Tech Lab, Inc.

What does this mean? On a supported operating system (Windows 8 and higher), if Microsoft learns that there are ways for hackers to get in or other things that aren’t working right (bugs), they fix them. If you have a problem with Windows, you can call Microsoft and they will help you fix it.

On an unsupported operating system (e.g., Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, etc.), these are not fixed. This means that as you get farther and farther past the end of support date, the more likely your computer is to get infected by viruses, not work with various programs and other devices, and have other problems.

What should I do??? Tech Lab recommends upgrading to the most recent operating system. This means that you will not have to upgrade again for a while, and it also means that you are getting the fastest and most secure version.

If you don’t upgrade, you may be able to purchase extended support – for a while. It depends on the type of operating system you have. There are a wide variety of software for servers that can and cannot receive extended support. If you are a company that has Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Enterprise, you can pay Microsoft for a longer support period while you switch over. However, Microsoft wants you to upgrade. This extended support will get more and more expensive the longer you don’t switch over. If you are interested in extended support, please contact Microsoft.

How do I upgrade?  The best and cheapest answer is, have Tech Lab or another tech take a look at your computer. 

Some computers can be upgraded, and that is cheaper than buying a new computer.  However, only a tech like Tech Lab will know if yours can be upgraded and how to do it.  If you upgrade a computer that can’t handle the upgrade, the computer will crash and die.  If you don’t know what you are doing when you upgrade, you may lose all your data. 

You can also buy another computer with the new system already on it. However, not all new computers are created equally. Some are slow to begin with and will fall apart and die very quickly. Tech Lab can help you find the best computer to meet your needs that will last a long while and get your new computer set up.

I like Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008.  What happens if I don’t upgrade?  We expect hackers to target Windows 7 computers as soon as support ends.  The farther you get past the end of support date, the more likely your computer will be to get infected by viruses. 

Other companies will also quit supporting Windows 7.  If you buy a new printer or get new software after the end of support date, you can expect those not to work on your computer either. 

I tried Windows 10 and did not like it. Tech Lab can help you set up Windows 10 so that it looks and acts like Windows 7 if you want. Call us at 414-208-4682 to schedule your session with us!

As 2019 comes to a close, Tech Lab would like to thank you for your business and support. We value you as our clients and look forward to continuing to working with you in 2020.

As we approach the holiday season, it is common for people to shop online. However shopping online can be dangerous if you don’t take the right precautions. Tech Lab has put together a list of 7 ways to keep you safe.

• Protect the device you are using to shop with. If you are using a computer, make sure it has antivirus software and malware protection. 

• Protect your Internet connection. If you are on the same connection as other people, you want to be able to trust that they are not going to hack your connection. You cannot trust this on public WiFi (e.g., Internet provided by Starbuck’s, McDonald’s, etc.). If you have any questions about the security of the connection you are using, use your phone’s data. Your own secured home WiFi should be protected as well.

• To app or not to app?: App shopping can be safer than online shopping, but it can also be a source of scams if you choose the wrong app. If you use an app for online shopping, use the app designed by the company. Check reviews for the app to see how it does. Make sure the company is regularly updating it. Set the app’s security settings the way that you want them on your mobile device.
  • An app that Tech Lab recommends to help you find the best deals is Honey Smart Shopping Assistant. It is available on iPhone, Android devices, and an extension on your web browser.
  • Rakuten is also an app that pays you for your purchases you make online. It is available on iPhone, Android devices, and an extension on your web browser.

