Internet

Top 5 Business Productivity Apps

ZOOM

Zoom is best-known for being the go-to choice for businesses that need access to quick and convenient video for internal and external audio or video conferencing.

Offers high-quality HD video and audio.
Simple and easy to use platform
Offers collaboration facilities such as text chat and screen sharing
You do not sign up for the app to join a Zoom meeting (hopefully this doesn’t change)
To host a video conference, you need to create an account
Can sign up using existing Facebook and Google accounts
Works with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
Desktop users can also begin a local recording
There is extra functionality with plugins like integration with outlook , google chrome, Firefox to make using the app from within these software easier

Zoom app is offered in both free and paid versions. The paid version has some additional features like you can add up to 1000 participants, record calls, and much more.

WEBEX by cisco

https://www.webex.com/pricing/index.html

WebEx is a flexible conferencing solution designed for businesses of any sizes you can think. Cisco owns the WebEx brand and has been around for a while with a high degree of reliability.

High quality web and HD video meeting software
It has Integrated application/file sharing(screen sharing)
Integrated with Outlook – add WebEx to a meeting in my calendar and all invitees will have the information
Cross platform – works with Windows, Mac, iPad and support mobile meetings for iPhones, Blackberries, Androids.
With WebEx meetings you can also chat using your phone or home line and watching the video/ video conference or meeting using your internet connection.
Supports immediate playback of multi-media content like flash and windows media player
Great customer service

Webex makes a good reliable software/app for video and audio conferencing for business needs and integrates well with their most browsers and their other products like jabber.

Microsoft Teams by Microsoft

https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/

Microsoft Teams is a new player in the market that has rapidly taken over market share from webex and zoom.

With the competition heating up for video conferencing platforms like Google Meet and many other free video conferencing platforms, Microsoft has made it free to collaborate with your colleagues with some limitations.

Multi-Platform support -You can use Microsoft Teams on most platforms including Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Schedule video/audio meetings with one person or a team or make a call directly to your teammates.
Features includes screen sharing and call recording, background blur and chat.
Just share a link with your team to join the call or a meeting.
Easy to use – The interface is clean and simple to understand. You can initiate an online meeting or can schedule one as per your requirement.
Host a webinar or meeting with up to 10,000 participants.
App is integrated with Microsoft 365
If the other person is unable to answer, you can leave a voicemail-like message.
With Microsoft Teams integrations with Outlook, you can schedule a video call in advance and you get an alert before it begins.
The free account offers 10 GB of team file storage and 2 GB of personal file storage per person
It supports most Microsoft software. Teams let you collaborate in real-time with MS Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Let your teammates access, share, and edit Word docs, PowerPoint, and Excel files in real-time
You can communicate and collaborate with teams up to 500K users
Microsoft keeps your data secure by using Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) technology for video and audio data encryption.

How to set up Microsoft Teams:

You can download the app directly from the app store or Microsoft website and use your email account to log in. It can also be accessed via a web browser.

If you remember skype owned by Microsoft and still use it, MT has been built using some features “Skype for Business” that has been rolled into Teams. Teams support VoIP calling features where you can call anyone with a phone using Microsoft’s cloud-based PBX.

Microsoft Teams is ideal for businesses who already use or are familiar with Microsoft products and for others it could be an expensive option. It is however a perfect solution to collaborate with your team with plenty of features and third-party app integration options, which is not available with competitors.

How to use and set up Zoom Meeting:

First, you need to get the Zoom app on your device.

You will need the code and password for the meeting you wish to join.

At the time of the meeting, enter your Zoom app and type in the meeting code. After a short while, you will be prompted to put in the password. Type it on the password line. You will get a message telling you to wait to be invited into the meeting by the host.

Once you get the invitation, you will see the host (or some meeting participants) on your screen. If you want them to be able to see and hear you during the meeting, tap the video and audio icons at the bottom of the screen to join the meeting with visual and audio.

You can also press “mute” any time you want to remain silent to the host or other participants. Just remember to press “unmute” if you want to be heard again. [ These zoom instructions can be quite similar to use for most other video conferencing apps too ]

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Most of these apps work by creating a meeting id or a URL that you can share with people to join your meeting or video chat.

Companies or organisations will have to take into account – companies licensing agreements, hardware, budget, communication needs before signing up with such providers.

Historically with these apps none has been truly web-based, as they require a download, only work on certain devices, and don’t always work on all browsers. But this has changed now with most of these being able to be used with web browsers using plugins as alternatives and some even in stand- alone browsers.

Zoom vs WebEx

Zoom is the hot new web conferencing toy in the industry, but is proving itself to be well received in the workplace due to its ease of use and nice video interface. Cisco is a bit pricier when compared to others, but Zoom costs can add on with charges for add-on charges for extra features.

Other Business Video conferencing & Productivity APPS

Below are some apps that have been used for business as well as popular with personal use for video chat and audio calling features

GoToMeeting (popular with business use)

Go TO Meeting has been popular as a video conferencing app prior to the launch of these new popular apps who have grabbed user share. With GoToMeeting, you can schedule conferences for any time or place you choose. Additionally, attendees can join from a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Google Meet (popular with personal use)

If you have heard of google hangouts, this had evolved into google meet. You can plan a video meeting in the Google calendar, Gmail, or Meet by signing in to the G Suite account. Enter https://meet.google.com in a web browser

It has features like real-time captions and support for up to 250 participants and 100,000 live stream viewers

Facebook Messenger & What’s app (popular with personal use)

Both are owned by Facebook.

WhatsApp is one of the most popular chats on the planet. It counts over 1 billion active users. It offers you voice calls, video calls, and many other features.

Slack (business and personal use)

Slack is a useful chat or conferencing app where you can create chats with different users, mention users via @ and view all team members files at one place. Slack allows you to make voice and video calls and show your work, you can share your screen just like in Skype.

Viber for Business (popular with personal use)

Viber for Business completes the Skype for Business alternatives when looking for a collaboration or team chat environment.

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Pricing:

Most providers have different type of plans like Pro, Business or Enterprise which are quoted according to your needs. Pricing can also be calculated on per participant per meeting prices or then flat licensing deals. The typical lowest starting price is from $12/month to $15/ a month , however price can vary according to your business needs.

Conclusion:

You can’t run a company without meetings and you cant video chat with friends without a video chat app. Video conferencing services make communicating with your entire team or your group of friends and family easy. Today its possible to video chat or conference with large number of people depending on which platform you are using.

Which video conferencing apps do you use? Let us know in the comments below!

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3 Technologies That Need To Become Mainstream To Save The Earth

May 10, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

With so many natural disasters and changes to the ecosystem, the evidence of rapidly escalating climate change is unavoidable. Scientists are panicked by the dramatically faster rates of decline than anticipated while much of the public was, at least up until recently, somewhat resistant to even accepting climate change as the reality.

After experiencing inexplicably extreme weathers, people are starting to believe that this is a problem that is only getting worse. According to one scientific report, 40 % of the world’s insects will be extinct over the next few decades. That will be an unprecedented level of disruption in our environment and will likely lead to extinction or endangerment of many other species including humans.

While some claim gloomily that we are beyond point of no return, many have not given up. Global Waves of climate change protests drew six million people out to the street. One of the main sources of this ecological crisis is waste. We dump 2.12 billion tons of waste each year into whichever landfill we can find.

So what are the technologies that need to be developed quickly to combat this massive (literally) issue? How do we save the earth?

Internet of Things (IoT) in Waste Management

Many cities are attempting to use IoT and sensors to better auto-manage waste to keep the cities clean. In Songdo, South Korea, they do not use garbage trucks. They have smart waste bins through which the waste is sucked into pneumatic pipes and transported to a facility where they are automatically sorted and recycled or burned or buried.

The lack of landfills is not only economical but also the only environmentally responsible option to tackle the waste crisis. One of the most difficult items to recycle or bury properly is a mattress. In the U.S., 18.2 million mattresses are disposed of each year but there are only 56 facilities available to recycle them. Mattress recycling in Brisbane, Australia, one of the more environmentally conscious cities, is handled by the government with more oversight and care.

There’s also food waste, clothes waste, plastic waste, and many more. We need a more holistic approach to managing waste and real-time waste processing enabled by IoT needs further attention at a wider scale.

Smart Grids to Reduce CO2 Levels

Similar to the smart waste bins enabled by IoT, smart grid enables better communication among the players in the energy production pipelines to better manage and recycle the output. These grids are being tested in the US and various other countries.

These grids can utilise renewable energy to pump the energy into the grid and auto-predict and auto-manage possible outages. When combined with better battery technology, this could mean that we will be able to store energy generated by renewable sources and thus rendering our current environmentally harmful energy production methodology obsolete.

Smart grids, if properly implemented, are expected to reduce carbon emissions by 58% compared to where it was a decade ago. The wider adoption of smart grids is closer than you may think. In 2016, the Brooklyn Microgrid project was initiated using blockchain technology to generate a ‘microgrid’ of neighborhoods to generate solar-powered energy and share P2P. New York, as one of the cities that have frequently experienced storms and hurricanes in the past 10 years, has welcomed this experiment with wide arms as the elimination of their dependence on fuel-based electricity power allows them to have access to energy even if those hurricanes were to make their way back.

While there will be challenges and kinks to work out before we can implement across bigger grids, it is worth the investment and experiments as it is one of the few solutions that could actually move the needle in reversing the current trends.

(Not-so-)Fake Meat

Due to the desire to maximise profit per animal, farmers and food processors started manipulating the animals’ genetics to make them bigger. To put things in perspective, it is said that producing one burger equates to how much fuel a small car uses to drive for 20 miles.

It is absolutely killing the environment.

Many meat lovers will roll their eyes at the anticipated “meat is murder” rhetoric, but the fake meat industry has progressed at an impressive rate to win over the dedicated carnivores. Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have conducted countless experiments to ensure the fake burger not only tastes but smells like a real one. So the meat-fans do not have to sacrifice their addictions while trying to save the environment. What do you have to lose?

3 tricks to reset your forgotten windows password

April 23, 2019 by admin 5 Comments

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It happens to everybody at some part of the time. You lose your laptop or a computer password, and now you are locked out of it. This can become quite frustrating as you are unable to gain access back into your windows computer which has important files on it.

Fortunately, there are many options to get back into your desktop computer or laptop with custom paid software and also some free options available. Most of the available software normally works on all versions of windows from windows 10 to windows XP.

Majority of the operating systems on PCs in the world run some form of Windows, and we’re assuming you’ve got a Microsoft-based computer. Unfortunately, Microsoft won’t help you if you have lost your password – it’s their security policy. There are tricks and methods to unlock your pc.

Below we list some of the options available to you if you find yourself in such a situation and need to unlock your computer again

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3 NEW UNLOCKING SOFTWARE BELOW (UPDATED 2020)

Get the zapper software >> here on Amazon

Get the recovery disk >> here on Amazon

Get The WIN recovery USB >> over here on Amazon

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Use Your Windows 10 Password Reset Disk

Unfortunately for this to work, you should have done this before losing your password, and if you were proactive and done it before, then you can easily use this Windows 10 password reset disk that you created to unlock your PC.

The Windows 7 or 10 password reset disk is a disk you can create for free using your existing Windows computer. This acts as a backup forgotten password disk for password recovery when you lose your password on your computer either.

If you don’t already have it, I suggest once you get back access using one of our other methods below – make one immediately. Instructions here.

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Reset Your Win 10 With This Free Trick

Everybody likes free. And there is a way to reset your Windows 7 or 10 passwords with nothing but the tools and some skills you will need to learn as we go. This is an easy trick that anyone can pull off with a little bit of understanding and perseverance for the not, so tech minded.

It involves having to boot from a windows disc or flash drive and use your PC’s Command Prompt a few times.

See our – How to Reset a Windows 10 Password for a complete tutorial.

Given the fact that you have forgotten to make a password reset disk or an administrator account without password on your computer, this free option will be the best solution if you are on a budget and need a solution.

There are some other similar free options which need some technical skills as well like using the Emergency Boot CD – The EBCD (Emergency Boot CD) (fix unbootable computers and recover data from them) or the Offline NT Password & Registry Editor (a utility that enables users to overwrite their Windows SAM file). These two utilities will also require using some command line codes.

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Our picks of top 3 recommended password recovery software

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Reset Password Pro

(Recommended)

We recommend this software because it supports all password recovery for windows versions up to windows 10 and..

Its easy to use
Supports Windows 32 bit as well as 64 bit
Accepts credit card and paypal payments
Covered by Clickbank Guarantee

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Ophcrack supports Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Not so much with with Windows 10 passwords.

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Offline NT Password & Registry Editor works on 64-bit & 32-bit versions of Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP PCs, and it reset the passwords immediately without a problem.

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Reset Windows 10 Password -FREE

Guide – to reset administrator password of Windows 10 without any software.( <– Video + tutorial)

Boot from the Windows 10 DVD. Make sure that your PC setup is configured to boot from a DVD and that UEFI and Secure Boot are disabled.
Press SHIFT + F10 to open a command prompt.
Check in which drive your windows is installed as in the video (diskpart command)
Replace the file utilman.exe with cmd.exe as shown in video. Before you do this, you should make a copy of utilman.exe so that you can restore it later.
After you have replaced utilman.exe successfully, you can remove the DVD and restart your Windows 10 install.
On the Windows 10 sign-in page, click the Utility Manager icon
As we replaced the Utility Manager with the cmd.exe, a command prompt should open now. Don’t worry about the error message.
Used command line as in video to reset administrator password and close command prompt, now you can login

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Password Resetter

The website is not as up-to date as the software, but the software does the password recovery for windows computers.

Quick features

It supports Windows Vista, XP, NT, 2000, 7 and also the latest version, Windows 8.
Rated as safe to download by both Norton and McAfee
Two versions available corporate and personal edition

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Why do you forget your password? ( +Solutions)

We forget passwords because we are human. While most people tend to remember their passwords, there are occasion’s when you can forget them. You can forget your password for many reasons – some of the reasons are listed below

You keep changing their passwords on a regular basis for security and forgot the last one
You have not used their laptop for a while and lost the password
You did not write down your password (not recommended anyway)
You made a complicated long-winded password and now can’t remember it

If you forgot your Microsoft account password, follow these steps.

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Solutions:

Write it down

Write it down only if you have to, and if you do make sure it’s kept in a safe place – that you can remember.

Codeword your password

Save your password somewhere, but write it down in code that you can decipher easily looking at the word you have written down Eg if your password is hpotter32# and you like harry potter – you could write down wizard32# in your diary if that would jog your memory to the actual password hpotter32. While these are risky and not recommended methods as solutions, it is for people with not so good memory and who tend to lose it much more than others.

Lock it in your bank

If you have paid for a sake locker in your bank, write it down on a piece of paper and keep it there with your family jewels J

* The Windows® logo, Windows NT, the Windows NT logo, Windows 2000, the Windows 2000 logo, Windows XP, the Windows XP logo, Windows Vista, the Windows Vista Logo, Windows 7, the Windows® 7 logo, Windows 8 and the Windows 8 logo are all registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. This site and the products and services offered on this site are not associated, affiliated, endorsed, or sponsored by Microsoft Corporation., nor have they been reviewed, tested or certified by Microsoft Corporation.

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Not an endorsement

Please note, by listing the above methods and software tools we’re certainly not advocating hacking in any sense. These tools are recommended to be used only if you lost your password to your own laptop or pc and at your own risk.

In fact, we strongly suggest if you don’t have the required skills you should rather take your computer to the local IT guy or hire someone to come do it for you.

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Hope one of the methods above help you get back access into your computer. If you did run into any problems trying the recovery methods do send the software provider an email via contact page or then leave a comment here and I can help you if i can. Hope you don’t fall into this situation again, but just in case I would bookmark this page 🙂

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How I saved $36 a month with NBN Internet in Australia

March 12, 2019 by admin 6 Comments

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Before I go ahead and give you all the information you seek on NBN , hear me out on how I saved myself $40 month on my internet and phone bills due to NBN and you can do it too by signing up for the NBN.

So, everyone right now has to have a phone line with Telstra and a internet plan with Telstra or some other provider like Vodafone or Optus.

I have switched to the NBN with TPG that costs me $69.99 a month for the 42.7 Mbps speed, which is more than enough for my household and Rob can watch youtube , Kylie can watch Netflix and Barra can listen to his acca dacca music streaming at the same time without any problems.

So how did I end up saving money and getting higher internet speeds?

I had a Amnet Adsl internet plan that I paid $59.99 a month for earlier.

I had a Telstra phone line that cost me roughly $46 a month, even though I hardly used it.

That’s a total of $106 a month

With the new TPG $70 monthly plan I can receive phone calls on my phone line as I ported my new number to their nbn connection for one off fee and I can receive calls on my old number that they transferred with my new nbn connection. I don’t have to worry about outbound calls as my Vodafone mobile plan has plenty of local/mobile calls available with international call credit available too.

So, with $106/month earlier costs – $70 current NBN plan cost = $36 a month saving (that’s a yearly saving of $432 a year and I get super-fast internet speeds too compared to before).

If you want to make outbound calls from your home phone, you can just add an oztalk call plan $10 with TPG NBN and you can still save $26 a month.

Read on below to know about NBN…

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All you need to know about NBN Australia – The Consumer’s Guide

In the internet business speed is pretty much everything and when you’re looking to change your internet provider this becomes an important factor. The NBN is here in Australia and you will need to switch sooner or later to these faster speeds. The NBN is compulsory, but at least 6 million Australians don’t realise it

Below I will cover some of the most asked questions about the NBN

Who are the major NBN providers?
What do you need for connecting NBN?
What is the price ranges for a NBN connection?
How does this all work and what do I need to do?

So let’s have a look at some good NBN internet providers for you in WA. Many of these ISP’s also provide their service throughout Australia.

1. Telstra

2. TPG (iinet)

3. Optus

4. Aussie Broadband

We will do an analysis of the NBN plans that these providers provide , but before that – let’s check out what else to look out for before signing on with a new provider.

Free NBN modem

With the new nbn connection to your home, you will need a good modem router that will be able to handle those speeds too. Many internet companies now bundle that modem for free with your plan so essentially you are saving anywhere between $100 to $150 Just on this.

If no free modem is offered their plans should be cheaper, unless their speeds make up for it.

Customer service

Is their customer support Local or overseas? Most big companies have overseas support in India or Philippines and that is quite common nowadays. Most people have learnt to deal with this and some of these overseas call centres do provide a good service compared to some dodgy customer service I have received locally.

Different speed plans & flexibility in plan upgrade

Most NBN internet providers offer three different speeds for plans.

There is the starter speed plan which is normally around 25mbps download speed and costs anywhere between $59 to $70 with different providers. It’s also called NBN25. Some limit the data on this plan to 100 GB.

The mid-tier speed plan sometimes called the Essential Internet Plan, which costs $69 to 80 per month and often comes with unlimited data. It’s also called NBN50 (50Mbps download speed).

Getting a bit technical with speed I can’t get with my connection – video by MasterNASA1 below

The premium version is called the Unlimited Internet Plan and costs $90 per month. As the name suggests, it comes with unlimited data and NBN50 speeds (50Mbps download speed)

[ninja_tables id=”7478″]

The iinet plans come with fetch entertainment bundle optional. Telstra also has an entertainment bundle and a speed boost service, but you need to pay extra for that. Optus offers fetch entertainment bundle just like iinet. Aussie Broadband offers one of the cheapest NBN plans starting at $55 a month, however this is a limited data plan of 100 GB and they also charge extra for a modem. They also offer the fetch entertainment bundle as optional.

Apart from the above providers there are many other local providers like

· Exetel
· Iprimus
· Dodo
· Internode
· Myrepublic

Below are some average speeds you can see for the plans

1. Basic Evening Speed (NBN 12): 12/1 Mbps download/upload

2. Standard Evening Speed (NBN 25): 25/5 Mbps download/upload

3. Standard Plus Evening Speed (NBN 50): 50/20 Mbps download/upload

4. Premium Evening Speed (NBN 100): 100/40 Mbps: download/upload

Just to give you and idea of the new NBN speeds, the old adsl2+ speeds were roughly 6 to 8mbps speeds download. ADSL2+ has a maximum potential speed of 24Mbps and the new NBN speeds can go upto 80+ mbps or higher speeds.

5g sim card slot

5G mobile speeds are coming and some new modems have capability to slot in a mobile sim card to distribute Wi-Fi through your house. The Telstra modem has this inbuilt capability. This can be a good back up option to your home line internet in case some disruption happens.

3g/4g usb slot

Many new modems also have a slot for 3gor 4g USB Wi-Fi usb dongle to be attached to your modem to distribute your internet from your Wi-Fi dongle. This could be a good backup internet option to have.

Voip phone

Most nbn connections come advertised with optional phone or voip plans. So do you need a special phone for voip plans? Is this voip phone provided?

Most providers will give you a voip plan starting from $10 or more for call plans – normally including calls to local, interstate and mobile within Australia (check with your provider). These plans can be used with the provided modem router, so you can just plug in your normal phone to the modem and make calls. You will not need a telstra phone line if you do this. No special voip phone is needed.

Bundle home phone and phone line – Keep your Home phone number

You already have a fixed line number, with signing up with nbn – you can keep your existing phone line to receive calls.

You will need to let your new nbn provider know that you want to keep your existing phone number and they will port it in for you. If you take a phone call plan with nbn or new provider, it might be cheaper than a Telstra connection.

If you have a Fixed Wireless nbn connection, you can choose to keep your existing copper phone line. This means you can use your phone during a power failure, depending on your handset.

Some service providers only offer phone services using VoIP via your internet connection. You should be aware that internet services (including VoIP services) are not supported by the battery. This means that there will be no internet services and no voice services using VoIP when there is a power outage.

You can cancel your existing Telstra phone connection. This will be good news for a lot of people (no more Telstra phone service charges).

Connection Fee?

The internet or nbn contract length you sign up will determine if you get charged a connection fee. Many providers waive connection and modem charges if you sign up for 18 months or 24 months plan. Some charge a connection fee irrespective.

Different types of NBN connections and speeds

1. Fibre to the Node (FTTN)

2. Fibre to the Building (FTTB)

3. Fibre to the Curb (FTTC)

4. Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)

5. Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC)

nbn™ Fibre to the Premises explained (FTTP)

An nbn™ Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) connection is used in circumstances where a fibre optic line will be run from the nearest available fibre node, directly to your premises.

FTTP connections require an nbn™ access network device to be installed inside your home. This device requires power to operate and can only be installed by an approved nbn™ installer or phone and internet provider.

NBN to nodenbn™ FTTP connect kit

Download (PDF – 6 MB)

FTTN services can deliver a range of wholesale speeds.

An nbn™ Fibre to the Node (FTTN) connection is utilised in circumstances where the existing copper phone and internet network from a nearby fibre node is used to make the final part of the connection to the nbn™ access network.

The fibre node is likely to take the form of a street cabinet. Each street cabinet will allow the nbn™ access network signal to travel over a fibre optic line from the exchange, to the cabinet, and connect with the existing copper network to reach your premises.

https://www2.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/Connect-Kits/res/nbn-brochure-online-fttn.pdf

Your actual speeds will be affected by many factors including; how far away your premises is located from the FTTN cabinet, how your provider configures their network and manages traffic (particularly during peak periods when more people are online), equipment quality, software, signal quality, the plan you choose, the performance of your modem, Wi-Fi, cabling, and other devices in your premises.

FTTB

An nbn™ Fibre to the Building (FTTB) connection is generally used when we are connecting an apartment block or similar types of buildings to the nbn™ access network. In this scenario we run a fibre optic line to the fibre node in the building’s communications room, and then we use the existing technology in the building to connect to each apartment.

HFC

An nbn™ Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) connection is used in circumstances where the existing ‘pay TV’ or cable network can be used to make the final part of the nbn™ access network connection. In this circumstance an HFC line will be run from the nearest available fibre node, to your premises.

HFC connections require an nbn™ access network device to be installed at the point where the line enters your home. This device requires power to operate, and can be installed by an approved nbn™ installer or service provider.

FTTC

An nbn™ FTTC connection is used in circumstances where fibre is extended close to your premises, connecting to a small Distribution Point Unit (DPU), generally located inside a pit on the street. From here, the existing copper network is connected to the fibre to form the final nbn™ connection. To power your FTTC service with electricity and provide your connection to the nbn™ broadband access network, an FTTC nbn™ connection box will be required inside your home or business.

Videos from nbn

Naomi simpson on fast internet and NBN

Transfer process from old internet provider to new provider

Some tips from myself to you if you still haven’t transferred your internet to your new NBN provider. This will stop it from getting delayed.

1. Do not cancel any existing Internet or phone services until you have received your new connection and it is active and working.

2. Signs up with your new provider and tell them that you want them to take over your phone line and internet connection and in most cases your old services will automatically get cancelled when you do this (as your new service provider will take over these service and start a new connection)

3. Make sure you call Telstra and check if there is any pending services or pending orders on your Telstra line and check what it is. Tell them to clear/or process this if it is blocking the transfer process. This can be any existing provider part form Telstra.

Are there any termination/cancellation and connection fees when moving to the NBN?

You may face additional fees from your internet service provider when moving to the NBN. These fees could be between $50 and $250+. Whether you are charged fees will depend on your individual circumstances and the fee policy of your service provider. If you are out of contract, these fees are unlikely.

Some Important NBN links for your NBN connection

When will I get NBN connection

Link here – Roll out map – https://www.nbnco.com.au/residential/learn/rollout-map

NBN address checker – https://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address

Optus NBN – https://www.optus.com.au/shop/broadband/nbn-rollout

DODO NBN – https://www.dodo.com/nbn/nbn-rollout-map

Additional services

Will my powerline inverter work with NBN ?

Yes this should work fine. Powerline inverters that use your exisitng powerlines in your home to distribute internet via your PowerPoints will still work fine with NBN. If you haven’t heard of this, it is a good way to get a wired internet connection to your devices like TV or Foxtel box.

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Home alarm

Your home alarm might not work with your nbn connection.

Some personal medical (pendants) and home security alarms are monitored ‘back-to-base’ by an alarm company using the traditional copper phone lines.

Many old Home alarms used to use the phone line connections to alert yourself or direct to police connections, these will not work with the new nbn connection and your alarm services might need to be upgraded. Consumers who use medical and security alarms should check to make sure they will continue to work when they switch to the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Security cameras

Will my security cameras work with nbn. Security cameras should work fine with NBN and your modem router. In fact they might work better with the faster speeds of your new internet connection and Wifi.

Other NBN Wireless services

These types of internet connections are used mostly in faraway remote areas, where premises are spread out geographically over many square kilometres

nbn™ Fixed Wireless

This connection is typically used in circumstances where the distance between premises can be many kilometres. Data travels from a transmission tower located as far as 14 kilometres, to an nbn™ outdoor antenna that has been fitted to the premises by an approved nbn™ installer.

Sky Muster™ satellite service

The Sky Muster™ satellite service delivers the nbn™ broadband access network to homes and businesses in regional and remote Australia, via two state-of-the-art satellites. So, people across mainland Australia and Tasmania, and remote islands such as Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Lord Howe Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands can now enjoy nbn™ powered plans through Sky Muster™ satellite providers.

As well as the roof satellite dish installed on the home or business, Sky Muster™ satellite connections also require an nbn™ supplied modem to be installed at the point where the cable from the satellite dish enters the premises. This device requires power to operate, and can only be installed by an approved nbn™ installer or provider

Is the future 5G

Telecommunication companies are racing to deliver fifth-generation mobile technology by 2020, which will have faster speeds and lower latency than current 4G offered by telecom companies.

Future 5G mobile networks could potentially deliver up to 10Gbps, which is more than most current fixed-line broadband services, with the additional benefit of portability. This could be competition to the current NBN network. So, pricing will be key for survival.

Additional References for NBN

Consumer information if you’re looking to connect to NBN

ACCC

https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/national-broadband-network/moving-to-the-nbn-for-consumers

Department of communications

https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/internet/national-broadband-network/getting-ready-connect-nbn

Canstar Blue

https://www.canstarblue.com.au/internet/compare-australias-top-nbn-plans/

I have tried to include everything NBN in this post and would like to know if I have missed publishing anything, so do let me knowif there are any questions in relation to NBN and I can include it and update this post. Have a good internet day!

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Shopcred launches in Australia as the online shopping rewards market heats up

June 7, 2018 by admin 1 Comment

A new player Shopcred , has entered the Australian cashback market only a month after the launch of Asian behemoth Shopback.

Positioning itself as a shopping community, Shopcred is helping bargain hunters and stores connect through the use of new technology that enables their community to earn rewards in a range of innovative ways.

These new technologies include rewards for sharing and posting deals, getting upvoted deals, along with cashback, promo codes and deals for over 800 online stores including Australia’s favourite retailers like Catch, Uniqlo, Cotton On, Virgin Australia, Menulog, ASOS and Bonds.

With these innovative ways to earn rewards, Shopcred are hoping to differentiate themselves from local competitors Pricepal, Shopback and Cashrewards who have recently raised funding Shopback made news last year when they raised $32 million in a funding round including backing
from Blue Sky Alternative Investments.

Australian based competitor Cashrewards also just completed an external funding round that yielded a $5.25 million investment from Partners For Growth.

Shopcred have seen the rise of influencers and are working with Aussie retailers to reach the ever-growing influencer audience. In return, influencers and customers can receive cashback for their purchases and rewards for their interactions, such as sharing with their followers on Facebook or posting found deals on the Shopcred website.

“Our unique technologies help retailers reach new influencer audiences and encourage the community to share and engage with retailer brands and products” explained Glenn Harvey, one of two co-founder of Shopcred.

Across Australia, loyalty program sign-ups have increased significantly as retailers see the ongoing benefits of rewarding customers for their loyalty. Deal and cashback sites like Shopcred reward customers with discounts and cashback to as much as 50% off. Particular retailers, such as telco and insurance providers, can offer one-off cashback bonuses of as much as $50 for signing up on long-term plans.

With Australians spending $21.3 billion yearly online and the arrival of same day postage, Aussie’s are heading online for the best bargains and rejecting physical stores of the past. Consumers are realising they can get a better deal with the use of promo codes and now cashback that are released regularly by the online retailers.

Throughout the past 5 years, deal sites like Ozbargain have recorded a significant increase in members, as have promo code websites like RetailMeNot and overseas cashback sites like Ebates.

Australia isn’t the only place that has taken a liking to cashback deals. Recently, Samsung announced that their mobile wallet, Samsung Pay, will allow users to get cashback when they regularly spending with their wallet. They’ve partnered up with stores including eBay and Walmart where users can earn about 5% cash back when paying with the wallet. This cashback can then be can be used the next time they pay with their Samsung Pay wallet.

Another big player, Citi, are giving their customers 2 percent cash back on all purchases, 1 percent when you shop and 1 percent when you pay your bill. Customers won’t be restricted as they are with other reward programs where users need to make purchases at affiliated retailers.

With online spending increasing by 18.6% since 2016, the future looks bright for Shopcred. “Over the next few months, we’ll be onboarding many more retailers that impact the everyday spending of Australians” an excited Harvey told Digital Grog.

“We’re working hard on creating unique ways to reward our members. This and gaining a better understanding of their shopping preferences will be where our next investment will be”

Mobile users are also in their crosshairs with the imminent release of a rewards app. “The rewards app will make for a smooth deal finding and earning cashback experience for our mobile users. In Australia, it’s definitely an emerging space that is underutilised in the deal and rewards community.”

Cashback through Shopcred can be obtained at over 700 stores, here’s some of the top Aussie stores we’ve picked:

ASOS
Cheap and high end fashion, ASOS stock over 70,000 branded products from around the world. Next day delivery is available on a huge range of products.

Menulog
Menulog offer a huge variety of food across Australia at over 8000 restaurants. Menulog also offer a loyalty program and exclusive discounts to get repeat customers.

Catch
Catch pretty much sell everything! They currently have over 13,000 branded products from a huge range of categories including clothing, electronics, books, beauty products and even mobile plans.

Uniqlo
Japanese fashion retailer UNIQLO provide hundreds of basics in a range of colours. Their stock includes tees, jackets, hoodies, tops, jeans and pants.

Booktopia
Booktopia sell a huge range of books, ebooks, magazine and stationery items. With a warehouse in Sydney, holding more than 500,000 books, Booktopia are able to ship within 48 hours to Metro areas.

Get your antivirus for just $25 may special

May 25, 2016 by admin 1 Comment

Consider this a Coupon code for your AVG antivirus discount special for may 2016.

I have Installed AVG free previously , because it’s what I have trusted and recommended to friends for years as a solid free anti-virus to have in the background in addition to Malwarebytes every few days. By default it installs zen and PC tuneup. I Don’t think much of it because I don’t use extensive features of the program, but its okay if those features are of use to you.

I have also written about a comparison of different Antivirus software over here , if you want a detailed price comparison of Online protection software.

The $25 AVG anti-virus deal

To celebrate 25 years, AVG is giving computer protection software and antivirus for just $25!

Quickly! AVG Protection Pro is for $25 only! Original price $59.99.

This anniversary special lasts till the end of May so hurry up and get the deal if you need this software!

THE GOOD

Very good malware protection

Very quick scans

Lots of configuration options

THE BAD

Incessant ads to upgrade to paid versions (if you are on the free version)

AVG offers manual and scheduled AV scans, Link Scanner to check against browsing to dodgy sites, identity protection – checking for apps stealing personal details – and an email scanner looking for damaging attachments.

With dozens of ways to customize it, AVG AntiVirus Free is for security-minded cheapskates who want to tune and adjust the program’s protection and performance.AVG Free is available for PC, Mac and Android, so this management app can be a useful tool.

Antivirus Protection

Both AVG AntiVirus Free’s active scanner and Resident Shield real-time scanner, which always runs in the background, match suspect software against a constantly updated database of malware signatures.

AVG Technologies began in 1991 and is now one of the biggest players in the antivirus software market with corporate offices in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States.

OUR VERDICT

AVG continues to be one of the best free antivirus programs you can download. It offers a good selection of key protections, though you do have to be careful to install the right product.

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