When To Purchase A Landline
Having a fast and reliable Internet connection can really boost your day-to-day productivity, especially when considering that you can bundle Internet with other home services like VoIP phones. However, this begs the question: do you still need a landline phone? This can be especially confusing if you already have a cellphone plan. So then, what exactly is the answer? Here are the Top 8 Reasons You Need A Landline Phone.
Let 911 Find You
When you call from a landline, 911 should be able to pinpoint your location almost immediately. When you call from a cell phone, it is more likely that 911 will have trouble locating you. This is critical in times where 911 needs to find you. Landlines typically do a great job of providing 911 with accurate data and allow you to get the help you need faster.
Connect Your Security System
When you connect your security system to a landline phone, the system can still operate in a power outage but would need battery back up to operate if you lost cell or Internet service. Most cell phones, depending on the type of phone you have, have limited amount of battery ranging from 4-12 hours. By having a landline, you keep yourself protected for the duration of a power outage.
Stay In Touch During Emergencies
Landlines may still work during a power outage, storm, or natural disaster. Also, if cell service is disrupted, your home phone may provide another option for communication. This is one of the key focuses for landline phones. It is not reliant upon energy but rather the wiring it is connected to in order to operate.
Avoid Spotty Signals
With a home phone, you’ll almost never experience dropped calls. Landlines have clear signals, often making it a preferable option for the hard of hearing.
Cheaper International Options
With international calling plan options, international calls on a landline home phone may be much cheaper than on a cell phone—you don’t want to see your cell phone bill after you make a call out of the country.
Conserve Cell Minutes
If you’re tired of paying for minutes you don’t use, or if you constantly go over your minutes, a landline can help cut down your cell phone bill.
Share A Family Phone
Getting your kids a cell phone can be expensive and impractical. Let them talk to their hearts’ content on a landline—you’ll save yourself stress and money.
Your Children’s Safety
If you have children who don’t have cell phones, but are old enough to be home alone or with a babysitter, then you should get a landline. If there is an emergency, then your kids or the babysitter can call 911 or contact you if they need to.
Most of us don’t know how much bandwidth we need. Here’s 5 helpful charts to show you how much bandwidth you consume from email to HD video streaming. If you’re in the market for high-speed Internet or more bandwidth, don’t forget to take a look at all of the home service and Internet bundle options available through CenturyLink!
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Via: CenturyLinkQuote.com
A resource center for parents, teachers, kids, and teens.
Having high-speed Internet is no longer a luxury in the United States, it has become a way of life. While there are certainly many wonderful things that have come from this connection, there are also serious concerns to be had about our shift away from personal interactions toward more anonymous means of communication. This is especially true for children and teens that are still learning how to interact with the world around them. The Internet Safety Center seeks to raise awareness about Internet safety and security, educating children, teens, parents, and teachers about how to protect themselves and others online.
Below you’ll find resources from government institutions, non-profit organizations, and educational centers that explain how to teach a class on Internet safety, how to use privacy settings, how to deal with cyberbullying, and more.
Resources for Parents
KidsHealth
KidsHealth is the #1 visited site for children’s health and development. Read about Internet safety laws, online protection tools, and how to get involved with kids’ online activity.
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html
OnGuardOnline
OnGuardOnline is a resource for parents, where they can learn how to protect their own information and their kid’s information online. Parents can read about child identity theft, socializing online, mobile phones, and how to talk to their kids about online activities.
http://www.onguardonline.gov/articles/0033c-protection-connection
FBI: A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety
This guide from the FBI, “A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety” is designed to help parents tell if their child is at risk online and to help their child stay safe.
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/parent-guide
STOP Cyberbullying
STOP Cyberbuylling was the first cyberbulling-prevention program in North America. The organization’s website gives an overview of cyberbullying, how to prevnt it, and how to report it.
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/prevention/index.html
Helpguide: Dealing with Cyberbullying
Helpguide provides online resources to help resolve health challenges. The site offers information on the effects of cyberbullying, how to find support against cyberbullying, and how parents and teachers can help prevent cyberbullying.
