and

Grow or Die, the Choice is Yours

by

Authors: Guest Writer

Guest Post by Ronn Hanley:
My home based clients don’t do business with me because I know more than they do about computers, networks, and servers – there’s always someone who knows more about those things and my clients know it.

They do business with me because I insist on making the interactions with them reasonably pleasant.  They are happy to see me coming and know that I’ve helped them in the past and will do what I can to help them now.  Many of them understand that I can’t solve every problem, but they’ve grow to understand that I will do my best.  I make it clear to them that they aren’t simply numbers on a spread sheet.  I enjoy helping even when things are blowing up in our faces and the world appears determined to stay in disaster mode.

Here’s the problem though, on average, home based businesses can’t offer enough work to build and sustain a full-fledged business – a business that I can use to act as an employer to others.  Don’t misunderstand, I know that there are brick and mortar stores that have built a reputation for working on systems brought from people’s homes, but realistically, how many home users or even small offices have the capital to pay for recurring managed services?

A few weeks ago I was working on an idea to help me get new business and something occurred to me.

I’ve been maintaining a bit of a fiction (I’ll explain in a bit).  There are two ways to look at how you are doing business.  If you’re like me, you’re the chief cook and bottle washer.  You’re also the head steward, bean counter and sole tax payer.  This is fine in the short term, but this method – known as working IN the business, is just that, short term.  It’s not sustainable in the long run.

The primary reasons it’s not sustainable are pretty plain, there isn’t enough of you or hours in the day to go around.  It really doesn’t matter how much you bill per hour, over the course of months or years you will eventually burn out and then where is your business?

When I say that I’ve been maintaining a fiction this is what I mean.  I realized a while back that I can’t keep up this pace for long.  Where I need to be is developing new business leads and products.  I need to be sitting down and creating proposals for new clients and building stronger relationships with existing clients.  I need to employ others to help grow this thing I’m doing.  This is known as working ON the business and it’s what a true entrepreneur is all about.  The other method is just being ‘the computer guy’.

But NONE of that will happen the way I am doing things now.  I am spending 10 to 12 hours per day working IN the business.  Yes, I’m making money and taking care of my family, but like I said earlier, it’s not sustainable. I hope that you’re in business to do more than make money; hopefully you’re trying to build something that didn’t exist before, something that will last and be a benefit to your community.  In my opinion, that’s the true purpose of small businesses around the world.

I came up with the concept of Grow Or Die two weeks ago and put those words on a piece of paper on the wall right behind my center monitor.  It’s the first thing I see when I boot up in the morning and the last thing I see when I go to bed at night.

Kind of melodramatic?

Perhaps.

But consider this, if my business isn’t growing what is it doing?  If I’m not growing, what am I doing?

Look at the following facts:

  • The SBA and Census Bureau both report that on average 1 in 3 businesses fail in their first three years. (I start year three this coming January)
  • Some of the reasons for failures are poor marketing, poor business planning, poor management, and lack of clear objectives. (Ummm… yep)
  • Some small businesses fail because the owner fails to understand and adapt when their market changes causing them to get overtaken by their competition or lose too many customers too quickly. (Watching it happen to local businesses as I write this.)

Some or all of these things could quickly end my business or your business and put us right back in line looking for a job.  And, really, who wants that?

Guest Post by Ronn Hanley: Ronn is a technology enthusiast from way back, during the dark ages of the Arpanet and the Purple monochrome monitor screens. His first computer was a Commodore PET and his first laptop was the size of a suitcase. Despite that, he loves computers and technology to distraction and has been working in the tech world for almost 10 years full time, currently as the owner of a Desktop and Network support company in Atlanta, Georgia.

© Technibble – A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit.

image image

image

Read more:

Kill the Employee Mindset or your Business is Doomed

by

Authors: Guest Writer

Guest Post by Ronn Hanley:
On paper my business is three years old.

In reality, it began more than 30 years ago.

The desire to own my own business isn’t new. I’ve always known that I have less control of destiny if I work for someone else. The problem is, early education, a large portion of average home life and life’s general experience doesn’t prepare you for being your own boss.

When I started my company, I did everything wrong. I gave away time and service for free. I sometimes forgot previous scheduling and had to backpedal after realizing that being in two places at the same time really is impossible. I obsessed over having to tell clients no. Despite all of this, I managed to survive by realizing that beginners have a lot to learn and trying to give myself a break.

Despite all of my ‘growth pains’ one constant thought has run through the whole process of getting to where I am now. I’ve made it a goal to be mindful that I’m doing something outside of my ‘training’.

