The Help Desk Newsletter

May 2013
In this issue:

■	Star Trek... 47 Years Ahead
■	Improve Your Wireless Network
■	Consider a Managed Firewall
■	Synchronize Your Phone
■	Customer Service Intentions
■	Win an Email Argument
■	Worth a Click!
■	Quote and Cartoon
■	Archives
■	Business Continuity Tip
■	Network Security Checklist
■	Spam Spam Go Away
■	Get Smart About Security
■	XP Era Draws to a Close

● Worth a Click!

It is often easier to fight for a principle than to live up to it.

~ Adlai Stevenson

● Archives:Click here to view past editions of our newsletter.

● Business
Continuity Tip

Rivers on the Rise

The Mississippi and countless other Midwestern rivers are still significantly above flood stage, spurred by the heavy rain last week. Disasters have been declared in half a dozen states due to the deadly flooding that swept away vehicles, submerged homes and shut down bridges throughout the Midwest. Click here to view a current flood map.

And while the Mississippi River topped out at some problematic spots on Monday, river towns aren’t in the clear yet. Forecasters are predicting another inch or more of rain this week in addition to heavy snow accumulations in the north.

For helpful tips on how to keep your business afloat, download the Agility Flood Preparedness Checklist for actionable advice on what to do before, during and after a flood.

Star Trek... 47 Years Ahead

If you weren’t around for the original series maybe you caught it in the reruns. In Star Trek: The Original Series they had a device called a “food synthesizer”. This advanced to the “replicator” in Star Trek: The Next Generation. This handy device could replicate anything for which they had a molecular structure on file: food, water, air, tools, spare parts, uniforms, etc. For those of you that are Star Trek aficionados, you’re right... they couldn’t replicate any living organism and if you needed antimatter, dilithium, or latinum, you were out of luck. Well, as it has a habit of doing, the past predicted the present. No, we still can’t replicate a chicken sandwich, but 3D printing can ‘replicate’ an amazing array of things, and it’s only getting better and cheaper.

So what, exactly, is a 3d printer? You may be familiar with CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines used in manufacturing. These devices cost thousands (and hundreds of thousands) of dollars and use a computer to drive a machine that can mill an object out of wood, metal, or other materials (this is a REALLY simplified explanation; CNC machines perform thousands of different operations in a many industries).

10 tips to help improve your wireless network
used with permission from Microsoft at Home
by Tony Northrup

If the Windows operating system ever notifies you about a weak Wi-Fi signal, it probably means that your connection isn't as fast or as reliable as it could be. Worse, you might lose your connection entirely in some parts of your home. If you want to boost the signal for your wireless network (WLAN), try some of these tips for extending your wireless range and improving your wireless network speed and performance.

1. Position your wireless router, modem router, or access point in a central location

4 Reasons to Consider a Managed Firewall
by Chase Moritz, HTS

As the first line of defense in your business network security, a secure firewall is one of the most important pieces of your network's infrastructure. Without it, any hacker or intruder could easily access your critical and confidential information.

With more and more sophisticated threats developing every day, it can be difficult to stay ahead of the curve in keeping your business protected. It takes more than just purchasing a piece of hardware, plugging it in, and calling it good.

4 reasons to synchronize your phone with your PC
used with permission from Microsoft at Home

Think about how much you do—or could do—with your phone. Beyond calls, texts, and IMs, people increasingly use their phones as their primary digital camera. And mobile versions of productivity software let us work on documents and spreadsheets without even needing a laptop.

Good Customer Service Intentions Don't Count
by Debra J. Schmidt

While shopping one day I noticed a “No Wait” policy posted in a grocery store. The sign declared, “We guarantee that you will no longer experience long lines. When we see more than three people in line, we will open a new register immediately.”

I had plenty of time to read the sign. There were six people in line ahead of me!

Customer service standards are only as good as the people who enforce them. Business leaders are filled with good intentions, but good intentions don't count. When it comes to the delivery of service, the only things that do count are the actions that customers actually experience.

How to win an argument by email
reprinted with permission from HP Technology at Work

An American proverb goes, “The more arguments you win, the fewer friends you have.” Well, possibly – but the fact remains that in business you are going to have arguments sometimes, and you are going to try to win them. However, as long as you stick to a few golden rules, you should be able to keep the process friendly.

Network Security Checklist
used with permission from Cisco

Many small and medium-sized businesses do not have adequate network security. Here's how to make sure you do.

Now more than ever, you depend on your network for your most important business operations, such as communication, inventory, billing, sales, and trading with partners. Yet up to now, you might have held off on protecting your network, for several reasons:

Spam, Spam, Go Away
used with permission from Norton by Symantec

Spam. In some ways, it's the electronic equivalent of junk mail and junk phone calls. Spam is not only an unsolicited and annoying nuisance, it's also a pervasive problem that's clogging and overwhelming the Internet's email systems. Spam accounts for approximately 80 percent of worldwide email volume.

Get smart about security
used with permission from HP Technology at Work

Congratulations, you've taken every step to secure data on your networks and PCs against increasingly malicious worms, Trojans and viruses. But don't rest easy. All infrastructure elements, including printers, servers, storage, Wi-Fi networks and cloud computing are just as susceptible to surprising security threats. Forget them and your sense of security is nothing but a dream.

The XP era draws to a close
used with permission from HP Technology at Work

At one time or another, we’ve all have had that worn out, but oh-so-comfortable pair of shoes. That over-stuffed chair with the protruding springs. That rusted-out car that no longer runs like a charm, but carries so many great memories.

However attached we become to these and other personal items, there comes a time when they really must be replaced. The same goes for software.

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