RyAnd Computing http://www.ryand.net Technology Consulting Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:24:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc en hourly 1 Transition to new www.ryand.net http://www.ryand.net/2008/12/17/transition-to-new-wwwryandnet/ http://www.ryand.net/2008/12/17/transition-to-new-wwwryandnet/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:00:36 +0000 ryan http://new.ryand.net/?p=76 I’m please to announce the transition of ryand.net and related services (RyAnd Customer Update, Connected Workstation Update) to this new, unified site. Content has been imported, so while it might be different finding your way around at first, all the resource you’re familiar with are here.  Links to older pages have been redirected to an appropriate location in the new site.

Connected Workstation customers who have this as your home page: In the coming days I will re-create a dedicated homepage with information dedicated to your particular needs.  You do not need to do anything to receive this change.

Have questions or comments about how the new site works for you? Feel free to contact me with feedback!

]]> http://www.ryand.net/2008/12/17/transition-to-new-wwwryandnet/feed/ 0 Important: Security Check Required http://www.ryand.net/2008/07/26/important-security-check-required/ http://www.ryand.net/2008/07/26/important-security-check-required/#comments Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:40:22 +0000 ryan http://ryand.net/news/2008/07/26/important-security-check-required/ This is an urgent security notice from RyAnd Computing. All customers should follow these steps.

Recently a serious flaw in some basic internet services was discovered that can allow a malicious individual to redirect your usage of the internet. For example, you could type in www.wellsfargo.com hoping to get to your bank, but silently and without any indication to you, your username and password when you log in is being stolen despite being on a secure site, because you have had the connection redirected. While the fix has been available for some time, not all Internet providers have applied it, and there is now functional software to take advantage of the problem.

To test for this issue, click here and then click “Check My DNS.” If it says that your name server appears to be vulnerable, please call me at 920-471-1898 as soon as possible. Until I can come over and apply the work-around fix, do not shop online, access online banking, or input any other information that you would not want stolen. The fix itself is quick for me to apply, and if I installed a router for you and you have the access codes I gave you for it, I can do it in less than five minutes. It is, however, essential that you call and have me resolve this.

]]> http://www.ryand.net/2008/07/26/important-security-check-required/feed/ 0 Notice for AT&T (SBC) DSL customers http://www.ryand.net/2007/08/01/notice-for-att-sbc-dsl-customers/ http://www.ryand.net/2007/08/01/notice-for-att-sbc-dsl-customers/#comments Wed, 01 Aug 2007 22:07:51 +0000 ryan http://ryand.net/cnxwrx/?p=8 If you or someone you know has Internet service from AT&T (SBC) Yahoo DSL, they may require a computer settings change. AT&T has made some security updates/changes that, while positve, require some reconfiguration of the Thunderbird email software. RyAnd Computing can perform these changes remotely, in most cases. Please contact us today to find out if these changes apply to you.

As a short-term workaround, DSL customers can use http://dsl.att.yahoo.com/ to access their email. Note that using this interface will not show old emails, and the spam (junk mail) filtering is also unavailable, so it is a temporary workaround only.

]]> http://www.ryand.net/2007/08/01/notice-for-att-sbc-dsl-customers/feed/ 0 Daylight Savings Time http://www.ryand.net/2007/03/07/daylight-savings-time/ http://www.ryand.net/2007/03/07/daylight-savings-time/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2007 15:33:38 +0000 ryan http://ryand.net/cnxwrx/?p=7 As you may know, Daylight Savings Time has been moved up by three weeks this year. Your Connected Workstation will be able to handle this seamlessly – just install the updates now available (orange icon by the clock) as you normally would. If you need help, check in the User’s Guide, which is linked to on the side of this page. It explains how to do the updates there.

If you have any Windows-based machines, make sure you run Windows Update. Windows 2000, ME, 98, and 95 will not support the update – please contact me to install a third-party update for those systems or consider a Connected Workstation conversion based on your needs.

]]> http://www.ryand.net/2007/03/07/daylight-savings-time/feed/ 0 IMPORTANT: Notebook (Laptop) Computer Battery Recalls (Updated) http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/29/important-notebook-laptop-computer-battery-recalls/ http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/29/important-notebook-laptop-computer-battery-recalls/#comments Sat, 30 Sep 2006 00:01:54 +0000 ryan http://ryand.net/news/2006/09/29/important-notebook-laptop-computer-battery-recalls/ Updated – Gateway and Sony battery replacement links added.

If you or anyone you know has a laptop from one of these manufacturers, please follow their instructions to find out if your battery is one of the recalled ones. If it is, turn off your notebook computer, remove the battery, then plug it in using AC power and do not use the battery until it is replaced. All these batteries were manufacturered by Sony and have a defect that in rare cases could lead to explosion or fire. The recalled quantity of batteries is by far the largest for Dell systems, but several other computer companies are offering free replacement of potentially defective batteries. If you need help following these instructions, please contact RyAnd Computing – visit www.ryand.net

]]> http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/29/important-notebook-laptop-computer-battery-recalls/feed/ 0 Your Connected Workstation is Safe… http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/22/your-connected-workstation-is-safe/ http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/22/your-connected-workstation-is-safe/#comments Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:07:53 +0000 ryan http://ryand.net/cnxwrx/?p=5 but any other computers you may be using might not be! From the RyAnd Customer Update:

A “Zero-Day” exploit for Internet Explorer has been found in the wild. What does this mean?