Early life and school seem to be designed to turn us into good little automatons. We’re told to get good grades, do the right (safe) thing, graduate and then join the workforce. We’re taught to do our best for the group. Individuality is frowned upon in most instances. I’m not saying its like this for everyone, but for the great majority of us, it is.

When you start a business, no matter what kind it is, it’s very possible you are attempting to break out of 15 to 20 years of indoctrination. If you spend time in the workforce before starting the business, the problem is even worse.

When I started my company, I had been an ‘employee’ for 30 years. All I knew was how to ‘wait’ for work to be brought to me. Like most employees, I was somewhat proactive, but I never really went out of my way to do things. This was the result of being burned for trying to think outside the box in corporate settings.

My biggest issue to overcome – and if its your’s as well, you’ll understand – is putting the employee mindset in its proper place.

I’ve consistently caught myself saying WE towards my clients, as if I were something more than a vendor. It’s hard wired into me to make myself part of the ‘group’.

On the face of it, the mindset isn’t a bad thing. I’m able to quickly acclimate myself to whatever setting I find myself in. It allows me to connect to my client and get the job done faster with less awkwardness.

The problem is, once its time to sever that cord and move on to the next job or client, I sometimes run into an emotion wall. This issue tends to show up with my long term clients or for those that I have intense daily interactions. I tend to blur the lines of what a client should be. I look at the client more like a co-worker than what they truly are – a client that’s paying me for a project or my services. I’ve never noticed this issue with clients I don’t have daily interaction.

My largest client is also my oldest. In a lot of ways they are more like a job than a client. I know their goals, strengths and weaknesses. And I honestly wonder if I should know what I know about this client. If I’m just supposed to be a vendor, shouldn’t I keep it in the realm of – do a job, invoice them and keep it moving?

But that’s not what happens. I find myself emotionally entangled with their company goals and problems. During meetings or jobs I find myself saying WE a lot.

And this was my original point. The WE comes from my training to be a good team player. 30 years in corporate and private America has left its mark on me. Chances are you have a similar story.
If you’re wired this way you have to be actively aware every day that a certain distance is necessary – this means home user clients as well as businesses.

It doesn’t mean you have to be some kind of emotionless machine. Your clients are people who need to see the confidence and humanity you bring to the table as a problem solver. BUT the minute you violate that boundary you set yourself up for all kinds of problems. Their issues aren’t your issues (to the extent that their issues don’t interfere with your ability to do what they contracted you for).

I remember a conversation I had with the very first IT contractor I ever met. I was working for a heating and cooling company in Portland, Oregon and he had come by to fix some computers. During a break, I found myself talking to him and I mentioned a problem that we were having in the office. He stopped me before I really got going and said – “Please don’t tell me about the problems here, I don’t involve myself with my clients internal issues. I don’t have the time or energy for it.”

At the time I thought he was being an arrogant jerk, but now, all of these years later, owning my own business, I get it.

Your business lives or dies based on the way you conduct yourself around clients. I don’t mean just acting like a professional, I mean actively keeping yourself from getting drawn in and sidetracked by clients internal issues. I can’t imagine a faster way to reach burnout than ignore the trained in employee mindset while you’re trying to build a business.

A few things I do to help me ‘keep it real’ include:

  • Plan for my business to solve problems for more than one client. If I wanted to help only one entity I’d get a job.
  • Realize that my clients have issues have NOTHING to do with the growth and continued operation of my company. (I know this sounds like Duh, but its harder than it looks when you truly care.)
  • Realize that my clients can only see within their own little world. As a business owner I have to see in different spectrum’s.
  • Stay mindful that my employee mindset is a trained response and its stronger than it seems
  • Remind myself (sometimes daily) that one client won’t pay the bills or allow for me to grow this business to what it could be, no matter how nice they are or how much they seem to need me.

Good luck.

Guest Post by Ronn Hanley: Ronn is a technology enthusiast from way back, during the dark ages of the Arpanet and the Purple monochrome monitor screens. His first computer was a Commodore PET and his first laptop was the size of a suitcase. Despite that, he loves computers and technology to distraction and has been working in the tech world for almost 10 years full time, currently as the owner of a Desktop and Network support company in Atlanta, Georgia.

© Technibble – A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit.

image image

image

Read more:

Protecting Your Clients from Device Theft

by

Authors: Micah Lahren

Most businesses that work with sensitive data and have multiple workstations or servers also make use of alarm systems and theft protection services in case of attempted theft. However, many businesses are growing exponentially and constantly send out traveling representatives to do demonstrations or make business contacts. Others are of a mobile nature and require constant travel, often with devices containing the materials for the demonstrations or other sensitive data such as trade secrets or promotional information. As users of mobile devices increase, and dependence on them increases, the loss or theft of such devices are becoming increasingly common, not to mention costly. In some cases, the actual value of the device stolen may be chump change compared with the value of the information on the device and the disruption to business operations. How can you protect your tech clients from device theft, information theft from their device, and potentially assist in recovery of their device?

