The Interconnect Group

Know your 4G wireless networks and their future

Wednesday, June 9, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

As many of you know the 4G (fourth generation) wireless network evolution is in full swing. What does this mean to Indiana Telecommunications Provider customers/users?

Higher data throughput speeds
Lower latency*
Internet global mobility
Excellent geographic coverage
Improved in-building penetration

*Latency is the amount of time it takes data to travel end to end within a network

Verizon Wireless has estimated that 100 million people will have their 4G wireless network coverage by the end of 2010. USB modems are expected to be the first devices used, followed shortly thereafter by smartphones and mobile hotspots. By 2012, industry analysts estimate 50 million user devices will have embedded wireless capabilities. LTE technology will support videoconferencing, real time gaming apps, home heating/air control, as well as appliance control.

There are currently 3 different types of 4G networks.

LTE – Long Term Evolution

WiMAX – Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access

HSPA+ – High Speed Packet Access (Emerging 3G Technology)

LTE technology has been chosen by the 3 largest wireless carriers. Meaning it will support more than 100 billion customers. Verizon Wireless plans to be the first U.S. carrier to have nationwide 4G coverage. AT&T is currently upgrading their network to HSPA+, but plans to migrate to LTE starting in mid 2011. T-Mobile is beginning to deploy it’s 3G technology and has indicated their choice as LTE when they begin to move forward. Sprint chose WiMAX rather than LTE. They launched their 4G network in late 2009 in partnership with Clearwire and operate their WiMAX network under the Clearwire brand.

Speeds expected with the new 4G networks:

	*LTE*	*WiMAX*	*HSPA+*
*Download*	5 – 12 Mbps	Up to 4 Mbps	1.5 – 7 Mbps
*Upload*	2 – 5 Mbps	500 Kbps	1 – 4 Mbps
*Expected Latency*	Up to 30 ms	Up to 100 ms	Up to 100 ms
*Global Adoptation*	Yes	No	Yes
*Contiguous U.S. Coverage*	Yes (VZW only)	No	No
*Carriers*	VerizonWireless Vodafone China Mobile T-Mobile	Sprint	AT&T (plans to migrate to LTE starting in mid 2011)

Mbps = megabits per second Kbps = kilobits per second ms = milliseconds

This undoubtedly will bring greater options to the world of remote worker solutions and small business telecommunications. The idea of being able to download information at a multiple Mbps via a USB Modem or even a Smartphone opens a world of possibilities.

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Computer Boots Directly Into Safe Mode

Monday, May 31, 2010 by Brett Neal

Today I had a computer come in that when it was turned on, it went straight into safe mode repeatedly each time. I must say in all my time in PC Repair Indiana, today was the first time I had seen anything like this happen. If you ever run into this problem on Windows Vista, this is how you fix it.

Just go to Start, and type MSCONFIG and press enter. Then go to the boot tab. In the boot tab you will see an option on the lower, left hand corner. Uncheck "Safe Boot" and restart your computer. If that does not fix the issue you may need to take it to a Computer Support Indianapolis specialist. It could still be going into safe mode because of a virus, software, or hardware issue.

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New Features in Office 2010

Thursday, May 27, 2010 by Daniel White

Working in a IT Networking Support company we get excited when a new verson of Microsoft Office Suite comes out. Coming June 5th of this year, Office 2010 will be the new office suite to help with your business and home document needs.

Easer Screen Shots
New feature in Word 2010 — the ability to capture screenshots from inside the application and paste them into the document, all in a couple of clicks. The Screenshot button has been added to the Insert tab of the Ribbon.

Inserting screenshots into Word is easier than ever.

When you click the Screenshot button, you’ll see the available screenshots, and you can click on the one you want to insert into the document. After you insert a screenshot, the picture tools will automatically appear to allow you to perform photo editing.

Open in Protected View

When you open an existing document for the first time in Word 2010, if you try to start editing it, you may be surprised to find that nothing happens. If you look more closely, you’ll see that the Ribbon is hidden and that the document has opened in Protected View.

