A Look at the Different Important Aspects of Service Set Identifier (SSID)

The term service sets refers to different kinds of devices that are used in computers, specifically those that are connected to particular enterprise or local 802.11 wireless local area networks (LANs). One of the interrelated terms commonly associated with service sets is service set identifier or SSID. Although many people do not know what this thing is all about, it does not mean that it is unimportant. For a better and clearer understanding of this highly significant computer term, it is good to look at the various important aspects of SSID.

The Basic Function of SSID

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SSID is primarily a name used to identify a specific 802.11 wireless LAN. In this type of process, a client device commonly gets broadcast messages from every access point available that is within range advertising its SSID. When this happens, the client device has the option to choose a network with which to connect based on configuration. This can actually be done either automatically or manually. It is possible for every SSID to have 32 characters. An SSID is normally comprised of characters that are readable because it is commonly displayed to users. Despite this given fact, it is not considered as SSID standard.

Computer experts define SSID as a sequence of 1-32 octets, each character of which may take any kind of value even though unreadable. Sharing the same SSID is considered legitimate for multiple access points especially if they are designed to offer access to a similar network as an extended service. In addition, the practice of broadcasting multiple SSIDs are supported by some wireless access points, which then allows the formation of Virtual Access Points. Although not considered as a standard, this process includes the partitioning of one physical access point into various virtual points, with each having a unique set of network and security settings.

Additional Facts and Other Interesting Details

Aside from the SSID, it is also important to take note of the BSS, which stands for basic service set. This is actually one of the basic building blocks of an IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN. A standard BSS is comprised a single access point combined with various associated stations, which is true particularly in the case of a wireless LAN operating in an infrastructure mode.

In the case of an independent basic service set or IBSS, creating an ad-hoc network comprised of client devices is possible even without an Access Point. In addition to this, another interrelated service set is called an extended service set or ESSID, which is primarily made up of interconnected basic service sets with a common SSID.

A Look at the Different Important Aspects of Service Set Identifier (SSID)

Data Input Masks in Microsoft Access

If you're new to creating databases, you may not have been applying validation rules to the fields you create. In the short term, this may be a problem-free way to take in data, especially if you're the only person who uses the database.

If you have more than one person doing data entry, however, you may want to set up validation rules for your data inputs. This will save time in the long run because it provides an immediate way to assure that data is entered according to a specific format, and that necessary fields are not left empty.

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Inconsistent data can cause reporting problems, and create additional work for the database administrator. Postal codes, phone numbers, serial numbers, dates, titles and any other number of data types can be validated upon entry. If the entered data does not match the specified format, Access will indicate the error and ask the user to re-enter the data using the correct format.

To ensure that data are entered properly, the easiest form of validation involves applying an input mask to a field. Access provides an Input Mask Wizard to make the process easy.

To start the Input Mask Wizard, select the Input Mask property and choose the ellipsis button. Depending upon what you were doing immediately prior to this, Access may ask if you want to save the table you've been working in. Click Yes to save the table. The Input Mask Wizard will provide a list of pre-configured input masks, for example you can choose to force a user to enter a telephone number in a predefined format to prevent data entry errors. Select the mask you want to apply. If no mask suits your needs exactly, choose one that is similar. You'll have the opportunity to fine-tune the mask to your liking. Click Next.

Use the Input Mask box to adjust the input mask to your specifications. Choose the placeholder characters that will serve as examples for your mask and click Next.

Indicate whether or not you want symbols (such as hyphens or parentheses) stored along with your field data. Click Finish.

You can modify a mask to require or restrict the use of specific characters. Characters can also be indicated as optional. Input masks can also be configured with modifiers that don't appear as data, but act on the data. For example, a modifier may convert all entered data to upper case (for example a postcode would always appear as upper case) or lower case letters, insert a thousands separator in a string of numbers, or substitute asterisks for a stored password.

You can also configure literal characters in an input mask. A literal character would be stored with the data and could be a symbol, character or string that is appended to the entered data.

The input mask allows you to standardize data entry and prevent errors that could corrupt searches as your database grows.