“Zero-day” means that there are programs that are using this vulnerability to infect computers on the day that the problem was discovered. There is no patch for this yet. For this reason, if you are not already using Mozilla Firefox instead of Internet Explorer or other browsers (AOL, SBC/Yahoo) to do your web browsing, or if you were using Mozilla Firefox but have slipped back into the IE habit… :) Now is an important time to make sure you’re on Mozilla! Visit www.mozilla.com to download the latest version of Mozilla Firefox, if you do not already have it. If you do already have it, it will automatically be updating itself so you have nothing to worry about there.

So basically, in summary – additional flaws have been found and utilized in Internet Explorer that could put your computer at risk if you use Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, AOL or AOL Explorer, MSN Explorer, or nearly any other browser than Mozilla Firefox. Those using Mozilla Firefox exclusively should be relatively safe, as long as they have been following safe computer practices.

If you have any questions or want assistance, please feel free to contact us!

Vulnerability Information from US Computer Emergency Response Team

Again, this does not affect your RyAnd Connected Workstation system – so enjoy that peace of mind! However, if you have another computer and are using Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, or one of the other browsers listed above (almost anything other than Mozilla Firefox) on that Windows-based system, you are at risk. Please feel free to contact us if you want assistance in mitigating this risk.

]]> http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/22/your-connected-workstation-is-safe/feed/ 0 “Zero-Day” Exploit for Internet Explorer http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/20/zero-day-exploit-for-internet-explorer/ http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/20/zero-day-exploit-for-internet-explorer/#comments Thu, 21 Sep 2006 05:01:28 +0000 ryan http://ryand.net/news/2006/09/20/zero-day-exploit-for-internet-explorer/ A “Zero-Day” exploit for Internet Explorer has been found in the wild. What does this mean?

“Zero-day” means that there are programs that are using this vulnerability to infect computers on the day that the problem was discovered. There is no patch for this yet. For this reason, if you are not already using Mozilla Firefox instead of Internet Explorer or other browsers (AOL, SBC/Yahoo) to do your web browsing, or if you were using Mozilla Firefox but have slipped back into the IE habit… :) Now is an important time to make sure you’re on Mozilla! Visit www.mozilla.com to download the latest version of Mozilla Firefox, if you do not already have it. If you do already have it, it will automatically be updating itself so you have nothing to worry about there.

So basically, in summary – additional flaws have been found and utilized in Internet Explorer that could put your computer at risk if you use Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, AOL or AOL Explorer, MSN Explorer, or nearly any other browser than Mozilla Firefox. Those using Mozilla Firefox exclusively should be relatively safe, as long as they have been following safe computer practices.

If you have any questions or want assistance, please feel free to contact us!

]]> http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/20/zero-day-exploit-for-internet-explorer/feed/ 0 AbiWord Update http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/16/abiword-update/ http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/16/abiword-update/#comments Sat, 16 Sep 2006 19:18:09 +0000 ryan http://ryand.net/cnxwrx/?p=4 Hello! If you haven’t tried it already, give AbiWord Word Processor a shot – it’s in your Applications menu under Office. It’s a word processor that’s very similar to Microsoft Word, and can perform most common word processing tasks, including spell checking.

I’m preparing an updated version of AbiWord for the Connected Workstation and would like your feedback! There is an optional grammar checking tool that would add green underlines under text that it thinks is poor grammar. It does slow down the program a little, but it is a useful feature. My question is this: do you want this tool added to the new version of AbiWord? Let me know by leaving a comment! Thanks!

]]> http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/16/abiword-update/feed/ 0 Welcome to Connected Workstation! http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/10/welcome-to-connected-workstation/ http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/10/welcome-to-connected-workstation/#comments Sun, 10 Sep 2006 21:40:59 +0000 ryan http://ryand.net/cnxwrx/?p=3 Thank you for choosing the Connected Workstation software from RyAnd Computing, powered by Ubuntu Linux! This page will be updated with the most recent information on your system, as well as useful tips and tricks. The latest version of the system manual will always be available from this location, as well, so keep it as your homepage!

If you have any support concerns regarding any part of your system, please contact RyAnd Computing before any other organization’s support line. As the system integrator, only RyAnd Computing can definitively evaluate and solve problems in an expedient fashion.

Thanks for your business, and enjoy your system!

(Ubuntu is a trademark of Canonical Limited.)

]]> http://www.ryand.net/2006/09/10/welcome-to-connected-workstation/feed/ 0 Incompatibility between Some Linksys WRT54G Routers and Roadrunner Internet http://www.ryand.net/2006/03/03/incompatibility-between-some-linksys-wrt54g-routers-and-roadrunner-internet/ http://www.ryand.net/2006/03/03/incompatibility-between-some-linksys-wrt54g-routers-and-roadrunner-internet/#comments Fri, 03 Mar 2006 21:02:41 +0000 ryan http://ryand.net/news/2006/03/03/incompatibility-between-some-linksys-wrt54g-routers-and-roadrunner-internet/ A problem has been noticed that causes intermittent failures in Internet access for customers using Roadrunner Internet through Time Warner Cable and a Linksys WRT54G version 5.  To find out if your router is a version 5, turn it over and look at the label.  This image shows what a version 5 router will say.  If you have one of these routers and have any connection problems, please contact RyAnd Computing and let us know that you have a WRT54G version 5 router.  A firmware upgrade  and other repair can be carried out, which should fix the problem.  If any problems continue, Linksys will replace the router for free under warranty.

Again, this is only a problem for the Version 5 routers, and not all routers will have this problem.  If you experience it, please give us a call as soon as possible and we’ll get you back up and running quickly.

Thanks!

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