There have been several anti-theft solutions floating around for some years, some of them paid services, others completely free but offering limited features, while some only offer a 30 day trial period. One service that stands head and shoulders above the rest while maintaining free and open source status is known as Prey. While offering a free service, they offer ‘Pro’ services for an exceptionally reasonable cost, which include more features as well as a higher degree of service. All ‘Pro’ plans contain the same extra features, but are based on how many computers your client wants to track with that one account.

Protecting Your Clients from Device Theft

If you are worried that Prey won’t work on your client’s device, have no fear. Prey can be installed on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and even has a specialized version for Ubuntu. While there are other free solutions for Android and iOS, which I’ll refer to later, it can’t hurt to have more than one in case one of the theft protection solutions is detected by the thief, and disabled. With multi-platform support like this, your client can track a laptop, smartphone, and tablet, all from one account. The free version offers 10 reports per device, WiFi and GPS geolocation services, and offers data protection features such as onscreen remote alerts, lockdown, alarm triggers, and will wipe sensitive data from the device if your client chooses that feature.

The ‘Pro’ versions include 100 reports per device, on-demand activation, report frequency at a rate of up to one report every 2 minutes, and keeps a record of your client’s device checking in periodically. It scans your client’s device hardware for changes, and automatically updates by remote. Included in the many features mentioned is access to automated installers which make installing on multiple devices much easier, bypassing the need to manually set them all up one by one.

Protecting Your Clients from Device Theft

What do the reports include? The Geolocation feature will show your client where on the map their device is, down to the exact coordinates on a Google Map capture. The Network feature will detect nearby networks and detect location based on nearby networks, hotspots, active connections, and a trace route. The Session feature gets a screenshot of what the thief is doing on the device, notifies you of modified files, and running programs. Last in the free service list of features is the Webcam option, which takes stealthy pictures of the thief at the stolen device.

Protecting Your Clients from Device Theft

One warning about the webcam feature on devices with little lights that turn on when the webcam starts up: this may notify the thief that the device is taking pictures, and it may alert them to the fact they are being tracked. On the other hand, the short time the light actually turns on is not very noticeable, unless you’re actually looking for it and know what’s taking place. The average thief will probably not notice or may not realize what the light signifies, allowing your client to track their ‘prey’ unnoticed.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a slight problem with Ubuntu 12.04 taking screenshots of what’s going on, on the screen, when the device is reported missing. I’m sure this will be patched up soon, and while that feature seems to be an issue at the moment, the rest of the report is more than sufficient to track the stolen device down. The screenshot feature may be useful in case the thief tries to log into a social network that displays their name or other personally identifiable information, but may not always be useful in recovery. All in all, for a free service with all those great features, I heartily recommend it to you for protecting your clients from device theft.

There are other solutions for specific platforms, but they are limited in functionality. For example, ‘Find My iPhone’ enables you to find your missing iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, display a message, play a sound, remotely lock it, or erase data on it, but only if you access the app from another iOS device. If your client loses their iPhone and doesn’t have another iOS device, hopefully they can find a friend that does, or they might have a problem.

Another handy app for Android devices is called Android Lost. It can read the latest SMS messages from the device and send them to an email address, activate a remote control alarm, view the device location on a map, lock it, and even send SMS messages from a PC to the device. Remote messages can be sent to the device in case some friendly soul has located the device and wishes to return it. On the other hand, the device may contain sensitive data, and the device can be wiped of all SMS data, contacts, and Google setup configurations. Calls can be forwarded, the SD card can be erased, notifications of SIM card changes will be sent via email, and a list of all incoming and outgoing calls will be sent to the owner of the device as well. The camera can also be utilized for taking pictures of the thief, and the phone can still be accessed and data retrieved via the internet. Multiple phones can be used on the same account, and from all the features, you can see why this app is very useful for protecting your clients from device theft.

Some of us have never had our devices stolen, and we’ve never given it a second thought, until a fellow Tech or workmate has lost their device or had it stolen, or a client comes in to get a new device because their device has been lost or stolen. It’s imperative to take preventive measures before the chance becomes reality, and protecting your clients from device theft is an important measure of security in the Tech sector that shouldn’t be neglected.

