Is Your Wi-Fi Network a Security Risk?

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With Wi-Fi security, it’s easy to fall into the “out of sight, out of mind” trap. Your Wi-Fi router probably lives in a corner or closet, and of course, Wi-Fi’s radio waves are invisible. But the ease of connecting your devices to your Wi-Fi network means it’s equally as easy for a hacker to connect to your network and eavesdrop on your traffic. Or rather, it’s easy unless you take advantage of the security options available in every Wi-Fi router.

Before looking at those options, let’s discuss the importance of securing your wireless network. The fact is, we all send sensitive data over Wi-Fi and onto the Internet. That data includes passwords, financial information, and personal details, all of which could be used for identity or outright theft. For those who work at home, it may also include important corporate credentials and information. In addition, if your Wi-Fi network is open for everyone and has a bandwidth cap, you could be throttled or incur additional charges due to extra usage from someone using your network without your knowledge. Worse, someone could engage in illegal activity from your network, potentially putting you at legal risk.

Here are six ways you should secure your Wi-Fi network, plus another that’s usually not worth the effort. Exactly how you go about these tasks varies depending on your Wi-Fi router, but they should all be easy to accomplish.

1. Change Your Wi-Fi Router’s Default Password

Every Wi-Fi router has an app- or Web-based administrative interface where you can adjust settings, including security options. The first thing you should do when setting up a new Wi-Fi router is change the password for accessing that admin interface. (And if you didn’t do that when you set up your current Wi-Fi router, go do it now. Immediately. We’ll wait.) The default passwords are well known to hackers, who can use them to take over routers and turn off all the other security settings.

2. Change the Default Network Name (SSID)

Every Wi-Fi network has a name—technically an SSID, or Service Set Identifier. There’s no security benefit in changing it to anything in particular, but you should change it from the default name. That’s because default names often identify the router’s manufacturer, such as “Netgear” or “Linksys,” and some routers have known vulnerabilities or password styles that make it easier to break in. Of course, the main advantage of changing the network name is that it makes it easier to pick out from any other nearby networks.

3. Update Your Wi-Fi Router’s Firmware

Wi-Fi router manufacturers frequently fix security vulnerabilities and release new firmware versions. Check to make sure your Wi-Fi router has the latest firmware available, and if there’s an option for it to update its firmware automatically, turn that on.

4. Disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) If Possible

When you connect a new device to your Wi-Fi network, you need to enter your Wi-Fi password. That’s entirely reasonable, and Apple devices automatically offer to share that password with your other Apple devices and other people in your Contacts. More generally, a technology called Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) was designed to enable connecting without typing the Wi-Fi password, either by entering an 8-digit PIN or pressing a button on the router. The button is fine—no one can connect without physical access to the router. But the PIN is horribly insecure and can be brute forced with readily available cracking software. If your router supports WPS—not all do, happily—turn it off entirely.

5. Create a Guest Network

You’ll probably want to give visitors access to your Wi-Fi network so they can get to the Internet. The best way to do that is to create a guest network—a feature in nearly all Wi-Fi routers—separate from your main Wi-Fi network. It has a different name and password, and its traffic is isolated from yours, ensuring that even if a hacker were to access it, they wouldn’t be able to eavesdrop on your communications. It can have a simpler password since all it’s protecting is your bandwidth. One additional tip—put “Internet of Things” devices like smart appliances, video game consoles, and the like on your guest network to ensure they don’t provide access to your main network’s traffic if they’re hacked. You probably won’t want to do that with HomeKit devices, which will work better on the same network as your Apple devices.

6. Use Strong WPA2 or WPA3 Encryption

After changing the default admin password, this is the second-most important piece of Wi-Fi security advice. All traffic on a Wi-Fi network can (and should) be encrypted so hackers can’t eavesdrop with impunity. The first wireless security protocol was WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), which was commonly used from the late 1990s through 2004. Unfortunately, WEP is so easily broken today that it’s no longer considered secure. If you still use WEP, immediately switch to WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access). There’s also WPA3, which is even more secure but is available only in hardware sold in the last few years.

Don’t Bother Hiding Your SSID

Finally, you may see suggestions that you should hide your Wi-Fi SSID, which prevents nearby devices from displaying it when they list available networks. That might seem like it would improve security, but all it does is prevent the sort of people who aren’t a threat anyway from seeing it. Anyone with the necessary software and skills to break into an unprotected or weakly protected Wi-Fi network can still detect and access a hidden network. They might even be more interested in what’s there, given that the network owner took the trouble to hide it. As long as you follow all the other advice in this article, there’s no benefit in hiding the SSID as well.

Bonus Advice: Use a VPN When on Public Wi-Fi Networks

Ensuring the security of your Wi-Fi network is essential, but what about public Wi-Fi networks in coffee shops, hotels, and airports? Because they’re open to anyone within range, they’re insecure by definition, and anyone on the network could theoretically see any other user’s traffic. Don’t panic. Most Web connections now use HTTPS, which encrypts traffic between you and the destination site (look for https at the start of URLs or a lock icon in the address bar of your Web browser). To ensure that all traffic is protected from prying eyes, use a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which creates an encrypted pipe from your computer to a VPN server elsewhere. Many organizations provide or even require VPN use so that traveling or remote employees can’t inadvertently use unencrypted connections. If your organization doesn’t have a VPN now but would like to set one up, contact us.

(Featured image by iStock.com/CASEZY)

Social Media: As more personal and work information passes through Wi-Fi networks, it becomes increasingly important that you follow this advice to secure your network.

Why You Should Consider Safety When Digitizing Memories

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Why You Should Consider Safety When Digitizing Memories

 

 

Digitizing memories have become increasingly popular, with many converting old family photos, home movies, and other precious memorabilia into digital formats. While this process can provide several benefits, such as making it easier to preserve and share memories, it is important to consider safety when digitizing memories.

Memories are precious, and the loss or damage of physical copies can be devastating. Digitizing memories can help protect against these risks, but it is important to ensure that your originals are kept safe during the process. Some companies will have you box up and ship out your photographs and heirlooms. Shipping originals can carry several risks, including; loss or damage, inaccurate handling, and delays. Older photos and memorabilia can be dry and brittle. Attempting to pack these into a box can cause damage to your originals. Packages travel through many locations and environments. The box can get wet or crushed, risking damage or loss of your precious memories.

 

You can avoid these risks by working with a local expert. We’re right here in your neighborhood, making it easy to drop off and pick up your memorabilia. This eliminates the hassle of packing and shipping your originals and worrying about loss or damage in transit. We will handle your precious memories with care and store them in a safe and secure environment during the scanning process.

Our lab is owned and operated by individuals who are passionate about photography and knowledgeable about scanning and archiving. We use professional equipment to ensure the highest quality scans from your originals. Our team has experience working with all types of photographs, negatives, slides, and documents. We know how to safely handle each type of material and achieve the best possible scan. Because you’re working directly with our team, we can handle any special requests, answer questions and offer guidance on your project. You can also avoid transit times and shipping delays, speeding up the overall turn-around time.

Once your memories are scanned, you’ll also want to ensure that the digital copies are kept safe. This may include making backup copies of files and storing them in a secure location, such as on an external hard drive or in cloud storage. Just ask for a second copy of your files on a USB or hard drive at the time of scanning to store separately or share with family or friends.

Get started digitizing your precious memories before they fade or become damaged. Our team is ready to help with personalized service, high-quality results, and peace of mind knowing that your originals are in good hands.

Film Processing: Your Questions Answered! – OUTSOURCE

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Whether you’re just getting started with film photography or you’re a die-hard film shooter, we’re here to help. Film photography is a classic medium that allows you to slow down and take your time with each shot—capturing that moment on a physical piece of film, advancing the roll to the next frame, ready for the next image. Holding that roll of film in your hands, anticipating how it will come out, is exciting! Don’t trust your precious pictures to just anyone; we’re film processing professionals! We handle each roll with care, ensuring you receive properly developed film and professional-quality scans and prints.

You’ve got questions, and we’ve got answers!

What are the different types of film? Do you process all of these?

  • You can capture images on color C-41, B&W, or E6 slide film. C-41 and B&W will give you negatives, while E6 slide film will give you a positive image after processing. (And we can scan and print them too!) Oh, and single-use cameras as well!

Will I get my negatives back?

  • Of course! The negatives are your originals, and we want you to have them.

What sets you apart from the drug stores or mail-away film labs?

  • We don’t just order takers, we care about your film and the results after processing! We’ll coach you through the process and answer any questions you have before or after your rolls are dropped off. After development, every image is reviewed by a trained technician and color corrected to give you the best possible images from your film.

Can I still order prints or have my film digitized?

  • Absolutely! We allow you to customize your film order. Choose from high-quality prints, scans, or both! Only order what you need. Reprints and enlargements are easy too!

How should I store my film after it has been developed?

  • We recommend archival sleeves or plastic protective pages to keep your negatives and slides dust free. Always keep your film in a climate-controlled environment, away from direct sunlight and extreme temperature changes. Attics and basements are a no-no.

Have additional questions? Stop by or give us a call! Our technicians have decades of experience with all types of film. We can answer your questions, tell you more about our process, and give you details about pricing and turn-around time.

RESTORATION + FINE ART PRINTS

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What is fine art reproduction?
Paintings, prints, and one-of-a-kind artwork are professionally scanned and digitized. Meaning the art piece is converted to a digital file where it can be enhanced if necessary. We often work with artists, printmakers and photographers who want to sell copies of their work. We can also produce stunning replicas in nearly any size – on various specialty papers and substrates.
 

STEP 1: Remove artwork from any frames, albums or protective coverings.

STEP 2: We’ll scan your memorabilia and work digital magic by restoring color, fixing tears + cracks, and removing all imperfections.
STEP 3: Once the art file is ready, the image can be printed in any size and on any surface. Put your art on a coffee mug or on a set of notecards! Or enlarge the piece to print in a wide format size as wall décor!
Your original artwork will be returned to you unharmed and saved in a digital file format for safe, long-term storage.
TIP: We never recommend shipping away family archives, treasured photos, and irreplaceable artwork.
Whether it’s custom artwork or a one-of-a-kind creation, we can preserve it for a lifetime and beyond! Our archiving services aren’t just limited to protecting photos + videos; we can also digitize paintings, drawings, documents, prints, and so much more!

 

How to Share a Contact Card without Sharing Everything in iOS 16

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Apple makes it easy to share contact cards on the iPhone or iPad—just scroll down in a contact and tap Share Contact. But what if you don’t want to share every piece of data on that card? To avoid oversharing in iOS 16 or iPadOS 16, tap Filter Fields at the top of the Share sheet and deselect the private items. If the card has a lot of data and you want to share only a few items, tap Deselect All Fields at the bottom of the sheet and select only what you want to share. Unfortunately, your selections aren’t remembered if you share the same card again later, so be sure to reset your selections each time you share.

(Featured image by iStock.com/diane39)

HOW TO CREATE A DIY PHOTO GALLERY WALL

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HOW TO CREATE A DIY PHOTO GALLERY WALL
These simple steps create the perfect gallery wall on any staircase or wall.

First, decide what you want to hang. Photographs, existing artwork, printed graphics, etc. Second, print, enlarge or shrink those items to work in your space and with your display materials. Our expert team can help you with this!
PRO TIP: Use either matching frames or mix things up with an eclectic set of items. Either way, try to choose items that coordinate (not necessarily match) in color, style or design.
 
Next, arrange your collage components with a piece of butcher paper on the floor before hanging them. This will become your wall “template”. Start with the most prominent items and work the smaller pieces around them to find the perfect layout balance.
Once you’re happy with how things look on the floor, trace the pieces onto the paper, cut them out, and tape everything to the wall. This is the time to move anything around that doesn’t fit quite right.
Once you’re happy with the butcher paper template, it’s time to start hanging! Hammer your nails directly into the butcher paper placeholder to accurately position each piece. Then, remove the paper once you’re happy with the nail position (before you permanently hang your photo/framed pieces.
Gather your ideas and let’s get started!
Our creative crew is here to assist with projects like this. Whether it’s printing your imagery, making enlargements, retouching photos, selecting the right medium or having items custom framed – we’re ready to tackle your next gallery wall.

 

You Can Use Face ID in iOS 16 on Newer iPhones When You’re Lying on Your Side

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If you’ve ever tried to use Face ID to unlock an iPhone while lying on your side in bed, you may have noticed that it didn’t work. That’s because Face ID used to require that the iPhone be upright, in portrait mode. In iOS 16, however, Apple has improved Face ID so it will unlock your iPhone even when you’re lying on your side and the iPhone is in landscape orientation. Alas, this capability requires an iPhone 13 or iPhone 14, but if you have one of those phones, give it a try in bed tonight—you don’t need to adjust any settings.

(Featured image by iStock.com/Kateryna Onyshchuk)

Use Quick Look to Preview Spotlight Results in Ventura

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When you search using Spotlight on the Mac, it provides a decent amount of information about each result, including name and other metadata. But what if you want to see what’s behind the search result? In macOS 13 Ventura, Apple added Quick Look support to Spotlight so you can easily preview the search results. Do a search, click or use the arrow keys to select a search result, and then press the Space bar to open it in a Quick Look window. It even renders websites!

(Featured image based on an original by iStock.com/Nastco)

It’s Time to Try Dictation in iOS 16 and iPadOS 16

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Apple has long provided a microphone button in the keyboard to invoke dictation on the iPhone and iPad. But, it wasn’t always easy to hit, and you had to switch back to the keyboard to fix the inevitable mistakes. (Apple’s dictation is a huge timesaver but far from perfect, particularly with homonyms and proper nouns.) With iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, Apple made the microphone button larger and repositioned it to make it easier to tap. More importantly, the keyboard remains available while dictation is active, enabling you to work with text manually during dictation. You can fix mistakes, reposition the insertion point, select and delete text, and so on. For instance, if dictation inserts the wrong word, double-tap the word to select it and speak the replacement. Or, if you want to add something, tap in the text to move the insertion point and start speaking again. Dictation can even add punctuation for you, but it’s a little haphazard at that, so you might want to disable that option in Settings > General > Keyboard.

(Featured image by iStock.com/fizkes)

You Can Now Upgrade to macOS 13 Ventura When You’re Ready

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When upgrading to a new version of macOS, we err on the side of caution, at least in our recommendations. (We’ve been using macOS 13 Ventura for some time now and often install beta releases on secondary machines for testing purposes.) Upgrading is easy, but if you upgrade too soon, the new macOS version could make key apps inoperable, create workflow interruptions, or cause other negative consequences. On the other hand, waiting too long can cause problems—it’s important to stay in sight of the cutting edge for security reasons and to take advantage of Apple’s advances. Upgrading is not an if question; it’s a when question.

That when could be now. There’s no reason you must upgrade to macOS 13 Ventura right away, but if you want to, you should now be able to do so without undue interruptions. Ventura has been quite stable and has received only three updates since its initial release in October 2022:

  • macOS 13.0.1 provided just unspecified bug fixes and two security fixes.
  • macOS 13.1 introduced the Freeform digital whiteboard app, Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, improved searching for photos in Messages, participant cursors for shared notes in Notes, and the option to play sounds in the Find My app. There were also a couple of bug fixes and important security fixes.
  • macOS 13.2 added support for Security Keys for Apple ID for those who need the utmost security, fixed a few bugs, and blocked more security vulnerabilities.

Apple may have another feature or two up its sleeve for Ventura, and we’ll undoubtedly see more updates to address bugs and newfound security vulnerabilities, but there’s no significant reason to wait any longer.

That said, you can continue to delay as long as you’re running macOS 11 Big Sur or macOS 12 Monterey and are staying up to date with Apple’s security releases. (Both have received important updates recently.) Earlier versions of macOS no longer receive security fixes, rendering them more vulnerable to attack. Reasons to delay include:

  • You’re too busy. The upgrade process will take a few hours, and it may take additional time to configure everything properly afterward. When you are ready to upgrade, aim for when a little downtime will be convenient.
  • You’re still using incompatible software. The jump from Big Sur or Monterey to Ventura isn’t a big one, so most modern apps should have been updated to ensure compatibility with Monterey by now. But if you’re still running macOS 10.14 Mojave or earlier with 32-bit apps, you’ll lose access to them if you upgrade. (That first happened with macOS 10.15 Catalina in 2019.) With Mojave no longer receiving security updates, you need to find replacements for those apps and upgrade soon.
  • You need consistent versions for workflow reasons. We’re unaware of any examples here, but it’s not inconceivable that a coworker could be stuck on an older version of macOS and thus older versions of shared productivity apps. If your upgrade would force you to update those apps and introduce compatibility issues when collaborating with that coworker, you may have to wait until your coworker can upgrade as well.

Ventura won’t upend your experience of using a Mac, but it has numerous useful features, large and small. Along with the features mentioned above that shipped in updates, the new iCloud Shared Photo Library enables you to share photos and videos with up to five family members in a separate shared library. Stage Manager provides a new paradigm for window management. Messages lets you edit messages, undo sending, and mark conversations as unread. Similarly, Mail lets you undo sending, schedule messages to send later, and get follow-up reminders for replying. For better videoconferencing quality, Continuity Camera enables you to use your iPhone as a webcam, complete with Desk View for showing what’s on your desk during a call. The Mac finally gets its own Weather app. Perhaps even more important, Ventura shares some of these features with Apple’s other operating systems: iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16. To take full advantage of those features across all your Apple devices, your Mac must be running Ventura.

However, we want to be upfront about one downside to upgrading to Ventura. Apple replaced System Preferences with System Settings. While we wouldn’t have described System Preferences as having a stellar user interface, it was at least familiar after decades of use. The new System Settings, which tries to mimic the Settings app in iOS and iPadOS, moves numerous settings around and makes some odd and unfortunate design decisions. You may find yourself relying heavily on its search field to find commonly used options.

Before You Upgrade

Once you’ve decided to upgrade to Ventura, you have three main tasks:

  • Update apps: Make sure all your apps are as up-to-date as possible. If you regularly put off updates, now’s the time to let them complete so you have Ventura-compatible versions.
  • Clear space: Ventura needs about 25 GB of free space to upgrade, and the Ventura installer itself is about 12 GB, so we recommend making sure you have at least 37 GB free. Don’t cut this close—you should always have at least 10–20% free space for virtual memory, cache files, and breathing room. Check by choosing About This Mac from the Apple menu and then clicking Storage.
  • Make a backup: Never, ever install an update to macOS without ensuring that you have at least one current backup first. In an ideal world, you’d have an updated Time Machine backup, a bootable duplicate, and an Internet backup. That way, if something goes wrong, you can easily restore.

Upgrading

After completing the above-listed tasks, ensure you don’t need your Mac for a few hours. There’s no telling exactly how long the upgrade will take, so never start an upgrade if you need the Mac soon.

Initiating the upgrade is just a matter of opening System Preferences > Software Update, clicking the Upgrade Now button, and following the instructions. If you’d like more handholding, check out Joe Kissell’s ebook Take Control of Ventura.

After You Upgrade

Part of the reason to set aside plenty of time for your Ventura upgrade is that there are usually cleanup tasks afterward. We can’t predict precisely what you’ll run into, depending on what version of macOS you’re running now and what apps you use, but here are a few situations we’ve noticed in the past:

  • macOS may need to update its authentication situation by asking for your Apple ID password, your Mac’s password, and if you have another Mac, its password too. Don’t worry that your Mac has been compromised by malware—it’s fine.
  • Some apps may have to ask for various permissions even though you previously granted them. Again, that’s fine and won’t happen again.
  • If you use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac and apps (and you should, it’s great!), you may need to re-enable that in System Settings > Touch ID & Password (it’s an example of something that moved; previously, it was in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General).
  • If you use Gmail, Google Calendar, or other Google services, you may need to log in to your Google account again.
  • Websites that usually remember your login state may require that you log in again. If you’re using a password manager like 1Password, that’s easy.
  • You may have to re-enable text message forwarding to your Mac. You do this on your iPhone in Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.

With all that housekeeping done, it’s time to check out all the new features in Ventura!

(Featured image by Apple)

Social Media: Should you upgrade to macOS 13 Ventura? There’s no need to install it today, but we think it’s now safe for those who want to take advantage of the new features and integration with Apple’s other operating systems. Details here: