Be Your Own Laptop Hunter

I thought I was never going to write about it, let alone take a side (sort of), but I believe I'm going to be adding to the long standing write ups of PC vs Mac. Now why did I say I was taking a side (sort of)? Well, first off I wouldn't be writing this stuff if I didn't come across a certain article about certain videos that Microsoft. I'm going to stop beating around the bush now. Have you ever heard of Laptop Hunter? I didn't give it a second thought when I first saw the video because to me, they were just obviously showing just another of the big difference between the PC and the Mac and I believed that it was practically common knowledge.

It was until I read this article that I saw how much effect those ads had on the people over at Macintosh. With that being said however, I didn't really see how special the ads were. Sure it was pretty effective but it's not really showing anything different. I guess that's just the power of advertising at work. What I do want to point out that when whoever it was bought the laptop, they all went to the local PC store and bought something around the price range of $1000 dollars. The thing is you can get a great deal on a laptop when you don't go to a store and simply look for a used laptop.

Something that is used may never be better than something that is brand new, but it comes at a much lower price. I'm sure we all know this but I guess I should refresh your memory about the various places where you can get a cheap laptop. I'm sure a lot of people out there need one but they don't really have a $1000 dollars for budget. Let's say you want to spend just around half that much. One of the first things that you can do is to spread the word around. Tell people that you know that you're looking for a laptop and you might be surprised a t the number of people who are willing to sell you theirs at a somewhat reasonable price, and better yet, there are some people out there who are selling slightly used ones at low costs.

If this fails, you can always check out the internet. Suffice to say, you can find anything on the internet as long as you know where to look. When you go on Craigslist or eBay, you can find lot of laptops out for sale or auction that can match the budget that you had in mind. However, when you're bidding on eBay and you find something that you really like, keep your cool and don't overbid. Even if it's just slightly above what you wanted to pay, you need to remember that you set your budget for a reason. Compared to a Mac, a PC will look much cheaper and some would say that it can perform just as well, or better.

Just think about this, Macs are expensive for a reason. Some might be easily won over by ads, but I encourage people to do some background checks on what they want to buy before they buy it. Don't just look for the best deal; look for the best performance that you can get out of the deal. You might look back and think that the money you spent isn't worth the hardware that you have now. Performance comes first. Keep that in mind when you become your own laptop hunter.

The author of this article Jego Goldstein is a Computer Analyst who has been testing and developing software for several years. He advocates the need for computer literacy in society and strives to make technology more user friendly. One of his latest projects is My PC Tweaks, a comprehensive and easy to follow guide to understanding your computer.

Looking For the Best College Laptop

When you're buying the best college laptop, you need to ask yourself what your needs are. I've experienced using both a Mac and a PC/Windows and each of them have their positive qualities as well as their negative.

When I need to do my writing or working with spreadsheets, I prefer to be on a PC/Windows. I grew up with DOS then switched to Microsoft/Windows. I know the programs like the back of my hand and I complete my work rather quickly.

A Mac was introduced to me when I needed better streaming video and graphic abilities. I see a Mac being more of the what the future needs. Mac also makes it quicker to operate with less keystrokes.

As you shop for a laptop for college this year, remember to tell the salesman exactly what your needs are. Yes, you'll need to work with a word program and would want to have a better media player, but you can save money by cutting back on what you really won't need. Do you need to have a CD/DVD burner? If you don't, talk to the salesman about installing the basic CD/DVD and then put the money you saved toward boosting up your GIG's. Don't want those extra programs? You know, the ones that are never used once you get the computer home. Talk to them about how you can swap it for more RAM. Those are just a few of the different ways to build the best college laptop for yourself. Nobody but you is really going to use it (which is what you should do anyway). So why not have it the way you need it to be.

So, what really is the best college laptop? The one that was made for you and your needs, not one off the "showroom floor."

For more information on Best College Laptops, please go to http://bestcollegelaptops.com

Finding Your MAC Address On Wired And Wireless Network Cards

The Answer To The Media Access Control Question

Over the past few weeks I have received quite a few e-mails about Ethernet cards, both wired and wireless, and more specifically, about Media Access Control (MAC) addresses. I think the main reason I've received so many questions about Ethernet cards and MAC addresses is people trying to secure their home wireless networks and their desire to use MAC address filtering. This type of filtering in wireless networks can be configured to allow or deny specific computers to use or attach to the wireless network, based on the MAC address.

My first thought was to write an article just about MAC addresses and wireless Ethernet. After thinking about it I decided to expand on this and go over some specific information about Ethernet cards and communication.

Different Ways Of Finding Your MAC Address And More

There are several ways of finding your Ethernet and communications protocol information. Many Ethernet card manufacturer's have proprietary software that can reveal this information but they work differently depending on the manufacturer. So we will use the Windows 2000 and XP "ipconfig" utility since this is available in the majority of Windows Operating Systems.

First, go to "start" -> "run" and type "cmd" without the quotes. Then hit the enter key. At the command line type "ipconfig /all", again without the quotes. Actually, just typing ipconfig without the /all will work but will only provide you with abbreviated information regarding your network cards. An example of what you might see by typing the "ipconfig /all" command is below with each item commented in green lettering:

Fault Tolerant And Highly Availability Computer Systems

There are several ways of finding your Ethernet and communications protocol information. Many Ethernet card manufacturer's have proprietary software that can reveal this information but they work differently depending on the manufacturer. So we will use the Windows 2000 and XP "ipconfig" utility since this is available in the majority of Windows Operating Systems.

First, go to "start" -> "run" and type "cmd" without the quotes. Then hit the enter key. At the command line type "ipconfig /all", again without the quotes. Actually, just typing ipconfig without the /all will work but will only provide you with abbreviated information regarding your network cards. An example of what you might see by typing the "ipconfig /all" command is below:

OutPut Of The "Ipconfig /All" Command

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Home Computer

This is the name of your computer, typically defined during the windows installation. However, it can be changed after installation.

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : domain.com

If your computer participates in a network such as a Microsoft Windows domain this item may contain the name of the domain.

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown

The Node Type may say Unknown, or peer-to-peer, or in some cases "hybrid". It is a setting that has to do with the Windows Internet Naming Services used in certain types of Windows domain networks.

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

This setting determines if Windows XP or 2000 will function as an IP router. If you have two or more network cards you can setup your system to act as a router, forwarding communications requests from one network to another. Windows 2000 can be configured to do this in a pretty straight forward fashion; Windows XP will need a registry modification.

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy is another setting that is related to the "Node Type" we discussed earlier. It is normally not a required setting in a home or small office network, or newer types of Microsoft Windows domains.

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

If you have multiple Ethernet (network) cards in your systems, as I do in this laptop, you will have multiple listings. This one happens to be the second Ethernet card, an internal wireless Ethernet card.

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN

This is the description of the Ethernet card, usually the Name / Manufacturer and type of Ethernet card. In this case, it is a Broadcom wireless Ethernet card built into my laptop.

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-90-4B-F1-6E-4A

And here we have the MAC address. The MAC address is a 48 bit hexadecimal code and is suppose to be a totally unique address. It is 48 bits because each number or letter in hexadecimal represents 8 bits. Hexadecimal numbers range from 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E, F. There are 6 alpha-numeric codes hence 6*8=48(bits). The first 3 codes identify the manufacturer of the card and the remaining codes are used to create a unique number. Theoretically there should never be a card with same MAC address on a local network. However, there are a few exceptions. There are software tools that allow you to change this code. In fact, this is a step some hackers take to attack other systems on a local network. I say local network because MAC addresses are not routable between network segments. By spoofing this address, you can impersonate another machine on the local network. Traffic that was bound for the intended target can be redirected to the hacker's machine. This is the address you would also use to populate a MAC address, or physical address table when setting up your wireless access point to support MAC address filtering.

DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

DHCP, or the Dynamic Host Control Protocol, if enabled means your computers IP address is being provided by a DHCP server on you network. The DHCP server could be your wireless access point, cable/dsl router, cable modem, or a server on your network. Also, if a DHCP server is not enabled on your network, your computers Operating System will auto generate a random IP address within a certain predefined range. This means you could network a group of systems together without having to manually assign the IP settings.

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.117

This parameter provides you with your current IP address. The address listed above is what is called a "private" address. There are certain classes of IP addresses that have been set aside for private use. This means for your internal, local, or private network at home or office. These addresses are not, or should not, be routable on the Internet. The Internet routes what are called "valid" IP addresses. Your cable/dsl router or cable modem has a valid IP address assigned to its "external" network interface. The external interface may be your phone line or cable TV cable.

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

The Subnet Mask is a special number, or in some sense, filter, that breaks down your IP address, in this case private IP address, into certain groups. IP addresses and Subnet Masks can be a complicated matter and would take an entire article to go over.

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.254

The default gateway, the IP addresses listed above, is the IP address of the device that will route your request, such as when you try to browse a website, to the Internet. It is a bit more complicated than that though as gateways or routers can route traffic to various different networks, even other private networks. At your home or small office, this gateway most likely is your cable/dsl modem or router.

