computer. There have been laws regulating what children see or hear in the media such as TV, music, and movies. However, there has not been a law on regulating what children are able to do on the internet. Young children who use the internet need to be protected from accidentally coming across a website made specifically for adults.

http://www.resources.safestware.com/privacy-security-for-the-family.htm