vpnsite.net

Many people are afraid to consider a wireless router because wireless routers are relatively new technology. But wireless routers can really simplify Internet access in your home, small business, or large company.

With a regular Windows Internet network you are easily able to access the Internet from any of your computers that are connected to the Network. Most small businesses are extremely happy with this type of set up. The problem that many businesses run into is that the modem has to be on before any of the other computers are able to get Internet.

For businesses that are use to turning off all their equipment in the evenings, remembering to turn the modem on in the mornings can become an ongoing issue.
Sometimes employees may even spend hours with technical support trying to figure out why their Internet is not working, when the problem is simply that the modem was never turned on. A wireless router can solve this dilemma very inexpensively.

With a wireless Internet router all your computers can have Internet accesses easily without worrying about the modem computer being turned on first. Plus employee laptops can easily access reports and other business material without first having to save information to a disk and transfer it to their office computer.

When looking for a wireless router you need to look for both price and quality. You definitely do not want to skimp on this piece of equipment. Look at the speed of the router as well as its range. You want to make sure that you choose a router that will be able to handle the Internet access for all your office computers, this means finding a router that has enough speed to comfortably keep all your employees connected to the Internet at the same time.

Residential customers and very small businesses are all finding the convenience of wireless Internet a great thing. The easy of use that a wireless router provides is perfect for almost any person or business. Plus you don’t have to be a technical genius to install a wireless router at home or in a business.

Most wireless routers simply get plugged into a hi-speed Internet line and you go through a basic step by step computer set up. Some computers don’t even need a set up process and they will automatically recognize the wireless router and connect to it.

After plugging in your wireless router you might need to have a brief conversation with your Internet provider to register your device and confirm your set up. But after that, you are really off and running. You can connect as many computers as you would like to your system and easily use laptops throughout the office. Plus you will no longer be wasting man hours trying to figure out why your Internet is not working, when the problems was simply that the main modem computer had not been turned on yet.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as wireless internet accesss at http://www.wirelessinternetaccessservice.com

[tags]wireless internet connection, wireless access, computer network[/tags]

Introduction

This article provides a brief introduction into documenting software programs for Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC). Its aim is to provide clear guidance in the program documentation for PLC’s.

This article is based on the Ladder Logic format of PLC Programming, but many of the points also related to Instruction List (IL) and Function Block Diagram (FBD).

PLC Programs should be written and documented so that they can be easily maintained and modified by others than those who originally wrote the program. All PLC Programming Editors have increased documentation capabilities including Siemens, Modicon, Allen Bradley and Mitsubishi.

Documenting PLC Software
Early Programmable Logic Controllers had little or no capacity for the documentation of programs. For technicians to understand the logic the program had to be followed from inputs to outputs. This made fault finding or modifications to programs difficult.

As PLC’s have developed the programming packages have also improved, allowing for the software to be clearly annotated.

The programming tools available for most PLC’s allow for the following documentation.

Rung Title

Rung Comments

Symbols and Symbol Comments.

This article provides a practical guide to using these documentation techniques.

Symbols and Symbol Comments
The purpose of symbolic addressing is to allow the PLC programmer to write the software using meaningful symbols rather than having to remember addresses.

General rules for Input and Output symbols should be to use the tags from Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) or electrical drawing references. Where these are not available use of a simple description should be used.

For the above the following could be used.

Symbol Address Description

VAC01_STPB I 0.0 Vacuum Pump Start Pushbutton

VAC01_SPPB I 0.1 Vacuum Pump Stop Pushbutton

VAC01 Q 0.0 Vacuum Pump Run

VAC01_TRAL M 1.1 Vacuum Pump Trip Alarm (Latched)

VAC01_AL M 1.1 Vacuum Pump Alarm Latch (Failed to Start/Stop)

Although many program editors can allow for more characters within the symbols it is recommended to keep the symbol short and use the comments to provide further details. Our recommendation is to build the symbols from the blocks of two characters to represent the the meaning and to keep the length less than 10.

The numbers tell a tale of programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) firm entrenchment in control applications. For instance, hardware sales figures for 2001 show $80 million spent for open control (PCbased control), with $1.1 billion being spent on programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) solutions. Even as the trend is for both figures to grow by 2004, programmable logic controllers ( PLCs ) still have a sizable advantage over PCs.

Engineers these days are calling for networking capabilities. A programmable logic controllers ( PLCs ) are now low-cost dedicated controllers. They offer more processing power and have added networking capabilities with other programmable logic controllers ( PLCs ) through serial connections. A micro programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) has an Ethernet connection with optional DeviceNet or Profibus modules. So the total system is not just a stand-alone controller, but one that can network to bigger programmable logic controllers ( PLCs ). Also, increased processing speeds allow for any given programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) to do more. Because of these changes, the programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) remains a viable control option.

One trend is towards a so-called hybrid programmable logic controller ( PLCs ). These more common hybrid applications are challenging the capabilities of each control approach. Their number is growing because fewer applications are pure discrete or pure process installations. One example is a programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) on a board with sequence logic-controller functions. It plugs into a PC ISA slot and has the same programming and instruction set as a stand-alone programmable logic controller ( PLCs ). So if you already have a PC on the factory floor, you don’t need to buy a programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) in a box, just the board that plugs into the PC. It has a separate power supply so that if the PC crashes, the programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) keeps running. The board also has its own I/O connectors.

Another type of programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) is an industrially hardened gateway device. It comes with a number of ports and can be loaded with a soft programmable logic controller ( PLCs ). It has Ethernet, DeviceNet, and serial communications and serves as a bridge between protocols on the factory floor between legacy systems and current systems. For instance, data from serial devices such as bar code scanners can be connected to the gateway and through the soft programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) program.

After more than a decade of articles touting the benefits of PC-based control over a programmable logic controller and predictions of the PLC’s demise, this much is clear: both PCs and programmable logic controllers ( PLCs ) have their place in contemporary control systems. In many cases, they will work as a team.

In lower-end process industries such as food plants where the programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) is strongly entrenched, there is little interest in switching to PC-based control. The reason is the programmable logic controller’s ( PLCs ) suitability. Sequential logic control provided by a programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) is best suited for round-the-clock operations common in those industries. In particular, a programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) can offer repeatable, reliable control conducive to high-speed, repetitive processes. Dedicated performance and a high level of security are also benefits of a programmable logic controller (PLCs ). The packaging side of a food plant lends itself well to sequential logic control which makes a programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) the best choice for conveying and sorting applications.

Five years ago, the prediction was that PCs were going to take traditional programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) applications by storm. The reason they didn’t is that the programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) has continued to be a good, low-cost control option. For instance, a programmable logic controller ( PLCs ) with highspeed counter inputs, loop controls, analog points, and basic math calculations are available in the $200 to $400 range with 100 or more I/O and with options for expansion. On the other hand, even buying an inexpensive PC requires loading software, setting it up, and making sure it’s robust enough to not crash.

However, PC-based control has its merits. Specifically, it has greater number-crunching capability, more communication options, and is geared more toward data logging and trending, plant monitoring, report generation, and documentation. The key reasons to switch to PC-based control include networking the control system to higher-level applications such as ERP, handling complex mathematical applications such as vision inspection systems, and connecting to bar-code scanners, in-motion weigh scales, and other devices. In short, most users believe that when data must be transferred from the controller into a database for analysis, the transfer goes more smoothly when the data is already on a PC-based system.

Lucky

[tags]Lucky Bansal, Lucky, Lalit[/tags]

You probably didn’t casually invite, or extend a formal attendance request
to, these undesirables known as viruses.

Regardless of your opinions, such cyber-nomads may call on you, complete and
active, with their destructive payloads.

So what is a virus?

A virus is a program that can self replicate or reproduce itself.
These programmable pirates have a special talent for attaching themselves to
executable programmes. When such programmes are executed (often by you, but
not always), so is the virus.

They don’t necessarily have an “.exe” file extension and are relative
masters of disguise. Extensions can be doubled-up to create an optical
illusion or optically misleading appearance.

A boot sector virus is probably the worst in so far as it will upset the
normal loading of your operating system and therefore, disable your
computer. Pointers to your 0.S., can be overwritten, effectively, rendering
it to be non-existant. That’s never a good thing but not the end of the
world, however it seems.

