Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Can you use two cable modems in the same house?

Posted on May 8, 2023

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Michael: I’ve rented a room in a private home and I’ll be moving in next week. I have a question about my options concerning Internet access.

The room I’m moving into is already wired for cable and they have Internet through Comcast/Xfinity.

The thing is, my landlord won’t let me use his Wi-Fi connection. He said I’ll have to have to sign up for an account with Comcast and get my own cable modem.

Which brings me to my question: Is that even possible to have two cable modems in the same house? [Read more…]

How to customize the Start Menu in Windows 11

Posted on May 7, 2023

If you’ve recently started using Windows 11 for the first time you’ve probably noticed that Microsoft has drastically changed the look and layout of the Start Menu.

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the changes, but they are what they are.

This post discusses some of the changes Microsoft has made to the Start Menu. It also offers tips for personalizing it to make it easier to use and a generally more efficient tool.

[Read more…]

FYI: Windows 10 isn’t going away any time soon

Posted on May 6, 2023

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

As you probably know, Windows 11 has been out for a while now and it’s quickly gaining traction in the marketplace.

But here’s a little secret…

Windows 10 is still very much alive and well.

[Read more…]

Tips for protecting your personal data from phishing scams

Posted on May 5, 2023

Hackers and scammers are having a bumper year in 2023, and phishing scams are becoming the driving force behind the tidal wave of cybercrime that is fooling even IT professionals.

Phishing scammers use a range of techniques to steal people’s credit card details and passwords, and victims end up losing their money and social standing or getting a malware infestation.

VPNs have recently become a must-have for people to stay private on the internet. But how effective is a VPN to protect you from phishing? [Read more…]

Q&A: How do you switch Windows out of S mode?

Posted on May 4, 2023

Question from Karla: I bought a closeout Acer laptop a couple of months ago and I didn’t realize it had Windows 10 S on it. I didn’t even know there was such a thing.

I just found out that some of the software I really need to run won’t work with Windows 10 S. It needs Windows 10 Home instead.

I’d just return the laptop and get a different one but it was a closeout and I can’t return it.

I heard that you can convert Windows 10 S to Windows 10 Home for free but I don’t know how to do it. Can you tell me? [Read more…]