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/cyber-bullying.htm
Google Family Center
The Google Family Center gives parents and teachers tools and tips for how to stay safe online, especially when using Google. Get all the info on Google’s safety tools, how to report inappropriate content, and how to adjust your child’s privacy settings.
http://www.google.com/goodtoknow/familysafety/
CyberWise
CyberWise is a learning hub for parents, teachers, and kids to learn how to play and communicate safely over the Web. You’ll find videos, guides, and eBooks.
US Computer Emergency Readiness Team
This guide, “Staying Safe on Social Network Sites” from the United States Computer Emergency and Readiness Team gives parents tips on how to help their children and teens use social networking sites safely.
http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/st06-003
Digital Trends: Safety on the Internet
Digital Trends gives advice to parents about keeping kids safe online, including suggestions for Internet Safety apps.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/how-to/safety-on-the-internet-how-to-protect-your-children/
Parenting.com
Parenting.com offers parenting tips and health guides for raising kids. It’s article, “How to Spy on Your Kids Online” details how you can track your kids online using equipment, software, and parental controls.
http://www.parenting.com/article/how-to-spy-on-your-child-online
Resources for Kids
NetSmartz
NetSmartz provides safe games, videos, eBooks, and email for kids, so that kids can have a safe place to play online.
Stop Bullying
StopBullying gives kids facts, webisodes, and quizzes to educate them about cyberbullying. Parents can find ways to identify, prevent, and report cyberbullying.
http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/index.html
Resources for Teens
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library provides tips for kids and teens. You’ll find helpful hints on everything from password security to social networking safety.
http://www.nypl.org/help/about-nypl/legal-notices/internet-safety-tips
TeenAngels
TeenAngels gives teenagers the opportunity to go through training and learn how to help keep the Internet safe. Then TeenAngels help raise awareness with schools and teachers, organizing events and programs.
Girls Health
Girls Health is a project from the U.S.Department of Health and Human services that helps promote healthy, positive behaviors for girls and teens. The website has facts for teachers, parents, and girls about cyberbullying and how to protect yourself online.
http://www.girlshealth.gov/bullying/
A Thin Line
A Thin Line is a resource from MTV with facts for teens about sexting, spying, cyberbullying, and Internet privacy.
Resources for Teachers
Homeland Security
This resource from Homeland Security gives teachers and parents tips for teaching kids about Internet safety.
http://www.dhs.gov/blog/2013/06/18/internet-safety-children
WebWiseKids
WebWiseKids provides teachers and parents with tools to help educate children about using technology safely. You’ll find training, classroom resources, and information about cyberbullying.
Edutopia
Edutopia is a foundation dedicating to providing teachers with resources to improve education. The guide “How to Teach Internet Safety to Young Elementary School Students” provides elementary school eduators with a lesson plan, outline, and discussion points for teaching online safety.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/internet-safety-younger-elementary-mary-beth-hertz
SafeKids
SafeKids teaches digital citizenship, online safety, and civility. You’ll find current news updates, guides, FAQs, and tips for parents and teachers.
FBI: Safe Online Surfing
This resource from the FBI gives teachers the tools they need to teach students how to surf the Internet safely and securely.
KidsHealth in the Classroom
This guide from KidsHealth provides teachers with lesson plans, discussion quesitons, and activities for teaching kids and teens about online identity, surfing the web safely, and cyberbullying.
http://teenshealth.org/classroom/6to8/personal/safety/online_safety_cyberbullying.pdf
Resources for Social Media Safety
NPR: Ten Safe Social Networking Sites for Kids
NPR has provided a list: “Ten Safe Social Networking Sites for Kids,” so parents can ensure their kids’ information and identities are safe.
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/11/137705552/ten-safe-social-networking-sites-for-kids
Common Sense Media: Social Networking Tips
Common Sense Media is an organization that advocates safe use of media by children and families. Their resource, Social Networking Tips, gives separate advice for parents of elementary, middle, and high schoolers.
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/social-networking-tips
Internet access has become more of a necessity than a luxury, making it important to be able to get online no matter where you are. When you’re at home, having a strong and reliable Internet connection can help boost your productivity, whether you’re using it for work or just to relax. Especially when you’re service comes with an affordable price tag. However, thanks to Wi-Fi hotspots — physical locations that provide users with Wi-Fi Internet access — connecting to the Web is easy, even if you’re away from your home or office network.