• Make sure you are using a site that you trust to do your shopping. How to know if you should trust the site:
  • Scams tend to appear long enough to get your money, and then they have to move out of town. So first make sure that they are a company. If you know their name from somewhere else and know people who have successfully ordered from there, they have passed this test.
  • You can also check the reviews of a site you have never heard of before. Use other sites to check their reviews and not their own site. They can change the reviews on their site, but it is harder to do on other sites. If you cannot find any reviews on other sites, then these sites are more likely to be scams. If the reviews are bad, do not make your purchases here.
  • For sites whose names you do know, make sure you are on their site. For brick and mortar stores, you can ask their website address in store. When typing the address in, however, be careful. If you type the address and change one letter, you will not go to the website you want. You can also type the name of the store into a good search engine, and odds are that the first link will take you to the site you want to be on.
  • The e-mails that you receive from companies you do not know are the most likely to try and scam you. Do not click on links in their e-mails! Even companies you do know track people who click on their e-mails. It is much safer to go to the website and type in a coupon code there than it is to follow an e-mailed link. 
  • Check out their delivery, exchange, return, and privacy policies. If there is a problem with your purchase, what is their policy?

• Now that you have checked out the site, make sure the website has been secured. When the site asks for your payment information, make sure that the website address starts with https:// and that there is a padlock by the address. If not, it is not safe.

• Many sites will ask you to make accounts. Here are some ways to make sure you stay safe with an account:
  • Make sure you choose a good password for your account, especially if you have payment information. Change the password from other passwords you may use. A good password is 10-16 characters long and includes uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. It is not only comprised of individual words.
  • Look at the security settings for your account. Some payment accounts will send you notifications if it thinks it may not be you making changes to the account. Other accounts will allow you to set up multi-factor authentication so that it is not just the password authenticating you.
  • Don’t save your payment information. It is more convenient to save it, but if the website ever gets hacked, your payment information will go to the hacker too.

• Protecting your payment information:
  • A good online store will accept major credit cards. It will not require money orders or electronic funds transfers (EFTs). If it requires money orders or EFTs, then do not use this site.
  • Credit cards are protected from fraud in ways that debit cards generally are not. Tech Lab recommends using a credit card for online shopping, as opposed to a debit card. Be sure to check your credit card regularly for charges you didn’t make.
  • If you don’t check your statements regularly, you can also use a Visa gift card or similar card. This is also better than a debit card because the amount possible for you to lose to scammers is more limited.
  • There are several services that you can use that will protect your payment information in online transactions. Examples are Paypal, Apple Pay, and one-time credit card numbers. You have less fraud protection with these than you do with a credit card, but it protects the credit card number. This may be a problem if you want to make a return or need to show the credit card to verify your identity.

Finally, consider where you are having your packages delivered and who will be there when they arrive. Some people steal other people’s packages. You can sometimes have your packages delivered to a secured location to protect them, like the local UPS location or to a shipping locker. In other cases, you can put in specific delivery instructions. 

If you run into problems or are not sure what to do please call someone to help you. Tech Lab can be reached at 414-208-4682.

I forgot my password. What do I do now???  This depends on where your account is. For websites that require a password, they will have instructions if you have forgotten your password. Some websites will send you a reset link in your e-mail. Other times, you will answer security questions to prove that you are you. Some websites, if you have this set up, will send you a text to prove that you are you. We recommend setting up security questions and using two step authentication for important accounts like you bank account. I got locked out of my account because I typed my password wrong. Now what??? Depending on where your account is will determine your next step. Some places will ask you to wait a predetermined length of time before you try opening your account again. Other places will have you call a phone number.  How to know if you entered your password correctly? If it doesn’t go through right on the first try, check your password log to make sure that you have the right user name and password. Check whether the site is asking for your user name or your e-mail, and put in the correct one. Check to see if you have Caps Lock on, and turn it off if it’s not supposed to be on. Type the password somewhere else where you can see what you are typing. When you are positive the password looks like what you should type into the box, then copy the password and paste it into the password box. If you use a password manager, you can copy and paste the password directly from the manager.  Passwords can be frustrating to an individual but they help keep you and your information safe.

For most of your accounts, you will have a user name (sometimes this is just your e-mail address) and a password to log in. The theory is, by entering that combination, you prove that you are you and have the right to do whatever you are doing (e.g., shopping online, social media, etc.). 

Unless a hacker breaks into your account and pretends to be you. The easiest way for a hacker to do that is to get your password. How can a hacker do this? 