As you can see, a red box across the top of the document notifies you that you’re in Protected View and tells you that the file originated from an Internet location. This gives you the opportunity to determine whether it’s safe to open. If you click the Enable Editing button, the document downloads, the Ribbon appears, and you can make changes to the document as usual.

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Drive-By Downloading

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 by Daniel White

Did you know that you could jeopardize you business network by just surfing your favorite web sites? A drive-by download is a method of attacking user computers by just visiting viruses infected web sites. While you are reading that web page, you really may be download spyware, a virus or maleware all beknown to the user. Drive-by downloads may happen by visiting a website, viewing an e-mail message or by clicking on a deceptive popup window. The user clicks on the window with the mistaken belief that, for instance, it is an error report from his own PC trying to trick the user into downloading and installing a malicious program. If this is a frequent occurence at your business, then inquire with our Business Computer Network Support professionals to come up with a protection strategy for your business network.

Facts about Drive-by Downloads

Almost 3 billion vulnerable applications are installed on PCs in the U.S.
80% of all “drive-by downloads" are from legitimate sites like MLB.com, FOXNews.com, CBS.com and others.
More and more of these viruses are now coming from social media web sites like Facebook, My Space, Twitter and others.

The best offence against these threats is a good defense. It always good to make sure that your computer has ran all its updates and that your antvirus is fully updated. If you do not have a good antivirus program installed, then there are several programs to chose from like Kaspersky AntiVirus, Symantec, and many others. We mainly recommend the Kaspersky product to our clients. Remain mindful of what you open when your are on the Internet, even on familiar websites. If there is a pop-up that appears and you are not sure of its origins, then do not let it run.

If you are concerned about your business computer network, then contact one of our Computer Support Indianapolis professional to help assist you in implementing the correct security strategy for your network.

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What is A Drive-By Download?

Tuesday, April 6, 2010 by Brett Neal

There has been a recent outbreak in people getting antivirus warnings on their computer. A program that looks strikingly similar to a Windows Security Alert Window alarms you to a "infection" that has occurred on your computer. If you attempt to remove it as instructed by the program, it tells you that you need to upgrade to the full copy and it will asks for your credit card number. Does this sound familiar? I hope not, because if so your computer security has been compromised!

In Computer Support Indiana, I have helped many clients that have lived through this in part or in full. The real infection is this software that is telling you that you have the infection. People who have been experiencing this issue ask me "how did I get this virus?" This type of virus is referred to as a drive-by virus.

A drive-by virus is a virus or any malicious software program that is downloaded without the user's consent. For example, you could go to www.facebook.com and get a virus just from visiting the site. They are really hard to track down, and remove. Just because a site is infected does not mean that the owner of the site is the person responsible. Hackers are now able to stick their virus on a site without any knowledge of the owner of said website. Sometimes the malicious bits of code are distributed through ads and are constantly varying.

In Virus Removal Indiana, it is very hard to pinpoint exactly where you picked it up, but we can definitely help you get rid of it. The removal process of these types of viruses can be difficult, so it takes an experienced person to clean it up. The only way to minimize your chance of getting infected is to have an up to date antivirus software. We recommend the Kaspersky Internet Security product for most home users. Antivirus software does not guarantee that you will not pick up a virus somewhere, but it does typically minimize the impact which results in a smaller computer repair Mooresville bill.

If you would like assistance with purchasing the correct antivirus software product for your computers, then please contact your local Computer Sales and Services technician.

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What is a PCI Compliant Router?

Monday, April 5, 2010 by Chad Whaley

Is there such a thing as a PCI Compliant Router? No, not in the out of the box model sense of the question. The validity of how "PCI Compliant" a router is relates to the programming of the individual router as it pertains to securing the network.

First off, who needs to worry about having a PCI Compliant router? A good place to start is to ask yourself if your business accepts and/or stores credit card information. PCI stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), but most people just say "PCI" for short. To read more about the actual standard, I'll refer the readers to the Wikipedia article on "PCI Compliance".

If your business does accept credit cards or stores credit card information of clients, then the next stop would be to speak to your specific credit card processing company to see what they require. Some require compliance even if you only utilize a credit card swipe machine in the premise where others require it only if you are storing credit card information on a server or in a database application.

