Tech Questions & Answers Archives

Q&A: Is it illegal to install third-party firmware on a router?

Posted on August 5, 2026

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Question from Scott: I have a relatively old Linksys router that my son recently installed DD-WRT on, and it works really well.

Last night I heard a guy say that it’s illegal to replace a router’s firmware with third-party firmware. I love DD-WRT but I don’t want either myself or my son to get into trouble over it.

Can you tell me if it’s really against the law to replace a router’s factory firmware with open-source firmware like DD-WRT? It seems to me that if it was you wouldn’t be able to download it. [Read more…]

Q&A: Can you recommend a good online photo editor?

Posted on August 3, 2026

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Question from Roger: Hi, Rick. I’d love to have your advice on a good online photo editor.

I bought Photoshop Elements and installed it on my desktop computer several years ago. That computer got destroyed by lightning so I bought a new desktop PC and installed Photoshop Elements on it from that same disc, and it worked fine.

Well, that replacement PC is getting pretty long in the tooth now so I bought a computer to replace it. When I went to install Photoshop Elements on the new computer it told me I had already installed it on two machines and it wouldn’t let me install it on the new one. [Read more…]

Q&A: Should the lights on my modem blink all the time?

Posted on August 2, 2026

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Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Tina: I’ve noticed the lights on my modem are blinking more or less constantly.

In fact, they even blink when I’m not using a web browser, checking my email or doing anything else on the Internet.

Is it normal for all those lights to be constantly blinking or should I be worried? [Read more…]

Q&A: Are today’s encryption methods so strong they’ll never be broken?

Posted on August 1, 2026

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Question from Carl: I was listening to talk radio the other day and I heard a guy say that the strongest encryption methods in use today are so strong that they will never, ever be broken.

The host didn’t challenge him on that. In fact, he seemed to agree with him. I have my doubts though.

What do you think? Is current encryption technology so good that no one will ever be able to break it? [Read more…]

Q&A: How do I remove the PIN from my Android phone?

Posted on July 30, 2026

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Question from Angie: I started dating a guy a few months ago. I really liked him but he had an annoying habit of picking up my phone and looking at my called logs.

I think he was checking up on me to see if I was calling other guys. I didn’t like him spying on me that way and I told him so, but he kept on doing it.

I finally had my son put a sign-in PIN on my phone so the guy I was dating wouldn’t be able to get into it.

We recently broke up so I no longer need the PIN. It’s a real hassle having to put it in every time I need to use the phone. [Read more…]