Rise of the Machines - Ask an IT Question Here

[dlanod]

This whole VPN craze in Australia about the new internet laws is a little over the top, not talking about this thread but it just got me thinking/rambling.

The whole reason the new laws are put in place is so that when a policing body comes along a person of interest and tracks them down to their ISP, their data will be available for access (Which let's face it, has probably been the case for a long time before most people knew what a VPN was).

So if you haven't committed a crime, or plan to - then I wouldn't worry in the slightest.

They're not interested in the average joe, even if the conspiracy people will have you believe, you're more likely to being looked into if you come up using a VPN on their system.

Of course, if you are downloading illegal movies etc then having a VPN is a nice blanket to have but you're not 100% safe by any means, if they want to catch you - they will.

You later compare a VPN to curtains, which I think is a pretty valid comparison, especially given people use curtains fall all sorts of reasons other than committing crime.

The main reason I've switched to using a VPN is that I don't have faith in the checks and balances with regards to accessing of the data. You can see it with documents a lot more serious than just ISP records, with people accessing data they shouldn't be for curiousity or other reasons. Part of the NSA scandals that slipped under the radar were monitoring of others' data that they happened to be curious about, despite it most definitely not being what the systems were meant to be used for. I wouldn't expect ISP data to be more secure than the NSA systems, that's for sure. So just the same as me not walking around with my curtains open all the time so that people can look in, I choose to not walk around with my internet connection open all the time so that people can look in.

 

[Toffee Lion]

Yeah I have no problem with that dlanod and feel the same way.

My rant was just about the people who feel that having a VPN is like the cloak from Harry Potter.

Okay, I need to stop with these references...

 

[The Flying Belgian]

While we're on the issue of geo-blocking, is anyone here using a SmartDNS service to access the Watch AFL service?

 

[cheekyLionsFan]

i like private internet access

 

[Hollow Knight]

I despise the "if you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about" argument. I grind my teeth in frustration when I hear it. And I also picture George Orwell rolling in his grave.

Civil liberties are eroded in increments, and if you don't draw a line at some point...

 

[bungalow_bill]

Not sure if this is the right thread but...

I'd like my facebook profile to come up in a google search - every time I do a search under my name and facebook. Zilch. Is there something I can do to change this? I think I have all the privacy settings correct. Would something like this work?

https://developers.google.com/structured-data/customize/social-profiles

 

[Skoob]

All of a sudden, my laptop won't connect to my wifi. Have tried troubleshooters. Windows tells me that wireless adapter is working and driver is up to date.
Able to connect via ethernet. Have restarted, tried a restore. Troubleshooters just say "Can't connect". Now troubleshooters won't even open.

EDIT: Fixed (for now).
I selected my wifi connection and clicked "Forget this network" and reconnected.

Still interested in possible causes. Never had trouble in the year or 2 that I've had this laptop. Always connected.

 

[James North]

Wifi chip is fried, or driver is corrupt i guess...

Try rolling back driver, or even removing and adding that network device again.

I'm a Mac guy and it's been ages since I used Windows, but that kind of stuff generally indicates one of those problems.

 

[Skoob]

Wifi chip is fried, or driver is corrupt i guess...

Try rolling back driver, or even removing and adding that network device again.

I'm a Mac guy and it's been ages since I used Windows, but that kind of stuff generally indicates one of those problems.

Cheers, I just edited my post.
Weird bloody machines.

 

[Davemonkey]

Can anyone recommend a well priced and honest computer store in the inner East/South (Brissie)? Have used uMart before, and they are fine, but getting into Milton and parking is a hassle.

I am pretty sure my video card is on the way out, and need a well matched video card for my old mobo and processor. This is purely a temporary job until I can afford a new PC.

I need diagnostic conformation of my dodgy old Video Card and purchase and installation of the new one (because I am lazy). Recommend anyone?

 

[dlanod]

Can anyone recommend a well priced and honest computer store in the inner East/South (Brissie)? Have used uMart before, and they are fine, but getting into Milton and parking is a hassle.

I am pretty sure my video card is on the way out, and need a well matched video card for my old mobo and processor. This is purely a temporary job until I can afford a new PC.

I need diagnostic conformation of my dodgy old Video Card and purchase and installation of the new one (because I am lazy). Recommend anyone?

There's Umarts at Eight Mile Plains, Chermside and Southport as well. I'd just order online and pick it up. I use the West Ryde for obvious reasons, but they're just so much better and more reliable than the others.

 

[Davemonkey]

There's Umarts at Eight Mile Plains, Chermside and Southport as well. I'd just order online and pick it up. I use the West Ryde for obvious reasons, but they're just so much better and more reliable than the others.

True, I would just feel a bit more confident in knowing where the problem is. It's either mobo or video card and I strongly suspect the latter.

 

[brizrider]

Can anyone recommend a well priced and honest computer store in the inner East/South (Brissie)? Have used uMart before, and they are fine, but getting into Milton and parking is a hassle.

I am pretty sure my video card is on the way out, and need a well matched video card for my old mobo and processor. This is purely a temporary job until I can afford a new PC.