Data Input Masks in Microsoft Access

Barracuda Vs SonicWALL

As far as Barracuda anti spam and virus firewall program is concerned, this is an effective program that can be used for blocking the spam for any organization. This has been termed as the most advanced and well accepted anti spam program that can offer more security and networking options for your organization. Barracuda anti spam and virus firewall program has been designed on the basis of a high-end algorithm. This program can too bring you more advantage due to the addition of Bayesian analysis method. This analysis method can block the spam effectively. There are twelve high-end defense lawyers that have been added for the Barracuda anti spam program in order to make it more efficient.

Well, it the SonicWALL that too seems to be loaded with enough supportive, quality and efficient features that can bring in right kind of security and network management options for you. This program is having super spam blocking options that can be used to add more security factor for your organization. When you are looking for more protection against phishing attacks, it's the SonicWALL anti spam program that can bring in more good results for you. It can also gather important details with the help of its expanded network, which is also, known as the GRDI or the Global Response Intelligent Defense Network. Unlike some other solution suppliers who limit the definition of effectiveness to stopping threats, and SonicWALL expands definition of the effectiveness to stopping the threats, speed to the response as well as protection of the SonicWALL gives unique protection against the spam as well as other email threats, such as phishing attacks, by gathering important learning from the expansive network & sources named SonicWALL Global Response Intelligent Defense Network.

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With one million of users, GRID Network gives collaborative intelligence, allowing SonicWALL to deliver the fast & accurate response to latest spam threats - and SonicWALL delivers the new threat protection each 5 minutes. Barracuda just delivers the new threat protection on every hour - SonicWALL delivers the new threat protection twelve times more frequently than the Barracuda1.

Barracuda Vs SonicWALL

Tweaks to Speed Up Internet Streaming Video

The birth of "Guerilla Video" sites, such as Peekvid.com, Alluc.org and Youtube.com have given users instant access to a plethora of free media files. Although streaming video technology offers instant access to video files, zero loading time is not always possible. There are many factors that attribute to your computer's ability to start videos immediately. Other factors such as choppy PC video playback and slow video streaming also hinder your viewing experience. There are easy fixes to these problems. Sometimes choosing another site for the source of the video streaming or a lower quality version of the video can award you with instant play. These alternatives are not always available. However, there are a number of tweaks that help speed up your streaming video startup times, eliminate choppy PC video play and stop slow streaming video.

Before we start with the tweaks to speed up slow streaming video, lets get a basic understanding of streaming video technology in order to stop choppy video. Streaming video is a prerecorded video files that can be distributed as part of a live broadcast "feed." The video signal is converted into a compressed digital signal and transmitted from a Web server. This server is able to be multicast the same file to multiple users at the same time. When you click on the on the video it is partially loaded before you can access it. This is known as "buffering". This helps you to load and play the video instantaneously. Now lets take a look on how to cut down on buffering time, stop slow streaming video and eliminate choppy PC video playback .

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Common Streaming Video Problems

Problem #1: Choppy PC Video Playback--Choppy video is usually a PC performance related issue. Here are a few things you can try to stop choppy playback and improve computer performance.

Solution A. Turn Off Hardware Acceleration-All media applications require different aspects of your computer's hardware. Depending on the task, the requirements may change. Turning off hardware acceleration allows the application to set the requirements itself and not be forced to use one universal setting. Hardware acceleration has been to known to cause choppy PC playback, application crashes and slow streaming video problems.

You can eliminate the problem below:
1.Click on "Start"
2.Click "Control Panel"
3.Select the "Settings" tab and click on the "Advanced".
4.Click on the "Troubleshoot" tab.
5.Disable the hardware acceleration completely by dragging the slider to the extreme left.

Solution B. Turn off Video Acceleration-The reason for this tweak is the similar to hardware acceleration. This act frees up resources in your media player and not your hardware. However you will need to decrease video acceleration in your chosen player. Some sites like Youtube.com don't offer this option. However, Windows Media Player gives the ability to easily alter this problem, follow the steps below. Other players' instructions will vary.

1. In Windows Media Player
2. Click the "Tools" menu tab
3. Click on "Options"
4. Select the "Performance" tab.
5. Move the Video Acceleration Slider to "None"

Solution C. Adjust your Windows Desktop Visual Effects-You computer will get a significance boost in
speed. This tweak will also free up more resources for your media player and PC performance.