Types of Wi-Fi Hotspots
While there are plenty of ways to access the Internet on the go, hotspots are among the easiest to use. However, not all hotspot connections are the same. Here are the most common Wi-Fi hotspot types and their individual specifications.
Public Hotspots:
Public hotspot networks generally don’t require a password. They also often have limited functionality for security reasons. While many public hotspots are free, some branded hotspots — like those found at airports or hotels — require a fee for use.
Subscription-Based Hotspots:
Certain hotspot networks are offered through Internet Service Provider (ISP) subscriptions. These hotspots are available at a variety of locations and are usually identified by the ISP name. Subscribers who use the ISP offering the hotspot can access the Internet by logging in with their customer username and password.
Mobile Hotspots:
Many smartphones now have a feature that allows you to turn your phone into a mobile hotspot. Enabling this option lets you broadcast a Wi-Fi signal directly from your mobile device. This is a convenient way to access the Internet, especially if you’re someplace where a public or subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot isn’t available. Keep in mind that, in many cases, mobile hotspot Wi-Fi uses data from your cellular data plan.
How to Find Wi-Fi Hotspots
Now that you understand what a hotspot is, you just need to know how to find them. Depending on the type of spot you’re looking for, there are a few different options.
First, find out if your Internet Service Provider provides hotspots for subscribers. If it does, it will likely have online or app-accessible hotspot finders. Most finders will also let you search for a ZIP code or address to locate nearby hotspots.
If you want to find a Wi-Fi hotspot that’s not necessarily subscription-based, there are plenty of free Wi-Fi finders online. These locators can help identify hotspots across the country and the globe.
Additionally, there are a variety of free hotspot finder apps for both iOS and Android. These apps often have downloadable databases that make it possible to find a hotspot even when you’re offline.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to specific businesses about their Wi-Fi availability, either. Some businesses advertise their Wi-Fi connections — many Internet cafes owe their very existence to hotspot technology, in fact — but even if they don’t, it never hurts to ask an employee or manager if they have an accessible guest network.
In the event that you’re not able to find a nearby Wi-Fi hotspot, why not make your own? Contact your phone carrier to learn more about their mobile hotspot guidelines and restrictions.
Understanding how Wi-Fi hotspots work and where to find them is the key to staying connected no matter where you go.
The Internet has completely revolutionized our world culture by making information more accessible and making global communication instantaneous. And while the benefits that have come from this change are too numerous to count—especially when you’re getting a great Internet service at a great price—this interconnection has also opened the door to new types of crime. For example, we’ve all heard the term, and know it’s bad, but what exactly does “phishing” really mean?
Phishing is a form of fraud whereby a cyberattacker seeks to obtain your sensitive information. It most commonly occurs via emails that appear to be from a legitimate organization (often a financial institution) but actually contain a link to a fake website that replicates the real one and attempts to steal your login credentials. Phishers may also operate through other methods such as fraudulent phone calls pretending to offer computer help.
What Phishing Scams Do
Phishers try to compromise your cybersecurity to gain access to your personal information — like your bank account, which they may use to withdraw money, make purchases, or open new bank or credit card accounts in your name. In addition to financial information, phishers may seek to learn your usernames and passwords, social security number, and other sensitive information that could breach your personal and home security.
Phishers may also install viruses and worms on a victim’s computer to disseminate their fraudulent emails to even more people.
How to Detect Phishing
Phishing emails can usually be identified by a few key indicators. Carefully examine emails you receive from people or organizations you don’t know, as well as emails from organizations that house or require your personal information. Here are seven things that may indicate an email is a phishing scam.
- Omission of your name. Look for generic phrases like “Dear Friend.”
- Unprofessional spelling and/or grammar.
- Threats stating that your security has been compromised or that you need to take action immediately.
- Requests for personal information, such as login credentials, passwords, or credit card details.
- Fantastic claims, like unlikely inheritances or get-rich-quick schemes promising high-interest returns.
- Misleading hyperlinks to unsecure sites. Websites that begin with “http” rather than “https” (the “s” stands for “secure”) shouldn’t be trusted.
- Requests for money or donations.
How to Protect Yourself from Phishing
Email awareness aside, there are some other things you can also do to protect yourself from phishing scams.
- Keep your computer and network security up-to-date.