I need diagnostic conformation of my dodgy old Video Card and purchase and installation of the new one (because I am lazy). Recommend anyone?

There's MSY Technology in Morningside.

 

[brizrider]

All of a sudden, my laptop won't connect to my wifi. Have tried troubleshooters. Windows tells me that wireless adapter is working and driver is up to date.
Able to connect via ethernet. Have restarted, tried a restore. Troubleshooters just say "Can't connect". Now troubleshooters won't even open.

EDIT: Fixed (for now).
I selected my wifi connection and clicked "Forget this network" and reconnected.

Still interested in possible causes. Never had trouble in the year or 2 that I've had this laptop. Always connected.

I've fixed s couple of wi-fi driver issues for relatives/friends recently. Both occurred soon after upgrade to Windows 10. Before upgrading I noticed that if you did stuff like you did (forget the network) or turn wi-fi adaptor on and off it seemed to work for a bit.

 

[Chief]

Can anyone recommend a well priced and honest computer store in the inner East/South (Brissie)? Have used uMart before, and they are fine, but getting into Milton and parking is a hassle.

I am pretty sure my video card is on the way out, and need a well matched video card for my old mobo and processor. This is purely a temporary job until I can afford a new PC.

I need diagnostic conformation of my dodgy old Video Card and purchase and installation of the new one (because I am lazy). Recommend anyone?

http://bbcr.com.au/ - This guy helped me out. Basically gave me some help over the phone on a Sunday and didn't charge me. I have a PC (H's) that I will take to him for mobo and video card replacement. Haven't used his services but he knew what he was talking about, seemed like he actually enjoys his job and is customer focused.

 

[Skoob]

I've fixed s couple of wi-fi driver issues for relatives/friends recently. Both occurred soon after upgrade to Windows 10. Before upgrading I noticed that if you did stuff like you did (forget the network) or turn wi-fi adaptor on and off it seemed to work for a bit.

I've got Windows 8 (and hate it). If Windows 10 were free, and I was feeling brave, I would upgrade, but then face any associated issues. I was reasonably handy when I got my first PC, and took the time to poke around, but these days (the last 18 years) I just haven't been interested and am totally out of touch and my depth.

 

[brizrider]

I've got Windows 8 (and hate it). If Windows 10 were free, and I was feeling brave, I would upgrade, but then face any associated issues. I was reasonably handy when I got my first PC, and took the time to poke around, but these days (the last 18 years) I just haven't been interested and am totally out of touch and my depth.

You can still get Windows 10 for free. There's a download for assistive technology users. At no point do you have to prove that you are an assistive technology user though: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade I think it is worth the upgrade. It seems to follow the basic model of every second Windows OD release being good. If you're already on 8 then you won't likely have any real issues.

I'm basically out of touch with these things too. I started in IT about 20 years ago and have moved up to the point where I don't really have enough contact with the technology to have the in depth knowledge. My mum still gets me to fix computers for her and all her friends though. Once an 'IT guy' always an IT guy!

 

[Caiphus]

Depends on specific driver availability. Because my laptop uses a proprietary driver for its switching videocards I can't upgrade to Windows 10,but you should be able to check compatibility at your manufacturers driver page.

 

[Skoob]

All of a sudden, my laptop won't connect to my wifi. Have tried troubleshooters. Windows tells me that wireless adapter is working and driver is up to date.
Able to connect via ethernet. Have restarted, tried a restore. Troubleshooters just say "Can't connect". Now troubleshooters won't even open.

EDIT: Fixed (for now).
I selected my wifi connection and clicked "Forget this network" and reconnected.

Still interested in possible causes. Never had trouble in the year or 2 that I've had this laptop. Always connected.

Had this happen again, and the fix wasn't to "Forget this Network" and re-connect, as I tried several times and restarting. My last ditch effort was to connect via cable, and while connected, resubmitted the wifi connection password and it connected straight away. So there is some connection with plugging into the network which allows the wifi connection to be admitted.
Weird freakin' machines.

 

[James North]

Hey Davemonkey - your twitter account has been hacked, I think?

 

[Davemonkey]

Hey Davemonkey - your twitter account has been hacked, I think?

View attachment 282067

Nah fighting a dodgy extension in Chrome. But thanks for the heads up.

 

[ZoBlitz]

Nah fighting a dodgy extension in Chrome. But thanks for the heads up.

Better than your usual tweets in any case.

 

[Davemonkey]

Better than your usual tweets in any case.

What? Weeks of silence and then ranting at TransLink or Federal politicians? Your underselling my performance!

 

[PertRoosOsborne]

I have an ipad and am thinking of getting another device purely for surfing the net.

Other than ipad's what's the general consensus on brands such as Samsung, Lenovo, Huawei, Asus or any others.

 

[Caiphus]

I have an ipad and am thinking of getting another device purely for surfing the net.

Other than ipad's what's the general consensus on brands such as Samsung, Lenovo, Huawei, Asus or any others.

At the end of the day an android tablet is more or less the same no matter the brand. If it isn't a pixel or a nexus it has got a shitty manufacturer skin which slows down updates and the quality of the device. If you are going for a cheap tablet bought online I recommend the xiaomi mi pad 2.