1.Click "Start", and then click "Control Panel".
2.Click "System" and Choose "Display".
3.Find the "Advanced" tab and Click
4.Under "Performance", Click "Settings"
5.Under "Visuals Effects", you may choose from a list of options such as "Adjust for best performance" or custom. If you choose Adjust for best performance all the features will be unchecked.

For more performance tips check the "Speed Up PC" to free up more resources to stop PC choppy playback.

Problem #2: Slow and Constant Buffering-This problem can be attributed to two factors internet speed and your media player. You can tweak your PC setting in both areas to cut down on slow streaming video. Remember that each player has its own buffer settings. Below is an how to change buffer setting in Media Player.

Solution A. Adjust Buffer Settings-- To change the default buffer settings in Windows Media Player, use the following steps:
1.Start Windows Media Player
2.Click the "View" men
3.Click "Options"
4.On the "Advanced" tab, click "Streaming Media"(Windows Media)
5.Click "Change" to alter the buffer settings.

Remember that the higher you set the buffer the more of the clip will be loaded. The waiting time before you can see or hear the file will be longer, but there should be fewer interruptions once the clip begins to play.

Solution B. Use a Video Specific Proxy-A proxy allows for popular files to be loaded onto its servers. This eliminates the need for your computer to load the files. For example if you use the proxy, YouTubeProxy.org, you will not have to wait for your computer to download popular YouTube.com content because it may be already loaded in the server. This is a great way to stop slow streaming video.

These are just a few tips to eliminate choppy PC video playback and slow streaming video. However, there are more advanced ways to stop this problem. Depending on the site, there may be independent software developed specifically to speed up slow streaming video. Also, remember the general maintenance is a good way to avoid choppy PC video playback.

Tweaks to Speed Up Internet Streaming Video

Does the Technology Really Matter?

Does the technology really matter in today's world? Basically computer systems just work today, cell phones work almost anywhere now and with our mobile devices we are getting all of our office communications now while we are out and about. So does the technology matter? All the information flowing through cyberspace, through the airwaves, down the copper, does it matter how it gets to its destination?

For the small business owner who is attempting to crack into an emerging market with a breakthrough product, the answer maybe a plain old - NO. As a small business owner myself, when I want to make a phone call for example, I simply pick up the handset and expect a dial tone. Dial my ten or eleven digits and strike up a conversation with my party at the other end. How my voice enters the phone system and comes out the ear piece at the other end is not important to me. The intelligence going over the technology is what matters. In the end, the fulfillment of the required and desired task is what matters. "The technology itself is required to assist and enhance the fulfillment process," states Zak McKracken, a Managed Services consultant in Australia.

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Owners of small businesses are turning to features and benefits over the actual technology. We find that a benefit of working from home to catch up on loose ends when it is convenient is a great selling feature to emerging technologies like SSL VPN, where ease of use and security are important requirements to the overall benefit of working remotely. However, the technology needs to have a tremendous level of "ease of use" attached to it. Small Businesses do not want complicated steps that many small business IT consultants believe is necessary to properly secure a network for remote access, for example. The technology needs to be simple and effective or the small business owner will never invest in it.

The shift in the SMB consulting community needs to change. As Dave Sobel of Evolve Technologies in Washington, DC states, "I sell value, not technology". This is what small business owners are looking for in today's strong economy. But businesses today are still cautious on where they will invest their technology dollars. They require a solution that provides everything they need, it must be affordable and it has "to work better than predicted," says Amy Babinchak of Harbor Computer Services, a Microsoft MVP in Security. Solutions need to have value: be full of benefits and provide the business owner with a tool to assist them in performing their tasks and services and to be competitive in the marketplace. Small businesses do not have endless IT budgets, so they need to do more with less. They need reliable solutions that work, without paying through the nose for IT support services.

Small business owners today are too busy trying to stay a step ahead of their competition to worry about computer systems. Those who do focus efforts on their systems may have to re-evaluate their business when they realize that they just wasted a whole year setting up a server and workstations instead of focusing on their product offering to the market. Small Business owners who try to do their own technology end up in a trap because they focus so much effort on their own systems that they lose the perspective of their real business function.

