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After the Storm – Protecting Your Computer

May 29, 2019 by doctordave

As anyone in Lawrence, Topeka, or Kansas City knows, we had one heck of a storm last night.  I spent a good part of the evening in the basement.  That wasn’t fun.  I’m sure you didn’t have fun either.

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This bad weather is an excellent time to talk though about the importance of offsite backup, while it’s fresh in everyone’s mind.  I did the same reminder a few years ago after the severe weather in Houston.  Local backups to an external hard drive in your home or business is an excellent secondary method of backup.   However, backing up to an online service is your best backup, because if something happens to your home or office an on-site backup is lost.  Over the years, I found often it wasn’t a direct hit by a tornado that caused damage, but water.  Rain might have leaked in.  For example, one client had a tree fall into her office.  It was the rain that ruined everything. If your computer does get wet, please follow our instructions for “I just spilled something on my laptop.”

 

A common question we get asked is about protection against surges and lightning.  A majority of people aren’t protected.  I wrote about this a few years ago, and my opinion remains pretty much the same.  I’d advise though now getting uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with USB ports.  I have one of these in my home and what I like is it not only protects against surges but also provides battery backup for my internet and phone.  It was $50 and a worthwhile investment.

During an electrical storm, we recommend unplugging the computer power from the wall. We also recommend unplugging Ethernet cords from both the back of your cable modem as well as your computer.  Surges can travel through those lines even if the computer is off and unplugged.

Finally, if you have valuable electronics you rely on for a home-based (including remote employees)  or small business, please consider getting your devices scheduled on your insurance.  That can often cover both damages to the computer as well as data recovery should these things come up.

If you have any questions about protecting your computer against surges or data loss, please email us.  We always consult on things like this at no charge and for the next week, we’re waiving any labor fees to install an offsite backup, which is about $60 year.   Call/text 785-841-8766 or email dave@calldrdave.com

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: backblaze, backup, computer repair, kansas city, lawrence ks, lightning, storms, surge

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Smart Locks and Safety

March 25, 2018 by doctordave

GOJI Smart Lock

One hot gift for the 2017 holiday season was internet-enabled locks, often referred to as Smart Locks.  I have these both in my home or office.  When I tell clients I have one, they often express security concerns.  They’re legitimate but easily minimized.

This blog post does a good job of explaining the security while this post is in my mind a bit alarmist. Security on a smart lock is just like security on any device.  Sure, there are risks, but the rewards usually outweigh them. What do I like best about our smart lock?  I never worry if I locked the door before I left the house.  I can check my locks remotely anytime I want.  That includes in the middle of the night when I’m in bed.

While you’ll need a locksmith to install one of these, we can help you secure it. That includes not just the lock, but making sure when your phone is stolen, someone can’t use your phone to get into your home.

Photo by pestoverde

Filed Under: Tips, Uncategorized Tagged With: computer repair, IOT, lawrence ks, security

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