Top 10 keyboard shortcuts everyone should know

Using keyboard shortcuts can greatly increase your productivity, reduce repetitive strain, and help keep you focused. For example, highlighting text with the keyboard and pressing Ctrl + C is much faster than taking your hand from the keyboard, highlighting the text using the mouse, clicking copy from the file menu, and then putting your hand back in place on the keyboard. Below are our top 10 keyboard shortcuts we recommend everyone memorize and use.

Ctrl + C or Ctrl + Insert

Both Ctrl + C and Ctrl + Insert will copy the highlighted text or selected item.

Ctrl + V or Shift + Insert

Both the Ctrl + V and Shift + Insert will paste the text or object that's in the clipboard.

Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Y

Undo any change. For example, if you cut text, pressing this will undo it. This can also often be pressed multiple times to undo multiple changes. Pressing Ctrl + Y would redo the undo.

Ctrl + F

Pressing Ctrl + F opens the Find in any program. This includes your Internet browser to find text on the current page.

Alt + Tab or Ctrl + Tab

Quickly switch between open programs moving forward.

Tip: Press Ctrl + Tab to switch between tabs in a program.

Tip: Adding the Shift key to Alt + Tab or Ctrl + Tab will move backwards. For example, if you are pressing Alt + Tab and pass the program you want to switch to, press Alt + Shift + Tab to move backwards to that program.

Tip: Windows Vista and 7 users can also press the Windows Key + Tab to switch through open programs in a full screenshot of the Window.

Ctrl + Back space and Ctrl + Left or Right arrow

Pressing Ctrl + Backspace will delete a full word at a time instead of a single character.

Holding down the Ctrl key while pressing the left or right arrow will move the cursor one word at a time instead of one character at a time. If you wanted to highlight one word at a time, you can hold down Ctrl + Shift and then press the left or right arrow key to move one word at a time in that direction while highlighting each word.

Ctrl + S

While working on a document or other file in almost every program, pressing Ctrl + S saves that file. This shortcut key should be used frequently anytime you're working on anything important.

Ctrl + Home or Ctrl + End

Ctrl + Home will move the cursor to the beginning of the document and Ctrl + End will move the cursor to the end of a document. These shortcuts work with most documents, as well as web pages.

Ctrl + P

Open a print preview of the current page or document being viewed. For example, press Ctrl + P now to view a print preview of this page.

Page Up, Space bar, and Page Down

Pressing either the page up or page down key will move that page one page at a time in that direction. When browsing the Internet, pressing the space bar also moves the page down one page at a time.

Tip: If you are using the space bar to go down one page at a time, press the Shift key and space bar to go up one page at a time.

Other Recommended Shortcuts

We also recommend the following keyboard shortcuts, as they can be very useful:

Ctrl + O

Allows you to select and open a file within the current software program. This works in most programs, including Internet browsers.

F2

After highlighting or selecting a file, pressing F2 changes the file name to be editable, allowing you to rename the file.

Top 10 Windows 8 tips and tricks

Update to Windows 8.1

Microsoft has released Windows 8.1, which is a free upgrade for anyone running Windows 8. This update addresses many of the problems users have had with Windows 8 and also adds a Start button. Visit Microsoft's Windows 8.1 page for the update.

Customize your tiles

Make the most of your Windows Start screen tiles by adjusting the sizes, where they are located, and what is listed.

• Move any tile by clicking and dragging the tile. While moving a tile, if you need a larger view of the Start screen move the tile towards the top or bottom of the screen to zoom out.
• Use your mouse wheel to scroll left-to-right through your tiles.
• Any Desktop shortcut or program can be pinned to the Start screen by right-clicking the icon and choosing Pin to Start.
• In the bottom right-hand corner of the start screen is a magnifying glass with tiles, click this icon to get a zoomed out view of your Start screen. In this view, if you right-click on a group of tiles you'll be given the option to name group, which can be useful if you have a group of related tiles (e.g. games). In this view, you can also click and drag a group to organize your tile groups.
• Create a new speed bump between tile groups by moving a tile to a speed bump.
• Resize any User tile or Live tile by right-clicking the tile and choosing resize.
• If there is a tile you want on your Taskbar, right-click the tile and choose Pin to taskbar.
• Show admin applications on the Start screen by clicking Settings in Charms, click Settings, and change the Show administrative tools from No to Yes.
• In Internet Explorer 10, you can also pin any of your favorite web pages to your Start Screen.

Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts

Knowing at least some of the Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts helps make your Windows 8 experience much more enjoyable. Try to memorize these top Windows 8 shortcut keys.

• Press the Windows key to open the Start screen or switch to the Desktop (if open).
• Press the Windows key + D opens the Windows Desktop.
• Press the Windows key + . to pin and unpin Windows apps on the side of the screen.
• Press the Windows key + X to open the power user menu, which gives you access to many of the features most power users would want (e.g. Device Manager and Command Prompt).
• Press the Windows key + C to open the Charms.
• Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings, which is the same Settings found in Charms.
• Press and hold the Windows key + Tab to show open apps.
• Press the Windows key + Print screen to create a screen shot, which is automatically saved into your My Pictures folder.

See our Windows shortcuts page for a full listing of all Windows shortcuts.

Know your hot corners

The corners on your screen are hot corners and give you access to different Windows features. Below, is a brief explanation of each of these corners.

Bottom Left-hand corner

The bottom left-hand hot corner of the screen allows you to access the Start screen, if you're in the Start screen and have the Desktop open, this corner opens the Desktop from the Start screen.

Tip: Right-clicking in the left hand corner opens the power user menu.

Top-left corner of the screen

Moving the mouse to the top-left corner and then down displays all the apps running on the computer. Clicking and dragging any of these apps to the left or right-hand side of the screen will snap that app to that side of the screen. Each of these open app icons can also be right-clicked to close or snap.

Right-hand side of the screen

On the full right-hand side of the screen will be given access to the Windows Charms.

Taking advantage of search

The Search in Windows 8 has been significantly improved when compared to all previous versions of Windows. To search for a file or run a program in Windows 8 from the Start screen just start typing what you're trying to find or want to run.

As you begin typing, the results will start appearing on the left-hand side. In addition to being able to search for files and run programs, the Search also supports limiting the search to apps such as Finance, People, Maps, Photos, Mail, Music, Videos, Weather, and much more. If what you are searching for is not a file or program, click on the app you want to use as the search. For example, if you were searching for "New York" and selected the Weather App you would be shown the weather in New York, NY.

By default, Search organizes the available Apps by how frequently they are used and then in alphabetical order. If you want to keep your favorite app at the top of the Search list, right-click the app and choose Pin. Pinning the app will lock it in place regardless of how often it is used. If there is an app you don't want (e.g. Finance) you can turn on and off any of the search apps through the PC settings, which is found under the Settings in the Charms.

Bonus tip: The Search is also found through Charms and can also be opened by pressing Windows key + F.

Running two apps side by side

Any app can be pinned to the left or right-hand side of the screen. For example, open the People app and then press the Windows Key + . (period) to move that app to the right-hand side of the screen, pressing the same keys again will move it to the left-hand side, and pressing the same keys again makes it full screen. While an app is pinned, any other app or program can be opened and loaded into the available space on the screen. For example, in the picture below, we've opened a browser window and have the People app running to monitor our social networks.

Any open app can also be pinned using your mouse by clicking at the top of the tile and dragging it to the left or right-hand side of the screen.

Bonus tip: The Desktop can also be pinned to the left or right-hand side of the screen.

Note: In order for snap to work properly your resolution must be at least 1,366 x 768.