IT Consultants have been preaching in their communities "that they should become trusted advisors to their customers," states Doug Geary of GearyTech in Toronto. "When you find yourself in that position, you will find the brand/flavour of your recommendations is mostly meaningless." This is true despite the argument of many IT consultants. To a small business owner, it doesn't matter if a server has SATA, SCSI or SAS drives, they just need to be able to store their information securely, reliability and most importantly with zero downtime. We see many technology focused consultants putting all their attention on the specifications of a server for example, "the RAM is this fast, the drives spin a 15,000 RPM, and RAID 5 means this." Doesn't matter! Can the server you are recommending meet their goals? If the answer is yes, then you have done your job.

Where does the technology matter then? It matters to the IT consultant who is working on building out the solution. It matters to the people that have to support it. It doesn't really matter to the business owner. They want to have someone who is reliable, trustworthy and most important available when they need that team or person to take care of it. Today's business owner puts a lot of trust in IT companies to provide them with a solution that will meet their needs and then they must be able to support it, and if they are not around down the road for some reason, someone else needs to step in and support it without rebuilding or going through a tremendous learning curve.

The actual technology only matters to the IT company. They are the ones that need to learn it inside and out, they are the ones that need to stay ahead of the technology curve and have the ability to inform their clients when new solutions are available to make the business owner's life easier and/or more profitable.

So what is important to the business owner? It just has to work, when they need it, always. Benefits to their business are very important and features and "nice to haves" round it out. Business owners like mainstream, well known solutions. They want what their peers have because they saw it at the gym, lunch or out on the golf course. When they ask for it, it is because they saw their peers with it, and maybe it is a solution that allows his/her friend to work from home three afternoons a week or go to a school event and still have information from the business coming to them when they are away from the office. It is not the job of the IT consultant to discourage the technology, it is the job of the consultant to embrace it and provide it. Many times I see business go elsewhere simply because the company was ill equipped to adapt to the client's changing needs or request, and the competitor could.

Does the Technology Really Matter?

Why Did I Ever Get Into Business For Myself? Dealing With The Why Factor!

Have you ever stopped and thought about why you got into business? What was the driving force behind your decision to lose the security blanket of having a regular paycheck, benefits and regular vacations? Do you lay awake at night, worried about how you are going to feed your family, the unresolved client issues, or just the stress of an employee upsetting one of your best clients? These are some of the questions entrepreneurs ask themselves on a regular basis when trying to figure out why they ever got into business for themselves.

When I decided it was time for me to take the plunge, and start my own IT consulting business, it was after many years of procrastination. My best clients encouraged and told me I had what it took. I knew I was ready when I experienced several nights of upset stomachs from worry. I was lacking the challenges that sparked my excitement in the position I held, so I invited a couple of other highly qualified technical experts, whom I trusted, to assist me with the business and we were off and running. I am an entrepreneur now at heart and always looking for the next opportunity.

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Many business owners, are just like it is stated, in the E-Myth book by Michael Gerber and are always the constant technician. The reason they decided to get into business for themselves is because they figured out since they had a great technical skill or understood their jobs inside and out, it was a no brainer for them to attempt starting a business. They quickly learn there is more than doing the work. There are worries like getting clients, sending out invoices, doing taxes and account collections. All these are things new business owners do not truly forecast when they start out. When you stay in the technician role, you will never experience the true independence and flexibility entrepreneurial business owners are lucky to have.

Passion is one of the most important things an entrepreneur can have! With a true passion for your business, success will have a better chance of landing on your lap. I have met many business owners who do not have a passion for their business. I get the sense it is just a job to them. They are not free to practice vision exercises, risk analysis or just have fun in their business. "I enjoy teaching people how to live longer. I love seeing peoples' health improve" states Magnus Mulliner of MT Energie.

In my old role, I was just a regular IT Consultant; I wasn't the best technical person in the company. However, I possessed a great skill of being able to talk to clients in a simple language they understood, without confusing them with TLA's or other technical jargon. This skill, combined with a technical understanding, led to increased sales, revenues and an ever increasing client base. The sales game came to me without much effort and it is the area of the company I am truly passionate about. The joy of seeing a client succeed or strike a huge find knowing the technology or solutions my Company put into place (or assisted them with), is truly amazing!

Many business owners quickly realize they need vision to grow their businesses. After a few years of being in business for myself, I realized it was time for me to steer the ship instead of rowing it. You can hire the rowers. I found all of my rowers were much better rowers than I could ever be, and my ship would move ahead much faster. With this new momentum in place, the ship just needs to be guided.

Having the ability to constantly improve my own education, having the freedom to do the things I like to do and understanding I am totally accountable for my own results is very powerful. It is important entrepreneurs learn to delegate the tasks they do not enjoy doing or are not good at and concentrate their efforts on what they do well and enjoy doing. This will guarantee results in your business. "Ownership has its privileges" states Ernie Sherman, President of Ottawa's Harris Computer Services.

When I asked other small business IT business owners and entrepreneurs if they would ever do this again, they all said YES. Some would continue in the same business line and others would move into something totally different like "buy a resort on a lake" says Doug Geary of GearyTech Inc, a Toronto based Microsoft Small Business Specialist Partner.

Why Did I Ever Get Into Business For Myself? Dealing With The Why Factor!

Designing Small Business Computer Network - What Should You Do?

Basically designing small, medium, or enterprise class computer networks are principally similar. You need to design your private network infrastructure to provide the availability and reliability of network resources; network security system to protect your network resources against any types of threats, and secure global communication system. Small business computer network should include these three aspects: the private network; the end-point security system for internet threats protection; and a secure way in providing system communication with global internet.

For example, in your business network you need to provide database application to support your finance management, and an email server to support your business communication, you allow authorized users to connect via internet from homes, or probably you need to link other branch offices via WAN cloud connection. Dig as much information as possible before designing your small business network. The following lists some areas you probably need to implement in your design.

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Software Applications

You need to drill down the requirements each of the main element of your core business needs. For example, you need a database application to support your finance management. What application software to purchase, contact the vendor and ask them to provide a presentation about their product and see if their product can meet your finance need. How critical your application to support your business will be, if you don't accept any downtime - you need to provide redundant servers and configure them as failover / failback system. You can dig more information to meet your business need regarding the finance management.

User Account Management

What about user account management? How do you manage the security of your network resources, who can access or deny certain resources and how they can access them? This will help you to design your logical infrastructure need, for example you need to implement Windows server with Active directory (AD) system which should be integrated with your DNS.

With AD infrastructure, you can create group policies that meet your security needs based on different level of user groups. If you implement a Windows server AD, you need to think about how to manage the patches. How all the computers update the Windows patches and other critical security update, will they download the patches direct from the internet or will you deploy a WSUS patches management system? With WSUS, you can manage all the computers within the network to download the Windows update from your WSUS server, not individually download direct from the internet. This will reduce the latency of your internet bandwidth.

Backup System

What about the backup system? How many data file servers are you going to deploy including the Email system? Will you install a tape drive backup system in each of the server or manage all the backup system centrally using Autoloader backup solution? When your business data grows, you need to implement such Autoloader backup system to centrally manage the backup of all the servers to reduce administration and cost overhead.

Network Security

What about endpoint security protection? When you provide the internet access for your users, how can you manage the security? We know that Internet is where all the bad and good things exist. Internet threats such as hackers and malware are evolved all the time to get smarter to detect and penetrate any vulnerabilities of your network system. How can you manage the internet threats, do you have security experts in taking care of your endpoint security system? Probably you need to implement UTM (unified Threat Management) appliance - an-all-in-one solution for your endpoint security system such as SonicWALL NSA 2400 network security appliance.

Email System

What about Email system? Will you manage your own Email system inside your private network? If so, you need to buy a domain name which represents your organization for example Your-Company. Com. You need to liaise with your ISP to host your domain record in their DNS server using one of your public IP address. You need to manage the firewall to allow the email traffic to flow in and out securely based on security policy of your organization.

Collecting data as much as possible regarding your small business computer network requirements is very essential before you can design the infrastructure to provide the availability and reliability of the network resources securely.

Designing Small Business Computer Network - What Should You Do?