Following, is an example of how devilishly deceptive these vindictive vermon
are, in their presentation

A friend of mine rang me last week in a distressed state, with news that her
I.S.P. was threatening to shut down her e-mail account because her computer
contained viruses affecting her outgoing mail This message seemed to come
from her provider but in fact was created by a worm (type of virus). The
e-mail was complete with the providers U.R.L., instructions to open its
attachment (which it claimed that it contained a free virus cleaner) and
even a password to access the attachment. This password could “swing” some
cautious people to believe that the attachment was legitimate. Indeed there
was only one mistake and it was that the e-mail in question was addressed to
“Dear account holder” and not her specific e-mail address.

What is often helpful in determining legitimatacy, is to simply check the
properties of the particular mail or e-letter. Where the “from” field can be
set to display any name(as spammers demonstrate), more info. via the
properties option, may help you to decide.

Attachments are potentially dangerous. You should train yourself to look for
such things, and not exclusively this. If you have a suspicion, ignore them.

If it seems an awful lot more important than account closure warnings
(family matters), then simply ring the addressee in question. Surely most
other matters can wait until office opening hours in cases where 24-hour
telephone support is not an option. Incidentally, the described worm is a
BAGLE variant and is currently in circulation and though it can be cleaned,
can also be disruptive.

Smallish text files can be copied and pasted into your e-mail client,
eliminating an unnecessary attachment. Doing this will increase the chances
of your friends recieving your mail as account providers can have automated
software that block mail outside certain perameters, and often legitimate
ones are blocked. The limitation when pasted directly into your client is
file size.

Incidentally, free and other accounts, in a bid to obliterate spam, can make
sucessful mail delivery a nightmare. An option is to put your
info./file/picture on some free webspace and simply e-mail the link to it.

Another virus infects your macros( a program,within a program that is
similar in delivery to predictive text), and is known as a macro virus and
affects the usability of associated files, which are usually files produced
using text editors or word processing programs.
Saving such files in R.T.F. or rich text format where you have an otpion, is
helpful. Turning your macros “off” could be considered, but their benefits
are lost and the virus has won, even before entry.

These are harmless enough and there is no need to freak out. A free cleaning
option is mentioned below.

If your great grandmother, untypically sends you software as an attachment,
and typically sends you a woolen sweater, then alarm bells should sound.

Anyone who depends on their P.C. as a tool and not a toy, needless to say,
should discourage forwarded jokes.These jokes can be time-consuming to read,
can be colossal in number, are often habitually forwarded, and not really
worth the threat. Believe me when I say that I’m opposite to a “killjoy” and
mean this, for semi-serious users who rely on their respective and respected
machines.

Consciously or unconsciously, forwarding is “viral”, and a perfect vechicle
to that end. While it is a very useful and functional tool, perhaps its’ use
could be limited to its’ initial purpose. Human interaction can contribute
to the propagation of “troublesome transients”. There are other ways to
communicate with your friends.

Of course, if you can afford it, you should get an anti-virus program.
Corporations, companies and anyone without financial restraint have such
programs updated continuously as no-one can predict when (in real time) that
some virus creator will decide to unleash his newest version. Previous virus
definitions are of little use in protecting against future viruses. Such
definitions describe the nature (how and where infection occurs) and an
engine is used to scan or locate and clean the infected files. Given the
reproductive properties of viruses, the amount of such infected files can be
enormous and sometimes they are files with particular extensions.

Regular domestic P.C. users should probably update their definitions weekly
and there are anti -virus software manufacturers that will scan your machine
for free (use your search engine) but it should be remembered that the virus
could already be in your machine at this stage. The program that you pay for
can block them at all entry points and is the nearest thing to protection.

Definitive protection requires you to connect to nothing, insert or install
nothing, network with no one, and perhaps swabbing your machine with an
industrial disinfectant. However, I would consider such measures to be
excessive and no way to live your productive life.

Wishing you the best of luck for the future, and may your connection with
these “malicious modem and medium migrants” be in the singular, as most of
us learn more diligently (not faster), through experience.

