Wi-Fly

Wi-Fly

Having a wireless Internet connection everywhere is an expensive idea, if you use lots of towers and big expensive equipment.  That is why you should choose Wi-Fly as your ubiquitous wi-fi option.  A small wi-fi signal transmitter mounted to the back of thousands ordinary house flies will quickly blanket the area in wireless Internet coverage.  It will also make the garbage dump a lot more popular place for those wishing to get just a little better signal strength.

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Change Windows Explorer Default Folder

Change Windows Explorer Default Folder

Windows 7 users know that when they go to their Windows Explorer, the first window that opens up is for Libraries. Well, that’s fine and dandy, but what if I want to start off someplace else? What then?

Today we’re going to learn how to change all that. So locate your Windows Explorer icon on your taskbar, or type Windows Explorer into your Search Box. Either way, right-click the Windows Explorer icon and select Properties.

Under the Shortcut tab, focus your attention to the text input box next to Target:

Simply type the address of the folder you want Windows Explorer to start in after the %windir%\explorer.exe. So, for example, mine would look like this:

Note: An easy way to select a new default location is to browse to the location, right click in the address bar, select Copy address as text and paste in the Target box. 

After your new default folder location is in, click Apply then OK.

Now open up Window Explorer again and take a look at where you’re at! If you ever want to go back to the original location, simply follow the same steps and delete just the location address you inputted.

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Almost Everything You Need to Know About DHCP

Almost Everything You Need to Know About DHCP

This article will help you to learn everything that you need to know as a systems administrator (or SysAdmin) about this protocol and what can you do with it.

What's DHCP? And why it's recommended to use it? Imagine that you're working as a SysAdmin for a large company with 500 desktop computers; you need to set to each desktop computer IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, DNS servers, and other network settings. How could you do that?

If you'll try to perform this task manually you're probably going to waste a lot of time on sitting on each computer 5-10 minutes, beside time, you can for example accidentally enter wrong IP address to few clients, or to type the same IP address to few clients too.

In order to solve these "problems" you can use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (or DHCP) in your network.

DHCP allows you  to manage the networks' IP addresses scopes and other TCP/IP settings like DNS, Default Gateway, etc. from central place, this central place called DHCP server. Beside the management, if there's any problem you don't need to run between your clients, you just need to connect to your server and to check the DHCP settings, as I mentioned – the DHCP works from central place, so if there's a problem, it's probably from the server, so you know where to go in case of problem and your saving time.

The DHCP server can provide easily IP addresses to clients automatically so you don't even need to configure and set options in the client side, all you need is to setup DHCP server, configure scope options and some other TCP/IP settings in the server side and that's it. You can provide to your clients IP addresses from the selected range that you've configured and some other TCP/IP options.

Note: DHCP in my opinion can be called "The next generation of BOOTP", because the BOOTP came first before the DHCP, and today we're using BOOTP in order to deploy operating systems by booting from the network. Beside this, DHCP was developed in order to support in large networks – something that BOOTP can't provide.

How DHCP works?

Without entering to the related technical information (DORA process) the DHCP client request from the DHCP server IP address for a while, the length of time that the DHCP client can use the dynamic IP address that the DHCP server provided can be called lease, just like the name: lease means that the client "rent" an IP address for a specific time from the DHCP server, if the client wants to continue using the specific IP address the client needs to re-assign the address by renew the lease, this will happen before the expiration time of the lease if the client is still in the network.

