Nathan Explains

Hello all. I am Nathan and I will blog here about different tech and computers related things. If you need help with something feel free to drop me a line.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

How to Get Torrent Files

It is very easy to learn how to download torrent files. These steps will show just how simple the procedure is.  Step 1 Go to the Internet and install a Bit Torrent client. There are several of these available on many websites. Step 2 Install the program. Use it to search for torrent files on the Internet. Look for the torrent on your computer. Double click the file. This will be opened by the program. Step 3 Wait for the file download to finish. Download Speed Your Internet connection plays a huge part in determining how quickly you can obtain the file. Popular files are quicker to get because users upload the components they already have. If it is your first time to download torrent files, be patient. Most of them begin slowly but gather speed later on.  Basic Facts A torrent is a meta data that allows for peer to peer sharing. Torrent files can consist of movies, music files, images and other types of files. In a typical download, files are transmitted from a server or computer to a client. The data is obtained upon the request of the user. The torrent is distributed on various levels. The torrent file is not the file itself; it is actually data that has information about the file. The torrent separates the file being downloaded into several chunks. The Transfer Process The file transfer is done among various peers. The file is not moved from one computer to another. The numerous file pieces are kept on various computers. What your program does is check the peers which of the file parts they possess. These are exchanged for what they need. This method makes the process fast. The peers swap numerous file parts. Eventually all the components will be downloaded and combined into one. Speed Because of the way the file parts are distributed, downloading becomes faster and more reliable. If there is just one host, the demand for bandwidth would clog everything up. Because the files are downloaded from various points, the bandwidth is uniformly distributed. Tracking System The tracking system allows you to resume file downloads in case it is interrupted. If you are downloading a large file, you can resume it the next day. This system is also more reliable. If one file host goes down, you can get another one. You cannot do that if there is only one host for the file you want to get.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

What is FFDShow for?

[nathanthetechie-blog]

Utilizing Switchboards to Make Calls

[nathanthetechie-blog]

More geek stuff. Cyborg R.A.T 9 Gaming Mouse.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

How to Use the 127.0.0.1 Loopback Address

Reference: http://www.tech-faq.com/ 

[nathanthetechie-blog]

How to Set Up a Wifi Antenna

Anyone can set up a homemade wifi antenna if they have the proper equipment. When you have the following equipment ready, you can begin configuring it.  Requirements Wifi cable and antenna node Soldering equipment Big cookware pan lid Step 1 Take out the pan lid’s handle. This is at the rear. You will end up with a couple of holes. You can use this for running the cable. Drill a hole in the middle if there isn't one available. Step 2 Position the wifi node at the pan lid's inner center. This will make the antenna wave reflect at a single direction. Pipes, metallic cans and other reflectors can be utilized. If you prefer wide signal angles, the parabolic dish will be best suited for the job. Once the dish is active, make sure you are not in its way. Understanding the Wireless Router Antenna Also known as an access point, it can change networking and computer data into radio waves. But it does not transmit waves accurately. If you don't have an antenna, the access point can relay waves by just a few meters. With an antenna, it can transmit at a longer distance. This is made possible by the electronic signals sent to the antenna. This action leads to electron oscillation. The antenna broadcast them while the antenna length concentrates the broadcast to 2.4GHz to 5GHz. The purpose of the router is to enable a modem to give wireless Net access to different kinds of devices. Signal strength loss and interference can be mitigated with a strong antenna. With a homemade antenna, you can enhance the signal of the router's antenna. Radio Waves As data is transmitted, the electrons keep oscillating. Meanwhile, radio waves send out another batch of electrons. These are typically found at the router's second antenna. The electrons motion produces electric impulses that are collected by the access point. Other Information about Antennas There are other kinds of antennas like surveillance equipment and satellite transmitters. These can receive or transmit in a single direction. Those antennas used in wifi and TV can receive and transmit in every direction. This is necessary so maximum coverage is attained. It has to be pointed out that the antenna's length is very important. The unit is just a bit longer than the transmission wavelengths it receives and transmits. This length is the best for wifi. For amateur radio and citizens band (CB), longer antennas are needed.

Reference: http://www.tech-faq.com/wifi-antenna.html 

[nathanthetechie-blog]

I badly want this one! http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/kitchen/dea2/?srp=1 

[nathanthetechie-blog]

Reasons for the IO Device Error

The I O device error is produced when a computer tries to get a device or file that it cannot access. There are other possible causes.  Causes The error is generic and applicable for different kinds of software and hardware issues. The most frequent reason is a cable that has been disconnected. The error can also be due to bad or corrupted disks. Windows and DOS users will see an accompanying message telling the user to ignore, retry or abort the operation. CD and DVD Drives The error can also appear on CDs and DVDs. You can fix the problem by cleaning the disc or using a laser cleaner on the drive. The error can also appear if the disc is inserted improperly. Reconfigure Hard Drive Setup IDE hard drives have to be configured properly. IDE disks can only have a single master. If the pin setting is not right, the data will be inaccessible. The error can also manifest when the cables in the computer become loose. These problems can be fixed by correcting the pin or tightening the cables. Other Ways to Fix I O Device Error The errors appear often when a device’s driver has become obsolete or disabled. Often these problems are not that difficult to overcome. You can try the following solution. Step 1 Go to "Control Panel" and select "Performance and Maintenance." Step 2 Go to "System" and go to Hardware, Click "Device Manager." Look for the device that is causing the problem. Expand the nodes. The hardware is disabled if there is an X mark on it. If it is disabled, go to the General tab and select "Enable Device". This is just below Device Status. Follow the prompts. Go to step 3 if there is an error.  Step 3 Head to the General tab and go to Device Status. Click "Troubleshoot". Follow the instructions. If the problem persists, head over to the Driver tab. Click "Update Driver". Once the drivers have been installed, restart the computer. Tips and Warnings Update your device and software drivers often. This will reduce the chance of getting an error message. In some cases you won’t be able to disable the device because it is used by another. Refer to the user guide for instructions. If you encounter this message, keep in mind that it is mostly due to a device driver. If the problem seems to be the hard drive, check the pins as indicated earlier.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

How Batteries Function?

[nathanthetechie-blog]

A Brief History of Google

The answer to who invented Google is Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Since the company was founded, it has become the most widely used search engine in the Internet. Aside from search engines, the company has embarked on other profitable ventures. Overview Page and Brin established the company during their days at Stanford University. This took place in 1996. Initially the application was designed for use at the university only. Funding of the project was helped by the Graduate Fellowship of the National Science Foundation. Brin and Page would create the PageRank algorithm, a computer language. This was used to create the search engine. Google Inc was established in 1997 after it was registered. As the company revenues increased, it was able to purchase its own offices and buildings. Expansion To make money, the company began placing ads that corresponded with whatever the user was searching for. This strategy proved successful and the company grew rapidly. Today the company makes most of its money off AdWords, its ad program. Currently based in Mountain View, California, it is now one of the biggest companies in the world. The company has formed many partnerships, acquired a lot of services and produces many products. While still best known for its search engine, it has expanded beyond this. Its email service is one of the most popular on the Web. Its other products include Google+ and Google Buzz. The company has developed its own web browser and several applications for the desktop. These include Google Talk instant messaging application and Picasa, a photo sharing viewer. Android and Other Products The company is also responsible for making the Android mobile operating system. It is currently being used on smartphones like Samsung Galaxy. The search engine runs a billion requests a single day. Its website is one of the most visited on the Net. Other companies that Google owns like YouTube, Orkut and Blogger have become very popular as well. Even though some people do not know who invented Google, there is no denying its popularity. Aside from being a search engine, the company is into video sharing, social networking, email and online mapping.  The company is now one of the most profitable in the world. it remains dependent on advertising to make most of its money though. In 2006, the company raked in $10.492 billion from ads. Its revenues from other sources totaled around $100 million. To keep online ads coming in, Google has invested in various technologies to help advertisers.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

Setting Up Linksys Passwords

Resetting the Linksys default password is very easy. There is no need to get in touch with your service provider at all. Step 1 Check the rear of the router. It should be plugged in. Step 2 Get a pen or paper clip. Press the button on the Reset button. Keep the button pressed for thirty seconds. This will bring the router back to the factory settings.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

Getting Access to Blocked Web Pages

Unblocking websites is not as complicated as you may think. You don’t need a lot of technical knowledge; only basic computing skills are required. Use a Web Proxy These are available in many websites. The proxy server functions as a go-between between the server and the user. You will have no problems finding website proxies. Once you find a website, click one of the proxies. The site itself will provide the instructions. VPN Connections VPN or Virtual Private Network can be compared to a tunnel in the network. They work somewhat like proxies. But they are more advanced and secure. Aside from the Web, you can also access email and chat anonymously. There are still many of these available for free. You have to be patient though, because there are many users who are utilizing it. Hide IP Applications As the name suggests, these programs hide your IP address. Apart from helping you unblock websites, they have other features. Some programs allow you to add and test proxies.  The free versions usually have a limited number of proxies included. The functionality will be limited to hiding the IP address. But for the most part that is all you will need. The pay for programs have more features and their structure is more complex. Add-ons Web browsers can also be fitted with apps that let you surf anonymously. Usually you just have to click a button to enable or disable anonymity. Translation Services By translating the blocked site you will be able to access it. Simply pick a language to translate and the page will load. The blocking program will not realize that you are viewing the site. It will think you are just visiting the translation page. Other Ways to Gain Access You can also try Google cache. Simply type the word cache followed by the complete website address in the browser address bar. The Internet Archive also lets you view web pages whether they are blocked or not. Or you can type https instead of http. This does not always work, but you should give it a try. You may also want to type the IP address instead of the URL. To find the IP address of a website, type “ping domain.com” in a command prompt. You will get the IP. Now you can type that in the browser address bar. Now it is up to you to decide which of these methods to use.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

Microsoft tablet hangs up while running Internet Explorer on tablet first presentation. Hilarious.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

How to Disable Windows Live Messenger

There are several reasons why some people would want to disable windows live messenger. Some people find it a distraction especially in a school or work environment. So, some school administrators and office supervisors prefer to have this instant messaging software uninstalled completely or disabled for the meantime. Some people just can't quit chatting and get some real work done. On the other hand, some folks find it an annoyance since it will pop up every time they start their computer. There are indeed times when you need the computer to load all the start up programs real fast so you can immediately get to the thing you were supposed work on. However, with an extra start up item such as an instant messaging client popping up, the computer's boot up process takes a bit longer. Yet another reason why some computer users prefer to disable windows live messenger is simply due to the fact that they don't have any use for it at the moment. These folks may not really want to remove the program completely from off their computer system but would rather just keep it "deactivated" so to speak. In case they would need it some time in the future then all they have to do is to enable the client so they can use it as needed. Installation Type There was a time when Windows Live Messenger was available as a form of Beta software. So, many folks did go over some of the unique headaches that came with installing an application in such a developing stage. Nowadays, you don't have to put up with any beta testing since this instant messaging client now comes pre-installed in every new computer that runs any Windows operating system. Well, the supported versions include Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 or any later version that may come up along the way. Install any of these operating systems and you'll definitely get this software installed in your computer as well. Steps to Disable Windows Live Messenger The actual steps to disable this instant messaging client are rather easy. However, the unfortunate thing is that it doesn't involve using any graphical user interface so feel free to feel like a computer geek typing up codes and doing all that fancy stuff. To start off, click the Start button or open the Start menu by pressing the button on your keyboard that has the Windows logo on it. If you're using Windows XP click on Run to open the Run dialogue box. If you're using a Windows Vista or Windows 7 then type Run in the quick search bar and click on the Run in the search list that shows up. This will pull up a window labeled as Open. In the space provided, key in "services.msc" and then hit Enter. A window with a list of programs will pull up on your screen. Find and double click Windows Live Messenger in the list. You will then be prompted to change the Startup Type–at this point choose "disabled." Next, click Stop when you're at the Service Status part and then click OK.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

How to Change Audio File Formats

It isn't hard to convert wma to mp3. There are several computer programs that allow you to do this. The following are just some of them.  In Windows Step 1 Open Windows Media Player. After clicking “Burn”, drag every wma file you want to change into another format. Drag them to “Burn List”. Step 2 Put an empty CDR in the CD drive. Burn the files to the CD. After the files have been burned, click "Rip Settings”. Go to “Format” and choose “mp3”. Step 3 Click “Rip CD”. This will convert the files into mp3 format. In Winamp Step 1 Run the Winamp application. Find the file you want to change. Head to "Media Library" then "Audio”. Go over to "File" then "Add Media To Library." Another way is to open Windows Explorer and drag the files to Winamp. Step 2 Right click the file and choose "Send to format converter." Choose "MP3 Encoder v1.35 a". Decide where the file will be saved. Click OK. A message will appear indicating the conversion is finished. With Windows Media 11 Step 1 Click "Rip". A white arrow will pop up under the bottom. Any wma files on the CD will also be visible in Media 11. Click the arrow. After the drop down menu appears, select “Format”. Choose “mp3” from the menu that appears. Step 2 Click "Start Rip" and the file will be converted. With iTunes in Windows Vista Step 1 To convert wma to mp3, go to "Edit” then "Preferences”. Go to "Import Settings" at the "General" tab. Choose "MP3 Encoder" from the "Import Using," option. From here you can alter the sound quality. Click OK after you have chosen your preferences. Step 2 Make a playlist by dragging all the files you want to convert. After you have selected all the files, click "Create MP3 Version" at the "Advanced” menu. The program will create mp3 versions of those files. Step 3 Go to the iTunes folder. The converted files will be right there. They will be stored under the name used by the wma files. If the files don't have a name, there will be a folder called "Unknown Artist". The mp3s will be there. These are just some of the software programs you can use to alter music file formats. If you check the Internet, you will see other apps that can do the same thing. The methods will vary a bit though. Study the program first before converting the files.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