About The Author

Seamus Dolly is the webmaster of http://www.CountControl.com His background is in engineering and analogue electronics. His studies include A+, Net+ and Server+; seamus@countcontrol.com

[tags]virus,computer virus,computer worm,trojan,anti virus,internet worm,data security[/tags]

Passwords have been in use for different purposes over a long period of time. We are aware that in earlier times, sentries would not allow anyone inside a location if he failed to say the password. Today, we have to use passwords in different steps of our life. They are now used to control access to protected computer operating systems, mobile phones, ATMs, cable TV decoders, and a great many other applications. One who uses a computer on a regular basis has to use passwords for a number of purposes, like retrieving e-mail from servers, logins to computer accounts, accessing databases, networks, and web sites. You may even require a password if you want to read your newspaper online.

A password, however, does not necessarily have to be actual words. Passwords not formed out of actual words are difficult to guess, meaning they are safer and therefore more effective. One should note that passwords are often used to describe what can appropriately be called pass phrases. The term “pass code” sometimes means that the information used is purely numeric, such as the personal identification number (PIN) commonly used for ATM access. For the sake of convenience, passwords are usually kept short so that they could be easily memorized.

Password users should follow a few basic guidelines. First, be thoughtful when choosing a password. Avoid using persons, places or things that can be identified with you. They are often big giveaways.

Of course, you should never disclose or show your password to anyone. Your password is as valuable as whatever it protects. Take care that you always log off or lock your terminal before you leave it.

Change your password regularly. The longer you use a password, the greater the risk. Most important, report without delay if you suspect someone has tampered with your files.

Passwords provides detailed information on Best Passwords, Change Passwords, Password Generators, Password Protection and more. Passwords is affiliated with Electronic Keyboard.

[tags]Best Passwords, Change Passwords, Password Generators, Password Protection[/tags]

It is no secret that communication is key to survival for small business. The advantage to small busineses of using a VoIP solution is that the market is very competitive. While there are relatively few companies from which to choose for normal phone service, many VoIP providers will gladly offer VoIP phone service at a very competitive rate and with unlimited long distance.

But….you need to do your homework first.

Phone service features indispensable to your business, such as voicemail, conferencing and call waiting, allow business to flow smoothly and efficiently. So….how do you decide if a VoIP solution is best for your business?

One of the first steps when analyzing your current service is to decide what features your business needs. Does it need multiple lines to accommodate the sales force? What about a toll free number for customer service? Make a list of all the features your office uses and think about others you might want to try.

The next step is to make an estimate of all intrastate (in- state), interstate (state-to-state) and international calls. An easy way to estimate these numbers is to view a recent phone bill. You might be surprised at how large or small your call volume actually is. If you rely heavily on fax machines, consider the number of incoming and outgoing faxes. As you review these numbers, remember to consult growth projections for the rest of the year.

Once you’ve done all this…you’re ready to go comparison shopping.

Here’s some resources to help you do that:

* VoIP Comparison Reviews

VoIPReview does a good job comparing feature sets from each of the providers. Its user reviews seem a bit skewed, but otherwise the site looks good.

* ZDNet Reviews

ZDNet usually has objective reviews. Read through its commentary on any of the providers you are considering.

* Broadband Reports

Broadband reports has a specific area for review by users…with a regularly updated scoring system. It’s often skewed with a tad bit of emotion….and reviews are mostly residential. But it does give you an idea for business use.

* Google

I’m sure most of you already do this, but once you’ve figured out what you’re looking for, perform a search on companies on Google to see what others have said about it.

If you’re willing to do a bit more work, contact various providers and create your own comparison chart. You can begin your research by visiting voipreview.org. The site offers VoIP facts and reviews of various broadband phone service providers. Compare the business plans for different providers and research the various features offered with each plan. Also, make sure your current Internet connection can handle VoIP calls. The Web site testyourvoip.com will evaluate and score your Internet connection. You’ll know if it makes sense to run your phone traffic over your broadband connection.

Here is a list and description of the top ten (supposedly) VoIP providers (includes home plans for telecommuter staff).

- Axvoice

Axvoice has many plans for you to sign up. Unlimited call to USA/Canada plan costs $ 18.99 per month. Unlimited international & USA/Canada plan costs $29.99. Axvoice also has business plan starting from $ 39.99 per month.