More in depth, the DHCP service works by using the DORA (Discover, Offer, Request and Acknowledgment) process (you can trace on the whole process using a network monitor utility):

1. DHCPDISCOVER – The client broadcast a DHCPDISCOVER packet in order to locate a DHCP server in the network, in some cases that the DHCP server isn't in the same subnet of the client, you'll need to configure in your network devices (usually routers) a DHCP Relay Agent, in order to transfer the DHCPDISCOVER packet to the DHCP server.
2. DHCPOFFER – The DHCP server broadcast a DHCPOFFER packet to the client which includes an offer to use a unique IP address for the client.
3. DHCPREQUEST – The client broadcast a DHCPREQUEST packet to the DHCP server with an answer, and "asks" from the server to "rent" the unique address that the server offer to her.
4. DHCPACK – The DHCP server broadcast a DHCPACK packet to the client, in this packet the server acknowledge the request from the client to use the IP address, and provide to the client the IP address lease and other details such as DNS servers, default gateway, etc. if the server cannot provide the requested IP address or from some reasons the address is not valid the server sends DHCPNACK packet in stand of DHCPACK, more information about DHCPNACK is under the specific subject – DHCPNACK.

Note: DHCP service uses port 67/UDP in the DHCP server, and 68/UDP at the DHCP clients.

It's recommended to check that your firewall doesn't block these ports in order to able the DHCP server and clients to communicate, and also check that your network devices supports DHCP Relay Agent in case that some of your clients are in different physical subnet.

In some cases you'll notice another DHCP messages like these:

1. DHCPDECLINE – If the client recognizes that the IP address that the DHCP server offer to her in use, the client will generate a new request to another IP address (in the DHCPREQUEST step).
2. DHCPRELEASE – This message is commonly in use when the client "give up" and release IP address.
3. DHCPRENEW – This is the request packet to renew and continue "renting" the IP address lease.
4. DHCPINFORM – The DHCPINFORM is packet that the client send to the DHCP server in order to get more details from the server, for example DHCPINFORM can be send in order to locate another DHCP servers in the network.

DHCPNACK

The DHCPNACK or Negative Acknowledgment is a packet that the server sends if the IP address is not available in stand of DHCPACK (in use on other client for example) or the address is no longer valid.

In case of DHCPNACK the client must restart the lease process in order to get an IP address.

DHCP Scopes, Exclude and Reservation

DHCP Scope is a range of IP addresses that you configure in your DHCP server as range of addresses that designed for distribution to the clients.

For example, if you set a scope with a range from 10.0.0.100-10.0.0.200, you can easily provide only from this range IP addresses to your clients.

You can also create more than one scope, but it's recommended to check that your scopes aren't duplicating one with each other's. At the scope creation process you can add some more TCP/IP parameters such as subnet mask, IP addresses lease time, router (default gateway), DNS servers, etc. so when the clients gets the IP addresses they'll get also the other parameters from the scope.

In some cases, you'll need to prevent the client using some addresses, for example if your scope is from 10.0.0.1 up to 10.0.0.100, and your servers using 10.0.0.1-10.0.0.10, you can exclude these IP addresses from the scope and exclude the DHCP to distribute them to the clients, in most of the DHCP servers this option called exclude.

Reservation is a great option if you're planning to provide specific dynamic IP address from the DHCP server to unique DHCP client. If for example in the 10.0.0.1-10.0.0.100 scope you want to provide for specific client a unique address that will be always of the client, you can easily set reservation for the client using a unique identifier – the MAC address, the MAC of Media Access Control is a unique hexadecimal physical address for network adapters.

DHCP & DNS

When you're installing DHCP server you can configure the DHCP server to set DNS updates to any DNS server that support dynamic updates. More information about the combination between DHCP and DNS you can find right here.

Active Directory & DHCP Servers

In Microsoft Windows Server with Active Directory you need to authorize your server in order to work with the DHCP service.

In the past you could install few DHCP servers – as you wish, this action occurs problems like server crashing, etc.

In the new Windows 2000 Server/Server 2003/2008 you must authorize your server in order to start the DHCP server, if there's an authorized DHCP server in the Active Directory environment and a non-authorized server trying to start the DHCP service in order to distribute IP address, the server will failed in this task and the DHCP service in the local computer will stop.

DHCP Relay Agent

DHCP Relay Agent is any kind of host (usually a router or server) that listen to DHCP/BOOTP broadcast from clients on subnets without local DHCP servers.

