Webaholics

Windows  has a whole array of helpful command line tools for configuring and testing Internet and LAN connections. The following is a list of useful network commands that can be used from the command prompt. A lot of these commands are intended for administrating a network, but they are great for savvy home users as well. All of the tools are run by opening a Command window and entering the appropriate command. Go to Start-Run and enter “cmd” to open a Command window.

net – Used to start, stop and view networking operations.
ipconfig – Displays the IP Address and other TCP/IP information on your system.
netstat – Returns protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections.
hostname – Displays the Microsoft networking computer name.
lpq – Displays the print queue status of an LPD printer.
ping – Verify the connectivity or a host across a network.
nbtstat – Returns protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections.
ipxroute – Displays and modifies IPX routing tables.
route – Manipulates TCP/IP routing information
tracert – Displays route taken by an ICMP to a remote host.
finger – Displays information about the user
arp – Displays or modifies information in the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) cache
getmac – Lists the MAC (Media Access Control) Address on the computer network interfaces
Add  /? to the command will provide more information e.g. ipconfig show more information about ipconfig command.

Some Applications:

Display Connection Configuration: ipconfig /all
Display DNS Cache Info Configuration: ipconfig /displaydns
Clear DNS Cache: ipconfig /flushdns
Release All IP Address Connections: ipconfig /release
Renew All IP Address Connections: ipconfig /renew
Re-Register the DNS connections: ipconfig /registerdns
Change/Modify DHCP Class ID: ipconfig /setclassid
Network Connections: control netconnections
Network Setup Wizard: netsetup.cpl
Test Connectivity: ping www.webaholics.in
Trace IP address Route: tracert
Displays the TCP/IP protocol sessions: netstat
Display Local Route: route
Display Resolved MAC Addresses: arp
Display Name of Computer Currently on: hostname
Display DHCP Class Information:ipconfig /showclassid

Notes:

Some command-line tools require the user to have administrator-level privileges on source and/or target computers.
You must have the TCP/IP network protocol installed to use the TCP/IP utilities.

Popularity: 8% [?]

When traveling, the main point is to keep your laptop in sight and it is not at all wise to leave it unattended. Try not to leave your laptop in a motor vehicle; it should be covered when placed in the trunk. Some companies provide a fully bonded security box with high-density safety cables to maximize security when the laptop out of the usual protected surroundings, such as while traveling in a vehicle. Don’t ever forget and leave a conference room without your laptop; it should be taken along or it may not be there when you return. Locking your laptop is the best way if you leave it in your office or workplace out of hours. Top security systems can be used to lock laptops securely away.

Therefore, the security of a laptop is a matter of great concern for those with large IT assets and people who are constantly traveling. Laptops represent a nearly impossible temptation for thieves, in the workplace, at the coffee shop, or on campus. They’re small, portable, usually of high value, and next to impossible to trace.

Current estimates say that a laptop is stolen about once every minute in this country, or half a million of them per year, and 97% of them are never recovered. Even more frustrating than losing the hardware is losing any data that’s on them – particularly if it’s a corporate laptop, where the files may be more valuable than the hardware!

Even if it’s not a corporate laptop, it may have your passwords for web sites, financial sites like PayPal or eBay embedded in it, or your bank. This can let a laptop thief make utter hash of your accounts in minutes with virtually no way to trace it back.

Holding on to your laptop is critically important and there are some simple, common sense guidelines to help you do this.

- Don’t advertise. Carry your laptop in something that carries other things as well. Obvious laptop bags are tempting targets on campus and in airports.

- Keep your eyes on it. Don’t let it out of your sight. If that means you wait to go to the bathroom until after you’ve put it in the car, you do that.

- Deterrence counts. Use a visible lock and cable to latch a laptop down to the table or chair you’re at – you don’t need to make this fool proof, but you do need to make it look hard to steal.

- When you’re computing in a public place, use passwords, use encryption, and read all the network availability lists carefully. One particularly ruthless trick is to impersonate the WiFi network of a public place, generally by changing the letter “l” to the number “1? in the name, and hope someone connects to them thinking they’re connecting to the real network, and using a keystroke logger.

- Don’t be afraid to encrypt important data. You can even set these things up so that someone who has your laptop needs to have your thumb drive to read the data on the hard drive.

- Look at all security options – marking your laptop with UV markings, including your name and phone number means that if it’s recovered, it may be returned. You can also buy software called LoJack for Laptops that will secretly report it as stolen after you’ve notified the company, and is hooked up on the internet.

- If you’re doing corporate laptop management, have policies in place – laptops will get stolen. Look into remote data destruction; in conjunction with a unique ID, to remove sensitive data from laptops that are stolen. Likewise, back up everything on a laptop – nothing should ever exist on a laptop that’s company critical that doesn’t have a backup on your servers.

So take care. Guard your laptop and keep your information safe.

So stay alert! Beware!

Popularity: 13% [?]

The two main operating systems employed by the PC owner are windows and Linux. Although they appear very similar on the face of it there are fundamental differences in the two operating systems.

A major advantage with Linux is the price, it is completely free! Windows can be very expensive.

There are enormous differences in the way that they behave at a technical level, but I suspect what you really want to know is how they differ from the perspective of an end user.

The vast majority of people will know how to use a windows operating system. This is mainly due to the fact that every PC sold usually has the Microsoft operating system installed and the mighty Microsoft has a mighty marketing budget. The Linux marketing budget is miniscule.

The major differences in operating systems:

Linux is open source, free under GNU, Windows is a licensed OS.

Windows is developed by Microsoft, a single huge entity. Whereas Linux has many distributors such as red hat, mandrake etc.

Linux is more secure than windows in the case of virus, worms etc.

Linux works on both GUI & Console mode but windows only GUI.

Linux has multi-user, multitasking, multiprocessing, multiprogramming features.

Linux code is open source and as a result it has been tweaked and tweaked to perfection by millions of users doing it as a hobby.

Linux was developed from the UNIX operating system, Windows is a completely unique entity.

Windows security is password based, the Linux system is secured with access rights.

Windows file names aren’t case sensitive, Linux are. After reading these points you may be asking yourself why everyone isn’t using the Linux system. To put it simply, the Linux system requires a lot more technical knowledge both to install it and to maintain it as an operating system. Software that is written for windows will not work on Linux and as such it is much more difficult to buy off the shelf applications.

Microsoft’s Windows is often the best option for most people because of the required technical knowledge with Linux. It’s just good to know that there is a free alternative to Windows.

Popularity: 11% [?]