Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Can I connect several short Ethernet cables together to make one long one?

Posted on January 7, 2023

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Steve: I could use some advice, Rick. I need a 200ft Ethernet cable to run between my router and a Desktop PC that’s located on the far side of my office building?

Do you think it would be ok to connect eight 25 foot Ethernet cables together with RJ45 couplers? I already have the cables and the couplers are dirt cheap.

Do you think this would work ok? I’d like to save some money if we can, but we really need to have this machine get (and stay) online most of all.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Does your browser need to be updated? Find out now.

Posted on January 6, 2023

These days most people are aware that viruses, spyware, adware and other types of malware are lurking in the shadows of the Internet, just waiting for an opportunity to sneak onto their computers’ hard drives and perform all kinds of mischief.

What many folks don’t know however is just how easy it is for a computer or mobile device (and the sensitive data stored on it) to become compromised simply by using an out-of-date web browser that doesn’t have the latest security updates installed.

[Read more…]

Q&A: Why does Firefox always reopen the last page I visited every time I load it?

Posted on January 5, 2023

Question from Marc: Beginning last Tuesday, every time I load Firefox it opens the page that was open when I quit the previous session. It’s really irritating.

I must have done something wrong, but I don’t know when or how. Can you tell me how to get Firefox to always open my home page every time it loads?

Rick’s answer: Marc, somehow a key setting has been changed that’s causing Firefox to behave that way, but luckily it’s very easy to fix. Here’s how: [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I stop my PC’s hard drive from shutting down?

Posted on January 3, 2023

Question from Amber: After my Windows computer has been sitting idle for a few minutes the hard drive just shuts down.

When I get back on the computer and press a key or move my mouse I can hear the drive starting back up again and I have to wait several seconds before I can do anything.

This is extremely irritating. I don’t mind the hard drive shutting down when the computer goes to sleep but I want it to remain active while the computer is up and running.

How can I fix this? [Read more…]

Use this app to identify (and block) unknown callers

Posted on January 3, 2023

Do you hate getting calls from people who use *67 or some other method to hide their name and number from your Caller ID display?

Yeah, me too. And unfortunately it’s happening more and more every day.

But did you know there’s a smartphone app you can use to identify (and block) those unknown callers?

[Read more…]