The DHCP Relay Agent forwards the packets from the clients and the DHCP server that sitting on different physical subnets to each other in order to supply 'connection' between the DHCP Server to the clients, and opposite (from the clients to the server).

In conclusion

DHCP is a critical "must have" network service because using DHCP helps you, as a System/Network Administrator, to manage you clients by assigning, tracking and re-assigning IP addresses.

Netanel Ben-Shushan is an IT Consultant & Trainer from Israel, who works mainly with Microsoft infrastructures, networking and information security systems. He's the creator of www.ben-shushan.net, a personal website in Hebrew with technical guides, articles, tips and tricks from the IT field.

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How to Partition Your Hard Drive

A hard drive partition can allow you to easily test out new operating systems (like Windows 7beta) or create a simple way to separate your user data from the operating system install.  You can divide your hard drive into multiple partitions, some bootable, others not.

The main reasons for having separate partitions are:

• to better organize your files
• to separate system files, log files, cache and virtual memory from data files and programs
• to create separate virtual drives for multiple operating systems • to protect or isolate groups of files to make data recovery easier

Step 1: Download and Install Partition Commander

To partition your hard drive, you’ll need a partitioning utility. We recommend Partition Commander from Avanquest (previously VCOM). You can find Partition Commander here. Once you've downloaded the program, run the install with the default options. You’ll need to reboot when the installation is complete.

Step 2: Start Partition Commander

Select Create Partition and click the Create Partition option in the main screen:

The Create New Partition Wizard will appear.

Choose the Next button.

Step 3: Select the hard drive where you would like to create the partition

Partition Commander will let you select a hard drive where you would like to create your partition.

In this example, there is only a single drive. Click the Next button once you’d selected your drive.

Step 4: Set the size for the new partition.

Drag the slider button to set the size for your new partition.

Once you’ve set the size, click the Next button to continue.

Step 5: Choose the OS for the partition you are creating

Partition Commander supports all common operating systems including Windows, Novell Netware, Linux, and different varieties of Unix as well as some less common operating systems such as BeOS, CP/M, and Pick.

Select the desired OS and choose the Next button.

Step 6: Select the format options

Select the format options and choose Next.

Step 7: Choose Apply to create the Partition

Partition Commander lets you select all the options and when you are ready, you choose the Apply button to create the partition.

Other Features… In addition to creating partitions, Partition Manager allows you to:

• Copy and move partitions
• Delete and undelete partitions
• Resize partitions
• Merge partitions
• Format partitions
• Clone partitions
• Clone hard disks
• Convert NTFS partitions to FAT/FAT32

Supported Partitions Types

• Windows NTFS
• Windows FAT32
• Linux Ext2
• Linux Ext3
• Linux ReiserFS
• BeOS
• BSDI
• BTRON
• CP/M
• CTOS
• Darwin boot
• Darwin UFS
• FreeBSD
• Lynx
• NetBSD
• Netware
• OpenStep
• QNX
• Solaris
• Pick
• SCO Unix
• Theos
• UnixWare

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Is Your PC Compatible with Windows 7?

Is Your PC Compatible with Windows 7? 

Find Out with Upgrade Advisor

Windows 7 is here to stay, and thank God, it's much much better than Windows Vista. Therefore, if any of you guys is still contemplating about moving on from Windows XP Pro to Windows 7, or, if God forbid, you're using Windows Vista - now is a perfect time to move on.

Windows 7 will work much faster than Windows Vista ever did - on the same hardware. And, if you're buying a new computer - laptop or desktop - you'll be guaranteed to get the ultimate user experience.

But hold on. How can you tell if your current computer - hardware, software and peripheral devices such as scanners and printers - is all compatible with Windows 7? Generally speaking, if your PC can run Windows Vista, it can probably run Windows 7, but it's still a good idea to check first.

