Computer Tips Archives - Page 156 of 230

How to convert any USB printer into a wireless Wi-Fi printer

Posted on April 20, 2020

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One of the most useful features of many modern printers is their ability to connect to your network via Wi-Fi, eliminating the need to connect a cable between your computers and mobile devices and your printer.

But what if you have a printer that only connects via a USB cable and you really don’t want to replace it just to get Wi-Fi connectivity?

The answer lies in a small box called a Wireless Print Server.

Simply place your printer in the place that’s most convenient for everyone who’ll be using it, then plug it into the wireless print server. [Read more…]

Q&A: Can I make monthly payments to Amazon for a new TV?

Posted on April 1, 2020

Question from Judy: Hi Rick. I hope you can give me some info on buying a new TV from Amazon.

It looks like I’m going to be stuck here at home for at least a couple of months and my TV recently went out on me. It’s pretty old and I doubt if it’s worth fixing.

I really need a new TV to get me through this period of isolation but I just don’t have that kind of money right now because I was laid off from my job.

A while back you wrote an article letting us know that Amazon will sell you a computer and let you make monthly payments on it.

Can I also make monthly payments to Amazon for a new TV or does that just apply to computers?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Scam alert: Avoid the ‘You’re tagged in this video!’ scam on Facebook

Posted on February 5, 2020

It seems like a new scam pops up on Facebook every day, and others seem to come and go in cycles.

Unfortunately, one of the most dangerous Facebook scams you’re likely to encounter is making the rounds yet again.

It’s called the ‘You’re tagged in this video!‘ scam, and although there are several subtle variations of it, they all work something like this:

Someone either makes a post on your timeline or sends you a private message stating that one of your friends has tagged you in a video. Naturally, you’re intrigued as to who the friend is and what the video is about, so you click the link to watch it.

After you click the link to view the video you receive a pop-up message stating that in order to see the video, you’ll need to download a software update or browser extension. Without giving it a second thought, you click the link to complete the download.

Congratulations! Your computer is now infected with one or more viruses, trojans and/or other forms of malware!

As always, the only way to truly protect yourself from falling victim to the criminals who perpetrate these scams is to be diligent and use extreme caution when deciding whether or not to click a link. Here are a few tips: [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I prevent notifications from popping up in the lower-right corner of the screen in Windows 10?

Posted on January 22, 2020

Question from Edwin: My old Windows XP computer that I really love finally died and I had no choice but to buy a new computer.

I’d been dreading having to switch to Windows 10 but after using it for a while I’ve found out I actually like it.

But one thing about it really irritates me. I hate having all those notification messages pop up at random times in the lower-right corner of the screen.

Is there any way to turn those notifications off?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]