Getting Started

Searching

The best way to find information on the web: googling

What search engines are there?

Searching

The best way to find information on the web: googling

What search engines are there? Google Yahoo ask.com answers.com Bing about.com

How do we add add-ons to Firefox?

Next question: which is the best computer?

Depends: for what purpose? How are you going to use it?

For gaming. For lugging around. To store movies and songs. To create movies and songs. To do email and word processing

What to look for when buying a computer, components, software

Adequate CPU Enough RAM Storage space? Screen space/resolution?

(http://www.consumersearch.com/desktop-computers and

http://www.consumersearch.com/laptops

) See also

http://www.pcmag.com/

How WIFI works

(http://howstuffworks.com/wireless-network.htm )

• Uses radio waves, 2.4 or 5 GHz

• 802.11 Networking standards. (a,b,g,n)

• Communication between the computer through a wireless adapter and an “access point”, usually a wireless router.

How to use a Hotspot

• WARNING!!!!

• Unsecured and pirate hotspots are dangerous!

– Every password, sensitive number should be “encrypted”.

• Need a wireless adapter (most of the time, it is built into the laptop).

• Activate adapter; computer will detect available networks. Choose one, type in credentials and go!

How to set up a wireless network at home

• Best to use a wireless router, which includes:

– Ports to connect your DSL or cable modem and cabled computers.

– Logic to direct traffic between the different items “connected” to it. (Called a “router”)

– A Firewall

– A wireless access point.

• The first two things to do are:

– Connect to it

– Change the admin password!

Rules for good passwords

• Must have capital letters, small letters, digits and punctuation.

• At least eight characters in length

• There should not be a recognizable word in it.

• Should not be known to ANYBODY!

How to set up a wireless network at home (continued)

• Choose an SSID (something non-obvious).

• You may want to turn off SSID broadcasting.

• In area to set up security for network, choose an encryption security:

– WEP (bad)

– WEP128 (just as bad)

– WPA better

– WPA2 (best)

• Each of these require a password (again!)

• You may (additionally) add MAC filtering