© Technibble – A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit.

image image

image

Read more:

Why Technology Alone Doesn’t Sell Itself

by

Authors: Derrick Wlodarz

If you build it, he will come. Or so goes the famous quote. I see this phrase as a metaphor guiding the recommendations of some solely profit-driven technicians in the computer repair and tech industry at large. Technology before purpose; technology above emotion; and the misnomer that technology sells itself.

These are all misguided principles in a digital age that is only becoming more entrenched both in work and personal aspects of life. While some companies, like Apple, can get away with creating blind demand for product, computer repair technicians need to follow more logical approaches to consulting their customers to avoid becoming seen as mere salesman at a big box retailer, itching for every dollar of margin they can drive.

Let’s face it. Budgets aren’t limitless. People’s emotions play a big part into how they purchase technology. And this is the heart of the reason why some customers will agree to pay for certain services over others. No matter how logical or clear something may seem to a technician, unless a certain need is filled by a piece of technology, its value is non-existent to a potential customer.

Time and time again, my company FireLogic is called in to clean up situations where technology was blindly installed to fill unwanted needs or to disproportionately replace other technology before it. This approach is very close to that of what smooth talking car salesman are good at doing. Up-selling vehicles with features people don’t need, or inflating the perceived needs gap so that people fall victim into purchasing more car than they originally intended. Computer repair technicians are in the business of not just pushing product – they are called on to provide unbiased, experienced judgement for the computing needs of individuals and businesses.

Don’t overlook customer emotions

I learned this fact the hard way after a proposed customer project fell flat before takeoff. We properly made the business, technical, and financial case for why a critical piece of software would be better suited being moved and upgraded to a different industry-standard platform. In the end, it doesn’t matter what system they were coming from or supposed to move to because ultimately the project sputtered before any proposal was approved.

What we clearly misjudged was the emotion that went into the product that the customer was using. The piece of software happened to be implemented and supported by a good friend of the customer, and even though our solution was cheaper, faster, and future-proofed, it didn’t matter in the end. The customer had an emotional tie to the platform which extended beyond the technical specs and bottom line surrounding the project. We could have pushed our case (and won) with almost any other business owner. But there was baggage that had to be realized here, and as a result, we backed away and considered it a dead end.

Don’t be afraid to concede defeat to a customer’s emotion. It’s a battle that, no matter how great new tech can be, will never win the hearts and minds of every customer you serve.

Perceived benefit doesn’t always match realized benefit

Hybrid cars are great money savers on gas – until you realize that you won’t actually recoup the initial investment until years after usage. On-premise servers don’t require a subscription like cloud services require – but their licensing and maintenance costs can easily change a business owner’s mind. The problem with technicians that trumpet technology specs above all else is that don’t have a macro view of the customer’s perspective.

I personally love technology and enjoy getting wrangled into discussions about why one concept is better than another. But when it comes to consulting customers, there is no such thing as an “obvious” answer. When coming up with proposals to meet customer needs, I put myself in their shoes to see what their perspective is on a given need. What do they want to spend? What will suit them best for the long term? What’s more than just cool – but actually gets the job done in the given budget and is proven to work as advertised? If you’re merely out supporting one brand’s products because you happen to be receiving commission on sales, then you’re going to lose the trust of your customers sooner or later.

A well-informed technician is able to wade through the distortion field that exists in many aspects of our industry and filter out the knowledge that a customer needs to make an informed decision. The closer you can match realized and perceived benefits, the better your repeat business and referrals will end up being. It’s a proven recipe that works.

Even great technology can still suck

Google Wave was a technology full of promise. It mended the gap between email and other forms of IM, and looked to create a landscape of messaging that was truly email on steroids. It died before it ever went primetime. The same fate fell on the Palm Foleo. If we want to be technically accurate, it was the first true Netbook before Asus’ EEE became a household name.

What do all of these infamous technologies have in common? They met needs which no customers needed filled at the time. To the same extent, they represented a perception gap with their intended audience. Reality just didn’t match up with what the developers expected customers to believe. As technicians, we need to be mindful that just because some technology is great, that doesn’t mean it sells itself. That is, good tech requires purpose and proven need in order to fully satisfy a customer’s desires. Too many times when I see overbearing technology pushed on customers by former IT support companies, it makes me wonder where the technicians’ real allegiance sat: with that of the customer or that of their vendor.

Some of the points I touched on this article were directly pulled from my formal writeup on how to manage customer hardware and software lifecycles which is a great read as well. The biggest thing to remember here is that we need to keep our audience (aka clients) in mind before recommending technology. Even the greatest technologies out on the market can be useless to someone who has no emotional desire for it, or that doesn’t provide the ROI they were looking for.