- INVIVNI

INVIVNI has three plans, Residentials, Small Office, and Business. The Residential plan costs $24.95 per month. The Small Office plan costs $32.95 per month, and the Business plan costs is negotiable.

- VCInetwork

VCInetwork has three plans, Unlimited Long Distance :Home, Unlimited Long Distance: Business and 500 minutes to USA/Canada and Europe. Unlimited Long Distance : Home plan costs $28.95 per month. Unlimited Long Distance : Business plan costs $49.95 per month and 500 minutes to USA/Canada and Europe plan costs $14.50 per month.

- Skype

Skype is famous for their slogan, “The Whole World can Talk for Free”. Skype is a free download and users can make free calls via, Skype to Skype. For a fee, you can advance your Skype to Skype Out and make calls to landline phones. Skype In will let your choose your area code and phone number. This way, friends and relatives can call you locally, if you select the same area code. Skype is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, and Pocket Pc operating systems. Not really a good business solution.

- Vonage

Probably the most well known VoIP providers, you may be surprised to discover that Vonage is also one of the more expensive providers. Vonage offers two plans, residential and small business. Residential users may choose between the Basic 500 plan and Unlimited. The Basic 500 plan offers 500 minutes of talk time for $14.99 a month. The Premium Unlimited residential plan costs $24.99 per month.

The Small Business Basic plan costs $39.99 per month and allows 1500 minutes. The Small Business Unlimited plan costs $49.99 a month and provides unlimited calls throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

- Dialpad

Dialpad and Yahoo have merged services. Currently, Dialpad offers three plans- Dialpad Monthly 300, Dialpad Monthly 500, and Dialpad USA. The cost for Dialpad Monthly 300 is $7.50 per month, Dialpad Monthly 500 costs $9.99 per month, and Dialpad USA costs $11.99 per month.

- Broadvox Direct

Broadvox Direct offers residential and small business services. Their residential services include the Residential Choice Plus plan for $9.95 per month. The Residential Choice Plus plan includes 100 outbound minutes and unlimited incoming minutes. Their Residential Unlimited Plan costs $29.95 a month and includes unlimited calling anywhere in the US and Canada. The SoHo Small Business Regional Plan costs $34.95 per month and includes 1500 monthly minutes in the US and in Canada. The SoHo Small Business Unlimited Plan costs $44.95 per month and includes unlimited calls in the US and Canada and also includes a free fax line and Yellow Page listing.

- Galaxy Voice

Galaxy Voice offers two plans, Residential and Business. Their residential plan costs $19.95 a month and includes unlimited calling, Voicemail, Caller Id, Call Waiting, Call Return, Three Way Calling, and Call Forwarding. Their business plan costs $39.95 per month and includes unlimited calling, Free Voice Mail, Free Call Transfer, Free Call Forwarding, Free Repeat Dialing, and Free Caller ID block.

- Voice Pulse

Voice Pulse has three plans, America Unlimited, Local Unlimited +200, and Business Unlimited. The America Unlimited plan costs $24.99 per month. The Local Unlimited +200 costs $14.99 per month, and the Business Unlimited costs $45.99 per month.

- VoIP American

VoIP American has three different plans. These are the VoIP American PBX plan, the VoIP American Voice plan and the VoIP American bVoice plan. The VoIP American PBX plan cost $19.99 a month for a private line and $44.99 a month for unlimited calling. The VoIP Voice Residential Basic plan costs $14.99 per month and the VoIP Voice Residential Unlimited plan costs $29.99 per month. The bVoice Business plan costs $34.99 per month.

- Packet 8

Packet 8 not only offers phone plans, but they also offer videophone plans. Their residential plans are the Freedom International and Freedom Unlimited. Both of these plans cost $19.99 per month. [note: currently they're running a special for $9.95 per month for your 1st 3 months.] The Videophone plan is the Freedom Unlimited and that too is $19.99 per month. Their business plans consists of three different plans. These are the Virtual Office service plans, the Virtual Attendant Service plans, and the Business Phone Service plans. The Virtual office phone plan costs $39.95 per month, the Virtual Attendant service plan costs $14.95 per month, and the Business Attendant service plan costs $34.95 per month.