Windows 8 Task Manager

The Windows 8 Task Manager has been significantly improved over previous versions of Windows. Some of the new changes include showing a total percent usage at the top of your Processes, which makes it easier to determine total memory and CPU usage, improved Performance graphs, a Startup tab to see startup processes and their impact to system performance, and the App history tab (as shown below) that gives you the total resources an app has used over a period of time. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to start exploring the new Task Manager.

Use a picture password to log into your computer

Windows 8 includes a new feature called Picture password, which allows you to authenticate with the computer using a series of gestures that include circles, straight lines, and taps. Enable this feature if you want a new way to access your computer or have a hard time with passwords.

1. Open the Windows Charms.
2. Click Settings and then More PC settings
3. In the PC settings window click Users and then select Create a picture password

Bonus tip: A four digit pin password can also be created and used to access your computer.

Take advantage of Windows 8 apps

Windows 8 comes included with several apps to help you get the most from your computer. Below are just a few of the included apps.

People

Microsoft touts the People feature in Windows 8 because they understand how many people are using social networks today. In the People feature you'll be able to connect your Windows computer to all the major social networks including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Once connected, you can pin the people app and monitor your social network (as shown below), use People in Search to find people, and get an overview of what is happening in all your social networks.

Reader

The Reader app gives you PDF support right out of the box.

SkyDrive

The SkyDrive app gives you access to the Microsoft cloud service SkyDrive, which allows you to store your photos, documents, and other files in the cloud and access or share those files with any computer with Internet access.

Store

Take advantage of the Windows Store and install one or more of the thousands of available apps designed for Windows 8. The Store is found in the Start screen, or use Search to search the Store app for any apps that you are trying to find.

Know the answers to common questions

Windows 8 is the biggest change to Microsoft Windows since the introduction of Windows 95, which was released all the way back in 1995. Since so many people have grown up with Windows, it can be difficult to transition to a new way of doing things. Below, is a short list of the most common questions previous Windows users have.

• How can I close an app in Windows 8?
• How do I sleep, restart, or shut down Windows 8?
• How do I get the start button back in Windows 8? 

Know the Jargon

Knowing all the new jargon introduced with Windows 8 help improve your familiarity with Windows 8 and make it a more enjoyable experience. Below, are just a few links to the most commonly used Windows 8 terms.

• Charms
• Lock screen
• Picture password
• Pin
• Power User Task Menu
• Snapped app
• Speed bump
• Start screen
• Tile, User Tile, and Live Tile
• Windows Store 

While working with an operating system, it is not uncommon to encounter errors. Some errors that occur frequently on a Windows system are compiled in a common Windows error codes list. It may not be difficult to fix the common Windows errors but for certain errors, some level of expertise or an in-depth knowledge of the Windows OS may be required. A consolidated list of common windows problems and solutions is useful for a user when they encounter an error. A common Windows error codes list provides a quick and a easy reference and also a possible solution to fix a common Windows error. 

Common Windows Error Codes and How to Fix them!

Below is a list of the most common error codes that you may face while using Windows and its basic components. Some solutions have been provided for you to try to solve them. You should also note that some require the assistance of a computer technician and you should not try to fix them yourself as they could seriously damage your computer system.

• Error #0

Error Message: Connection Successful! 
Solution: Does not require any action.

• Error #2

Error Message: System cannot find specified file 
Solution: You should reinstall NCP & DUN

• Error #5

Error Message: Access Denied 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that you have entered the right username and password in the field labeled "domain" for NT/2k 
2. Check that the option "accept any authentication including clear text" is activated

• Error #5

Error Message: Invalid Procedure Call 
Solution: Dialup and Network components must be installed again

• Error #6

Error Message: Stack Overflow 
Solution: 
1. Try cold booting your computer 
2. If this does not work, the problem might come from your RAM or the Swap file

• Error #20

Error Message: The system cannot find the specified device 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that the right modem has been selected 
2. If it does not respond, try to reinstall it 
3. You can also try to reinstall NCP/DUN/RAS

• Error #71

Error Message: No more connections are allowed 
Solution: 
1. Someone else might have connected under your account 
2. If you have been ghosted on the server, your Internet Service Provider can bump the ghost program off