Once you have determined that your business location(s) is required to pass PCI Compliance testing, then your next step is to make sure you have a good business level router in place. I prefer using an ADTRAN router for this need, but as mentioned in the beginning, the level of PCI Compliance rests in programming of the router which most people will require a qualified Indianapolis IT Support professional to do.

In general, the router programming consists of closing open ports typically utilized by hackers to exploit the security of a network. Shutting down unnecessary and insecure services are also required. Making sure the router is running the most updated firmware and service version can also be a requirement. For instance during one PCI compliance project I worked on recently, the client utilized a router and firewall that was based on a Linux OS distribution. The testing agency hired by the credit card company kept failing the security test, because the version of the telnet service was outdated and considered a security risk. Unfortunately we were not able to update the telnet service version on this particular router, but we did manage to utilize more secure remote access methods which allowed us to shut down the externally facing telnet service, hence ultimately passing the security test. Eventhough access control lists (ACL) were utilized to protect the telnet service on the router, the testing agency required adding their tesing server to the ACL which forced a greater level of security in the end on the router.

The Interconnect Group - Is Your Network PCI Compliant?

Making a network PCI Compliant is a good step no matter if your particular credit card processor requires it or not. It is a sound, secure practice of making sure your particular network, servers, and devices are not vulnerable to know security risks. Good network security goes far beyond PCI Compliance, but it is always a good place to start.

Please contact us if you have been told by your credit card processing company that your network is required to be PCI Compliant. Our Indianapolis IT Support professionals can help your business achieve its PCI Compliance Indiana approval through proper router selection and programming.

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How To Choose Between A Desktop And Laptop

Monday, April 5, 2010 by Brett Neal

People often have trouble deciding between a new laptop or desktop. The answer depends on what you need to do on the new computer. How much performance you need versus the budget you have to spend. Everyone wants to get the fastest computer they can in their price range, but speed is not always the primary concern.

Desktop computers are great for speed and reliability. One typically gets more "bang for your buck." The problem with desktops is that they are big, cannot travel well, and you always need a power source. Laptops are great for people on the go allowing for access to the computer anywhere that you might need one. Laptops take a beating and typically don't last as long as desktops. It is recommend to plan for some extra visits to the Computer Repair Mooresville store when looking at the total cost of ownership of a laptop versus a desktop. Today it is very common for us to see people that own both a laptop and a desktops in our Computer Sales Indiana practice.

The deciding factor simply lies in where you would use it the most. If you don't really have a use for the mobility aspect of a laptop, then go with the desktop which will gain you higher performance per price. If you are frequently out with friends or at a coffee shop working, then go with the laptop. If you would like further help deciding which is the best option for you, then please contact your Computer Support Indiana specialist for further help. They can help you decided what will be best for you and even show you various makes and models of each that meet your budget.

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How To Connect To A Wireless Network, Windows 7/Vista/XP

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by Brett Neal

Wireless networks are increasingly becoming the norm for home networking. The driving force behind this is the growing popularity of laptops, WiFi enabled smart phones along with the basic increase of number of computers found in a single home. Working in computer sales Indiana, I get multiple calls from people who need help connecting their new computer or laptop to the Internet via a wireless router. The operating system of the computer dictates the best way to get a given device connected. Some manufacturers have their own software to control your wireless connection where others may just choose to have Windows control it. If you are unsure how your computer is setup, then I would recommend contacting your local computer support Indiana technician to get help with your specific machine. The following are general guidelines to get a computer connected to the Internet while using Windows to control the wireless adapter/card.

You will need to know the SSID of your wireless router and the encryption key/pass phrase before continuing. The SSID is how you identify your wireless router from your neighbors. We recommend making this something you will recognize without using something too noticeable such as your family name. We also recommend that you do not use any special characters and spaces in the SSID. We also strongly recommend that you secure your router using a secured pass phrase that isn't something obvious such as your family name or phone number.

In a Windows XP computer your start menu will be green, and it will say start. Down on the right hand side just to the left of the time of your desktop you will see a little computer with what looks like 3 ))) and a red x. If you single left click on the computer it will show you what connections you have available. Just select yours from the list and type the password if you have one. Then you should be ready to browse the Internet.