Always make sure you have the latest version of your antivirus software installed — don’t just click “remind me later” every time your computer shows that it needs updating. Keep your firewall enabled and your operating system up-to-date.
- Think before you click.
If you don’t know what you’re clicking, don’t click. Hover your mouse over a link to see its destination — if it looks suspicious or unfamiliar, avoid it. Similarly, if you receive an email claiming to be from your bank, don’t use links contained in the email to navigate to it — go straight to your bank’s website instead.
- Verify the authenticity of suspicious emails.
If you aren’t certain whether an email is from the company or institution it claims to be, call the real one to find out. Your bank would rather answer your calls than have you fall victim to a phishing scam.
- Keep your router secure.
Setting a unique password for your router stops phishers from hijacking it by using the default password. Old routers are especially vulnerable to attacks, as they often came with generic sign-in credentials like “admin” and “password.” To maximize your network security, you should also turn off broadcasting (so people won’t know your wireless name/SSID), disable guest networks and remote access, update the firmware, and get a network monitoring app.
- Be wary of suspicious phone calls.
Phishers may catch you off guard by calling you and posing as someone legitimate from your bank. Never divulge any personal information over the phone to unverified callers.
What to Do if You Are the Victim of a Phishing Scam
If you become aware of a phishing scam that targets your home or network security, you can contact the Federal Trade Commission to report it. You can also forward any scam emails you receive to reportphishing@apwg.org. APWG seeks to unify the global response to cybercrime through data exchange, research, and public awareness.
If you’ve become the victim of a phishing scam, immediately change your usernames and passwords to any compromised accounts. You will also want to contact your credit agencies and other accounts to let them know you have been the victim of fraud.
Home Internet is one of the best modern conveniences around, but to make sure you’re getting the most out of your Internet connection, you need to have a router — and know how it works. If all the gadgets and tools that come along with having Internet make your head spin, we’re here to answer all your questions.
What is a router?
Simply put, a router connects your devices to the Internet. It is the link between the Internet and your computer, smartphone, tablet, and any other Wi-Fi enabled device.
If I have a modem, do I need a router?
Don’t confuse an Internet router with a modem. The two work together to make your home network function. The modem is the go-between for your router and the Internet. The router takes the broadband or wireless signal that is delivered through your modem and routes it to your devices so you can go online.
Is it hard to set up an Internet router?
Setting up your home router is simple. All you need to do is connect the router to the modem and a power source. Once the router is up and running, you will be able to log in to your computer and see the default network name that identifies your pathway to the Internet. Before you start surfing the Web, though, you will want to rename your network and add a secure password.
How do I name my router?
The name associated with your router is called the SSID, and it identifies your network so that you can connect devices to the Internet. When you change the name, you will actually be changing the name of the network, not the name of the router. You want to give your network a secure name that will help protect the data that is sent over your Internet connection.
Default network names often include the name of the company that manufactured the router. Brand-specific names are easy for hackers to identify and break into. To make your network more secure, create a unique name that does not includes any personal information like your name, birthday, or address.
What speeds can I get from my router?
An up-to-date router should be able to deliver the speeds that are promised as part of your broadband Internet subscription. If you are experiencing slower speeds than you are paying for, there could be a few reasons.
First, consider the number of devices using your network. If you are experiencing more traffic on your network than expected, the problem may be your broadband speed and not your router. If you have the right plan for your needs, however, the issue may be your router.
Can I improve the Wi-Fi connection on my router?
If you’re having trouble with your Wi-Fi connection, there could be a problem with the router. Some of the most common reasons you might have connection issues include an outdated router or interruption from other signals and devices.
To improve the connection from your router, here are a few things you can try:
1. Change the channel setting on your router.
Most routers have two channel settings, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. If you’re experiencing disruption, try switching the setting on your router.
2. Move the router.
Routers do have limited reach, and things like metal and brick can affect your signal. Try to place the router in an open, central area in your home that will have the widest reach. Avoid placing the router behind walls or cupboards as that can limit the reach of your Wi-Fi signal.
3. Update the firmware.
Just like software on your computer needs to be updated, so does the firmware on your router. Check for updates from your router manufacturer and perform updates when available. This will keep your signal strong and help protect your network from viruses and other security risks.
Routers are a crucial part of staying connected and maximizing your home network. Make sure you have the right tools to fully utilize your Internet connection.