1) You give the hacker your password.

2) The hacker guesses your password. 

3) The hacker tries out various passwords until he finds one that works. 

4) The hacker installs malware or a virus on your computer that gives him your password. 

How can I keep my passwords safe? 

1) Do NOT give your password to anyone. Assume that if someone is asking for your password, especially someone that you do not know, they have bad intentions. The company where you have your account will NOT ask for your password. Only click password reset links when you have requested the reset. 

2) Use antivirus software and malware protection software (see other blog posts for more details).

3) Follow password guidelines:

a. Use uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as numbers and special characters. 

b. Your password should be between 8 and 18 characters. 

c. Change your password every 3-6 months. 

d. Don’t use personal information. 

e. Use different passwords for every site. 

These password guidelines are unusable! They are too much of a pain in the neck. 

Yes, you are correct. That is why many sites where you make passwords will make you follow password guidelines as much as they can. 

We recommend using more security for the accounts you most want to protect (e.g., your bank account, etc.). For these accounts, make sure that they have their own password and that you do not share that password. 

A password manager can help as you manage your passwords for many accounts. Your phone and browser (e.g., Chrome, Edge, etc.) can do this to an extent, but we do not recommend relying on them. A password manager can generate a password that you can use that follows password guidelines. It can store usernames and passwords. Once you have an account you can copy and paste them from the password manager so that you do not have to worry about mistyping your password. Examples are KeePass and 1Password. When you change your password, be sure to change it here too! 

Last week Tech Lab partnered with Onix, Inlanta Mortgage, and AVI Systems to work on a Habitat for Humanity home.  This opportunity was coordinated by Jackson Bubolz of Inlanta Mortgage in Hales Corners and through the Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce. 

The day started at 8:00 AM.  We broke off into two groups, so unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of Kim Zahn of Brookfield East or Amy Schmidt of AVI Systems.  Amy and Kim’s group worked on laying in vinyl flooring. 

My group, which included several members of the Onix team and Jackson of Inlanta Mortgage, worked on demoing flooring, cleaning up basements, and inventorying building materials. 

In case you do not know what demoing is (I did not), it is demolition.  We literally pried up flooring until it looks like this photo.

Once the flooring was up then there were staples sticking up that needed to get pounded down and then cleanup occurred.

Afterwards, we cleaned out basements.  Many supplies and garbage were left in the basements, so we threw out the garbage and relocated the usable supplies.  Our team did this for three basements.  In between, we had lunch provided by Onix.  Afterwards, some of the team went on a walking tour of the neighborhood and the homes that Habitat for Humanity was working on, and some of us kept on working. 

We also sorted usable building materials from garbage and unusable materials.  We inventoried the amounts of usable building materials. Below the tarp is the usable lumber.

Thank you to everyone to helped to make the day successful including Michelle from Tech Lab!

Spring officially started in March and now is in full swing. The weather is getting warmer, grass is green, and trees are budding. Warmer temperatures bring out more people which may include you. A change in season may have you thinking about the projects that need to be done both inside and outside of your home. Is your computer on your list?

Has your computer been acting slow? Do you have pop-ups when you visit websites? Do you know if your information is secure when you are using sensitive data like social security numbers, credit cards, or banking information? Are your documents and photos being backed up? If they are not, do you know what would happen if your computer is damaged or stolen? Would you lose personal or business critical information? Do you have an antivirus that is up to date? If it isn’t, your computer may not be fully protected.

Maybe it has been awhile, and it is time for a tune up to your machine. Tech Lab can audit your computer’s startup and running programs, and work with you to determine what you need and what you can remove. We can also run virus and malware scans for you and help remove unwanted programs that slow your computer down.

If you are in the market for a new computer or you are looking for ways to enhance your current machine, call Tech Lab and get our opinion! Tech Lab would love to consult with you or your business to solve these or other nagging problems. We can be reached at 414-208-4682 or via email at services@techlabhq.com.