Windows Vista is very similar to Windows XP. The icon and location to connect are the same. The color scheme of Vista and the visual changes from XP to Vista make it look more intimidating than it really is.

Windows 7 looks like Vista, but instead of having the ))) next computer. It looks like a small computer and only has one computer. Windows Vista and Windows XP have two small computers one for a wireless connection and one for a wired connection. Windows 7 only uses one icon to manage all connection types.

If you still have an issue connecting with your wireless router, then consult the wireless router manual, your ISP's technical support, or call your local computer support Indiana technician. We often offer to our clients that if they have a laptop and purchase the wireless router from us, we'll setup the laptop to connect to the wireless router while they wait in our shop.

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The Insurance Claim Process Can Be A Real Pain...We Can Help!!

Thursday, February 25, 2010 by Chad Whaley

The Interconnect Group Blog - Computer Repair Mooresville

I just finished speaking with a client who has gone several rounds with an insurance company in regards to damages sustained during an automobile accident last year. During the wreck, her laptop was damaged and she's been going round and round with the insurance company to get them to replace her laptop. Our computer repair Mooresville shop routinely writes letters to insurance companies for our clients verifying damaged sustained to computers and related computer hardware.

The typical process varies across insurance agencies, but typically your insurance agency will request that you have a computer professional diagnosis the problem. Our computer repair Mooresville store most frequently gets insurance claim requests during Indiana's storm season. Damaged sustained to a laptop caught up in a car hitting a semi truck that just pulled out in front of it was fairly easy to diagnosis as being bad. If one of your computers finds itself to be on the receiving end of a natural disaster, freak of nature, or motorist not paying attention, then you'll most likely need to following these steps when making a computer related insurance claim:

Check with your insurance agent to verify their specific process first.
When an examination is required, then bring all of the damage computer/laptop/hardware to us.
Our computer repair Mooresville technicians will examine the damaged hardware and produce a write up on our corporate letterhead stating our findings.
Submit the letter to your insurance agent.
You may need to send the damage hardware to your insurance company.
Some insurance companies require to have their own computer professional verify our findings.
Typically, there are a few calls back and fourth between us and them.
Once everyone agrees on the findings, the normal claims process resumes.

One word of caution, don't try to scam your insurance agency and even more important don't try to involve us in it! We will play no part in it! When people try to scam the insurance companies it makes it harder on clients like the one that I spoke with today who have a justified claim and just want some resolution without being hassled.

If we can help you with a computer related insurance claim, please stop by our computer repair Mooresville store. We are open M-F 9AM-6PM W 9AM-4PM and Closed on Weekends and Holidays. Or you can call our main number (317) 831-0704 Option 1 and mention this blog to get a $20 Discount on your next computer repair.

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Dynamic DNS, The Wonders Of Our Time

Sunday, February 21, 2010 by Brett Neal

In a recent post, I wrote on how to set up a Ventrilo Server. In this follow-up post, I will discuss how to set up a service that allows users to connect to the Vent server automatically event though your Public IP address changed. I currently use a program called DynDNS. In network support services, this is a set up where you create a dns name that is directed to your public IP of your Vent server. For example, your dns name could be owner.yourname.net. What this dynamic dns service does is that anyone who goes to owner.yourname.net will be directed to connect to your most currently public IP address. It works basically like when you move and you tell the post office that your address has changed. The dynamic dns provider is the post office.

The service that I use, as well as many others, requires you to download a program. This program runs on your computer at all times. For most home Internet connections, your IP address changes because you haven't paid for a static or sticky public IP address. It could change every few hours to every few months. This is called a Dynamic IP Address. The dynamic dns program sends information from your computer to the service every few seconds. So if your IP address is 74.125.95.103 and it changes to 74.125.93.120, the software will notify your service of this change. Even though your address keeps changing, it updates the dns name owner.yourname.net to 74.125.93.120.

This program has many uses. I have been using it to keep my own voice server the same no matter how many times my ip address changes. This can also be used for people who want to host their own website, or if you set up a connection to your computer from another and you require the address not to change. However, a word of caution is to check the acceptable terms and conditions of use for your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

If you need help, please contact your Internet connectivity solutions provider to see if there are any settings that may need to be changed for dynamic DNS to work. In my example, I installed the DynDNS program on my computer, but I also know of situations where it is possible to install the updating service on your actual router.

