I have satellite Internet, which isn’t the fastest broadband on the planet, anyway, but I’ve had all sorts of problems with Internet Explorer. If I open several tabs in Internet Explorer, eventually, I start getting tabs on which the pages don’t load. I also get some very quirky behavior when I try to author blog posts in WordPress; for example, I can’t use the mouse to move the insertion point, I have to use the arrow keys.

I tried Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Google Chrome, and based on my experience, Chrome is the winner, by a long shot. So if you’re having speed issues or are experiencing problems with Internet Explorer, give Chrome a try: Download Google Chrome.

I just changed routers from a Netgear to a LinkSys. One of my computers found the wireless network but could not connect to it. It was stuck on “acquiring network address.” If I chose to repair the connection, I would get the message “renewing IP address,” but the system seemed unable to renew the IP address. The computer would connnect to the router fine with a LAN cable.

What fixed the problem for me was to remove the wireless Netgear entry from my computer (PC running Windows XP):

1. Click Start, Settings, Network Connections.
2. Right-click the icon for the wireless network and click Properties.
3. Click the Wireless Networks tab.
4. Below Preferred Networks, click the entry for your previous wireless router.
5. Click Remove and confirm the removal.

What happens, it seems, is that the wireless network entry for the previous router prevents Windows from renewing or releasing the IP address it was using so that IP address can be reassigned to the computer. By deleting the entry, you release the IP address and Windows can renew it for the new router.

If you try this solution, please post a comment to let me know whether it worked for you.

My wife was having trouble logging into her Novell Groupwise account at her school from home. When she tried to login, she kept getting this error message: Your login is not current. Please login again.

I tried clearing the browser cache as some have recommended elsewhere, but that didn’t help. The solution for us was to use a different DNS (domain name server). Instead of using the Wildblue satellite Internet DNS, we adjusted the network’s TCP/IP settings to use the DNS offered by OpenDNS, an alternate DNS (it’s free).

Change DNS in Windows 7

Here’s what you do in Windows 7 (and probably Windows Vista, too):

1. Click Start, Control Panel, View network status and tasks (below Network and Internet).
2. Click Change adapter settings (on the left).
3. Right-click the network connection through which you connect to the Internet and click Properties.



4. Click the TCP/IP entry (below This connection uses the following items) and then click the Properties button (below the list). You may have more than one entry, such as Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). On my system, the one that has the DNS settings is the IPv4 one, but you may need to check both to find the right one.



5. Click Use the following DNS server addresses if this option is not already checked. If the option is checked, jot down the numbers in the Preferred and Alternate DNS server boxes, so you can change back to the original settings if this doesn’t work.
6. Enter the following DNS server addresses:
   Preferred DNS server: 208.67.222.222
   Alternate DNS server: 208.67.220.220



7. Click OK and then click OK again to save your settings.
8. Try logging into your Novell Groupwise account. If it works, please come back and let me know.

Change DNS in Windows XP

Here’s how you change your DNS addresses in Windows XP:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.
2. Right-click the network connection that you want to configure, and then click Properties.
3. On the General tab (for a local area connection), or the Networking tab (for all other connections), click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties.



4. Jot down the existing DNS settings, whatever they happen to be.
5. Remove the checkmark next to Obtain DNS server address automatically.
6. Click Use the following DNS server addresses, and then type the preferred DNS server and alternate DNS server IP addresses in the Preferred DNS server and Alternate DNS server boxes, as shown below.



7. Click OK to save your changes.

Now try it! And don’t forget to come back here and let me know whether this helped.

I have four email accounts. In Outlook Express all my email would pour into one Inbox. Very convenient. In Windows Live Mail, incoming mail for each account ends up in its own Inbox. Very inconvenient, at least for me. If you’re like me and you want all your email in one place, here’s what you do:

1. Right-click Quick Views and click Select quick views.



2. Click All inbox, All drafts, All sent items, and All junk e-mail to place a check mark in each box.



3. Click OK.
4. (Optional) Click the arrow to the left of each account name to hide everything below it.

You opened an e-mail attachment from Outlook Express, edited it, and saved it. When you go to open it, it’s gone—nowhere to be found! You’d just spent hours editing that file, and it has vanished without a trace.

To avoid this from happening to you, always save file attachments before opening them to make changes. The right way to proceed is instead of double-clicking the attachment to open it, right-click the attachment, click Save As, and then save the file to a folder on your hard drive. As long as you can remember where you saved the file, it can’t simply disappear.

Once the file is saved, use your word processor (or whatever program you use to edit or view the file) to open the file and edit it. When you are done editing, you can then attach the file to an outgoing e-mail message to send it.

Is there any hope for that file you lost? Maybe. These files are stored in hidden, temporary folders that Outlook often deletes in the course of doing its business. If you’re lucky, the edited file is in one of these temporary folders. You can try one of the following maneuvers to hunt it down:

Go back to the email message that contains the attachment and try to open the attachment. If the file contains your changes, use the program’s File, Save As command to save the file to a permanent folder on your computer, such as My Documents. If the file does not contain your changes, DO NOT save the file; you could end up writing over the file that contains your changes.

If that didn’t work, try this:

1. Run My Computer by double-clicking its icon on your desktop or on the Start menu.
2. Click Tools -> Folder Options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. Click Show hidden files and folders, and then click OK.
5. Double-click the icon for the drive on which Windows is installed, which is almost always drive C.
6. Double-click the Documents and Settings folder.
7. Double-click the folder for the user name you are logged on as.
8. Double-click the Local Settings folder.
9. Double-click the Temporary Internet Files folder.
10. Click at the end of the entry in the address bar to move the insertion point there, and type \Content.IE5. Your entry in the address bar should look something like this: C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Settings\Content.IE5
11. Press Enter.
12. Double-click each folder in the Content.IE5 folder and look for the file. The files should be listed by name in alphabetical order. It could be in any one of these folders. If you find the file, double-click it to open it, and then use the program in which the file opens to save it to a separate folder on your computer, such as the My Documents folder, so it doesn’t get lost again.

I have a small home network of three computers. Today, I could not access a shared folder from one of my computers. I could see the shared folder, but when I clicked its icon, a dialog box appeared requesting my username and password. If I right-clicked the shared folder and clicked Properties, I received the following error message:

You do not have the appropriate access rights for this server. For more information, contact your network supervisor.

Cause

I was using the same username on both computers, but not the same password. On the computer with the shared folder (running Windows 7), my username was Joe with no logon password. On the computer from which I was trying to access the shared folder (running Windows XP), my username was Joe with a logon password.

Because one Joe was using a password and the other wasn’t, Windows was confused.

Solutions

All of the following solutions worked for me (choose one):

• Change the username on either computer.
• Use no logon password on either computer.
• Use the same username and logon password on both computers.

Some folks recommend using the same username and password on all computers on the network to avoid problems altogether, but this sort of defeats the purpose of Windows User Accounts.

From Microsoft: Create user accounts on the computer that is sharing the files. Create a user account and password for each person you want to be able to access files—whether they will access the files from their own account on the same computer or from another computer on the network. If you create the accounts using each user’s existing Windows logon username and password, the file-sharing computer will recognize the users when they connect and will not prompt them for a password. (From me: If the user doesn’t enter a password to log on to Windows, don’t add a password to the user account on the computer that is sharing the files.)

Other Possible Solutions

If the shared folder is on a Windows 7 PC:

1. Choose Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet, and then Network and Sharing Center.
2. On the left, click Change advanced sharing settings.
3. Make sure the following options are selected:
   • Turn on file and printer sharing
   • Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can read and write files in Public folders
   • Turn off password protected sharing
4. Click Save Changes.

Here’s another possible solution – on the computer with the shared folder, edit the following Windows registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\LSA

Editing this registry key made no difference on my ability to access shared folders on my network, but some people claim it has solved their problem.

Warning: Errors in the registry can cause serious problems. I recommend creating a Restore Point and backing up the registry before editing any registry keys.

1. Run regedit.
   • In Windows 7, click Start, type regedit, press Enter, and click Yes.
   • In Windows XP, click Start, Run, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\LSA
3. Right-click restrictanonymous and click Modify.
4. Make sure Value Data is set to 0 (zero) and then click OK.
5. If you changed Value Data to 0, reboot your computer for the change to take effect.

Other Resources

How to share files and folders in Windows 7

How to configure file sharing in Windows XP

How to use the RestrictAnonymous registry value in Windows 2000

Cannot Connect to Workgroup Computer on Network

Recently when my satellite Internet connection slowed to a crawl, I assumed it had something to do with the satellite. I called Wildblue. The technician ran a check, informed me that the signal was weak, and advised me to check for snow or ice on the dish. The dish was clear, so the technician assumed the dish fell out of alignment for some reason. This was Friday. We scheduled a service call for Monday.

Over the weekend, I did some heavy-duty maintenance on my computer. I uninstalled programs I no longer use, deleted a bunch of files I no longer needed, and disabled some programs that were running in the background. Instantly, my Internet connection speed rose from about 200kbps to 950kbps – where it should be. I called and canceled the service call saving me fifty bucks.

The moral of the story – don’t assume a slow Internet connection is due to your ISP. It could be something as simple as an errant program running in the background.

First, test your connection speed. A couple good tools to test your Internet connection speed are CNet’s Broadband Speed Meter and Toast’s Internet Speed Test.

If your Internet connection is slower than it should be, here are some things to check:

• Router: If your modem plugs into a router which plugs into your computer, try bypassing the router by connecting the modem directly to one of your computers. If your connection is as fast as it should be, you just narrowed the problem down to the router.
• Background programs: Unbeknownst to you, your computer may be running programs on startup that consume system resources, including Internet bandwidth. Try disabling startup programs you don’t use or can’t recognize as performing any useful task. See “Disabling Background Programs in Windows,” later in this post for details.
• Firewall: A firewall designed to protect your computer from Internet intruders can gum up the works. Running too many firewalls can also be a problem. Check Windows Firewall (Start, Control Panel, Security Center). Check any Internet Security programs installed on your computer (such as Norton or McAfee), and check your router settings (if a router is installed). Try disabling all but one firewall – the router’s hardware firewall, if you’re using a router. One firewall should be sufficient.
• Domain Name Servers: The DNS matches the site address you type into your browser with the ID number of the computer on the Internet. Try changing your DNS, as I explain in a previous post, “Slow Internet? Try Changing Your Domain Name Server (DNS) Addresses.”
• Wireless signal interference: If you have a wireless router, a wireless phone or a neighbor’s wireless router may be interfering with the signal. Try changing channels, as I explain in “Weak Connection on Wireless Router? Try Changing Channels.

Disabling Background Programs in Windows

Windows features a configuration tool that enables you to disable programs when Windows starts. You can disable most of the programs to prevent them from running and then enable each program to identify the one that’s causing problems. To prevent programs from running in the background, take the following steps:

1. Open the Start menu and click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
2. Type msconfig and press Enter or click OK. The System Configuration Utility appears.
3. Click the Services tab and click Hide All Microsoft Services to place a check in its box. By hiding Microsoft services you avoid accidentally disabling a service that’s critical for the operation of Windows.



4. Click the Disable All button. This disables all services that are not critical for Windows to function properly.
5. Click the Startup tab. A list of all the background programs that run on startup appears.



6. Click the Disable All button. This removes the checkmark next to each program.
7. Click OK. The System Configuration dialog box appears, prompting you to restart your computer.
8. Exit any programs that are currently running and then click the Restart button. Windows restarts and then displays a dialog box indicating that you’re running Windows with a selective startup configuration for troubleshooting.
9. Click OK. The System Configuration Utility appears.
10. Click Cancel.

Test your Internet speed again. If it’s as fast as it should be, you know that one of the programs or services that you disabled was causing the problem. Use the System Configuration Utility to re-enable the programs and services one at a time (or two or three at a time), restarting Windows after each change. If enabling a program or service slows down your Internet connection, you’ve just identified the culprit.

I’m not a big fan of touchpads, but I do use the touchpad on my Acer Aspire when I forget to bring a mouse along or am too lazy to plug it in. One thing that almost drove me mad about the touchpad on the Acer Aspire is the Tap and Drag (Click and Drag) feature that’s enabled by default. Tap the pad twice, and you’re in drag mode. Unfortunately, 99% of the time I was in drag mode was unintentional.

If you find Tap and Drag to be one big drag, disable it. Here’s how:

1. Head to the Windows Control Panel and click Printers and Other Hardware.
2. Click Mouse.
3. Click Device Settings.
4. Make sure Synaptic TouchPad is selected, and click Settings.
5. Click the plus sign next to Tapping.



6. Click Tap and Drag.
7. Click Tap again and hold to drag to remove the check from the box.
8. Click OK to save your changes and OK again too close the Mouse Settings dialog box.

If you still feel that Tap and Drag is on, you probably have Tap and Scroll enabled. With Tap and Scroll, if you tap twice in a scroll area on your screen – typically a narrow strip on the right or bottom inside the window you’re working in, this locks scrolling in place, so when you move your finger, what’s inside the window scrolls left or right or up or down.

To turn off Tap and Scroll, perform the same steps provided above, but this time, in Step 5, click Virtual Scrolling, and remove the check from any boxes that are checked.

If you received a Microsoft Word document from a colleague or friend and can’t open it, it’s probably because it’s a docx file — the default file format starting with the release of Microsoft Word 2007. If you try to open the file in an earlier version of Word, you probably get a dialog box that looks like this:

Fortunately, Microsoft offers a solution. If you’re running an earlier version of Microsoft Office on a Windows PC, install Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully and install critical updates for Microsoft Office prior to installing the Compatibility Pack.

If you’re running Office on a Mac, install Open XML File Format Converter for Mac 1.0.2.

Acer Aspire One 10.1-inch model

Recently, I purchased an Acer Aspire One to accompany me on a trip to Europe. I needed a computer to keep up on my daily email, update my blogs, and do a little writing on the road, and I didn’t want to have to lug around a hefty laptop. About the length and width of a magazine, less than an inch thick, and a featherweight at less than 3 pounds, the 10.1-inch model was an almost perfect solution.

I say almost, because if I had it to do over, I would have shelled out some extra money for the 11.6-inch model with the longer lasting battery – 7 to 12 hours rather than 2 to 3 hours. The larger screen and keyboard would’ve been nice, too.

If you’re thinking of buying one of these puppies, the following sections provide a rundown of the pros and cons.

What I liked about the Acer Aspire One 10.1-inch model

• Affordable
• Compact
• Lightweight
• 160 GB hard drive… twice as much storage as I have on my desktop computer
• Fast enough
• Good display – clear, bright, not much glare
• 3 USB ports… perfect for connecting a full-size keyboard and mouse along with an external DVD drive or a wireless Internet adapter
• Great built-in Webcam
• Built-in microphone (pretty good quality, too)
• LAN port
• VGA port, so I can plug in a real monitor
• 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) – great for hotels and cafes that offer wireless Internet
• Compact adapter… sometimes the adapter can be as bulky as the computer, not this one

What I disliked about the Acer Aspire One 10.1-inch model

• No CD/DVD drive… perhaps the biggest drawback. I had a multi-user version of Microsoft Office and couldn’t install it without purchasing an external USB CD/DVD drive. Also, you can’t play audio CDs, watch movies on DVD, or burn a movie DVD of all those great photos you took on your trip.
• No modem for dial-up, but I probably wouldn’t use a dial-up modem anyway.
• No Bluetooth, although newer models have it… be sure to check.
• Trial version of Office 2007 is pre-installed, so you have to buy the license after 60 days. (Does include non-trial version of Microsoft Works.)
• Screen is small, especially if you’re using MS Office 2007 with that huge toolbar you can’t get rid of.
• Cramped keyboard, but you know that going in. Even so, it’s better than most comparable units of its size.
• Touchpad… I hate touchpads. Particularly annoying about this one is the tap-and-drag feature. I keep putting the thing in drag mode, and I’m not real sure how I do it. (In a future post, I’ll tell you how to disable this feature.)

If you own an Acer Aspire One, either the 10.1-inch or the 11.6-inch model, please share your opinions by posting a comment. And come back next week to find out about some accessories I recommend for your Acer Aspire One.