Rick's Daily Tips

7 practical tips for extending the range, speed and security of your WiFi network

Posted on July 20, 2026

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

Wireless routers make it very easy to share your high speed Internet connection with guests and family members.

They also make it easy to use your laptop or mobile devices in any room in the house without running cables all over the place.

But if you live in a large house and/or have multiple devices all using the Internet at the same time, chances are your WiFi connection is weaker and slower than it could be due to obstructions, distance and bandwidth limitations. [Read more…]

Why you need to own a SATA/IDE to USB adapter

Posted on July 18, 2026

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Virtually every computer technician on the planet keeps one very special piece of equipment on hand, and you should too.

It’s called a SATA/IDE to USB adapter, and it’s quite simply the handiest tool on any computer tech’s test bench. [Read more…]

How to play Windows 7 games in Windows 10/11

Posted on July 18, 2026

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

Do you love the “old-style” games like Solitaire, Hearts, FreeCell and others that you used to be able to play with Windows 7, but can’t find them in Windows 10 or Windows 11?

Well, those beloved old-style games were removed from the most recent versions of Windows and replaced with “modern” versions that you have to download from the Windows Store.

I happen to prefer the old-style games myself. If you prefer them as well, you can get them back! [Read more…]

Q&A: Did I just completely fry my PC?

Posted on July 17, 2026

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

Question from Theresa: Hi, Rick. I’m really upset this morning because my desktop computer was damaged due to a bad electrical outlet.

What happened was I hired an electrician to install an electrical outlet in my new sunroom so I could move my computer out there.

As soon as I plugged the computer in and turned it on I heard a loud POP and now I can’t get either the computer or monitor to come on.

My brother stopped by and checked the outlet and found that it has 238 volts on it instead of 120.

I have two questions: [Read more…]

Reminder: Password Managers still put your online accounts at risk

Posted on July 15, 2026

Want to get my easy to follow Tech Tips in your email?

It’s no secret that being connected to the Internet makes our computers and mobile devices vulnerable to hackers.

Passwords have long been used to protect our online accounts from those threats, but those once-trusted passwords are becoming less effective by the day as hacking methods become increasingly sophisticated.

In short, a simple password that’s just a few characters long offers very little real protection against the sophisticated hacking methods that are being used today. [Read more…]