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What Is Internet Speed

Saturday, February 20, 2010 by Brett Neal

I was talking to my father the other day. He was having problems trying to grasp how high speed internet is faster than slower connections. In Internet Connectivity Solutions, a faster speed does not mean that it gets somewhere faster per say. Think of it like this, lets say that you currently live in Indiana. You are looking at a website that the people who own that website are in Califorina. When you go to that page, lets say www.onlinestore.com, your computer requests and recieves infromation from California server. If you have DSL or if you have dial up, it takes the same amount of time for that information to travel the distance from California.

So how exatly is your connection faster? If you have a straw and a paper towl tube the exact same length setting side by side. If you drop a tiny marble in the top of each at the same time, both marbles will hit the bottem at the same time. If you have the same straw and paper towl tube, and you want to put 20 marbles through both of them each, you can drop all 20 tiny marbles through the paper towl tube at once, but you're limited to one marble at a time through the straw. This is how your internet connection works. The higher the speed, the wider the tube which we often refer to as bandwidth. So if you have two different computers at the same time loading a webpage that has two pictures on it and one computer is on dial-up and the other is on xDSL. The dial up computer is limited to receiving a fraction of one picture at one time, where the dsl computer can fit both pictures at the same time. This is a simple analogy of how to visualize "faster" when talking about how Internet connectivity solutions works.

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A Great VoIP Router - NetVanta 1335

Friday, February 19, 2010 by Chad Whaley

We turned up a new client the other day in which we had the opportunity to use an ADTRAN NV1335 router. This product is a multiservice access router platform that comes equipped with 24-port Ethernet switch and a single NIM slot in back. It is a 1U rack mountable case which looks really sharp. Our VoIP Integration Indiana team were actually able to mount this unit into the small wall mount rack used for patch panels.

Although ADTRAN offers both PoE and Wi-Fi optional models in the NV1300 series, our project only called for the bare bones NV1335 equipped with a single T1 interface populated in the NIM slot. I'm also a big fan of the new color scheme of this ADTRAN router as opposed to the old Blue/White combination. The new color scheme coupled with the 1U rack mountable out of the box case, offers a very professional looking router/switch combined product without even getting into how great it is once someone looks under the hood.

If you have a project that calls for VoIP implementation or if you are moving, have your VoIP Specialist take a look at the ADTRAN product line. Specifically, have them look into the NetVanta 1335. It is ideal for a client that is implementing a Hosted PBX VoIP system or premise based SIP based system. ADTRAN has built in several QoS Service features that make this router a major value play.

If you currently do not have a VoIP Integration Indiana contact to help guide you through the system selection/integration process, then contact The Interconect Group so we can help you get connected.

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How To Set Up A Ventrilo (Vent) Server

Friday, February 19, 2010 by Brett Neal

My guild in my online MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game) asked me to set up a Ventrilo Server. Working in computer repair Mooresville and having some experence in Internet connectivity solutions, I agreed to take on the task. I will be showing you how to set up a Ventrillo Server on your home computer that can be connected to by your friends.

First you need to download the Server Client. Select for what opperating system you are using.

After you download and install the client you need open the "Edit INI File". To Find That click "start" then "Programs" The find the folder "VentSrv", then click the "Edit INI File" shortcut.

Now that you have opend the "Edit INI File" shortcut we are ready to configure the vent server.

The "Name=" is what your server will be named. It will be shown as the first channel when somone is logged into your server. This is known as the "Lobby". After the = sign you need to type the name that you want to use.
At the "Phonetic=" This is a robotic voice that will say your server name. you can leave this blank or you can re-type your server name.
"Auth=" is where you can set if you want to have a password for the user to input to gain access to your server. If you have a 0 here then in means there is no password. If you want to have a password change this to 1.
"Duplicates=" lets you set if two people can use the same user name. If you want eveyone to have an their own usernames and restrict people having the same name set this to 0. If you don't want to set specific usernames set this to 1.
"AdminPassword=" Sets an administrator password to be able to add channels and edit how the client looks when somone is connected to your server. If you do not wish anyone to be able to edit this other than yourself, I reccomend setting a password.
"Password=" If you set Auth=1 (Which means you have a password) then set this password here.
"SendBuffer=" and "RecvBuffer=" are to set a voice buffer to make the audio quality better or worse. The default is 0, I would suggest not changing this setting since the quality is good enough already.
"Diag=" This is for developers to see diagnostics with the server itself. I recommend leaving this set at 0.
"LogonTimeout=" This sets the time a user has to logon to the server. The default setting is more than long enough for most users.
"CloseStd=" This is to make the server run in the background. It's default is set at 1. If you want the server to run in the background set this to 0.
"TimeStamp=" Timestamp is so you can see time and date of any message that happens on your server. 0 means it will not report time and date. 1 will report time and date.
"PingRate=" Sets how often the server pings the client. The number following the = sign is the number of seconds in between each ping. The default will do you fine unless you are having connection probelms.
"ExtraBuffer=" Sets the buffer area to outgoing data. Do not change the default setting. Doing so can potentually cause problems.
"ChanWidth=" Sets how many sub channels you can have. The default 0 means you can have unlimted channels. Then 1 means you can only have 1. 2 means you can have 2, and so on.
"ChanClients=" Sets how many clients can be connected at one time. The numbers follow the same pattern as the ChanWidth paramaters.
"SilentLobby=" This will enable voice in the Lobby channel. If you wish to deny access in the Lobby you can change this setting to 1.
"AutoKick=" Automatic kicks uses that are not talking for an amount of time. 0 means it will not kick a user from the server. Any other number sets how many seconds somone can remain connected while they are idle.

SAMPLE CONFIG FILE

Now that you have the vent server created click "File", then "Save". Launch the vent server by going to "Start", "All Programs" and "VentSrv, then click "Ventrilo Server". Your vent server is now online and ready to use. Just give people your public IP address or your local IP address if it only going to be used inside your own network.

If this helps you out or if you need some follow-up clarification, please post a follow-up comment below on my computer repair Mooresville blog.

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Making Technology Work In Your Business

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 by Chad Whaley

A few weeks ago, I took a break from my Indianapolis IT Support practice and attended a morning seminar hosted by Franklin Covey entitled "The 4 Disciplines of Execution". Although the event was a sales pitch for Franklin Covey's consulting services, I felt the speakers did a great job of providing a great balance of useful information with sales pitch for their system. In other words, it was well worth my time.

In addition to taking away a few pointers on goal setting, leading and lagging measures, and setting accountability, I noted that they had a software program that they recommended using to track and follow their system throughout their consulting engagement. This interested me because it reinforced an idea that technology, specifically IT technology, can be helpful at all levels of organizations. It can even help organizations set and achieve goals when implemented correctly. I doubt however, that the technology alone would make a client successful. It was only one piece to a proven system that Franklin Covey was offering which in it's entirety benefited their clients tremendously according to their statistics.

Does technology work for your business or organization? Too often I've seen technology or the lack of technology work against prospective clients. Instead, organizations often cobble together several systems that inefficiently meet their needs, but often restrains growth. We've come across small business server Indiana clients using their server technology as a glorified desktop due to a lack of understanding of capability.

I believe in a "solutions" approach to technology. When I say solutions, I mean hardware, software and human interaction to help implement technology that will solve business problems or provide a foundation to enhance efficiency or improve sales. Some common technology solutions:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System
Trouble Ticket System
Business Intelligence Management System
Corporate Wikipedia
Call Center Management/Reporting System

Most of the five things bulleted above require a mixture of hardware and software to be implemented, but more importantly they require engagement and buy in from both users and management to actually work. The most expensive CRM system in the world is worthless if people do not enter, track and utilize the information stored in it. I often find it is the human factor that determines if a new technology implementation is going to be a success.

Depending on the size of your organization, I recommend including someone from both management and the front lines of your organization to work in conjunction on the planning and implementation of new technology. Make sure that the new technology being implemented is one component to implementing a new solution to a common small business problem.

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2G vs 3G vs 4G . . . What's it all mean?

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

Being curious about the new 4G network that is being boasted over the airwaves by Sprint, I decided to do a little research about the differences of the G-World and what it means. It's really pretty simple when you know the basic history of the words and the types of networks they refer to.

1st generation (1G) refers to the Analog System which was the first in wireless telecommunications. This network was not capable of handling the overwhelming response to the many users of cell phones today.

2nd-generation (2G) referred to the new world of Digital wireless telecommunications. This type of network allows more users simultaneous access to the network. Along with 2G networks came the age of cell phones that were capable of sending data as well as voice.

3rd generation (3G) generally refers to higher data speeds, always-on data and even greater voice capacity than previous generations. This type of network has helped increase productivity in the work force and allows users to do even more multi-tasking.

4th generation (4G) is somewhat vague and suggests even higher data speeds. These types of networks are more data-centric and based on standard Internet technologies. Often voice services are provided through a special form of VoIP.

If you are using your cell service to meet the demands of remote worker solutions, then most likely you've already experienced the improvements that 3G networks bring with regards to data speeds. The 4G systems through the use of WiMAX boast speeds in the 3 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up range. Once the 4G systems in wide spread usage, we can only hope that it will benefit small business telecommunications as much if not greater than the move to 3G did.

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Has Your IT Rack Gotten Out of Hand?

Monday, February 8, 2010 by Chad Whaley

The Interconnect Group - Rack Gone Wild Before Picture

Does your IT Rack look similar to this?

If your computer network wiring has gotten out of hand, then it is time to do something about it.

These are before and after pictures of a job we recently completed. Cleaning up this rack is a first of few steps to enable this client to upgrade other technology later this year.

We actually enjoy doing these types of projects because they are short in duration but maximize the noticeable and immediate impact.

How is it done? Well, there are several cable management products on the market, but in my opinion the "Neat Patch" offers the best solution that I've found when coupled with other vertical cable management solutions.

With respect to this project, we had to work around some existing cable management systems that we had to leave in place at one location due to being part of the punch down network. However, we blended it in so it looks like it is meant to be.

The Interconnect Group - Another Neat Rack Project Done

We also added some very inexpensive rack shelves to help distribute the equipment throughout the rack. A multiple outlet power strip mounted in the rack also got rid of the need for a few power strips that were laying on the floor.

Although it is hard to note from just the picture, we labeled each cable to/from port so that in the event that a cable does get removed, it can easily replaced into its proper location. We also opted to replace the over sized (in length) blue cables to correctly sized yellow patch cables.

We completed this job in one evening as not to impact the clients business day. The organization now allows for easy troubleshooting while not intimidating the staff that need to come into this room for other reasons. Future additions to the equipment rack can be made without worrying about disrupting other operational equipment.

If your computer network wiring has gotten out of hand, then it is time to tame it. With a little planning, some creative but affordable cable management add-ons and some old fashion elbow grease, you can claim your IT space back to a more organized area. Your Indianapolis IT Support firm will be very happy because it makes their ability to support you much easier.

If you are interested in having The Interconnect Group tame your IT rack, then please contact us today at (317) 831-0704 Option 2 or email bizsupport@tincg.com.

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Cell Phone 101 - Flight Mode

Monday, February 8, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

Most airlines and many governments ban the use of wireless radio devices during flight. These bans are enforced for two major reasons.

The most well-known is to prevent interference with the plane's onboard systems.
The other is to prevent interference with cell phone networks on the ground. Current systems are unable to handle phones at a plane's altitude and speeds.

Flight Mode is also referred to as Standalone or Airplane mode. Turning on any of these modes in your phone allow's you to safely use the non-wireless functions of your phone (such as music, games, picture gallery, pre-recorded videos or organizer functions) during flight. This can be critical for smart phone users who want to catch up on some remote worker solutions tasks while in flight.

The Mode settings can usually be found in your Phone settings and may be accesible through any of the three types of modes referenced above.

However, not all airlines have policies that accommodate devices with airplane mode; some airlines still ban the use of all phones during flight regardless. Something you will want to ask about if you're planning to fly. Be a responsible small business telecommunications user while aboard a flight and follow the flight attendants directions on cell phone usage.

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Nexus One by Google - Too much hype?

Sunday, February 7, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

There has been a lot of hype about the new Nexus One released by Google. Although the news is very exciting, is it to much hype? Currently this phone can only be activated with service through T-Mobile on a 2 year contract for $179.

The Nexus One device may also be purchased unlocked without a contract for $529.

The Interconnect Group Blog - Nexus One by Google - Too Much Hype?

The unlocked version will recognize SIM cards from any mobile service provider using the GSM standard.

The Nexus One's antenna supports four GSM radio frequencies (850/900/1800/1900) and three 3G/UMTS Bands - 1/4/8 (2100/AWS/900). These cover most major GSM mobile providers worldwide, including T-Mobile US, but not the 850 MHz 3G band used by AT&T.

Although this phone is one of few that offer the Android mobile platform, the Motorola Droid and Droid Eris by HTC available from Verizon Wireless, are competitively priced. The Motorola Droid has a QWERTY keyboard to enhance the touch phone experience, especially if you are looking for a phone to meet your small business telecommunications needs. The Droid Eris by HTC is more comparable to the iPhone.

Android, is the first free, open source, and fully customizable mobile platform. Android offers a full stack: an operating system, middleware, and key mobile applications. It also contains a rich set of APIs that allows third-party developers to develop great applications.

Don't worry Verizon Wireless users, it is expected to be available with Verizon Wireless and Vodafone in the Spring of 2010. If you would like help deciding which phone meets your small business telecommunications needs, then please stop in and see me at the Interconnect Group's Mooresville location.

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Unlimited Plans from Verizon Wireless

Friday, January 29, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

With the roll out of newly priced Unlimited Talk plans from Verizon, there also comes other changes that may or may not be so exciting to you. I'll briefly discuss a few points that may impact your small business telecommunications budget.

The new Unlimited Talk plans for $69.99/monthly access are for single line planse only. These plans can include Unlimited Text as well for an extra $20/month.

These plans are also available for Family Share Plans. The Unlimited Talk plans for families are $69.99/month for the primary line and $49.99/month per share line. If you want to add Unlimited Text to your family plan you can expect to pay an additional $30/month on the primary line.

Verizon has also decided to categorize their phones into 3 different categories. These being Simple Feature Phones, 3G Multimedia Phones and 3G Smart Phones. Simple Feature phones will now be the only phones that can be activated without adding and additional data feature to the device at additional charges.

If you have any specific questions regarding this post please leave a comment below via The Interconnect Group blog comment interface. If you would like to find out more on how to minimize/maximize the effects of plan selection on your remote worker solutions or small business telecommunications budget, then contact me by leaving a comment submission below.

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Wet Cell Phone Tips

Thursday, January 28, 2010 by Dawn Tomey

Have you ever gotten your cell phone wet? Many of us have. In my experience, it happens at the most in-opportune times. Perhaps you rely on your cell phone to be a critical component to your remote worker solutions. If so, you need to act fast by taking the following steps.

The first thing you want to do is remove any cases or covers from your phone. Once these are removed, you should then dry the outside of the phone the best you can.
You should then remove the battery from the phone.
After you have taken the phone's battery off, place the phone and the battery (separately) in a Ziploc baggie full of uncooked white rice. This may sound crazy, but I've seen it work.
Leave the phone and battery in their separate baggies with rice for at least 24 hours. The rice will act as an absorbent and dry the phone.

Never ever try to turn your phone on immediately after moisture damage!

I know it's hard not to, and you want to see if your phone works, but this can actually cause more damage. The best thing to do is wipe away the moisture, dis-assemble the phone and battery and place in a Ziploc baggie for at least 24 hours as noted above.

Most batteries have a water indicator which will turn color when exposed to too much moisture. Depending on the severity of moisture exposure, I have seen phones survive even with this indicator turned red.

If you have any specific questions regarding this post please leave a comment below via The Interconnect Group blog comment interface. If you would like to find out how 3G cards can help you with remote worker solutions contact me by leaving a comment submission below.

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