Luckily for us, there is a tool that'll do just that. The Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor scans your PC for potential compatibility issues and lets you know about your Windows 7 upgrade options, and see if it’s ready for Windows 7. Within minutes, you'll get a report that lets you know if your processor is capable of running 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and gives guidance on your upgrade options and tells you if your PC meets the system requirements, if any known compatibility issues with your hardware, devices, and installed programs are found, and gives guidance on what to do to before installing Windows 7 on your PC. If an issue can be resolved, it suggests next steps for you to take before installing Windows 7.

Get if from here: Download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

After downloading the tool, install it by running Windows7UpgradeAdvisorSetup.exe.

Note: In the following example I've used Windows XP Pro 32-bit running in a Virtual Machine for my demo. I've also installed a few programs on my demo machine:

• Adobe Reader 9.1
• Auslogics Disk Defrag 3.1.2.90
• Avast Free Antivirus 5.0.377
• Paint.NET v3.51
• PDFCreator 0.9.9
• Skype v4.1
• WinRAR 3.90
• WinZip 12.1
• Wireshark 1.24     to name a few...

Accept the license agreement and click in the "Install" button.

When installation is done, you can run the tool directly or by using the Windows XP/Vista start menu.

Click on the "Start Check" button to begin the scan.

Process will take a few moments to complete.

In just a few minutes, you'll get a report that tells you if your PC meets the system requirements.

In this example, my VM only had 512 MB or RAM. Windows 7 32-bit version requires at least 1 GB of RAM, and the 64-bit version requires at least 2 GB of RAM. That's one thing I'd need to fix before installing Windows 7 on that machine.

The program also found applications that are compatible with Windows 7.

Overall, the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor is a nice way to get you on the right track of running Windows 7 on your existing hardware.

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How to Enable Quick Launch in Windows 7

How to Enable Quick Launch in Windows 7

As you all probably know by now, in Windows 7, Microsoft has done away with both the Classic Start menu and what we know as the Quick Launch bar. Getting the classic menu back in Windows Vista was possible, but in Windows 7, Microsoft no longer lets us change the default settings back to Classic (you can use 3rd-party tools to do it - Read my Get Back the Classic Start Menu in Windows 7 article for more info).

Anyway, Start menu is one thing, but the Quick Launch toolbar is another. In previous Microsoft-based operating systems, the Quick Launch was always there, allowing you to easily open applications, but most importantly - to add your own apps as shortcuts.

True, in Windows 7, the taskbar has evolved into something more potent than the "simple" Quick Launch toolbar. In Windows 7, apps are now pinned to the taskbar, allowing you to do much more than you could be able to with Quick Launch. For example, you can quickly get a graphic preview of what's happening in each minimized app, even see movie thumbnails. You can also pin apps to the taskbar, and have them show you the latest documents or files that you used with these apps.

But I've gotten man e-mails from my readers asking how it could be possible to get the Quick Launch toolbar back, and I've decided to investigate this. It turns out that quite a few people are not so easily taken by Windows 7's new desktop features, and would like to keep the ones that they've already learned to use.

So, read on.

To get the Quick Launch toolbar back in Windows 7, please perform the following steps:

1. Unpin all existing apps from the current taskbar. You do this by right-clicking on each app icon and selecting unpin from taskbar.

Eventually, the taskbar should have no pinned apps (there were 3, by default - IE, Windows Explorer, and Media Player).

2. Right-click on the taskbar and select Toolbars > New Toolbar.

3. In the address bar, type:

%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\

4. Select the Quick Launch folder and click on Select Folder.

5. Notice how the new toolbar has appeared, but it's not where we want it to be...

Right-click on the taskbar and click to un-select the Lock Toolbar option.

6. Notice how now you've got 2 drag marks on the taskbar.

7. Here's where the nice bit comes in. You click to select the left-hand drag mark, and drag it all the way to the right, till the Quick Launch toolbar fills the entire taskbar.

8. You can let go now. Next, we'll fix the Quick Launch toolbar to look "normal". First, remove the text.

Right-click on the taskbar and click to un-select the Show Text and Show Title options.

