Category Archives: Tech

A collection of tech-related posts and topics.

2 Steps to Stopping Splog Registrations in WordPress MU

Comment Spammers Burn in HellI was doing some routine maintenance on all of my blogs today, when I noticed an unusual number of new blogs had been created on one of my domains. Immediately, I was filled with a feeling of pride…one of my blogs had finally gone mainstream! Out of sheer excitement, I logged in to the site to see what my new authors were posting. As the page loaded (my internet is running a tad slow tonight), I felt like child unwrapping the BIG present Christmas morning. I eagerly anticipated reading the newest blog posts, but was instead met with a stunning revelation: sploggers had invaded. Continue reading 2 Steps to Stopping Splog Registrations in WordPress MU

42 Must-Have WordPress Plugins

WordPress Logo
I was sitting here pondering what to post. I thought I would jump on my blog to check recent comments. Once I logged in, I saw I had a plugin update available and I did a mini-dance in my head. I love plugin updates because you never know what new features you are going to get. Then it hit me…why not do a post on my favorite WordPress plugins? So, without further adieu, here they are! Continue reading 42 Must-Have WordPress Plugins

Get WP-Slimbox2 to Autodetect Additional File Extensions

WordPress Logo

Those of us that use WP-Slimbox2 plugin for WordPress (by Transient Monkey) have the simplest Lightbox/Slimbox integration yet. All we have to do is include an image link in the post, and WP-Slimbox2 does the rest. There is only one problem with it: by default it only autodetects .jpg, .png, and .gif file extensions. This is fine, if those are the only file extensions you use. What if you have some .jpeg or .bmp files referenced? It does not autodetect those extensions. Luckily, there is a fix. Continue reading Get WP-Slimbox2 to Autodetect Additional File Extensions

Erase your iPhone or iPod Touch

Have an iPod touch or an iPhone you are getting rid of? Send me an email, I will send you my address! Yes, that was a joke, but I’ll take it if you send it! Regardless of where the device goes, you might want to erase it first. If you don’t, whomever you give it to will have all of your data and network info. Not good. Continue reading Erase your iPhone or iPod Touch

Take a Screen Capture on your iPhone or iPod Touch

Ever need to capture what you see on your iPhone or iPod touch? Need to show step-by-step directions in your blog or email whats going on to tech support? On the older iPod touch versions, you had to install a third-party app to get it done. Not anymore! Continue reading Take a Screen Capture on your iPhone or iPod Touch

Solve a Vanishing Network on your iPod Touch

Having issues with your iPod touch not retaining your Wi-Fi settings? Getting tired of having to enter your Wi-Fi settings every time you want to connect to your network? Irritating, isn’t it? I feel your pain. I argued with this for weeks before I finally found the solution. With a few simple steps, and about 5 minutes of your life, you can put this problem to rest! Continue reading Solve a Vanishing Network on your iPod Touch

Restore Lost Speed, Reset your iPod Touch

iPod touch giving you random problems? Have you noticed a lag developing in its performance? You probably need to reset it. You next question is probably something along the lines of, “Will I lose everything when I do it?” That was my first question, anyway. The answer is no. This is a basic step equivalent to restarting your computer. A reset should always be your first troubleshooting step for your iPod Touch. Continue reading Restore Lost Speed, Reset your iPod Touch

How to Attain WEP and WPA Simultaneously

First and foremost, I must give credit to one of my twitter pals, TroyBrownBBNews, without whom this post would not be possible. Without his help, I would not have gotten it to work.

So, you might be asking yourself, “Why would I want to have anything to do with WEP?” The answer is, you shouldn’t, but there are still many devices out there that have not yet made the switch to full WPA, let alone WPA2. Simply stated, much like the age-old adage about a chain and a weak link, your network can only be secured up to the level of the lowest security-enabled device. In other words, if you have a device that you must have on your network that’s highest level of encryption is WEP, the highest level of encryption you can enact would be WEP. A WEP-only device will not connect to a WPA network. For instance, and in my case, if you have a child who happens to own a Nintendo DS Lite or DSi, you understand why. For the longest time, I refused to lower my encryption for the home network to allow for online game play. However, in today’s market there are several games that cannot be fully played unless an internet connection is made available. Therein lays the conundrum. Do I lessen the level of protection, or do I deal with purchasing games that my son cannot fully enjoy (and also listen to the repeated pleas for internet connectivity)? The answer is: I can have both with a little work. And so can you. Let’s get started, shall we? Continue reading How to Attain WEP and WPA Simultaneously

Securing your Wireless Network

wirelessSo, you have a wireless network. Now it is time for you to take security seriously. Most people think that setting up a wireless network and hiding the SSID is all you need to do. I have been in networking for several years, mostly as a service tech. I cannot tell you how many times I rolled on a service call to find that a customer’s wireless network had been compromised, often without them even knowing. In my experience, internet leaching neighbors is the most common form of network compromise. However, wardriving is an even bigger threat. When a wardriver finds your unsecured (or weakly secured) network, it is often loaded to a server with GPS coordinates letting others know where they can go to leach internet, or worse. While there is little you can do to stop a truly dedicated hacker, it is rather simple to keep your network from being labeled as a prime target. Continue reading Securing your Wireless Network