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.49

The DHCP server, remember we talked a little about this above, is the device that assigns your computer an IP address and other information. DHCP servers can assign all kinds of information such as; Default Gateway, Domain Name Servers (DNS), IP address, Subnet Mask, Time Server, and much more.

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.49, 64.105.197.58

DNS Servers are internal or external servers that resolve Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDN), such as http://www.defendingthenet.com , to IP addresses. This is done because computers don't actually transmit your requests using the domain name, they use the IP address assigned to the FQDN. For most home or small office users, the primary DNS server is the IP address of your cable/dsl router. Your cable/dsl router than queries an external DNS server on the Internet to perform the actual resolution of the FQDN to IP address. The address 192.168.0.49 is an internal private device on my network whereas the 64.105.197.58 is an external public Internet DNS server and is present just in case my router has trouble performing the DNS resolution tasks.

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, March 19, 2006 6:38:16 PM

This information tells you when your computer received its IP address and other information from a DHCP server. You will notice it says "Lease Obtained", that is because most DHCP servers only lease the IP address to you from a pool of available address. For instance, your pool may be 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.50. So your DHCP server has 50 IP addresses to choose from when assigning your computer its IP address.

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, March 29, 2006 9:38:16 PM

When the IP address, assigned by the DHCP server, lease expires it will attempt to lease you the same or another IP address. This function can typically be changed on the DHCP server. For instance, on some fully functional DHCP servers, you can configure the Lease to never expire, or to expire within 1 day and so on.

Why Are MAC Addresses So Important And How Do They Work

To jump back to MAC address for just a bit. You may think that IP addresses are the most important thing when it comes to network communication. The reality is, MAC addresses are very important because without them computers would not be able to communicate over Ethernet networks. When a computer wants to speak with another computer on a local network, it will make a broadcast request, or ask a question, of who owns a particular IP address. For instance, your computer may say "Who is 192.168.0.254". Using the information above, my default gateway is 192.168.0.254 and will answer "I am "00-90-4B-F1-6E-4A" 192.168.0.254". It sends back its MAC address. That MAC address then goes into what is called a Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) table on your computer. You can see this information by going to the command prompt like you did above and typing "arp -a". You will get information like the following:

Internet Address Physical Address Type

192.168.0.49 00-12-17-5c-a2-27 dynamic

192.168.0.109 00-12-17-5c-a2-27 dynamic

192.168.0.112 00-0c-76-93-94-b2 dynamic

192.168.0.254 00-0e-2e-2e-15-61 dynamic

How A Hacker Can Use MAC Addresses In An Attack

You will notice the IP addresses and to the right of them the MAC addresses. Without this information, without the MAC address, you would not be reading this article right now. MAC addresses are not routable like IP addresses. They work on your local or private network. However, devices on the Internet perform the same tasks. Routers and switches maintain a list of their peer devices MAC address just like your computers and devices on your home or office network. I mentioned above that MAC addresses can be changed in order to redirect requests. For instance, if I were on your office network and you had an internal web server that took personal information as input, I could tell your computer to go to my laptop for the web site by broadcasting my MAC address tied to the real web servers IP address. I would do this when you computer asked "Who is the "Real Web Server"". I could setup a fake web server that looks just like the real thing, and start collecting information the real web server would normally collect. You can see how dangerous this can be.

Conclusion

There are several other easy ways you can find your MAC address but they can be a little confusing if you have more than one internal network card. Most external USB, or PCMCIA wired and wireless Ethernet cards have their MAC address printed on them. In cases where the wired or wireless network card are inside your computer, such as in laptops, the MAC address is sometimes printed on the bottom of the laptop. Even Desktop systems cards that are inserted in PCI slots have the MAC address printed on the Ethernet card.

You may reprint or publish this article free of charge as long as the bylines are included.

Original URL (The Web version of the article)

http://www.defendingthenet.com/NewsLetters/FindingYourMACAddressOnWiredAndWirelessNetworkCards.htm

About The Author

Darren Miller is an Information Security Consultant with over seventeen years experience. He has written many technology & security articles, some of which have been published in nationally circulated magazines & periodicals. If you would like to contact Darren you can e-mail him at Darren.Miller@defendingthenet.com. If you would like to know more about computer security please visit us at http://www.defendingthenet.com

Beginner's Guide to Buying a Laptop

Whether you are looking for a laptop or netbook, the type you choose will most likely be relied upon for daily use and need to meet your requirements.

One of the basic questions that you must ask yourself is whether you want to use a PC or a Mac. There are a few key differences when it comes to these two options:

* Price - Apple Macs tend to be a bit more expensive and can be more pricey to repair than a PC

* Operating systems - The same OS cannot be run on both types of computers.

* Layout of files and programs - When using a Mac, functionalities to search, open and close programs and files are quite different to that of a PC laptop.

* Programs - Software is not usually interchangeable between the two options. If you previously had a PC laptop and are considering a Mac, the software you currently have will not work on your new purchase.

Netbook Versus Notebook

Another common question that you want to ask yourself is whether you want a notebook or a netbook. If you are using this computer on a daily basis, enjoy a larger screen and do not have to carry it around all the time, a notebook is probably the computer that you are looking for.

If you do a lot of mobile research and have to carry your computer around everywhere, a netbook is extremely lightweight and can easily fit into a handbag or brief case.

Laptop Screen Sizes

The screen size is a common feature that many use as a deciding factor when it comes to choosing a laptop. If you use your laptop for media purposes, then a larger screen is normally more desired.

The 15-inch screens tend to be the most common size, but can mean the laptop is heavy. If you want a larger screen, but a smaller-weight laptop, then considering the 12- to 13-inch options may be the way to go.

Laptop Battery Life

The battery life of your new laptop can be important, especially if you will be using your laptop while out of the home or office. Choosing a computer with a battery life of six - eight hours is the most desirable option, so check if the computer offers different power-saving options also, as this will extend battery life.

Other Crucial Features

The amount of information that your computer can save is very important if you will be doing the majority of your work on your laptop. Music, files, pictures, movies and programs all take up space on your computer.

The hard drive space on laptops can vary, so it's important to take note of this when comparing specific models. You should also look for computers with at least a 2GB of RAM as this help with the speed of the computer when opening programs or documents.

Remember that the more features your computer has and the larger it is, the more expensive that it may be. Before you decide on which laptop is right for your needs, ask questions, do your research and always compare to get the pest price.

Videopro is Australia's premier dealer in audio visual equipment, computers and technology including home theatre systems and laptops online.

Tips and Tricks For Mac Laptop Repair

Mac laptops are an attractive choice for people who want stylish designs with attractive features. This apple manufactured laptops works on Macintosh operating system. Several users look up to this brand of laptops for purchase. They also suffer from functionality errors. Certain mishandling or operational issues lead to problem in Mac Laptop. Hence, you need to approach a Mac Laptop Repair expert to mend the device.

You can also do the task yourself by following the given below tips:

Firstly, identify the operational issue with the laptop and find the cure for it. Go through mackintosh booklet or Mac lap top repair websites. You can find several laptop repair tips on the Internet. The step by step procedure works effectively for the repair task. You can also take help of a technical expert to identify the laptop repair issue.
You can always use the isolation method to identify the problem with your laptop. This Mac laptop repair method involves removal of one device at a time so that you can note the operation of laptop after detaching the device. If the laptop starts working, then the detached device is responsible for the improper functioning.
If you are doing the task yourself, then turn off the laptop before isolating the devices. As soon as, the error is detected, search for tips to repair the respective laptop part. The online Mac laptop repair websites are highly helpful during the task. Follow the instructions strictly and repair the effected laptop part.

This do-it-yourself task can be cumbersome for some of you. If you are unsure of your technical abilities, then don't do the job yourself. Take the laptop to a Mac laptop repair expert. He would charge few bucks and repair the laptop immediately. It is better to handover the laptop in safe hands, than to damage it completely and buy a new one.

About The Author:-

Batista Hayden is a wizard in innovative IT solutions. He has experience and expertise in the field of computer, laptop and notebook hardware support. His skills and knowledgeable writing provides information about Windows and Mac laptop repair, data recovery and troubleshooting. So, go through the informative content and get the latest updates on Do-It-Yourself laptop repair tips and techniques.

5 Tips For Choosing a New Apple Laptop

Ready to make the move to an Apple Laptop? Or are you just ready to upgrade a favorite older Mac that's seen years of long and faithful service? No matter where you're coming from, here are five quick tips to determine which Apple laptop is the right one for you!

What kind of work will you be doing on your new laptop?

Graphics design work will probably make a larger screen a plus so that you can get the details without squinting. If you're planning to play games (especially online games that may require lots of storage memory), you'll need a fast processor and the hard drive space to store all that data "loot" you'll be collecting on your imaginary adventures. Is the laptop going to be used by a student or traveling businessman? In that case, portability may be the big issue. Take a good look at what you'll be doing most of the time with your new Mac-you'll be glad you did.

Best bet for gaming or graphics: MacBook Pro. With an NVidia Graphics processor and a smoking hot 2.4 or 2.5GHz, you're ready to roll.

Best student or business bet: MacBook Air. Superlight and well set up for a wide variety of general applications.

How portable does your new laptop need to be?

If you're planning to use your new laptop at your desk, then any of the Apple lines will be great. But if you're a business traveler who has to work on the go (especially in a crowded airplane seat) or a student who has to fit a laptop into a backpack or messenger bag, you'll want to make portability a priority. Also remember: the more powerful the processor, the more power it consumes-so if you're going to be unplugged while working, that may be a consideration.

Best portability bet: Mac Book Air. It's light, fast and with its 1.6GHz processor, a real current sipper.
Will this laptop be your only computer?

While all Apple laptops are flexible enough to cover almost every need, some are better optimized for specific roles. If your laptop is just one of your computers, you may not need to cram everything into it; concentrate on what you really need a laptop for (see above). But if this will be your only (or main) computer, it's best to choose one that can cover the widest number of tasks without being locked down to a specific specialization. For example, if you're planning to do a lot of writing, a little web design, and a bit of Internet surfing, you'll want a solid all-purpose laptop rather than a powerhouse graphics or speed machine.

Best "only computer" bet: MacBook. More processor power for those large applications and a larger 120GB hard drive to store lots of important information.
How sophisticated does your new laptop need to be?

We're not talking about the ability to look cool at a party here. In computer terms, sophistication means just how powerful or precise does your new laptop have to be to run high-end applications or perform tasks that the average user would probably never encounter in daily life. If you're going to be handling word processing or most business applications, you won't need the most powerful graphics or the speediest processors to get the job done. But if you're going to be playing lots of games or running lots of video applications, you'll need as much speed and power as you can get. That's because most video games are designed to push the graphic/power envelopes of even the best laptops. And if you're a graphic designer (whether for the Web or print) you'll want the graphic power to render the most accurate color reproduction possible for your clients.

Once again, the best bet for gaming or graphics: MacBook Pro. With the NVidia graphics processor and 2.4 or 2.5GHz onboard, you can handle games or graphics with ease.
What's your personal style?

One of the best things about Apple products is that they're great looking-in fact, sleek style and sophisticated design are the Apple hallmark. If you're the professional type, you may want to concentrate on the smooth clean lines of the MacBook in either black or white. Or you may want to show your own personal flair with the MacBook Air's edgy thin profile. No matter what Apple laptop you choose, you're going to look stylish!

Unsure which Apple Laptop to get? Investing in a new laptop takes a lot of thought and research. Don't settle on your next Apple laptop until you find out the facts. Get more info at => http://www.UsedAppleLaptops.net

The Gorgeous Pink Apple Laptop

When the pink laptops first came out, it seemed as if Apple were not willing to participate. Of course this was a mistake, because they quickly saw how much in demand the pink laptops really were. Today you can get your self a pink Apple laptop just about anywhere.

It was only a matter of time seeing as though the world was growing tired of seeing black, gray, and white laptops just about everywhere. Back in the days; which were only a decade ago, these were the only color options available. Of course back then laptops were also big and bulky as well as being extremely heavy. Today though, they are stylish, attractive, very sleek and most importantly light in weight.

It only makes sense when you think about it. You can get the iPod and many different cell phones in which you have plenty of color options to choose from. While the pink Mac took a while to be introduced, now that it is available the Mac fans everywhere are going crazy for them.

It's about individuality and freedom of personal expression. There is no way that someone can freely express themselves without adding unique and interesting colors to their electronic accessories. Of course this is not just for girls either because men are also picking up pink laptops in all of their exciting shades.

The pink Apple Mac is stylish, it is trendy and most of all it is both sexy as well as cute at the very same time. Furthermore, one does not have to give up on performance features when choosing to get these flashy colored laptops because they come just as fully loaded as the more traditional gray-scale colored laptops.

The days of the boring laptop is finally over but the only real question still in everyone's minds is with regards as to what will come next. You can probably expect a number of two tones and even chrome accented designs. Before long there will most likely be patterned designs as well.

Do not let yourself be a follower by becoming the last person in your circle or office that is seen getting a trendy new laptop. Instead become the leader of the trend by ensuring you are the very first one to get your hands on a pink Apple and watch the rest follow suit. Join the revolution and you will never be out of style ever again.

At the author's website you will heaps of ideas and information about laptop accessories as well as laptop accessories, in fact, everything you need.