9. Right-click on the taskbar and click to select View > Large Icons option.

10. Bingo. Next, click to select the drag mark, and drag it all the way to the left, till it almost reaches the Quick Launch toolbar's right-most icon.

11. Finally, right-click on the taskbar and click to select the Lock Toolbar option.

That's it, you now have a fully functional Quick Launch toolbar, and you can drag to it any app shortcut or folder you like.

BTW, you also get the original "Show Desktop" icon, plus, you keep all the functionality of the original Windows 7 taskbar.

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Get Back the Classic Start Menu in Windows 7

In Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 it is not possible easily revert to the original, Classic Start menu that was used since Windows NT 4.0 SP6a with IE 4 and the Active Desktop addition. The classic version was previously included in all MS operating systems, including Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008. While in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 we did get a new looking Start menu, it was still possible to right-click on it and in its Properties window, get it to use the Classic menu.

Here's how the default Start menu looks in Windows 7:

Why did Microsoft decide to remove the Classic Start menu option in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2? I don't know. Personally, I like the new way the new Windows 7 Start Menu works, and have gotten used to it a long time ago.

However, a lot of people still haven't gotten used to the newer version, so we thought it would be handy to explain a couple of ways to get the Classic Start menu back:

1. Classic Shell

Classic Shell is free and takes up very little memory. It changes the Windows 7 start menu to classic and it looks exactly the same like what you see in Windows XP. The nice thing about it, besides being totally free, is that when you type the first letter of a program or folder it brings you to the correct menu.

Get it from here:

Classic Shell Files on SourceForge.net

http://sourceforge.net/projects/classicshell/files

After installing, this is the way your Start menu will look like:

By The Way, if you press SHIFT and click on the Start menu, you'll get to the original Start menu, so you can in fact use both, as the same time.

2. CSMenu

"CSMenu" is a small application for Windows 7 which can bring the Classic start menu back in Windows 7. You just need to install it and run the application. There is also a portable version available so you can run it without installing. Free to use, this is a cool tool. However, please make sure you read the following note.

Please note:

CSMenu will prompt you to install the ASK dot COM toolbar. While not an actual malware, I would never recommend ANYONE to install that toolbar unless you're looking for trouble. Therefore, while installing CSMenu, please make sure you select "Custom Installation" and that you manually remove the 2 check-boxes, unless you really really need the ASK dot COM toolbar.

Anyway, get it here:

CSMenu Official Site:

http://www.csmenu.com

After installing, this is the way your Start menu will look like:

Here too, if you press SHIFT and click on the Start menu, you'll get to the original Start menu, so you can in fact use both, as the same time.

3. Windows 7 Classic Start Menu with Aero

This is another software by the same author, that will get you to the Classic Start menu. It will also give you an "Aero" theme feeling, which is all nice. However, the software is NOT free, therefore, you will have to consider if you're ready to pay to get your Classic Start menu back. Well, at least this one doesn't include the ASK dot COM toolbar...

Get it from here:

Windows 7 Classic Start Menu with Aero

http://www.classicstartmenu.com

Once installed, you'll get a tray icon that will let you customize some settings in the program.

After installing, this is the way your Start menu will look like:

Here too, if you press SHIFT and click on the Start menu, you'll get to the original Start menu, so you can in fact use both, as the same time.

It's worth noting that during my testing I found 2 issues that cooled my enthusiasm: The first is that once enabled, and once you clicked on the Start menu and opened one of the Program folders, if you click away from the Start menu it will not go away, it'll stay opened on your desktop and will only close either after running a program (and program) from the menu, or by clicking on the Start menu icon.

The second issue I found is that one click on the "Programs" folder opens the folder in Windows Explorer instead of expanding the folder's contents.

That said, if you really need to get your Classic Start menu back on Windows 7 AND are willing to pay to get it, Windows 7 Classic Start Menu is a valid option. Personally, I would go for the first freeware option.

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