Downloading and Installing Unix

Before you do a Unix download, understand there are different types available. Unix is an open source system so there are many types.  Step 1 Go to a website where these programs are hosted. You will find different types of Unix operating systems. Some of them are Linux based while others are pure Unix. You should gather some facts about each OS so you know exactly what you are downloading. Step 2 Click the link to download the file. It may consist of a DVD image or you may be taken to an FTP site. It doesn’t matter; you will get the file. Step 3 Wait for the file to finish downloading. Follow any instructions given during the installation process. How to Download Unix Software Software for Unix are usually stored in .tar source code files. The code has to be then changed to a binary format which a specific Unix OS recognizes. The code has to be downloaded once. It can then be compiled for Unix, Linux, BSD or the Solaris operating system. The code has to be copied and compiled on the system. Every Unix has a package manager for software distribution. Step 1 Download the .tar file. This is available on the Internet. Step 2 Open up a terminal window. You can find this in the main Application window under Utilities. Step 3 Unpack the file. Type "gunzip program.tar.gz" if it has a .gz extension. Next, type "tar -xvf units-1.74.tar". Place the extracted files into its own folder (cd program). Step 4 Read the INSTALL and README files (less README, less INSTALL). Set up the program to recognize your operating system (./configure). Step 5 The next step is to build the program package. After checking the software build, install it. The installation process may vary depending on the program and what OS type you have installed. Other Information This operating system was developed in 1969 in Bell Labs. This is the OS used in many network servers and workstations. These systems were used a lot during the early days of the World Wide Web. Since it came out, numerous other versions have emerged. However, many of the commands are still the same. For first time users, understand that many types of operating systems fall under this classification. Linux is derived from it, as well as Red Hat, Ubuntu and many others. If you are a Windows or Mac user, it will take time to get used to this.

[nathanthetechie-blog]

Downloading and Installing Unix

Before you do a Unix download, understand there are different types available. Unix is an open source system so there are many types. Step 1 Go to a website where these programs are hosted. You will find different types of Unix operating systems. Some of them are Linux based while others are pure Unix. You should gather some facts about each OS so you know exactly what you are downloading. Step 2 Click the link to download the file. It may consist of a DVD image or you may be taken to an FTP site. It doesn’t matter; you will get the file. Step 3 Wait for the file to finish downloading. Follow any instructions given during the installation process. How to Download Unix Software Software for Unix are usually stored in .tar source code files. The code has to be then changed to a binary format which a specific Unix OS recognizes. The code has to be downloaded once. It can then be compiled for Unix, Linux, BSD or the Solaris operating system. The code has to be copied and compiled on the system. Every Unix has a package manager for software distribution. Step 1 Download the .tar file. This is available on the Internet. Step 2 Open up a terminal window. You can find this in the main Application window under Utilities. Step 3 Unpack the file. Type "gunzip program.tar.gz" if it has a .gz extension. Next, type "tar -xvf units-1.74.tar". Place the extracted files into its own folder (cd program). Step 4 Read the INSTALL and README files (less README, less INSTALL). Set up the program to recognize your operating system (./configure). Step 5 The next step is to build the program package. After checking the software build, install it. The installation process may vary depending on the program and what OS type you have installed. Other Information This operating system was developed in 1969 in Bell Labs. This is the OS used in many network servers and workstations. These systems were used a lot during the early days of the World Wide Web. Since it came out, numerous other versions have emerged. However, many of the commands are still the same. For first time users, understand that many types of operating systems fall under this classification. Linux is derived from it, as well as Red Hat, Ubuntu and many others. If you are a Windows or Mac user, it will take time to get used to this.