Either way, as technicians, we are considered the first line of defense when it comes to recommendations and implementation of good solutions. If we break that trust with our customers, our consulting roles will merely be reduced to that of a disposable commodity – up for bid to the lowest priced technician. Technology isn’t always the solution; sometimes it becomes the hindrance for progress.

© Technibble – A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit.

image image

image

Read more:

Five Steps to Keeping Existing Clients in the Tech Industry

by

Authors: Micah Lahren

We’ve all lost clients from time to time, some of them very valuable. While it may not have been something we did, or something we didn’t do, it’s just one of those things that hurts business, and something we should keep to a minimum if at all possible. Clients switch from service to service sometimes because they hear of a discount, and often they find that service not up to par with the service you provide, and they call you back and resume business with you. Sometimes they never call back, and that’s where you can take the initiative. But the burning issue of the hour is: How can you make sure you are keeping existing clients, and not losing them due to some lack of effort on your part?

Be Willing and Attentive

Clients are often impressed by a willing attitude. If you sound like you’re not looking forward to working with them, the feeling may be mutual. If you show a willing attitude in your voice and countenance, they’ll be much more likely to look forward to doing business with you again, and might even refer you to their associates and friends. Be attentive to their descriptions of the issues they’re describing, and help them out when they find difficulty explaining exactly what is wrong. Often, people pretend they’re listening when they’re not, and falling into that trend isn’t a good practice. Basically, make the client feel they are important to you and your business, that they are your ‘number one’ client, and they’ll be much more likely to call you back for repeat work.

Be Punctual

If you say you’ll be there by 3:30, be there by 3:30. If you’re running late due to an absolutely unforseen emergency, notify them as soon as you can, so they can adjust their schedule accordingly. Punctuality is one of those pet peeves for many people, and causes them no end of frustration. Repeatedly being late for appointments is enough for some clients to pull the plug on your relationship. It’s just another way of showing respect to the client as well. You’ve got things to do, and so do they, and they don’t want to have to wait around while you get there. Punctual workers often get repeat work because they’re dependable, and that’s very important in the business sector. Keeping your appointments is a good step toward keeping existing clients satisfied with your service.

Be Honest

This pretty much goes without saying. This is probably one of the most important things in your relationship with your clients. Honesty is one of the most valuable assets in the workforce, and when it’s missing, the work will disappear as well. This applies to charges on invoices, clear descriptions of work performed, billed hours, honesty regarding parts purchased, replaced, and repaired. If they find something has been less than truthful between you and them, don’t expect them to call you again. On the other hand, if you’re consistently honest in your business dealings, you’ll be much more likely to get repeat work and referrals. I can’t emphasize this enough. Honesty is very important!

Be Respectful and Courteous

This is also a very important aspect of the client relationship. Don’t badmouth clients to other clients, word can get around quickly, and you’ll find yourself at odds with other clients. Then those clients will start to wonder what you’ve said about them to other clients, and before you know it, you’ve lost the respect and trust of a whole chain of referred clients. If you’re interested in keeping existing clients happy with you and your service, show them the same respect you would expect from them, and you can’t go wrong.

Also, some clients aren’t as tech savvy as many technicians, and they may not know all the terms we use to describe parts and computer issues, and that’s not their fault. Everybody has their area of expertise, and while a mechanic can’t tell you what’s wrong with his computer, he can tell you what’s wrong with your car and fix nearly any problem it could have. So be respectful and courteous, and don’t belittle a client or speak with a condescending attitude. It’s easy to pick up, and it’s not likely they’ll call you back unless they are absolutely desperate. If you show them decent respect, they’ll be very likely to refer you to others and call you back for more work.

Give Bonuses

This is more or less optional, but it’s a good idea. If you’ve kept track of how long clients have been with you, or how many calls you’ve made on them, implement a bonus based on how many calls or how many years they’ve been a client. Perhaps you could offer a free light computer clean-up, or optimization. You could also offer some sort of discount on their invoice. This is also the type of bonus that is likely to get passed around by word of mouth. If they find out you give discounts based on how long clients have been with you, and good discounts at that, they’ll tell all their friends and associates so they can get good deals too. This can result in a lot of extra referrals. I know in one situation we were nearly overrun by all the clients who took advantage of this bonus idea, so it’s good to use it in moderation.

