To help make working from home a bit more seamless we’ve put together a handy list of tech solutions to help achieve a better work/home life balance (not always easy when you work from home), as well as some invaluable advice on what you can do to improve your current tech:

Tech that does the housework while you work
Robot vacuum cleaners allow you to get on with your work while they clean up. A great option for a time crunched household. There are a range of machines available at various price points.

Block out the background noise
Noise distractions can really affect your productivity making noise cancelling headphones a great option if you work from home (or a busy office).

Invest in a laptop stand
If you’ve been working on your laptop for prolonged periods of time while sitting on the sofa the chances are you’ve experienced that all too familiar pain associated with neck strain. It’s a common complaint but is easy to remedy with an inexpensive laptop stand. The stand will improve your posture as you work from your laptop as well as helping to keep your device cooler by allowing better airflow.

Ergonomic wireless mouse and keyboard
Working on a laptop is fine for small amounts of time but the trackpad and keyboard are really not ergonomic so we’d recommend a wireless mouse and keyboard if you’re going to be working from home more regularly.

Buy a separate webcam
The standard cameras that are installed in laptops don’t really cut the mustard for office video calls so you might want to get a standalone webcam. It will give a better picture as well as being much easier to position just where you want it rather than trying to mess about with the angle and position of your laptop.

Check your internet is up to scratch
If you’re going to be working from home you really need to make sure your broadband and Wi-Fi are up to the job. Make sure the firmware for your router is up to date and if your router is old, you should consider an upgrade.

Backup your data
Make sure you store your data securely with an external hard drive or to the cloud.

Install Anti-Virus software
Make sure it’s turned on and up to date and ensure that your operating system is the latest version.

Always remember to take regular breaks when working from home and set yourself a finish time (and try to stick to it). Contact File Genie for support, repairs, or advice with your home office tech.

We’ve come a long way since the days of dial up internet and the associated time it took for - well, anything to happen really. If you don’t remember those days, then you should count yourself lucky.

Using the internet was often interrupted by someone (usually your mum or dad) trying to make a phone call or generally just slow and irritating.
Then broadband came along and changed life as we know it.


Suddenly you could access the internet at the touch of a button, no annoying dial up tone and everything was super-fast. That’s not to say it always runs smoothly, in fact more and more of us are dealing with slow broadband connection speeds daily. With our reliance on the internet for pretty much everything these days, it’s more than a little irritating if your broadband connection is running a bit under par.

But don’t panic just yet, there are a few tricks and tips you can try to help get the most out of your broadband:

Run a Speed Test
If you think your broadband is running much slower than the provider has guaranteed, then you should run a speed test. There are lots of online speed test tools, Thinkbroadband.com gives comprehensive results which you can then use when you contact your provider. You need to check your broadband speed through a wired connection first and then check through the Wi-Fi - if the speed is slow through both methods you need to contact your provider. If the speed is ok through the wired connection but slow with Wi-Fi, then you have a problem with your router.
 
Contact Your ISP
They should be able to help you work out what the cause could be.
 
Slow Wi-Fi
If you connect to your broadband using Wi-Fi, then there are a couple of things you can try to improve the speed such as moving your router:

• Avoid metal objects and appliances that send out electromagnetic waves (metal is one of the biggest Wi-Fi signal disruptors) and keep it off the floor and as far away as possible from appliances such as tumble dryers, washing machines, microwaves and dishwashers. Ideally, your router needs to be as close to the centre of your house as possible and away from any obstructions.
• Give the signal a boost by making sure the antennae are vertical and place it on a high shelf.
• Update your router to make sure it’s running the latest firmware.
• If your router is old, it might be time to upgrade - older tech is often outdated and it’s probably a good idea to replace it.
• Invest in a Wi-Fi extender to give your Wi-Fi a much-needed boost. Check out TechRadar’s suggestions.
• Make sure your router is password protected.

 
Update Your Browser
Make sure you’re using the latest version of your browser as this will offer better security and run faster.
 
Most importantly, remember you have a right to request a decent broadband service. From March 2020 if your download speed is less than 10 Mbps and your upload speed is less than 1 Mbps you have a right to request an upgraded service. Find out more here >.

Contact File Genie for further help with your broadband/Wi-Fi speed or for advice on upgrading your router.

It’s almost time for the annual tradition of pumpkin carving, trick or treat and spooky costumes but there are scary cyber-goblins lurking round every corner all year round and they’re just waiting to trick you out of your precious data and personal information.

Cybercrime is an ever-increasing problem, affecting individuals and businesses alike. No one is safe from the would-be tricksters.

But before you run for the hills screaming there are a few things you can do to help prevent them from getting their claws into your precious data:

Beware of Phishing Scams
Don’t know the sender of an email you just received? Do not open any links and delta the message.
Similarly, if you receive a text about a delivery for an order you never made then proceed with caution. Check Royal Mail for any scams they’re currently aware of and do not click aunty links unless you are sure about the origin of the text.

Never use public Wi-Fi to access personal or financial information
It seems like an obvious one but always ensure you’re using a secure connection whenever you’re accessing personal data.

Update your security software
Yes, we know we say this all the time but honestly it needs repeating! This goes for all your devices.

Change your passwords
Another obvious one but many of us are guilty of reusing the same passwords for multiple online accounts or using easy to guess passwords and PINs. Consider using a password manager to help keep track of all your passwords and important information- check out PPC Mag’s comprehensive list here.

Turn off GPS, Bluetooth and other tracking apps when you’re not using them
Would-be hackers can use these features to track your location and access other information so only turn them on when you need them.

Keep an eye on your accounts
If you see any unusual charges on your bank or credit card accounts report them immediately.

• Backup your data
• Only download apps from trustworthy sources (Google Play Store/Apple’s App Store)

If you do fall victim to a phishing scam or malware attack, make sure you contact your bank and get any compromised accounts frozen or cancelled. 
 
Contact us if you need any further help checking your devices are safe to use or advice about keeping your devices safe this Halloween and beyond.