- Sun Rocket

Sun Rocket offers their signature service for either $24.95 per month or $199.00 per year.

- Speakeasy

Speakeasy offers many different plans ranging from Home Office, Small Office I, Small Office II, and Small Business. Their Home Office plan costs 79.90 per month, the Small Office I plan costs $560.00 per month, the Small Office II plan costs 1,039 per month and the Small Business plan costs $2,349 per month.

Analyzing phone service is often a real headache. However, unreliable line quality, which results in poor customer service and huge monthly bills are even worse. In the end, doing your research will pay dividends for your business. Personally, I have no reservations recommending Packet8 for your business VoIP solution right now. However, go through the above steps first for your own peace of mind…..you’ll likely reach the same conclusion.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire
Communications….including Business-VoIP-Solution. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you’re always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, resources, and insights.

[tags]voip, business voip, commercial voip, enterprise voip, voip providers, small business voip solution[/tags]

Online collaboration has begun to evolve from just being the Wow factor to something core that every business has to invest and have a plan for. Internet has changed the way we work and live, it has made virtual offices and work from homes possible. Web conferencing is one big tool that increases the productivity of the employees and the company as such. There are multiple products in this web collaboration segment out there from companies starting with Cisco, Microsoft to PresentPlus.com. These online conferencing products enable live meetings to happen in a virtual conference room. This is a Sci-Fi dream just a few decades ago, now it is a reality in high resolution video beamed across continents. The advent of high speed Internet and fantastic QoS (Quality of Service) implementations in the backbone networks has enabled these highly productive multimedia conferences. Typical conferences has always included a dull one way non-interactive lecture style over the phone meetings, remember Charlie’s Angels. Now it has evolved into something highly feature rich and highly productive.

Web conferences “NOW” enable online sharing of your presentation material and additional documentation that is needed for the meeting. Additionally it provides the collaboration aspects like shared white boards and live synchronized presentations. The other main core components are the audio, video and text collaboration. The traditional PBX audio has been replaced with the reach VOIP audio features and video has evolved from dull one ways to active speaker- grid solutions. Video has evolved so well that now you can have custom views for each person in the conference, each person can choose the endpoints or cameras they want to watch in addition to the capabilities like automatically getting the video from the active speaker in the conference. One of the much used features is the integrated text chats with emoticons. What a fantastic feature this is, along with the public chat modules the users get to have their own private chats. While you are in the online meeting you can chat with your co-worker on specific questions and get something cleared without interrupting the overall meeting. This is one thing that is uniquely possible in online conferences which is really an annoyance in real face to face meetings. How many times have you really wanted the mute button for the private conversation between 2 guys in a group meeting in parallel to the main speaker? This text capability has found really some interesting and useful twists like real time polling and online question submissions. Think about it, you can keep sending the questions you want to be answered in the final Q/A as and when it strikes you. These are typically added to a queue which can feed as the source for the Q/A session that typically follows the preso or meeting. This is very useful in lecture style meetings. Enough said about the features and let’s take a quick look at the business side of things.

Web conferencing products allow the businesses to setup virtual global office ready to meet with business prospects and clients at any time anywhere. When I say anywhere I mean contact any one through these online collaboration products having a rich experience like the face to face meeting without the costly Flight and Hotel expenses. These also present a great opportunity to telecommute without distancing yourself from your colleagues. More so often it happens that folks who telecommute are forgotten by most colleagues, these video and other real time capabilities gets these telecommuters closer to the rest of the team. One of the killer uses is webcasting which is organizing live events and broadcasting these events to employees and customers who are not able to attend the event. This is added with the capability to record these meetings with unlimited playbacks. Without much investment in terms of capital equipment you can get them as online services on a need basis from some of the good companies. One such company with many web conferencing offerings is presented to you below.

Author suggests PresentPlus.com as one of the key enablers for your company to get web conferencing products and web conferencing services. This web conferencing superstore sports many great offerings like the ultimate visual teleconference which you need to take a look to see how these would make your company more productive. Author does freelancing for many great companies and can be reached at “indyan @ gmail .com” for all your content needs.

[tags]web conferencing, webcast, webinar, webconferencing, web conferencing services, presentplus.com[/tags]

The insecure nature by which data is transferred through a network between an FTP server and a client computer has made it necessary to create software that can make the transfer more secure. Given the importance of the information that is transferred among large companies, which involves large amounts of money, it is vital that confidentiality is protected. The software that has been developed uses different systems to protect the information that is being transferred.

Some security software used in FTP provides both the FTP server and the client computer with software that will secure the data that is uploaded or downloaded. Other software also provides encryption technology as to further secure the information and to prevent others from viewing the files that have just been transferred. The information on this software is not “transferred,” so as not to be seen by others; rather it is used to protect the information while the transfer is being done. It does so by activating software that will accept, validate, and secure incoming connections and file transfers. The software will also be able to monitor and analyze file-transfer activity with real-time reports and alerts and provide receipts of the transfers made for record purposes. Such software can be used on Windows and other operating systems as well, which makes it very practical and cost-efficient.

With the security issue of file transfers slowly being resolved, the importance of such technology will further be highlighted as it becomes a vital part in the operations of various companies.

File Transfer provides detailed information on File Transfer, File Transfer Protocols, Secure File Transfers, Large File Transfers and more. File Transfer is affiliated with File Sharing Programs.

[tags]Secure File Transfers[/tags]

The key to overcoming client cost concerns is to focus on value and return on investment (ROI), rather than expenses. While every one of your computer consulting business prospects and clients will have a different way of defining “expensive” and “affordable”, it’s crucial that you show how your proposed networking solution is anything but expensive.

Learn from Example

For example, a local insurance agency, with 11 employees and PCs, runs a combination of Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional and Microsoft Windows XP Professional desktop and notebook PCs. The agency is about to “hire” three new independent agents (pseudo or virtual employees).

Each agent currently gets their own analog modem line, modem, and ISP dial-up account once he or she has been with the company for at least 90 days. In the U.S., this means each agent will incur about $25/month for an analog line — plus message units.

Illustrate Costs to the Client

So with 40 hours/week of Internet access, this ratchets the cost of the analog line up to about $60/month. Then add around $20/month for a dial-up ISP account. So for these 14 agents and employees, your computer consulting business’ prospect spends upwards of $1,100/month for analog lines and dial-up ISP accounts.

If your computer consulting business prospect uses no other feature in your proposed networking solution besides centrally managed, shared, secure high-speed Internet access, the prospect’s networking investment would pay for itself within a matter of months.

Illustrate the Benefits to the Client

In addition, the prospect gains the benefits of a central point of control, administration, and monitoring over Internet usage.

So in reality, the prospect really can already “afford” your computer consulting business’ proposed networking solution as you’ve shown how consolidated Internet access will bring about a return on investment in a matter of months.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, PC Support Tips .com. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg helps small business technology providers get more steady, high-paying PC support clients. Sign-up now to get your free access to Joshua’s field-tested, proven secrets for generating more monthly recurring service-contract-revenue with PC Support Tips.

[tags]computer-consulting-business, computer consulting business[/tags]

Imagine phones (that look like regular phones as we-know-it-today) connecting to the Internet via an Ethernet jack (similar to a PC) instead of the phone plug on the wall. These are called IP-based phones. These phones do not use analog phone lines - instead they get connected to the Internet. One would pick up the receiver and make a phone call just as it is done today and VoIP converts the human voice into IP packets (data similar to email data) and pushes it out through the Internet to the phone switch where it is terminated. In a nut shell, VoIP digitalizes voice into data packets, sending them and reconverting them back into voice at destination.

What are the benefits of VoIP and why you should consider it? To compete effectively in the eWorld, a decent businesses infrastructure MUST HAVE two essential components: A High-speed Internet connection and a sophisticated phone system.

Up until now, to build a solid infrastructure, small businesses had to spend lots of money for having multiple phone lines, perhaps an 800 line, fax line, credit card machine, to name a few. These days the ONLY essential component to worry about is having a reliable high-speed Internet connection. Connectivity can be addressed with either cable or DSL service (typically $250 per month) through cable providers such as Comcast, RCN, etc. and DSL can be provided through the Verizons of the world. The good news is that with the arrival of VoIP, there is no need to pay a dime for multiple phone lines, any phone system (PBX), any local/long distance calls, phone maintenance, etc. At 30% to 50% less than the cost of a typical phone system, a VoIP system will provide a more sophisticated system with increased functionality than any analog phone system. It offers an enterprise-level system that was affordable ONLY by fortune 500 companies. Now small businesses can compete like big corporations at a fraction of the cost!

Small businesses are beginning to realize that IP-based phone system streamlines their communications needs and their call flow in ways that was not possible a year ago. As a result they can improve the customer experience and combined with wireless IP communications, employees can become completely mobile. The beauty of it is that IP enables the phone to be anywhere - this is a perfect solution for companies with remote/satellite offices who wish to have one uniform phone system for all employees regardless of their location.

There’s a whole list of benefits unlocked by VoIP beyond the obvious. One of the most important advantages of using VoIP is reliable continuity. Imagine having a system that can stay operational through the Sept. 11 attacks in New York, or the August blackout and a whole list of building failures by the central phone system. In a typical VoIP system the main elements of the network are offsite, they’re automatically protected from these sort of issues. Another benefit is, unlike a traditional phone system [Time-Division Multiplexed TDM], where the environment is a common point of failure, in a VoIP it is very easy to put in redundancy in which all clients connect to the outside world by more than one path. This guarantees phone connectivity and no call is ever lost.

IP telephony lowers the costs of communications system tremendously while increases productivity in more ways than one. Consider a world where ALL communications, including eMail, voice messages, conference calls, and/or even wireless devices can be integrated through a single system where employees, no matter of the location, can be contacted. For companies with multiple locations, VoIP system can eliminate the need for several receptionists - which is growing in popularity.

The benefits of VoIP are endless. It eliminates the need for having an expensive PBX system; it saves time and resources associated with the maintenance & supporting such systems; it removes the hassle of dealing with phone companies; on and on while offering a superior phone system at 30 to 50% of the cost.

Hadi Shavarini is the General Manager and co-founder of Blue Robin Inc.- Building eBusiness Infrastructures. Blue Robin offers cost effective enterprise-level VoIP systems. Hadi Shavarini has been involved with VoIP development since 2002. http://www.bluerobininc.com

[tags]VoIP, Voice over IP, Voice over Internet Protocal, IP-based phone, web-based Auto Attendant[/tags]

So you’ve decidied to get yourself a cool broadband connection and are wondering what fun things you can do with it now that you are about to consign your dusty old dial up connection into the dustbin of history.here are my top ten suggestions which are not in any particular order of merit:

1. Play cool games online against other people in real time on gaming websites. Hey you be warnedapparently you can get addicted to this! Battling it out against other players from across the world in real time will keep you amused for ages.

2. Watch streaming music videos at much better quality and with greater ease than you could before, and while we are on the subject, a great place to watch music videos for free is Yahoo Music at http://uk.launch.yahoo.com You can even create your own video channel based on your favorite bands and singers!

3. Download music and listen to streaming tunes at lightning speed compared to your old diap up tortoise!

4. Watch movie trailers at maximum quality to help you decide which films you would like to see at the cinema or on dvd and which ones you would rather sandpaper your toenails than go see!

5. Watch live webcasts, internet tv and short films online.

6. Listen to a choice of hundreds of streamimg radio stations for free whilst you surf the web.

7. If you are feeling nosey, you can now easily watch thousands of webcams set up around the world, so you can see whats going on in London England or Sydney Australia.

8. Watch the latest, greatest sporting action, sports news and more online at http://www.eurosport.com

9. Become a member of Second Life which is a huge 3d chat network and online game all at the same time. They have over 122,000 members and you can make friends, chat online, build your own 3d dream house on your own virtual land and even start a business such as a virtual nightclub or shop! Second Life even has its own currency which can be converted to and from real money! They say some people spend all day on this sitewow. Why not check it out at http://www.secondlife.com

10. Download software, games and other cool stuff so quickly, you will be wondering how you managed without broadband connection all this time

Jose Miguel Poza runs a website dedicated to helping you find a good deal on getting a broadband connection, so if you want to get broadband or switch to a better deal, please visit http://www.broadbandserviceprovidersguide.co.uk

[tags]broadband,broad,band,connection,[/tags]