In conclusion, it’s mostly just the basics of any relationship, but often these basics are forgotten in business relationships. You’ve heard the phrase ‘it’s not personal, it’s business’. Perhaps that personal touch in business has been neglected, and that’s what’s missing from a lot of business relationships. It’s important to be professional, but don’t lose that personal touch that makes the client feel important. Just remember the fundamental basics, and you’ll be much more likely to keep all your existing clients, and gain referrals at a steady rate.

© Technibble – A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit.

image image

image

Read more:

Wi-Fi Testing and Mapping Apps for Techs

by

Authors: Micah Lahren

As PC repair techs, we’re often called upon to troubleshoot issues such as Wi-Fi network issues, such as low signal, no connectivity, and so on. There are many many apps related to network testing, exploration, security analysis, and basic troubleshooting. Many of these are included in the Linux distro BackTrack, a favorite among those who work in penetration testing and network security infrastructure. However, in this article, I’d like to highlight two Wi-Fi testing and mapping apps for techs, both of which are freeware. They are invaluable for wireless network mapping, and should be included in every tech’s toolkit. Depending on what you use in the field, laptop, netbook, tablet, or smart phone, and depending on the area you’re analyzing, one or the other might be more useful. Both support 802.11a/b/g/n, as well.

Ekahau’s HeatMapper

HeatMapper requires a device running Windows, and only takes a minute to install. There are two mapping options. You can upload a floor plan image, a screen-shot of a geographical map of the area you’re testing, or any other diagram that could be used as a floor plan. Alternatively, you can use the ‘grid’ option, which is basically a basic grid that you use to map your own ‘floor plan’ for network mapping. After you choose your option, you’re shown all available networks, and you can click on the area, and start walking. As you continue walking around the area you’re mapping, continue clicking at intervals to provide location coordinates to assist in accurate mapping.

Wi-Fi Testing and Mapping Apps

HeatMapper will show the Wi-Fi coverage, including all access points, their security settings, their channel, speed, and more. It should work with any built in network adapter, as well as external wireless adapters. I’ve found the speed with which it maps target areas to be exceedingly fast, compared with some other testing apps I’ve tried. It’s very accurate at locating network access points, based only on signal strength and the coordinates you provide by clicking on the map or grid as you walk.

Wi-Fi Testing and Mapping Apps

I should mention that this app limits your continuous site survey to 15 minutes, but it will probably be a rare occasion that you’ll need to spend more than 15 minutes walking through your testing area. If you have more than one floor, you’ll probably need to have a floor plan image for each floor. If you try to put all floors on one floor plan image, it’s not likely to come out very well. Instead, the signal strength lines will probably end up skewed and out of alignment. At the end of each survey, you can take a screen-shot, and keep the image for reference in your results.

Meraki’s WiFi Mapper

I found Meraki’s WiFi Mapper very useful as well. It’s a browser app, but it can also be used even when you’re not connected to the internet. As a browser app, it will function on most tablets and some smart phones as well, and this is where it really shines. Google Map integration is included, which means you can pull up your location on a Google Map, and simply start clicking as you walk around, pausing as it tests.

Wi-Fi Testing and Mapping Apps


You’ll notice it’s not quite as speedy as HeatMapper, but what it lacks in speed is made up in other features. After signing up for an account, you can upload floor plans and use them as maps. Unlike HeatMapper, here you can upload a floor plan image with several floors on the same map, and use the same map during the whole survey. The interface is very easy to use, and I found the color coding feature has a very professional look to it, and it’s easy to locate spots with very low signal.

Wi-Fi Testing and Mapping Apps


WiFi Mapper is only in the beta phase, which is very promising, considering what it currently offers. There doesn’t seem to be any time limitation on the site survey, which also favors those who need a multi-story site survey. However, I do recommend that while you’re walking around and clicking to provide coordinates, stop walking while it runs the test for the coordinates you just provided, to provide better accuracy. I’d recommend going to Meraki’s site for WiFi Mapper, and over here for HeatMapper, just to check them out. Meanwhile, talk a walk around your office or business, and test your network coverage with whatever mobile browsing device you have handy.

Do you have a favorite Wi-Fi testing app you frequently use in your work? Leave a comment!

© Technibble – A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit.

image image

image

Read more:

D7 – The Ultimate Technician Tool Every Tech Should Have!

by

Authors: Micah Lahren

We all have our little USB toolkits, our ‘ultimate’ CD’s, our repair disks and other related repair tools. Most of us like to have a comprehensive list, a solution for every possible problem we could encounter in the field, to the extent of carrying around drivers for common hardware in the rare case there is no reliable internet connection near the client. The issue with having a comprehensive set of tools often means you have to search through your tools for the one you need, and once you’ve located it, run it, and then search for the tool you need to use next.

You may have a routine you would like to automate, but instead you sit there at the computer and babysit the mouse, clicking once every 5 to 15 minutes to close something, affirm something, or perform some other menial task. While automation is a partial solution, there is a much better solution that has been available for about a year in the tech sector, about which there have been some recent improved developments. It’s been mentioned on Technibble and Podnutz before, but it deserves full coverage.

Enter D7, the ultimate technician tool, from Foolish IT, LLC. What is D7, and what does it do? Perhaps a better question would be: What doesn’t it do? It has everything from ‘one-click’ malware removal automation, Windows repair and maintenance, backup, restoration, and migration of data, as well as a slew of system tools, shortcuts to commonly used tweaks and configurations in Windows, and much more! It can keep your tools updated, yet is fully portable. Yes, you can put it on your UBCD4WIN drive and run it from there.

A note of caution is in order, however. This is not a tool designed for consumer use. This is strictly for Tech use. The rest of the tools in your kit might be hacksaws, maybe even circular saws. D7 is the V8 chainsaw of the Tech world. It can do a lot of damage if you don’t know what you’re doing with it, and that is why you can password protect it when you leave the client’s computer, so that they don’t inadvertently find it and toy around with it when you leave, requiring you to return and repair the havoc they might have caused.

Seriously, though, what does it do? The official web site (www.foolishit.com) has some good info on how to use it and configure it if you’re new to the tool, but for starters, it offers offline and live malware removal assistance through internal tools as well as third party tools you can customize yourself. It will automatically download and extract those tools when they are missing, and you can configure it to update your tools with the use of Ketarin. It’s a registry editor with a mass search and delete feature.

It’s a data migration tool, with backup and restore features as well. It’s a networking swiss knife tool, with handy shortcuts to commonly used components in Windows that we use often, but tire of locating the long way through the Windows OS. Command line tools are condensed into ‘one-click’ executions, so you can forget needing to remember all those executable names and extensions. It also includes password removal features, and is more or less the equivalent of a virtual locksmith.

Let’s take a look at version 6.7, the last ‘free’ D7 version. (I’ll discuss more about this later, this has to do with the recent developments regarding D7.) On the left side, you’ll see the tabs you can click on, such as Reports, where you’ll find info reports, malware logs, and can perform screen captures and access them. On the Customize/Install tab, you can change host files, update third party apps, and work with dSupport. The Maintenance tab covers everything from Time Zone checks to system cleaning tools such as deletion of temp files, internet files, cookies, history, toolbars, BHO’s, and registry cleaning tools. The Maintenance II tab has many more utilities you can use to test and stress test hardware, check performance, and repair other items such as the Windows Updates feature.

 

The Malware Removal tab covers malware removal assistance, and provides easy ways to recover shortcuts and hidden files after the infection. It includes scanners and methods of fighting malware as well, which you most likely wouldn’t find all in one place like this anywhere else. The Windows Repair tab has a plethora of repair tools for nearly everything you could want, from repairing the firewall, checking system files, using MS FixIt, clearing print spoolers, and much more. The tweaks tab is handy for tweaking features within Windows. Datagrab is your backup tab, and it has some extremely useful features as well. DataRestore is where you work on the restoration of data, and is fairly self-explanatory. DataMigrate is again, self-explanatory, and allows you to migrate user settings, mail settings, and search for specific files with specific extensions, in case they are hidden on the drive.

 

Offline Ops can find keys, restore settings after malware removal, and perform other tasks as well. The Config tab sets up the customized options, Updates and Sync updates your third party tools, and syncs your D7 configuration to a centralized location, and keeps all your D7 drives in sync. All in all, a major comprehensive computer repair utility, and best of all, it’s completely free! If you’ve never used it before, go check it out. Once you’ve downloaded it, simply mouse around inside the GUI, nearly everything has a tooltip that shows up in the bottom of the GUI that describes what it does. The best part of it all is that you can automate nearly every routine of tasks you want to perform!

Regarding the recent developments, as of July 30th, 2012, Foolish IT, LLC is partnering with RepairTech, Inc, to create a new revolutionary tech product, combining TechUSB with D7 to create TechUSB Pro. For those serious about computer tech and the repair business, this is a tool you need in your toolkit. It will be a premium product, brandable with your own company name and logo, and include premium features such as uploading D7 logs to your TechUSB Portal online. D7 6.7 is still free to use, although it has some ‘nag screens’ when you try to perform certain tasks. As far as I know, previous versions (with less features) don’t include those nag screens, but if you see this tool being useful in your company, you won’t regret the small price for the usage of the premium version. The company branding feature is sure to impress your clients as well.

In summary, D7 is one of those tools you just shouldn’t be without. Remember to protect the client from locating it and toying with it on their own, and you shouldn’t have any problems. Use it wisely, and you will probably wonder how you ever got along without it!

© Technibble – A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit.

image image

image

Read more:

Why You Need to Patch More Than Just the Operating System

by

Authors: Guest Writer

Guest Post by Ronn Hanley:
Applying security patches to the Operating System of your computer can save you a ton of trouble when fighting viruses and malware. The problem is, as technicians we don’t always go far enough when it comes to patching software and hardware. It’s important to realize that you and your clients are vulnerable from other directions as well.

Just OS?

Most clients understand their systems have vulnerabilities, but they’ve been conditioned by one marketing campaign after another that once the operating system is patched they’ll be protected.

It’s a given that patches come out for everything from MS Windows to every version of Linux. The problem is, in the rush to protect the ‘main’ system, it’s possible to forget that support software has the same or even worse vulnerabilities. This includes office suites, productivity software, online games, web browsers, document viewer or rendering software, plug-ins, and system firmware – free, shareware or commercial – the bad guys don’t care.

It may seem like a no brainer that simply patching the operating system isn’t enough, but how obvious is it really? I’ve been doing this for a long time and I only became aware of how serious the ‘third party problem’ is within the last 3 or 4 years.

Clients want the fastest answer to their problems. Most know that if they are using a Windows system there will be patch releases that they have to deal with and that’s as far as it goes for them. They neither know, no care that there may be other issues to deal with. This is one of those things that must be built into your Service Level Agreements’s (SLA) not only to cover you, but to make sure that the client isn’t left hanging.

Research is key

Malware writers are on a constant hunt to find weaknesses in all software and every time a security patch comes out they are immediately find ways to circumvent it.

If you’ve worked with your clients for any length of time you have an idea of what’s on their systems. If part of your SLA is doing updates to software or firmware it’s always a good idea to keep a log of what software they have installed, when the last update was done and whether or not any new vulnerabilities have cropped up since your last visit. This is why documentation is so incredibly important.

I keep a running log of my client systems that’s only a page long. It has a list of the major and support software that they use on a daily basis. This process can be time consuming to start, but once the basic list is done, it’s easy to update or remove entries. The way I look at it, if this is the first time I’ve sat at a computer I automatically assume that NOTHING has been updated, this keeps me from missing things.
Belonging to sites like Technibble or Techrepublic (well, back in the day…) can pay off. Reading articles or being involved in forums can give you a heads up about which software is the current favorite of malware attacks. There’s no way you can know it all, or even keep up with every little change.

That’s where a helping hand can be a great thing.

Software that can help

I’ve found Secunia PSI to be an invaluable tool for Windows based systems. The software can either be used as a downloaded app which will scan the entire PC on demand looking for software that needs to be updated and then pointing you to the manufacturer for download or purchase. It can also be set to routinely scan the system and give you updates when something has become outdated, but I don’t recommend this setting in a business environment since its likely to slow the PC down. The software can also be run as a web based app, but it will only do a surface scan and can miss programs.

Secunia PSI is designed for home PC’s but they do have a version for Enterprise level systems called Corporate Software Inspector (CSI) which is designed to act as a vulnerability scanner with a patch management system running on the back end.

The programs work well on Windows based PC’s and the company claims they work well on Apple, but I haven’t been able to test that yet.

About the only complaint I have with the software is that it can take some time (5 to 10 minutes) to scan a full HD and report its findings. And then for some third party software you have to visit the company website to get the update or patch. PSI will automatically update most software, but not all.

Ultimately you protect your clients

The larger software companies have teams of people looking at their software, finding holes and then patching them. The smaller developers don’t have that kind of manpower or capital, so it’s no surprise that a third party application is going to be more vulnerable. That doesn’t mean that it has to be a crap shoot every time you sit down to take care of a system.

It may take some time to develop a solid plan to keep your clients patched and protected, but that time is an investment in your business and the health of your clients systems.

Guest Post by Ronn Hanley: Ronn is a technology enthusiast from way back, during the dark ages of the Arpanet and the Purple monochrome monitor screens. His first computer was a Commodore PET and his first laptop was the size of a suitcase. Despite that, he loves computers and technology to distraction and has been working in the tech world for almost 10 years full time, currently as the owner of a Desktop and Network support company in Atlanta, Georgia.

© Technibble – A Resource for Computer Technicians to start or improve their Computer Business
To get started with your own computer business, check out our Computer Business Kit.

image image

image

Read more: