For A Good Career Tips Read On....
A) Forget the Resume
In finding a job, a resume is the last thing you need. You don't need one to get a job in this climate of almost limitless opportunities. Make a phone call and get an appointment. If the company has been running ads looking for people, they will be happy to hear from you and will arrange an interview. If they ask to see a resume first, simply say you will give it to them in person or as soon as possible after the interview.
Quoted by James Challenger, president of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., in Industry Week
B) Resume Tips
Resumes are vital to the job hunt. Your resume is one of the most important tools you can use in getting a job. The importance of making a good resume cannot be understated.
The primary objective of a resume is to generate enough employer interest to secure your interviews. The resume is a complete, concise, clearly stated summary of your strengths, as they apply to careers. Strengths are found in experiences, activities, education, personal qualities, skills, background, and objectives. Knowing both yourself and the requirements of the job/career you seek is essential to effective resume writing. This knowledge will enable you to do the best job of highlighting your background for potential employers. You may need more than one resume each with a different emphasis depending on the particular position you are looking to get.
The three key ingedients of a successful resume are
* Readability,
* Overall Presentation &
* Conciseness
Here are some essential tips:
* Think of your resume as an urgent telegram or e-mail message. What crucial information does the reader need to know about you? And don't be afraid to use phrases rather than sentences.
* Common headings used in Resumes are Objective, Experience, Employment, Work History, Positions Held, Appointments, Skills, Summary, Summary of Qualifications, Accomplishments, Strengths, Education, Affiliations, Publications, Papers, Honors, Personal, Additional, References, etc.
* List your strongest points first to catch the eye of someone who is just skimming over resumes.
* Be consistent. Choose a pattern of spacing, an order of information presentation or a format of highlighting and be consistent throughout.
* Never lie: While you do not have to list every job you have ever had, do not fudge on dates, work history, skills and abilities, job descriptions, education or anything else on your resume. Remember: your work history, education and salary can all be verified. If you exaggerate your skills and get hired, most likely your skill gap will be discovered once you start. Keep the process honest.
* If you are sending your resume via email, never assume that you can attach a Word processor document to an email.
* Don't worry about the objective statement. For many, it's the hardest statement to write. It's probably a good idea to do your objective statement last.
* List your qualifications in order of relevance, from most to least. Only list your degree and educational qualifications first if they are truly relevant to the job for which you are applying.
* Put dates of employment on the resume: Resumes without dates of employment look as though you have something to hide.
* Include interests on your resume. Interests can reveal a lot about an individual - whether they are well-rounded, for example. Secondly, many interviewers can ease into the interview by asking applicants about their interests.
* Have a trusted friend review your resume. Be sure to pick someone who is attentive to details, can effectively critique your writing, and will give an honest and objective opinion. Seriously consider their advice. Get a third and fourth opinion if you can.
* Treat your resume as an advertisement for you. Be sure to thoroughly "sell" yourself by highlighting all of your strengths. If you've got a valuable asset which doesn't seem to fit into any existing components of your resume, list it anyway as its own resume segment.
C) Job Hunting While Still Employed
Searching for a new job without getting fired can be risky. But there are ways to minimize the odds of this occurring:
* Respect your employer's time. Looking for another position usually involves having to be away from the office for interviews. Use your vacation days, not sick days, for this purpose.
* Don't give prospective employers your office phone number. Use your home phone, and attach an answering machine to it.
* Be discreet about whom you tell that you're looking for another job.
* If you are offered a new job, inform your superior immediately. And don't use your new job offer to try to negotiate a counter offer from your employer
Source: Robert Half in "Management Accounting".
Increasing Promotion Chances
D) If you seek a promotion, take the following suggestions one step at a time:
* Make sure you want a promotion. Set your own objectives. Goals must be deadlines to provide a sense of urgency.
* Respect the chain of command. If you appear to be more interested in your own success than that of your company, people will be motivated to resist you rather than support you.
* Make a list of people with whom you have a neutral or even a negative relationship. Your basic approach will be to take a genuine interest in each of these people. Offer to help them in an area of your strength, or ask for help in an area of theirs. Keep in mind. Human relations come before productivity.
* Don't let yourself stumble over the dollars. Is the desired increase one where your entire job is redefined at a different and higher level?
* Beware of your company's formal routes for advancement, such as job postings or career-development programs.
* Don't accept any promotion that interferes with your enthusiasm for your work.
* Make a "hit list" of your 10 biggest time gobblers. Review them frequently and try to eliminate as many as you can.
E) Dissatisfied with Your Job?
Before Jumping Ship, Try This.
Consider working on a solution before jumping ship.
Why: There's no guarantee your next job will be any better.
How: Try to negotiate your future with the boss.
Consider these tips:
* Start with a plan. What are you seeking to make your job better? How can you get it?
* Be brutally honest with yourself. Make sure you're capable of handling what you seek. Determine if it's available.
* Meet formally with your boss to go over your plan. Unlike at a performance review, here you drive the discussion.
* During the meeting, ask your boss to analyze your skills and potential. Repeat what he or she said to make sure you understand each other.
* Give the boss your view after hearing hers or his. Don't be argumentative. Try to reach a compromise.
* Once you've agreed upon a solution, do everything to advance it. Example: One woman wanted a transfer to her company's trade sales unit; she prompted invitations to trade sales meetings, developed contacts and learned what was necessary to succeed in that unit.
* Don't expect quick action: changes take a little time.
F) Preparing for Change
Chances are one in three your job will disappear in the next few years. Are you ready for that possibility?
* Get ready now. Create a file of documents you need, particularly appraisals, recommendations, employee handbooks, and, your updated resume. List questions you'll want to ask, such as how long you'll receive benefits after you're fired.
* Tend to your networks. List all the people you know who have good jobs. Stay in touch with them.
* Keep up with your profession. Learn something new.
* Put your finances in order. Determine how long you could pay your bills without an income. Take steps to extend that period.
If the worst happens and you lose your job, try to relax and enjoy the time off. Remember that 40 percent of unemployment is about finding new work and 60 percent is about keeping yourself alert, productive, and positive.
Move Up or Just Move Over?
To find out whether you're ripe for a lateral or a vertical move, ask yourself these questions:
* Do you need a change, but aren't exactly sure what?
* Has your current job become boring?
* Have you done any previous work with a different department where you've garnered some experience?
* Do you feel you're going through a phase, or truly fed up?
* Are your skills suited for your current job, or would you be more effective in a different division?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, a lateral move might be a good idea for you.
As for a vertical move, ask yourself these questions:
* Are you suited for your current, or do you feel better qualified for more?
* Do you feel your skills would be more effective after a promotion?
* Are you well respected among your peers and higher-ups?
* Do you plan to stay in your current company for an indefinite period of time?
* Have you taken classes that document new skills valid for promotion?
More "yes" answers mean you may be prepared for a vertical move that involves a new title, more money, and, of course, more responsibility.
Career Options
Do you love your job but have little faith in your employer? Maybe you hate your job but believe your company has potential. Whatever combination describes you, you should evaluate your choices:
* Stay in your job. Prove your value. Learn the business. Get involved.
* Change your job. Partner with your boss to change the nature of your work. Start small. Be patient.
* Change jobs within the company. Expand your networks. If your boss won't help, get someone who will.
* Move on. When you decide, take action. Line up a job before you leave. Don't burn your bridges.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Good Prospects in your IT Career
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
MICROSOFT DOTNET TCHNOLOGY
Microsoft .NET is Microsoft's new Internet strategy.
.NET was originally called NGWS.
NGWS - Next Generation Windows Services
Before the official announcement of .NET, the term NGWS was used for Microsoft's plans for producing an "Internet-based platform of Next Generation Windows Services".
Steve Ballmer quote January 2000:
"Delivering an Internet-based platform of Next Generation Windows Services is the top priority of our company. The breakthroughs we’re talking about here include changes to the programming model, to the user interface, to the application integration model, the file system, new XML schema....."
Microsoft. NET
The Microsoft. NET strategy was presented by Microsoft officials to the rest of the world in June 2000:
.NET is Microsoft's new Internet and Web strategy
.NET is NOT a new operating system
.NET is a new Internet and Web based infrastructure
.NET delivers software as Web Services
.NET is a framework for universal services
.NET is a server centric computing model
.NET will run in any browser on any platform
.NET is based on the newest Web standards
.NET Internet Standards
.NET is built on the following Internet standards:
HTTP, the communication protocol between Internet Applications
XML, the format for exchanging data between Internet Applications
SOAP, the standard format for requesting Web Services
UDDI, the standard to search and discover Web Services
.NET Framework
The .NET Framework is the infrastructure for the new Microsoft .NET Platform.
The .NET Framework is a common environment for building, deploying, and running Web Services and Web Applications.
The .NET Framework contains common class libraries - like ADO.NET, ASP.NET and Windows Forms - to provide advanced standard services that can be integrated into a variety of computer systems.
The .NET Framework is language neutral. Currently it supports C++, C#, Visual Basic, JScript (The Microsoft version of JavaScript) and COBOL. Third-party languages - like Eiffel, Perl, Python, Smalltalk, and others - will also be available for building future .NET Framework applications.
The new Visual Studio.NET is a common development environment for the new .NET Framework. It provides a feature-rich application execution environment, simplified development and easy integration between a number of different development languages.
Additional Information
The .NET plan includes a new version of the Windows operating system, a new version of Office, and a variety of new development software for programmers to build Web-based applications.
The background for .NET is part of Microsoft's new strategy to keep Windows the dominant operating system in the market, as computing begins to move away from desktop computers toward Internet enabled devices, such as hand-held computers and cell phones.
The most visual components of the new .NET framework are the new Internet Information Server 6.0, with ASP.NET and ADO.NET support, Visual Studio.NET software tools to build Web-based software, and new XML support in the SQL Server 2000 database.
Bill Gates is supervising the .NET project.
SP.NET is the latest version of Microsoft's Active Server Pages technology (ASP).
What You Should Already Know
Before you continue you should have a basic understanding of the following:
WWW, HTML, XML and the basics of building Web pages
Scripting languages like JavaScript or VBScript
The basics of server side scripting like ASP or PHP
If you want to study these subjects first, find the tutorials on our Home Page
What is Classic ASP?
Microsoft's previous server side scripting technology ASP (Active Server Pages) is now often called classic ASP.
ASP 3.0 was the last version of the classic ASP.
To learn more about classic ASP, you can study our ASP tutorial.
ASP.NET is Not ASP
ASP.NET is the next generation ASP, but it's not an upgraded version of ASP.
ASP.NET is an entirely new technology for server-side scripting. It was written from the ground up and is not backward compatible with classic ASP.
You can read more about the differences between ASP and ASP.NET in the next chapter of this tutorial.
ASP.NET is the major part of the Microsoft's .NET Framework.
What is ASP.NET?
ASP.NET is a server side scripting technology that enables scripts (embedded in web pages) to be executed by an Internet server.
ASP.NET is a Microsoft Technology
ASP stands for Active Server Pages
ASP.NET is a program that runs inside IIS
IIS (Internet Information Services) is Microsoft's Internet server
IIS comes as a free component with Windows servers
IIS is also a part of Windows 2000 and XP Professional
What is an ASP.NET File?
An ASP.NET file is just the same as an HTML file
An ASP.NET file can contain HTML, XML, and scripts
Scripts in an ASP.NET file are executed on the server
An ASP.NET file has the file extension ".aspx"
How Does ASP.NET Work?
When a browser requests an HTML file, the server returns the file
When a browser requests an ASP.NET file, IIS passes the request to the ASP.NET engine on the server
The ASP.NET engine reads the file, line by line, and executes the scripts in the file
Finally, the ASP.NET file is returned to the browser as plain HTML
What is ASP+?
ASP+ is the same as ASP.NET.
ASP+ is just an early name used by Microsoft when they developed ASP.NET.
The Microsoft .NET Framework
The .NET Framework is the infrastructure for the Microsoft .NET platform.
The .NET Framework is an environment for building, deploying, and running Web applications and Web Services.
Microsoft's first server technology ASP (Active Server Pages), was a powerful and flexible "programming language". But it was to much code oriented. It was not an application framework and not an enterprise development tool.
The Microsoft .NET Framework was developed to solve this problem.
.NET Frameworks keywords:
Easier and quicker programming
Reduced amount of code
Declarative programming model
Richer server control hierarchy with events
Larger class library
Better support for development tools
The .NET Framework consists of 3 main parts:
Programming languages:
C# (Pronounced C sharp)
Visual Basic (VB .NET)
J# (Pronounced J sharp)
Server technologies and client technologies:
ASP .NET (Active Server Pages)
Windows Forms (Windows desktop solutions)
Compact Framework (PDA / Mobile solutions)
Development environments:
Visual Studio .NET (VS .NET)
Visual Web Developer
This tutorial is about ASP.NET.
ASP.NET 2.0
ASP.NET 2.0 improves upon ASP.NET by adding support for several new features.
You can read more about the differences between ASP.NET 2.0 and ASP.NET in the next chapter of this tutorial.
ASP.NET 3.0
ASP.NET 3.0 is not a new version of ASP.NET. It's just the name for a new ASP.NET 2.0 framework library with support for Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation; and Windows CardSpace.
These topics are not covered in this tutorial.
.NET BUILDING BLOCKS
.NET Building Blocks is a set of core Internet Services.
Web Services
Web Services provide data and services to other applications.
Future applications will access Web Services via standard Web Formats (HTTP, HTML, XML, and SOAP), with no need to know how the Web Service itself is implemented.
Web Services are main building blocks in the Microsoft .NET programming model.
Standard Communication
Official Web standards (XML, UDDI, SOAP) will be used to describe what Internet data is, and to describe what Web Services can do.
Future Web applications will be built on flexible services that can interact and exchange data, without the loss of integrity.
Internet Storages
.NET offers secure and addressable places to store data and applications on the Web. Allowing all types of Internet devices (PCs, Palmtops, Phones) to access data and applications.
These Web Services are built on Microsoft's existing NTFS, SQL Server, and Exchange technologies.
Internet Dynamic Delivery
Reliable automatic upgrades by demand and installation independent applications.
.NET will support rapid development of applications that can be dynamically reconfigured.
Internet Identity
.NET supports many different levels of authentication services like passwords, wallets, and smart cards.
These services are built on existing Microsoft Passport and Windows Authentication technologies.
Internet Messaging
.NET supports integration of messaging, e-mail, voice-mail, and fax into one unified Internet Service, targeted for all kinds of PCs or smart Internet devices.
These services are built on existing Hotmail, Exchange and Instant Messenger technologies.
Internet Calendar
.NET supports Internet integration of work, social, and private home calendars. Allowing all types of Internet devices (PCs, Palmtops, Phones) to access the data.
These services are built on existing Outlook and Hotmail technologies.
Internet Directory Services
.NET supports a new kind of directory services that can answer XML based questions about Internet Services, far more exactly than search engines and yellow pages.
These services are built on the UDDI standard.
.NET SOFTWARE
.NET is a mix of technologies, standards and development tools
Windows.NET
Today, Windows 2000 and Windows XP form the backbone of .NET.
In the future, the .NET infrastructure will be integrated into all Microsoft's operating systems, desktop and server products.
Windows.NET is the next generation Windows. It will provide support for all the .NET building blocks and .NET digital media. Windows.NET will be self-supporting with updates via Internet as users need them.
Office.NET
A new version of Microsoft Office - Office.NET - will have a new .NET architecture based on Internet clients and Web Services.
With Office.NET, browsing, communication, document handling and authoring will be integrated within a XML-based environment which allow users to store their documents on the Internet.
ASP.NET
ASP.NET is the latest version of ASP. It includes Web Services to link applications, services and devices using HTTP, HTML, XML and SOAP.
New in ASP.NET:
New Language Support
Programmable Controls
Event Driven Programming
XML Based Components
User Authentication
User Accounts and Roles
High Scalability
Compiled Code
Easy Configuration
Easy Deployment
Not ASP Compatible
Includes ADO.NET
You can read more about ASP.NET and ADO.NET in our ASP.NET Tutorial.
Visual Studio.NET
The latest version of Visual Studio - Visual Studio.NET - incorporates ASP.NET, ADO.NET, Web Services, Web Forms, and language innovations for Visual Basic. The development tools have deep XML support, an XML-based programming model and new object-oriented programming capabilities.
Visual Basic.NET
Visual Basic.NET has added language enhancements, making it a full object-oriented programming language.
SQL Server 2000
SQL Server 2000 is a fully web-enabled database.
SQL Server 2000 has strong support for XML and HTTP which are two of the main infrastructure technologies for .NET.
Some of the most important new SQL Server features are direct access to the database from a browser, query of relational data with results returned as XML, as well as storage of XML in relational formats.
Internet Information Services 6.0
IIS 6.0 has strong support for more programming to take place on the server, to allow the new Web Applications to run in any browser on any platform.
ASP.NET VS ASP
ASP.NET has better language support, a large set of new controls and XML based components, and better user authentication.
ASP.NET provides increased performance by running compiled code.
ASP.NET code is not fully backward compatible with ASP.
New in ASP.NET
Better language support
Programmable controls
Event-driven programming
XML-based components
User authentication, with accounts and roles
Higher scalability
Increased performance - Compiled code
Easier configuration and deployment
Not fully ASP compatible
Language Support
ASP.NET uses the new ADO.NET.
ASP.NET supports full Visual Basic, not VBScript.
ASP.NET supports C# (C sharp) and C++.
ASP.NET supports JScript as before.
ASP.NET Controls
ASP.NET contains a large set of HTML controls. Almost all HTML elements on a page can be defined as ASP.NET control objects that can be controlled by scripts.
ASP.NET also contains a new set of object oriented input controls, like programmable list boxes and validation controls.
A new data grid control supports sorting, data paging, and everything you expect from a dataset control.
Event Aware Controls
All ASP.NET objects on a Web page can expose events that can be processed by ASP.NET code.
Load, Click and Change events handled by code makes coding much simpler and much better organized.
ASP.NET Components
ASP.NET components are heavily based on XML. Like the new AD Rotator, that uses XML to store advertisement information and configuration.
User Authentication
ASP.NET supports forms-based user authentication, including cookie management and automatic redirecting of unauthorized logins.
(You can still do your custom login page and custom user checking).
User Accounts and Roles
AS .NET allows for user accounts and roles, to give each user (with a given role) access to different server code and executables.
High Scalability
Much has been done with ASP.NET to provide greater scalability.
Server to server communication has been greatly enhanced, making it possible to scale an application over several servers. One example of this is the ability to run XML parsers, XSL transformations and even resource hungry session objects on other servers.
Compiled Code
The first request for an ASP.NET page on the server will compile the ASP.NET code and keep a cached copy in memory. The result of this is greatly increased performance.
Easy Configuration
Configuration of ASP.NET is done with plain text files.
Configuration files can be uploaded or changed while the application is running. No need to restart the server. No more metabase or registry puzzle.
Easy Deployment
No more server restart to deploy or replace compiled code. ASP.NET simply redirects all new requests to the new code.
Compatibility
ASP.NET is not fully compatible with earlier versions of ASP, so most of the old ASP code will need some changes to run under ASP.NET.
To overcome this problem, ASP.NET uses a new file extension ".aspx". This will make ASP.NET applications able to run side by side with standard ASP applications on the same server.
.NET WEB SERVICES
Web services are small units of code built to handle a limited task.
What are Web Services?
Web services are small units of code
Web services are designed to handle a limited set of tasks
Web services use XML based communicating protocols
Web services are independent of operating systems
Web services are independent of programming languages
Web services connect people, systems and devices
Small Units of Code
Web services are small units of code designed to handle a limited set of tasks.
An example of a web service can be a small program designed to supply other applications with the latest stock exchange prices. Another example can be a small program designed to handle credit card payment.
XML Based Web Protocols
Web services use the standard web protocols HTTP, XML, SOAP, WSDL, and UDDI.
HTTP
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the World Wide Web standard for communication over the Internet. HTTP is standardized by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
XML
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a well known standard for storing, carrying, and exchanging data. XML is standardized by the W3C.
You can read more about XML in our XML tutorial.
SOAP
SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a lightweight platform and language neutral communication protocol that allows programs to communicate via standard Internet HTTP. SOAP is standardized by the W3C.
You can read more about SOAP in our SOAP tutorial.
WSDL
WSDL (Web Services Description Language) is an XML-based language used to define web services and to describe how to access them. WSDL is a suggestion by Ariba, IBM and Microsoft for describing services for the W3C XML Activity on XML Protocols.
You can read more about WSDL in our WSDL tutorial.
UDDI
UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and Integration) is a directory service where businesses can register and search for web services.
UDDI is a public registry, where one can publish and inquire about web services.
Independent of Operating Systems
Since web services use XML based protocols to communicate with other systems, web services are independent of both operating systems and programming languages.
An application calling a web service will always send its requests using XML, and get its answer returned as XML. The calling application will never be concerned about the operating system or the programming language running on the other computer.
Benefits of Web Services
Easier to communicate between applications
Easier to reuse existing services
Easier to distribute information to more consumers
Rapid development
Web services make it easier to communicate between different applications. They also make it possible for developers to reuse existing web services instead of writing new ones.
Web services can create new possibilities for many businesses because it provides an easy way to distribute information to a large number of consumers. One example could be flight schedules and ticket reservation systems.
The paragraphs below describes W3Schools' vision about future Internet Distributed Applications.
CLIENT AND SERVER STANDARDS
The paragraphs below describes W3Schools' vision about future Internet Distributed Applications.Executables, C++ (and Java too) must die
Neither C++ nor Java can ever create standard components that can run on all computers. There is no room for these languages in future distributed applications. Executables are not standard. COM objects are not standard, DLL-files are not standard. Registry settings are not standard. INI-files are not standard. None of these components must be allowed to destroy your dream of a standard distributed application that will run on almost any computer in the world.
Clients must be Standard Internet Browsers
Application clients must be standard clients without any additional components. No part of the applications must be stored on client computers. The application must never use, or rely on, any components, dll- or ini-files, registry settings or any other non standard settings or files stored on the client computer. (Then you can start calling it a Thin Client). Our best suggestion is to let all clients use standard Internet browsers like Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Firefox running on Windows or Mac computers.
Servers must be Standard Internet Servers
Application servers must be standard Internet servers running standard software without any additional components. The application must never use, or rely on, any components, dll- or ini-files, registry settings or any other non standard settings or files stored on the server. Our best suggestion is to use a standard Internet server like Internet Information Services (IIS), with a standard request-handler like Active Server Pages (ASP), and a standard database connector like Active Data Objects (ADO). As your data-store you should use a standard SQL based database like Oracle or Microsoft's SQL Server.
Applications must use Internet Communication
Application clients and servers must not be allowed to communicate via any proprietary protocol. Clients must request servers via a standard Internet protocol and servers must respond via the same protocol. Clients must be able to use any service without having to maintain a permanent connection to the server. Our best suggestion is to let servers be requested with standard stateless Internet HTTP requests. Servers should respond with a standard stateless Internet HTTP response.
Monday, September 17, 2007
All About Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID)
RFID stands for Radio-Frequency IDentification. The acronym refers to small electronic devices that consist of a small chip and an antenna. The chip typically is capable of carrying 2,000 bytes of data or less.
The RFID device serves the same purpose as a bar code or a magnetic strip on the back of a credit card or ATM card; it provides a unique identifier for that object. And, just as a bar code or magnetic strip must be scanned to get the information, the RFID device must be scanned to retrieve the identifying information.
RFID Works Better Than BarcodesA significant advantage of RFID devices over the others mentioned above is that the RFID device does not need to be positioned precisely relative to the scanner. We're all familiar with the difficulty that store checkout clerks sometimes have in making sure that a barcode can be read. And obviously, credit cards and ATM cards must be swiped through a special reader.
In contrast, RFID devices will work within a few feet (up to 20 feet for high-frequency devices) of the scanner. For example, you could just put all of your groceries or purchases in a bag, and set the bag on the scanner. It would be able to query all of the RFID devices and total your purchase immediately.
RFID technology has been available for more than fifty years. It has only been recently that the ability to manufacture the RFID devices has fallen to the point where they can be used as a "throwaway" inventory or control device. Alien Technologies recently sold 500 million RFID tags to Gillette at a cost of about ten cents per tag.
One reason that it has taken so long for RFID to come into common use is the lack of standards in the industry. Most companies invested in RFID technology only use the tags to track items within their control; many of the benefits of RFID come when items are tracked from company to company or from country to country.
Common Problems with RFID
Some common problems with RFID are reader collision and tag collision. Reader collision occurs when the signals from two or more readers overlap. The tag is unable to respond to simultaneous queries. Systems must be carefully set up to avoid this problem. Tag collision occurs when many tags are present in a small area; but since the read time is very fast, it is easier for vendors to develop systems that ensure that tags respond one at a time. See Problems with RFID for more details.
How RFID Works
How does RFID work? A Radio-Frequency IDentification system has three parts:
A scanning antenna
A transceiver with a decoder to interpret the data
A transponder - the RFID tag - that has been programmed with information.
The scanning antenna puts out radio-frequency signals in a relatively short range. The RF radiation does two things:
It provides a means of communicating with the transponder (the RFID tag) AND
It provides the RFID tag with the energy to communicate (in the case of passive RFID tags).
This is an absolutely key part of the technology; RFID tags do not need to contain batteries, and can therefore remain usable for very long periods of time (maybe decades).
The scanning antennas can be permanently affixed to a surface; handheld antennas are also available. They can take whatever shape you need; for example, you could build them into a door frame to accept data from persons or objects passing through.
When an RFID tag passes through the field of the scanning antenna, it detects the activation signal from the antenna. That "wakes up" the RFID chip, and it transmits the information on its microchip to be picked up by the scanning antenna.
In addition, the RFID tag may be of one of two types. Active RFID tags have their own power source; the advantage of these tags is that the reader can be much farther away and still get the signal. Even though some of these devices are built to have up to a 10 year life span, they have limited life spans. Passive RFID tags, however, do not require batteries, and can be much smaller and have a virtually unlimited life span.
RFID tags can be read in a wide variety of circumstances, where barcodes or other optically read technologies are useless.
The tag need not be on the surface of the object (and is therefore not subject to wear)
The read time is typically less than 100 milliseconds
Large numbers of tags can be read at once rather than item by item.
In essence, that's how RFID works.
How is RFID used inside a living body?
RFID devices that are intended to be implanted inside a living body (like an animal or human being) have special requirements. They need to be encased in a special kind of casing that will not irritate or react with the living tissues that they are inserted into. The casing must also be transparent to the scanning radio-frequency beam that activates the chip. Some RFID vendors have created biocompatible glass for use in these applications.
One potential problem with being placed within a living organism is that the tiny RFID device may move around under the skin. This can be avoided by using special materials that actually let the surrounding tissue grow up to the casing and bond with it.
Because the radio-frequency waves that activate the microchip containing the identification number are only useful within a few feet (or less), the RFID chip is typically inserted very close to the surface of the skin.
The placement of the device is usually done with a hyperdermic-type needle. This method of insertion also dictates the shape and size of the device; implantable RFID devices are typically the size and diameter of a grain of rice. For dogs, the device is usually implanted between the shoulder blades.
RFID tags have been placed inside cows; some discussion of having all cows implanted with RFID devices has resulted from the recent scare with mad cow disease. Dog owners have used RFID tags to identify their pets rather than tattoos (the more traditional method).
RFID tags, like the VeriChip tag, can also be implanted inside human beings.
What can RFID be used for?
RFID tags come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes; they may be encased in a variety of materials:
Animal tracking tags, inserted beneath the skin, can be rice-sized.
Tags can be screw-shaped to identify trees or wooden items.
Credit-card shaped for use in access applications.
The anti-theft hard plastic tags attached to merchandise in stores are also RFID tags.
Heavy-duty 120 by 100 by 50 millimeter rectangular transponders are used to track shipping containers, or heavy machinery, trucks, and railroad cars.
RFID devices have been used for years to identify dogs, for a means of permanent identification. Dog owners had long used tattoos, permanent ink markings, typically on the ears. However, these can fade with age and it may be difficult to get the animal to sit still while you examine him for markings.
Many musical instruments are stolen every year. For example, custom-built or vintage guitars are worth as much as $50,000 each. Snagg, a California company specializing in RFID microchips for instruments, has embedded tiny chips in 30,000 Fender guitars already. The database of RFID chip IDs is made available to law enforcement officials, dealers, repair shops and luthiers.
Is RFID Technology Secure and Private?
Unfortunately, not very often in the systems to which consumers are likely to be exposed. Anyone with an appropriately equipped scanner and close access to the RFID device can activate it and read its contents. Obviously, some concerns are greater than others. If someone walks by your bag of books from the bookstore with a 13.56 Mhz "sniffer" with an RF field that will activate the RFID devices in the books you bought, that person can get a complete list of what you just bought. That's certainly an invasion of your privacy, but it could be worse. Another scenario involves a military situation in which the other side scans vehicles going by, looking for tags that are associated with items that only high-ranking officers can have, and targeting accordingly.
Companies are more concerned with the increasing use of RFID devices in company badges. An appropriate RF field will cause the RFID chip in the badge to "spill the beans" to whomever activates it. This information can then be stored and replayed to company scanners, allowing the thief access - and your badge is the one that is "credited" with the access.
The smallest tags that will likely be used for consumer items don't have enough computing power to do data encryption to protect your privacy. The most they can do is PIN-style or password-based protection.
Are There Concerns About How RFID Will Be Used? (Update)
Civil liberties groups (among others) have become increasingly concerned about the use of RFIDs to track the movements of individuals. For example, passports will soon be required to contain some sort of RFID device to speed border crossings. Scanners placed throughout an airport, for example, could track the location of every passport over time, from the moment you left the parking lot to the moment you got on your plane.
In June, the Japanese government passed a draft RFID Privacy Guideline that stated the following:
Indication that RFID tags exist
Consumers right of choice regarding reading tags
Sharing information about social benefits of RFID, etc.
Issues on linking information on tags and databases that store privacy information.
Restrictions of information gathering and uses when private information is stored on tags
Assuring accuracy of information when private information is stored on tags
Information administrators should be encouraged
Information sharing and explanation for consumers
There are also concerns about the fact that, even after you leave the store, any RFID devices in the things you buy are still active. This means that a thief could walk past you in the mall and know exactly what you have in your bags, marking you as a potential victim. A thief could even circle your house with an RFID scanner and pull up data on what you have in your house before he robs it.
Military hardware and even clothing make use of RFID tags to help track each item through the supply chain. Some analysts are concerned that, if there are particular items associated with high-level officers, roadside bombs could be set to go off when triggered by an RFID scan of cars going by.
There was a recent report revealing clandestine tests at a Wal-Mart store where RFID tags were inserted in packages of lipstick, with scanners hidden on nearby shelves. When a customer picked up a lipstick and put it in her cart, the movement of the tag was registered by the scanners, which triggered surveillance cameras. This allowed researchers 750 miles away to watch those consumers as they walked through the store, looking for related items.
Next-Generation Uses of RFID?
Some vendors have been combining RFID tags with sensors of different kinds. This would allow the tag to report not simply the same information over and over, but identifying information along with current data picked up by the sensor. For example, an RFID tag attached to a leg of lamb could report on the temperature readings of the past 24 hours, to ensure that the meat was properly kept cool.
Over time, the proportion of "scan-it-yourself" aisles in retail stores will increase. Eventually, we may wind up with stores that have mostly "scan-it-yourself" aisles and only a few checkout stations for people who are disabled or unwilling.
What Are Zombie RFID Tags?
One of the main concerns with RFID tags is that their contents can be read by anyone with an appropriately equipped scanner - even after you take it out of the store.
One technology that has been suggested is a zombie RFID tag, a tag that can be temporarily deactivated when it leaves the store. The process would work like this: you bring your purchase up to the register, the RFID scanner reads the item, you pay for it and as you leave the store, you pass a special device that sends a signal to the RFID tag to "die." That is, it is no longer readable.
The "zombie" element comes in when you bring an item back to the store. A special device especially made for that kind of tag "re-animates" the RFID tag, allowing the item to reenter the supply chain.
Problems With RFID
RFID problems can be divided into several categories:
Technical problems with RFID
Problems with RFID Standards
RFID has been implemented in different ways by different manufacturers; global standards are still being worked on. It should be noted that some RFID devices are never meant to leave their network (as in the case of RFID tags used for inventory control within a company). This can cause problems for companies.
Consumers may also have problems with RFID standards. For example, ExxonMobil's SpeedPass system is a proprietary RFID system; if another company wanted to use the convenient SpeedPass (say, at the drive-in window of your favorite fast food restaurant) they would have to pay to access it - an unlikely scenario. On the other hand, if every company had their own "SpeedPass" system, a consumer would need to carry many different devices with them.
RFID systems can be easily disrupted
Since RFID systems make use of the electromagnetic spectrum (like WiFi networks or cellphones), they are relatively easy to jam using energy at the right frequency. Although this would only be an inconvenience for consumers in stores (longer waits at the checkout), it could be disastrous in other environments where RFID is increasingly used, like hospitals or in the military in the field.
Also, active RFID tags (those that use a battery to increase the range of the system) can be repeatedly interrogated to wear the battery down, disrupting the system.
RFID Reader Collision
Reader collision occurs when the signals from two or more readers overlap. The tag is unable to respond to simultaneous queries. Systems must be carefully set up to avoid this problem; many systems use an anti-collision protocol (also called a singulation protocol. Anti-collision protocols enable the tags to take turns in transmitting to a reader.
RFID Tag Collision
Tag collision occurs when many tags are present in a small area; but since the read time is very fast, it is easier for vendors to develop systems that ensure that tags respond one at a time. (Learn more about RFID tag collision.)
Security, privacy and ethics problems with RFID
The following problems with RFID tags and readers have been reported.
The contents of an RFID tag can be read after the item leaves the supply chain
An RFID tag cannot tell the difference between one reader and another. RFID scanners are very portable; RFID tags can be read from a distance, from a few inches to a few yards. This allows anyone to see the contents of your purse or pocket as you walk down the street. Some tags can be turned off when the item has left the supply chain; see zombie RFID tags.
RFID tags are difficult to remove
RFID tags are difficult to for consumers to remove; some are very small (less than a half-millimeter square, and as thin as a sheet of paper) - others may be hidden or embedded inside a product where consumers cannot see them. New technologies allow RFID tags to be "printed" right on a product and may not be removable at all (see Printing RFID Tags With Magic Ink).
RFID tags can be read without your knowledge
Since the tags can be read without being swiped or obviously scanned (as is the case with magnetic strips or barcodes), anyone with an RFID tag reader can read the tags embedded in your clothes and other consumer products without your knowledge. For example, you could be scanned before you enter the store, just to see what you are carrying. You might then be approached by a clerk who knows what you have in your backpack or purse, and can suggest accessories or other items.
RFID tags can be read a greater distances with a high-gain antenna
For various reasons, RFID reader/tag systems are designed so that distance between the tag and the reader is kept to a minimum (see the material on tag collision above). However, a high-gain antenna can be used to read the tags from much further away, leading to privacy problems.
RFID tags with unique serial numbers could be linked to an individual credit card number
At present, the Universal Product Code (UPC) implemented with barcodes allows each product sold in a store to have a unique number that identifies that product. Work is proceeding on a global system of product identification that would allow each individual item to have its own number. When the item is scanned for purchase and is paid for, the RFID tag number for a particular item can be associated with a credit card number.
RFID Information Technology Articles
VeriChip RFID Tags To Be Implanted In Patients
Electronic Number Plate RFID Keeps Tabs On Vehicles
RFID-Maki: Easy Payment Sushi
Sprint RFID Loyalty Cards Triggers Minority Report-Style Ads
China May Issue A Billion RFID-Based ID Cards
Printing RFID Tags With Magic Ink
Cypak Disposable Paper Computer With RFID Antenna
Pentagon Asks For Digital Dog Tags
VeriPay Credit-Card Implant
Baja Beach Club Implants VeriChip In Customers
VeriChip Provides Emergency ID
Porous Polymer Sheath for in vitro RFID
Gillette buys 500 billion RFID tags
RFID Journal
Advantages of RFID Versus Barcodes
RFID tags and barcodes both carry information about products. However, there are important differences between these two technologies:
Barcode readers require a direct line of sight to the printed barcode; RFID readers do not require a direct line of sight to either active RFID tags or passive RFID tags.
RFID tags can be read at much greater distances; an RFID reader can pull information from a tag at distances up to 300 feet. The range to read a barcode is much less, typically no more than fifteen feet.
RFID readers can interrogate, or read, RFID tags much faster; read rates of forty or more tags per second are possible. Reading barcodes is much more time-consuming; due to the fact that a direct line of sight is required, if the items are not properly oriented to the reader it may take seconds to read an individual tag. Barcode readers usually take a half-second or more to successfully complete a read.
Line of sight requirements also limit the ruggedness of barcodes as well as the reusability of barcodes. (Since line of sight is required for barcodes, the printed barcode must be exposed on the outside of the product, where it is subject to greater wear and tear.) RFID tags are typically more rugged, since the electronic components are better protected in a plastic cover. RFID tags can also be implanted within the product itself, guaranteeing greater ruggedness and reusability.
Barcodes have no read/write capability; that is, you cannot add to the information written on a printed barcode. RFID tags, however, can be read/write devices; the RFID reader can communicate with the tag, and alter as much of the information as the tag design will allow.
RFID tags are typically more expensive than barcodes, in some cases, much more so.
RFID Glossary
Sunday, September 16, 2007
75 PC Tips & Tricks
My insider secrets will help you master your PC and all its applications.
Your processor's swift, your RAM's abundant, and your hard drive's regularly reformatted. Don't stop there. We've got lots of ways to boost your PC productivity. From 10-second shortcuts for everyday tasks to performance-enhancing tweaks, we share our secrets for getting the most out of the time spent in front of your computer screen, whether it's a little or a lot.
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Microsoft Windows XP
1 Take shortcuts
Create your own shortcut-key combinations to your favorite applications by right-clicking the app of choice and selecting Properties. Under the Shortcut tab, enter your own key combination, such as Ctrl+6, in the "Shortcut key" field. If the combination you choose is already taken, Windows selects something similar.
2 Eliminate animations
Ending useless animations in Windows will improve performance. Right-click the desktop, choose Properties, and then the Appearance tab. Click the Effects button, and make sure everything is unchecked in the next window.
3 Terminate indexing
For a slight speed boost, try disabling Windows' Indexing, a feature that keeps a record of all files on your hard drive. Go to Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrative Tools, and double-click Services. Scroll down to Indexing Service, then double-click it. In the General tab, select Disabled from the "Startup type" pull-down menu, and click OK.
4 Instant copies
You can quickly burn a CD using Windows' integrated applet. To begin, go to Start > My Music, and navigate to the folder with the tunes you want to burn, if you're not already there. On the left side of the window, select "Copy all items to CD," or highlight the songs you want to burn and click Copy to Audio CD. You can also copy a single song by right-clicking the file and selecting Copy to CD or Device.
5 Custom slide show
Windows XP lets you create your own slide-show-based screensaver. First, drag and drop the pictures you'd like to use into your My Pictures folder, located inside the My Documents folder. Now, right-click an empty space on your desktop, and choose Properties. Click the Screen Saver tab, and from within the pull-down menu, highlight the My Pictures Slideshow option. The Settings button lets you adjust parameters such as size and transition effects. Click Preview for a quick demonstration, or click OK to activate your screensaver.
6 A tidier taskbar
You can lump open windows belonging to the same application within a single taskbar icon by right-clicking the taskbar, selecting Properties, and checking the "Group similar taskbar buttons" box. Plus, if you want to close the program without having to close each window individually, all you have to do is right-click the icon and select Close Group.
7 Hide all windows
For instant access to your desktop, hold down the Windows key and hit D.
8 Synchronize Windows' clock
If your Windows clock has a habit of losing track of time, synchronize it with an Internet time server. Double-click the time located on your taskbar. Select the Internet Time tab and check "Automatically synchronize with an Internet time server." Don't bet your next job interview on it, though—the time's synchronized only once a week. If you want to synchronize immediately, click Update Now.
9 Apps in an instant
For one-click access to frequently used apps, right-click the taskbar, select Toolbars, and check Quick Launch. Now drag your shortcut icons onto the Quick Launch bar to the right of the Start button. To view more of them, click the double chevron for a list, or hover your mouse over the dotted area until it turns into a double-sided arrow and slide it over to the right.
10 Disable balloon help
To disable balloon pop-ups, click Start > Run, type regedit, and hit Enter. In the left column, drill down to HKEY_CURRENT_ USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > Current Version > Explorer > Advanced. Right-click anywhere in the right column, select New > DWORD Value, and rename it EnableBalloonTips. Double-click this new entry, and give it a hexadecimal value of 0. Then close the Registry Editor, and restart your computer. Just be careful; Registry mistakes are irreversible.
Microsoft Word
11 Use bookmarks
Word's Bookmark feature lets you navigate quickly through lengthy documents. Simply go to a page you'd like to bookmark, and, from the Insert menu, click Bookmark. Name your Bookmark, and click Add. To find your bookmark, hit Control+F, then click on the Go To tab. Select Bookmark from the menu on the left, and enter the bookmark name to jump straight to it.
12 Seal of approval
Give your documents a professional look by adding a watermark to the background. To add one to your document, select Format > Background > Printed Watermark. Select "Picture watermark" or "Text watermark," then click OK.
13 Keep the right format
Want to paste formatted text into Word without losing the original format? After copying the selected text, select Edit > Paste Special. You can choose among Formatted Text (RTF), Unformatted Text, HTML Format, or Unformatted Unicode Text.
14 Lose the wrong format
To quickly remove the formatting from your document, highlight the relevant text, then press Control+Shift+N.
15 Stop correcting me
Speed up spell-check by preventing Word from grammar-proofing your documents. To disable grammar check, go to Tools > Options, and click the Spelling & Grammar tab. Clear the checkbox labeled "Check grammar as you type," and hit OK.
16 Count on Word
To use Word's built-in calculator, select Tools > Customize > Commands. In the Categories column, highlight All Commands, and, in the Commands column, scroll down to ToolsCalculate. Drag this command to the Tools menu, then rename it "Calculate" by right-clicking it and choosing Name. Calculate is available only when you've selected text with numbers in it. It ignores any text that isn't a number and is useful for adding numbers in tables or paragraphs.
17 Word-o-meter
You can count the words in a document with a single click by adding a word counter to your toolbar. Go to View > Toolbars, and check Word Count. Drag onto your toolbar the small bar that pops up. Now you can just click Recount whenever you want to know your word count.
18 Selective highlighting
If you don't want Word grabbing an entire word when you make a selection, go to Tools > Options > Edit, and uncheck the box that reads "When selecting, automatically select entire word."
Microsoft Excel
19 Insert date and time
To insert the current date in a cell, hold Ctrl, then press the colon/semicolon key. To insert the time, hold Ctrl and Shift, and hit the same key.
20 Color coordination
You can color-code the tabs on your Excel spreadsheets for easier navigation. Click the tab you'd like to color, then select Format > Sheet > Tab Color. Select the color you want, and click OK.
21 Hide your sheet
You can hide Excel worksheets to reduce the number of sheets on your screen. Just select the sheets you'd like to hide, and select Format > Sheet > Hide. To restore them, click Unhide.
22 Clear formatting
To clear the formatting in an Excel spreadsheet, highlight the cells you want changed, and select Edit > Clear > Formats.
23 Keep a close watch
The Watch Window lets you monitor cells on other workbooks. To add a cell to the Watch Window, right-click it, then select Add Watch. You can then position the Watch Window above or below Excel's standard toolbar.
24 Instant quotes
Excel can recognize stock symbols and fetch stock quotes using MSN MoneyCentral Investor. First, enable Smart Tags by selecting Tools > AutoCorrect Options > Smart Tags. Make sure "Label data with smart tags" is checked, and hit OK. Log on to the Internet, and enter a stock symbol (in all caps) into a cell. A small green triangle appears in the lower right corner of the cell. Hover your cursor over the cell, click the icon that pops up, and choose "Insert refreshable stock price." Select "On a new sheet" to display the quote on another worksheet, or "Starting at cell" to display the stock price in the current cell.
25 All together now
To change the typeface or point size of all cells in a spreadsheet at once, click the box in the top left corner to select the entire spreadsheet, then make your changes.
26 Sort things out
You can rearrange the data in a spreadsheet any way you like by clicking the box in the top left corner and selecting Data > Sort. In the Sort window, select the column you'd like to sort by and whether you want the data in ascending or descending order.
Microsoft PowerPoint
27 E-mail slides
PowerPoint lets you resize, crop, and e-mail individual slides. To begin, open the slide, and click View > Notes Page. The file will appear on the notes page as an image. Next, right-click the slide image, and click Copy. The image is now on your clipboard, and you can paste it into your program of choice for e-mailing or resizing.
28 You're out of order
While viewing a slide show, you can call up any slide out of order. Just type the number of the slide, and hit Enter.
29 PowerPoint albums
You can use PowerPoint to create an impromptu photo album. Select Insert > Picture > New Photo Album. Under the "Insert picture from:" heading, click File/Disk, select the pictures you want to include, and hit Insert. Next, you can specify the look of the album you want under Album Layout. Finally, click Create.
30 Secure your presentations
Prevent others from modifying your PowerPoint file (or any Office file, for that matter) by enabling password protection. Select Tools > Options > Security, enter a password in the "Password to modify" box, and hit OK.
31 Scribble some notes
To make annotations on a presentation, open the file in Slide Show view. Right-click in the window, point to Pointer Options, and select a writing implement. When you're done, press Esc.
Microsoft Outlook
32 Quick e-mails
Send out a quick e-mail without launching Outlook. Right-click an empty area on your desktop and select New > Shortcut. Type mailto: in the Shortcut wizard. Then name your shortcut. Now you can just double-click the shortcut to open a blank e-mail message.
33 Create archives
Avoid reaching your mailbox's memory capacity by archiving your messages. Go to Tools > Options, and select the Other tab. Click the AutoArchive button, and make your selections.
34 Reduce or eliminate spam
To decrease your daily dose of spam, select Tools > Options > Junk E-mail, and click the High radio button. To eliminate spam completely, select the Safe Lists Only radio button to receive e-mails only from the people you allow. If you're concerned about missing any e-mails, check your Junk E-mail box regularly.
35 Save multiple attachments...
To save multiple file attachments in an e-mail message all at once, click File > Save Attachments, then select Save All Attachments.
36 ...but get rid of the large ones
Free up your in-box by deleting messages with large attachments. Go to the View menu, click the Arrange By drop-down list, and select Size. Now you can delete e-mails with the largest attachments first and work your way down.
37 Create multiple signatures
You can specify a different signature based on whether you're sending a new message, a reply, or a forward. Go to Tools > Options > Mail Format. Under Signatures, select the signature you want to use from the "Signature for new messages:" drop-down menu.
38 Make your boss blue
Color-code incoming messages based on who they're from by highlighting a message from that individual, clicking Tools > Organize > Using Colors, and selecting a color from the drop-down list.
39 Schedule appointments
To turn an e-mail message into an appointment, drag it over to your Calendar bar until it turns orange. This automatically opens an appointment window, in which you can set up the time and the place, and set a reminder.
40 Speedier searches
Speed up your Outlook searches by installing Lookout. This plug-in installs its own search box into the Outlook user interface and indexes all your e-mails for instantaneous search results.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
41 Make your history a mystery
To clear your AutoComplete history in Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options, and click the Content tab. Under "Personal information," click AutoComplete, and, in the resulting window, press Clear Forms. To disable the feature entirely, uncheck the Forms box.
42 Browse ahead
iRider ($29) lets you surf the Web at warp speed with an inventive function called Surf-Ahead. Because pages download while you're still on your current page, the next one's usually ready by the time you're done reading. Pages appear in the left pane as thumbnails. You can also select multiple links and click one to open them all at the same time.
43 Browse with tabs
Tabbed browsing isn't reserved for Firefox users anymore. Maxthon is an Internet Explorer plug-in that arranges multiple Web pages by tabs for easy navigation. In addition, it groups sites together so you can open your most-visited addresses all at once.
Mozilla Firefox
44 Open tabs with one click
Instead of right-clicking a link and choosing Open Link in New Tab, click a link with your mouse's scroll-wheel button to open it in a new tab. You can also click that tab with your scroll wheel to close it. (You may have to disable any function assigned to your click wheel for this to work, however.)
45 One-click combos
Don't have a scroll wheel? Hold down Ctrl while left-clicking a link to open a URL in a new tab, or hold Shift and left-click to open a URL in a new window.
46 More on Autocomplete
To eliminate your AutoComplete history in Firefox, go to Tools > Options > Privacy. In the Saved Form Information area, click the Clear button. To disable this feature entirely, click on the plus symbol next to the Saved Form Information area and uncheck "Save information I enter in web page forms."
47 Keep tabs on your tabs
You can control how new tabs open in Firefox in one of three ways: Open the page in a new window, open the page in a new tab in the front window, or replace the current page in the front window. Click the Advanced section of the Options window to customize it to your liking.
48 Smooth sailing
Put an end to jerky document scrolling by enabling Firefox's "Use smooth scrolling" feature in the Advanced section of the Options window.
49 Search in shorthand
Type a word in the address bar, then hit Ctrl+Enter to automatically add http://www and .com to the beginning and end, respectively, of the word. (Ctrl+Shift+Enter adds .org, and Shift+Enter adds .net.)
50 Zoom in and out
Hit Ctrl and the plus sign to increase text size on your current Web page, or Ctrl and the minus to decrease it. To restore the original size, hit Ctrl+0.
51 Open a tab
To open a particular tab in Firefox, hit Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+9. Tabs aren't numbered, though, so you'll have to physically count them.
52 Use live bookmarks
Get the latest headlines from your favorite RSS news sites and blogs. Just click the square, bright-orange icon in the bottom right corner of your browser, and click "OK to save as bookmark." The Live Bookmark will now function as your RSS aggregator.
Google and gmail
53 Instant 411
You can perform basic Google searches from your cell phone by sending text-message queries to 46645 (GOOGL). To search for general services in your vicinity, type a word of description followed by a period and your city/state or ZIP code (sushi.10018). To get the weather, use the same format preceded by the word "weather," or for addresses and phone numbers, by the name of the business. You can even get driving directions by typing from followed by the ZIP code of your starting point and to followed by your destination's ZIP code—for instance, from 10016 to 10018. You'll receive text-message responses free of charge (depending on your carrier's text-messaging plan) within seconds.
54 Create a virtual drive
Turn your Gmail account into an Internet hard drive with Softpedia's free
55 Gmail calling
Can't live without e-mail? Have your Gmail sent directly to your cell phone as a text message. Log on to your account, and click the Settings page. Select the Forwarding and POP tab, then the radio button labeled "Forward a copy of Incoming Mail to." Enter your cell phone's e-mail address, and click Save Changes. Verizon customers, for instance, would enter their 10-digit phone numbers, followed by @vtext.com. T-Mobile users would enter @tmomail.net, and Sprint customers enter @messaging.sprintpcs.com.
56 Lost in translation?
Need to translate text? Head over to Google Translate, paste the text into the field, and make a selection from the drop-down menu. You can also insert URLs to translate Web pages.
57 Personalize your news
You can customize Google's news page at news.google.com by clicking "Customize this page." Delete sections, increase the number of stories shown, and even add news categories of your own. To view your customized page from any computer, click the link "Share your customized news with a friend" at the bottom of the page, and e-mail the URL to your Internet-based mail account.
Home Networking
58 Set your preferred network
To make sure you always connect to the same wireless network, open the Network icon in your system tray, click the Advanced button, and, under "Preferred networks," move the network to the top of the list.
59 Go stealth
Tighten your home network's security by disabling its Service Set Identifier (SSID) broadcast. By default, all access points broadcast their SSID, or network name, to anyone within range. Disabling this feature will deter hackers.
60 Change frequencies
To avoid potential interference from your cordless phone, buy one that operates on a frequency different from your network's. Companies such as Uniden now offer phones that operate on a 5.8GHz frequency; most Wi-Fi networks operate on 2.4GHz.
61 Channel surfing
Too many wireless networks nearby? If you're experiencing trouble, try changing the Wi-Fi channel to avoid interference. Check your manual for instructions.
62 Repeat performance
Adding a repeater is the quickest and easiest way to broaden the range of your wireless network. Just place the repeater halfway between your router and your computer.
63 Build a wall
Create a virtual wall of protection between your network and the Internet by installing a firewall on every computer logged on to your network. This will keep Internet pests at bay. To enable Windows' built-in firewall, go to Control Panel >
64 Opt for change
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) has been cracked before, but changing your WEP key often will add another level of protection to your network.
65 Restricted area
If your access point supports it, use access lists to specify which machines can log on to your network.
Audio
66 Let 'er rip
In Windows Media Player 10, you can automatically rip CDs when you insert them into the drive. Select Applications > Tools > Options > Rip Music, and check "Rip CD when you insert the CD" and "Eject CD when you've finished ripping." Click OK to save your settings.
67 Music management
In iTunes, you can edit song info such as ratings, album name, and album art on multiple song files all at once. Control-click the files you want to edit, then right-click and select Get Info. Click Yes to the pop-up window and check off the sections you want to edit. Press Enter to make the changes.
68 Name change
Windows Media Player 10 lets you customize how music files are named. Choose Applications > Tools > Options > Rip Music, and click the File Name button. In the resulting window, check the box with the information you'd like shown in the filename. Click OK when you're done to activate the settings.
69 Access denied
When transferring your iTunes library from your old computer to a new one, don't forget to deauthorize your old computer to head off problems with songs protected by digital rights management (DRM).
70 Delete copycats
Weed out duplicate songs cluttering your iTunes library by selecting Show Duplicate Songs from the Edit menu.
71 Ditch DRM
Want a non-DRM-protected library of songs for your iPod? You can purchase AAC files via iTunes, burn them to CD, and import them back into iTunes as MP3s. Choose Edit > Preferences > Importing. From the Import Using pull-down menu, click MP3 Encoder. From now on, all imported files will be saved as MP3s. You can later delete the AAC files by choosing Show Duplicate Songs from the Edit menu. Now you'll have a backup of your music on CD, and you can use iTunes even if you don't own an iPod.
Maintenance
72 Use System Restore...
Always create a restore point using System Restore when installing or deleting software. You'll find the applet in Accessories > System Tools > System Restore.
73 ...unless you're infected
If your computer has been infected by viruses or spyware, System Restore may actually preserve these Net nasties. Temporarily disable System Restore and perform a full system scan. After you've cleaned your PC, delete old restore points and start fresh.
74 Don't download from strangers
Before you install anything, ask yourself if the software is trustworthy. If you don't have a good reason to trust it, pass.
75 Blast spyware
Prevent browser hijacks and other Internet-related annoyances by keeping updated copies of Lavasoft's Ad-Aware and Spybot-Search & Destroy on your hard drive. Both are freeware and help immunize your computer against potential threats.
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Computer Tech Ebook Kit.
Hack the Path of Job Search To Get it Faster
Job searching alone is like hitchhiking a scary ride with an unknown stranger on a 180-mile long deserted, no-exit road with hopes you’ll make your destination.
When you lack time or expertise to plan career moves carefully, sometimes the loss of ground is not apparent until years later. You can get trapped in a black hole and frustrated that your career is not advancing to full potential. Ever feel imprisoned in positions that lacked adequate reward, satisfaction, challenge or a future?
There are many reasons for these job jails:
• You’ve become too specialized.
• You’ve become too generalized.
• You failed to look ahead and plan for the future.
• You held out too long hoping for the “right break.”
• You accepted jobs that never made use of your best talents.
• You remain too long in positions that offered no challenge or mobility.
Use these seven job search marketing hacks and you’ll get in front of decision makers faster. What’s a “hack?” A “hack” is a clever solution to an interesting problem, so says the experts at O’Reilly Media, Inc., a leading-edge book publisher that offers cool technology workarounds on everything from navigating Google and eBay to digital photography and gaming. Hacks are the “down and dirty” of getting a task done. Your mission here is to get a great job, high on adventure, low on headache.
Hack #1: Know the job market. Locate and identify geographic employment hot spots.
Search out emerging industries. Grow up and ditch the pabulum of pursuing comfortable industries that are on their way to obsolescence.
Hack #2: Know your functional and industry options and employers’ needs in these areas.
Pinpoint your top three positioning (career focus) alternatives to what you’re now doing. Find the chief five employers that serve that market segment.
Hack #3: Know your most marketable skills, competency, and relevant background.
Create a personal branding; the things that make your “package” distinct. Blaze past your competition and neutralize the yawn factor in candidate- selection boredom by linking your portfolio of contribution to employer need.
Hack #4: Know how to win multiple, simultaneous interviews.
Spot the core three strategies to gain exposure that penetrates both the advertised and unadvertised job markets. Isolate which one is used the least but rewards the most, in terms of results.
Hack#5: Know how to create effective resumes and letters that sell solutions.
Build a campaign action plan that sends your tombstone resume to an early grave. Leverage your knowledge to solve employer problems through tailored special-ops marketing tactics that creates “you” stickiness in decision makers’ minds.
Hack#6: Know how to multiply your access to those who have the power to hire.
Networking is out. Building strategic relationships is in. Be there…where. Informational meetings with those who have knowledge that you need puts you in the driver’s seat when hiring patterns emerge.
Hack #7: Know how to give your inner critic a name and tell it to be quiet.
Visualize the results you want, not the ones you fear. Trigger the right reactions in your targeted prospects by looking for ways you might be sabotaging yourself, then adapt, improvise, overcome.
A professionally-run job search gets you there faster. It gives you defined direction and leverage to compare, negotiate, and deal from strength. Try to imagine the alternative; hitchhiking to nowhere at the mercy of blind luck. Can you think of one rational reason why you’d want to take this trip alone?
Friday, September 14, 2007
Beginner's Guide: Internet Security & Firewalls
Even at home, your computer is vulnerable. Set up a Firewall and protect it.
When you use the Internet there are dangers around every corner. Viruses, malicious users, Trojan horses, Oh my! If these are just concepts to you, you are either lucky or well protected (or just un-connected). If these names trigger painful flashbacks to when your computer (and possibly your account balance) was rendered inoperable or compromised by one of the above, then join the club.
Either way, securing your computer against threats from the Internet is an essential step. If you do not, you will, at some point, regret it. Guaranteed.
This article is intended to provide some basic guidelines for securing your computer, and to give the reader a better understanding of how some of these technologies work. It is intended primarily for users of high-speed Internet connections, but most of the article is applicable to dial-up Internet users also.
As far as the home or small business user is concerned, Internet security can be broken down into three areas; Anti-virus software, Firewall protection and Recommended practices/Common sense.
To deal with the last of these three first, an essential step in securing your computer or network is understanding what actions can compromise you. What you don't know will hurt you, especially in regards to email. Some good basic security steps for dealing with email:
Don't use outlook express. I know, it's convenient, and you already know how to use it, but think about this. Outlook Express is the default email client for every windows version since 98. How many Millions of people do you think are using the default email client? Right. Now if you were writing a computer virus that you wanted to spread rapidly through the Internet by emailing itself, what e-mail client would you write it for? Exactly. If you want to see for yourself, go to www.sarc.com and type 'outlook express' in the search field. There are many alternative email clients available, some of them free. Try www.eudora.com for starters.
Don't open file attachments unless you are sure of the source. Email file attachments are one of the most common vectors for computer viruses. Modern antivirus software will scan incoming email as a matter of course, but you still have the possibility of a new virus that has yet to be added to the list of scanned-for viruses.
Some General Tips
Use passwords: Both Windows 2000 and XP have the ability to set effective user passwords to prevent others from using the account. They also have a default user called 'administrator' with full rights to the system and other user accounts, and no password unless you gave it one during the installation process.
Worse still, Windows 2000 and XP Professional systems create a secret share (a share is a condition set on a drive or folder which allows it to be accessed from another computer), accessible only to members of the administrators group, for every drive in your computer. To sum up, if you do not have a password on your administrator account, almost every single part of your computer can be accessed and controlled remotely.
The danger is slightly lessened in Windows XP, since network shares are not enabled by default, but if they are enabled, you are at risk. To assign passwords on Windows 2000, go to 'my computer'/control panel/users and passwords. To assign passwords on XP, go to start/control panel/user accounts, pick the user you wish to edit, then select 'change my password.'
Note that to perform this operation, you need administrative privileges, meaning you must be logged in either as administrator, or as a user account you created in XP during the install process, since these accounts are also members of the administrators group by default. It is also a very good idea to change the name of the 'administrator' account to something less obvious, like maybe 'Bob.'
Update your software:
This cannot be stressed enough, especially with anti-virus software. Most anti-virus packages will prompt you if it has been a while since they were able to update their virus definitions (the 'signatures' of computer viruses the antivirus software will search for), so make sure you do.
The software cannot stop what it does not know about. Updating your Windows operating system is just as important.
Microsoft puts out security fixes at a rapid rate, and while this nets them abuse for the amount of holes in their operating systems, it also shows that they are committed to putting out the fires, if not preventing them.
Versions of Windows from 98 up contain a direct link to the windows update site on the start menu, and Windows 2000 (with service pack 3) and XP have an automatic update feature which will download the latest updates automatically. Stay up-to-date.
Be careful with file-sharing services like Kazaa:
Unlike a couple of years ago, they are now crawling with viruses, adware and other general unpleasantness.
If you are going to use them to download files, make sure to check more than just the name in the first column of the search. Make sure the general size of the file seems right, and especially check the actual file name of the file you are downloading. This is not foolproof, but nothing is when dealing with peer-to-peer sharing software.
Dealing with Anti-virus software
For any Internet connected PC or network, a regularly updated anti-virus program is a must. Standard Anti-virus software works by examining individual files within your hard disk for telltale signs, or signatures, of specific virus programs. A program using this method, called 'exact detection', is only as good as its database of known virus definitions, which is why it is important to update frequently.
The major anti-virus software companies used this approach exclusively, until recently when they have begun flirting with the other major method of virus detection, heuristic detection. This method does not define a virus by matching the exact pattern of data that makes up its signature, but rather by observing its behavior.
or example, a heuristic (Greek for 'to find') anti-virus program might be instructed to watch for non-authorized programs that attempt to make changes to the computer's registry, or to access system files. There are many different methods of implementing heuristic anti-virus software, but that is really beyond the scope of this article. The major reason behind the partial adoption of heuristic anti-virus methods by the big companies such as Symantec (makers of Norton Antivirus) is the success in recent years of mass-mailing worms. Worm are computer viruses which replicate themselves through email.
The incredibly fast rate of infection seen in cases such as the vbs.loveletter worm (which you may recognize as the 'I love you virus'), Anna, and recently the w32.bugbear worm took the major anti-virus manufacturers off-guard. They were not able to release virus definitions fast enough to prevent major distribution of the aforementioned viruses.
The major virus protection companies are now incorporating features into their software which will allow it to detect behavior characteristic of these mass-mailing worms, without necessarily having a virus signature for them, hoping to head off such outbreaks in the future... at least among paying customers.
For home use, an antivirus software package is highly recommended. Symantec's Norton Antivirus and MacAfee's VirusScan are two leaders in the area, but the brand name does not matter as much as the frequency of the virus updates which the company offers. There are several other reputable packages available besides these, especially for the business world.
For software such as this, which needs to be frequently updated by the manufacturer, expect to pay a subscription fee in the future. Most home anti-virus software ships with a one-year subscription to the company's updating service, after which you will need to renew.
If you suspect you already have a virus on your computer, and you either do not have access to an anti-virus program or the one you do have does not seem to be doing the job (not too surprising, as many viruses include disabling the functionality of major anti-virus checkers as part of their payload), all is not lost. There are resources available on the Internet for identifying and eliminating viruses manually.
As a start, you can go to www.sarc.com This is Symantec's public virus threat information website. If you use the encyclopedia, you can find information and removal tools or instructions for many recent viruses.
On the same page there is a link to the Symantec security check, which will scan your computer and identify any viruses that fit a known signature, using their latest definitions. It will not remove them of course, but it's a start. Then you can look them up in the virus encyclopedia for removal instructions.
Firewalls and Internet security
No doubt you've heard about firewalls. Everyone on the Internet has heard the term at one time or another. They are for protecting your computer from the big bad Internet, right? Well, yes, essentially.
They can also control access out to the Internet from your computer, but what are they really, and how do they work?
A firewall is a piece of hardware, or a software program that examines data passing into your computer or network and discards it if it does not meet certain criteria. Depending on the type of firewall you use, this operation may take place at different points in the path between the source of the data and the application in your computer it is intended for, and different criteria will be used to examine the data, but the basic operation remains the same for all firewalls.
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There are four distinct types of firewall method, which may be used individually or combined into a firewall product:
Packet filtering
Packet filtering firewalls work by examining data packets as they attempt to pass through the firewall, and comparing them to a list of rules based on the source of the data, the destination it is intended for, and the port the data was sent from and intends to connect to.
A firewall using packet filtering can be easily configured to stop certain forms of information flowing in or out of a computer or network by blocking well-known ports.
For example, setting a packet-filtering firewall to block data traveling out of the firewall from any source, using port 80 (the standard port used for http, or web-browsing data) will have the effect of disabling web browsing on all computers inside the firewall.
Likewise, if you were hosting a website on your computer and you set your firewall to drop all data coming into the network on port 80 from any source, no-one outside your network would be able to view your website.
The limitation of packet filters is that ports and IP addresses are all they will filter. They don't care about the content of the data, just where it's headed. They also require some technical knowledge if you wish to customize them. Most cable/DSL routing devices can use packet filtering as a part of their firewall protection.
Circuit level gateways
A circuit level gateway is a firewall that only allows data into its protected network based on requests that come from computers inside that network. The firewall keeps a record of requests for data that go out, and only allows data in that matches with a request. An advantage of this type of firewall is that since it acts as the gateway to the network it is protecting, anyone scanning the network from outside will see only the address of the firewall, not the rest of its protected network.
Circuit level gateways
As an example of how circuit level gateways work, say computer A is in a network protected by a circuit level gateway firewall, and wants to view a web page on computer B which is outside the firewall. Computer A sends the request for the web page to computer B, which is intercepted and recorded by the firewall before being passed on. Computer B receives the request, which as far as it is concerned came from the address of the firewall, and starts sending the web-page data back across the Internet. When it reaches the firewall, it is compared to computer A's request to see if the IP address and the port match up, then the data is either allowed or dropped.
A major advantage to using this method is that non-requested data from outside the firewall is not allowed in, period. All ports are closed until the firewall opens them. The main disadvantage is that unless it is combined with some other form of filtering, any type of data requested from inside the firewall will be allowed though.
Software or hardware firewalls that use the circuit level gateway method will also include some method of internet sharing, since this is part of the function of this type of firewall. As you can probably guess, cable/DSL home routers use this method primarily. More specifically, they use Network Address Translation (NAT) which is a combination of circuit level gateway functions with Internet sharing.
Application level gateways
Application level gateways, also known as proxies, are outwardly similar in operation to circuit level gateways in that they act as the only entrance into or out of a protected network and deny all non-requested data from outside. The major difference is in the way they handle information.
While a circuit level gateway only examines the address and port information contained in data it receives, not the content, an application level gateway is more in-depth. A firewall using this method runs proxy applications to view common types of data (like HTTP for web-pages, FTP, SMTP or POP3 for email, etc.) before it is allowed through the firewall.
This has two major advantages. Firstly, no direct communication is allowed between outside sources and computers behind the firewall, since everything must first pass through a proxy, and secondly, filtering can now be done using the actual content of the data, as opposed to just where it came from and where it's going.
For example, using an application level gateway firewall, you can not only control which computers inside your network can access internet web pages, but also specify which web pages they are allowed to view, since the proxy for HTTP can read the contents of the data sent from a web server and check for restricted websites.
Application level gateways are considered very secure, because of the level of control they offer, but can require significant configuration to get the most out of them. They are also slower at passing information than other firewalls, because of the proxy applications. Client computers on a network with an application level gateway firewall need to be configured to be able to use the proxies to access resources outside the network.
Application level gateway firewalls will have integrated Internet sharing, since this is necessary to their function. They are generally intended for business use, protecting large networks. A good example of an application level gateway software package is Microsoft's ISA (internet Security and Acceleration) server, though this has several features beyond the firewall service.
Stateful inspection
Stateful inspection is a combination of packet filtering with some of the elements of the gateway methods. It is somewhat of a vague definition, unlike the other three. Essentially, it is a packet filter firewall that examines more than just the addresses and port information of the data. Without using proxies, it can imitate some of the features of an application gateway by viewing the application specific data sent in each packet.
There are a variety of different products available that use stateful inspection to varying degrees. The advantage of this method is that it can examine data at the application level (that is filtering by content, not just address) without the performance overhead added by using proxies. Stateful firewalls will also close all ports to unsolicited incoming data and keep a table of requests from inside the network, like the two gateway methods.
The firewall included with Microsoft Windows XP claims to be a stateful inspection firewall, though it lacks any way of filtering application content. This is where things get a little blurry, as the XP firewall has essentially the same functionality as the firewalls built into commonly available cable/DSL home routers, a combination of packet filtering with a circuit level gateway.
Apparently then, the definition of a stateful inspection firewall is one that combines features of the other three types to any degree.
Configuring your home firewall
Now let's look at setting up and configuring your own firewall to protect your computer or network.
What you'll need: Cable/DSL router with integrated firewall/NAT Or A software firewall such as zonealarm or blackICE defender. Or Windows XP Home or Professional. What you will need to know a few basic definitions. If you are already familiar with the terminology, please skip ahead to the next page.
Port: One end of a logical connection between two computers. Specific ports are used for specific types of data. For example port 80 is used to send and receive HTTP (web browser) traffic. Firewalls can block ports, disabling them from receiving any data.
Protocol : A standardized method for transmitting data between devices. HTTP, FTP and SMTP are examples of well-known protocols for web browsing, file transfer and email respectively. Used with IP addresses and Ports to transfer data between computers. Protocols come in two types, as far as this article is concerned, TCP and UDP.
TCP protocols form a connection, or session, between two computers to send and receive data. They include methods of ensuring data is delivered, and correcting errors. UDP protocols are considered 'connectionless.' They can pass information between computers, but no session is formed to govern the exchange, and no confirmation is given that the data has been received.
IP address: A number used by devices on the Internet or within local networks to address data. The format is xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx where xxx can be a number between 0-255. Example 192.168.5.2 For a more complete definition, see the PCStats guide to Home Networking.
Configuring the Windows XP Firewall
All firewall methods, with the exception of application level gateways, use ports, protocol types and IP addresses or computer names to control data entering your network. This is the most important thing to understand. Once you get used to the idea of opening or closing ports in order to control what gets in or out of your network, you can easily configure almost any basic firewall product.
The firewalls we will deal with here, and most of the commonly available commercial ones will block all ports coming into the firewall by default, so if you wish to allow computers on the internet access to a certain part of your network, you will have to do some configuration. You will also need to research the application and find out what ports it uses. All software manufacturers should offer this information.
Now let's look at configuring two of the most common types of firewall; The firewall program included with the Windows XP operating system, and a typical cable/DSL router.
Configuring the Windows XP firewall: This is an easy one, so let's start with it. To enable the firewall, go to start/control panel/network and Internet connections/network connections then right click on your Internet connection and select 'properties'.
Go to the 'advanced' tab and check the 'internet connection firewall' box.
Hmm, that was tough. If you remember the definitions from above, what you have just done is enabled a combination of packet filtering and a circuit level gateway. Your computer will now record which applications on your computer attempt to access the Internet, and examine all incoming data against these records. Any unsolicited data will be dropped.
If you choose to use Internet connection sharing as well, the firewall will handle requests from the other computers in your network as well, acting as a gateway. The XP firewall is effective at stopping unauthorized data from entering your computer or network.
Configure a firewall service
The XP Firewalls' only major failing is that it has no way of filtering data leaving your network, which can open you up to Trojan horse programs which, once unwittingly installed, may attempt to send personal information out of your network. For this reason, you should keep up-to-date antivirus software installed.
If you have an application on your computer or inside your network which you would like to allow access to from the Internet, for example a web page or FTP server, you must configure a service for it in the firewall settings.
Click the 'settings' button at the bottom of the 'advanced page of your Internet connection properties.
Each of the buttons on the screen represents a built in service which you can enable to allow access to a specific port inside the firewall. For example, highlight the 'web server (HTTP)' list item, and hit the 'edit' button.
As you see, there is a description of the service, which is just for your benefit. The 'name or IP address of the computer hosting this service on your network' box needs to be filled with the name of the computer you are using to run the application you want to give outside access to.
The external port # identifies the port which users outside the network will be allowed to connect to, and the internal port # specifies the port which will be accessed inside the network if the application is running on a different computer than your firewall system. This is called port mapping, the process of passing information from a port on the Internet side of a firewall to a port in the protected internal network.
Creating your own service is easy
All you need to know to create your own service is the port # that the application you want to give access to, and whether the protocol it will accept is TCP (connection oriented) or UDP (connectionless).
To simplify things, use the same port # for both internal and external ports. A list of common applications and the ports they use can be found at the end of this article. See below for an example of a custom service. One nice thing about the XP firewall is that it will custom configure itself for certain Microsoft applications such as MSN Messenger.
Setting up a Home based cable/DSL router firewall:
This set of instructions is a lot less specific than the XP firewall section, since there are such a variety of firewall equipped home routers on the market, using different interfaces. For the article, I used an SMC Barricade 4 port wired/wireless router, but the specifics should be similar for every router, they will just be configured differently.
Remember, on home routers, the firewall is enabled by default, so if you do not have a custom configuration to do, you can plug it in and go.
To start with, log into your router's management interface. Generally, entering your router's IP address into a web browser does this. See the manual if you have doubts.
Almost all home routers use NAT (Network Address Translation) as their firewall method. This is a combination of the functions of a circuit level gateway (internet sharing, recording requests from inside the network and denying all data from outside the firewall that does not match a request) and a packet filter for allowing or denying individual ports.
Depending on the model, you will have various levels of function. All router firewalls will, by default, stop unsolicited data from entering the network. They will also contain some form of port mapping to allow computers from the Internet to access specified applications within the firewall.
Some applications may require the use of multiple ports simultaneously, which is not possible in a conventional NAT firewall. To get around this, some routers and firewalls can create special application exceptions which define a 'trigger port,' the port at which the application will initiate communication, then a range of other ports which an application using the trigger port will also be allowed to access.
Client Filtering
Another option which may be available is client filtering, which is sort of a reverse firewall, blocking clients inside the network from accessing certain ports. All of these methods use essentially the same forms of information: port numbers.
Once you get used to the idea of ports as the way applications get information in and out of your computer, configuring these options are simple.
Port mapping requires the identification of a machine on your network by name or IP address, a port to be accessed on that machine, and a port to be accessed on your firewall, and the type of protocol (TCP or UDP).
Special application exceptions require a 'trigger port' which sends data out from that application, and one or more receiving ports, depending on the requirements of the application.
TCP or UDP must also be specified.
Client filters require the IP address of a computer or computers in your internal network, and the ports which will be blocked, with the protocol type (TCP or UDP).
Hopefully, the whole concept of firewalls and Internet security is a little clearer now. Antivirus programs are essential, and you really should have a home firewall to properly protect your computer or network.
Again, keep in mind that for typical use, a software or hardware firewall should require little or no configuration, so don't be intimidated. The configuration itself revolves around a very limited set of changes, as I hope this article has shown. Protect yourself.
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