• Error #380

Error Message: Invalid Proper Value 
Solution: 
1. Autodial should be pointed to the correct dialler 
2. Else, set up the dialler again

• Error #600

Error Message: An operation is pending 
Solution: 
1. You should first try rebooting your computer 
2. Ensure that no other program is using your modem 
3. Else, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and if RNAAPP loads, contact a technician to fix this problem 
4. Make sure that your computer is Spyware free

• Error #601

Error Message: The port handle is invalid 
Solution: 
1. Select the modem's COM port and under the Diagnosis section, open "More Info". You should reboot your computer if you are able to get ATI responses, remove the erroneous init string or enter ATZ as the init 
2. You can also reinstall your modem 
3. Else press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and if RNAAPP loads, contact a technician to fix this problem 
4. Your Dialup Networking should be reinstalled together with its components 
5. Your modem might not be working properly. You should then consult your computer manufacturer

• Error #602

Error Message: The port is already open 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Ensure that no other program is using the modem 
3. Else press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and if RNAAPP loads, contact a technician to fix this problem 
4. Try uninstalling the AOL Adapters in the Network Control panel and reboot your computer. Install your Dialup Adapter again 
5. Remove the erroneous init string or enter ATZ as the init 
6. If you have Quicken 2000, deactivate the Quicken Download Manager 
7. Try installing your modem again 
8. Make sure that your computer is Spyware free

• Error #603

Error Message: Caller's buffer is too small 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that your port is not configured to a low speed 
2. In your "Port Settings", ensure that FIFO is not set to low 
3. Try reinstalling your Dialup Networking together with its components 
4. If you are still having problems, contact your computer manufacturer

• Error #604

Error Message: Wrong information specified. 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that the are no outages in your area 
2. Try to enter the username and password again 
3. Set up the dialler again 
4. Your Dialup Networking should be installed again together with its components 
5. You can also try to reinstall your modem

• Error #605

Error Message: Cannot set port information. 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that the are no outages in your area 
2. Try to enter the username and password again 
3. Set up the dialler again 
4. Your Dialup Networking should be installed again together with its components 
5. You can also try to reinstall your modem

• Error #606

Error Message: The port is not connected. 
Solution: 
1. Select the modem's COM port and under the Diagnosis section, open "More Info". You should reboot your computer if you are able to get ATI responses, remove the erroneous init string or enter ATZ as the init 
2. You can also reinstall your modem 
3. Else, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and if RNAAPP loads, contact a technician to fix this problem 
4. Your modem might not be working properly. You should then consult your computer manufacturer if the problem persists.

• Error #607

Error Message: The event is invalid. 
Solution: 
1. If this problem arises while dialling up to the internet, verify that the settings of the event log have been correctly set 
2. Try rebooting your system and ensure that the dialler/network settings have been correctly configured 
3. Else, install RAS/DUN again

• Error #608

Error Message: The device does not exist. 
Solution: 
1. Check that the right modem is set in the dialler 
2. Ensure that you are using the right modem drivers by checking the modem diagnostics. If it's not the case, set up the correct drivers. 
3. Reinstall the dialler 
4. Your modem might not be working properly. Try reinstalling it 
5. You should consult your computer manufacturer if the problem persists

• Error #609

Error Message: The device type does not exist. 
Solution: 
1. Check that the right modem is selected in the dialler 
2. Ensure that you are using the right modem drivers by checking the modem diagnostics. If it's not the case, set up the correct drivers 
3. Your modem might not be working properly. Try reinstalling it 
4. You should consult your computer manufacturer if the problem persists

• Error #610

Error Message: The buffer is invalid. 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that your port speed is set to low in the modem properties 
2. In your "Port Settings", check that FIFO is not set to low 
3. Reinstall the dialer again 
4. Else, reinstall RAS/DUN 
5. You should consult your computer manufacturer if the problem persists

• Error #611

Error Message: The route is not available. 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Ensure that you set the right configurations for the dialer and network settings 
3. Else, install the network components again 
4. If you are using a LAN connection, consult your system administrator

• Error #612

Error Message: The route is not allocated. 
Solution: 
1. Reboot your computer 
2. Ensure that you set the right configurations for the dialler and network settings

• Error #613

Error Message: Invalid compression specified. 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Else, add &K3 to the extra settings. 
3. If this still does not solve the problem, add &K3 
4. You can also try to reinstall the modem

• Error #614

Error Message: Out of buffers. 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that our port speed is not too low 
2. Try to install your modem again

• Error #615

Error Message: The port was not found. 
Solution: Try to install your modem drivers

• Error #616

Error Message: An asynchronous request is pending. 
Solution: 
1. Reboot your computer 
2. Try to install your modem drivers again

• Error #617

Error Message: The port or device is already disconnecting 
Solution: 
1. Wait until your modem disconnects properly 
2. If this operation is taking too long, reboot your computer

• Error #618

Error Message: The port is not open. 
Solution: 
1. Reboot your computer 
2. Ensure that no other program is making use of the modem

• Error #619

Error Message: The port is disconnected. 
Solution: 
1. Reboot your computer 
2. Ensure that no other program is making use of the modem

• Error #621

Error Message: Cannot open the phone book file. 
Solution: Install Blue Frog connection software again

• Error #622

Error Message: Cannot load the phone book file. 
Solution: Install Blue Frog connection software again

• Error #623

Error Message: Cannot find the book entry. 
Solution: Install Blue Frog connection software again

• Error #626

Error Message: Cannot load a string 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your system 
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again

• Error #627

Error Message: Cannot find key 
Solution: Install Blue Frog connection software again

• Error #628

Error Message: The port was disconnected 
Solution: 
1. Install Blue Frog connection software again 
2. Try to install your modem drivers again

• Error #629

Error Message: The port was disconnected by the remote machine. 
Solution: 
1. Install Blue Frog connection software again 
2. Try to enter an alternate Access Number 
3. Try to install your modem drivers again

• Error #630

Error Message: The port was disconnected due to hardware failure. 
Solution: 
1. Install Blue Frog connection software again 
2. Try to reinstall your modem drivers 
3. Try to use an alternate modem 
4. Else, replace your current modem with a new one

• Error #631

Error Message: The port was disconnected by the user. 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that the right Access Number is being dialled 
2. Try to reboot your computer

• Error #632

Error Message: The structure size is incorrect. 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again

• Error #633

Error Message: The port is already in use or is not configured for Remote Access dialout. 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Else, try to reinstall your modem drivers

• Error #634

Error Message: Cannot register your computer on the remote network. 
Solution: 
1. Try to check your network settings and modify your computer name 
2. Install the network control panel again

• Error #635

Error Message: Unknown Error 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again 
3. Else try to reinstall your modem drivers

• Error #636

Error Message: The wrong device is attached to the port 
Solution: Check in your settings if you have chosen the right modem

• Error #637

Error Message: The string could not be converted 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again

• Error #638

Error Message: The request has timed out. 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again

• Error #645

Error Message: Internal authentication error. 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again 
3. Else, try to reinstall your modem drivers

• Error #650

Error Message: The Remote Access server is not responding. 
Solution: 
1. Check that your connection and network settings have correctly been configured 
2. Ensure that the modem has been correctly set up and look for updated drivers 
3. Set FIFO buffers to a lower speed and ensure that you have unchecked the option "Only connect at this speed"

• Error #676

Error Message: The line is busy 
Solution: Ensure that your Access Number is still active and is correctly dialled

• Error #678

Error Message: There is no answer. 
Solution: 
1. First of all check that your phone lines are correctly plugged in 
2. Ensure that the Access Number is correct 
3. Else, try another Access number 
4. If you are trying to make use of your connection in a bad weather, this might be the source of the problem. Wait until it calms down and try again 
5. Else, install your modem drivers again 
6. If the problem persists, you might need to contact your ISP

• Error #680

Error Message: There is no dial tone. 
Solution: 
1. First of all check that your phone lines are correctly plugged in 
2. The cables might be damaged. Replace them and try again 
3. Else, install your modem drivers again 
4. If the problem persists, you might need to contact your ISP or a technician

• Error #691

Error Message: Access denied because username and/or password is invalid on the domain. 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that you have entered the right username and password 
2. Make sure that your account is active and turned on 
3. You might also try to enter another Access Number 
4. If the problem persists, you might need to contact your ISP

• Error #692

Error Message: Hardware failure in port or attached device. 
Solution: 
1. Browse for and remove any Blue Frog init strings 
2. Install Blue Frog connection software again 
3. Else, install your modem drivers again

• Error #718

Error Message: PPP Timeout 
Solution: 
1. Try to reboot your computer 
2. Ensure that you have entered the right username and password 
3. You might try another Access Number 
4. Install Blue Frog connection software again 
5. Else, install your modem drivers again

• Error #721

Error Message: Remote PPP peer is not responding. 
Solution: For Windows 2000/XP/Vista operating systems, ensure that the security setting for the dialler reads "Allow unsecured Password"

• Error #734

Error Message: The PPP link control protocol terminated. 
Solution: For Windows 2000/XP/Vista operating systems, ensure that the security setting for the dialer reads "Allow unsecured Password"

• Error #777

Error Message: The connection attempt failed because the modem on the remote computer is out of order. 
Solution: 
1. Install Blue Frog connection software again 
2. Install your modem drivers again 
3. Else, install a new modem

• Error #778

Error Message: It was not possible to verify the identity of the server. 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that you are dialling the correct phone number 
2. Verify the connection and Network settings 
3. Ensure that you do not have an outage on the phone line 
4. Ensure that you have correctly installed your modem and check for updated drivers 
5. Set FIFO buffers to a lower speed and ensure that you have unchecked the option "Only connect at this speed"

• Error #779

Error Message: To dial out using this connection, you must use a smart card. 
Solution: 
1. Ensure that all authorisation is allowed in your connection settings in the Security section 
2. Verify that you have correctly set the other dialler settings 
3. Else, create the dialler again 
4. You might need to use the Smart Card Reader as initially setup by the Network Administrator

• Error #780

Error Message: An attempted function is not valid for this connection. 
Solution: Ensure that the dialler, not the one set up for LAN use though, has been properly installed and has the right settings

• Error #781

Error Message: The encryption attempt failed because no valid certificate was found. 
Solution: You have to get a valid certificate by registering to the website http://windows.microsoft.com/... 

Note: The solution for the following problems is already provided in the error messages. If you are still facing problems with them, either contact your ISP or a technician to fix the problem.

• Error #782

Error Message: Network Address Translation (NAT) is currently installed as a routing protocol, and must be removed before enabling Internet Connection Sharing

• Error #783

Error Message: Internet Connection Sharing cannot be enabled. The LAN connection selected as the private network is either not present, or is disconnected from the network. Please ensure that the LAN adapter is connected before enabling Internet Connection Sharing.

• Error #784

Error Message: You cannot dial using this connection at logon time, because it is configured to use a user name different than the one on the smart card. If you want to use it at logon time, you must configure it to use the user name on the smart card.

• Error #785

Error Message: You cannot dial using this connection at logon time, because it is not configured to use a smart card. If you want to use it at logon time, you must edit the properties of this connection so that it uses a smart card.

• Error #786

Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because there is no valid machine certificate on your computer for security authentication.

• Error #787

Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because the security layer could not authenticate the remote computer.

• Error #788

Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because the security layer could not negotiate compatible parameters with the remote computer.

• Error #789

Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because the security layer encountered a processing error during initial negotiations with the remote computer.

• Error #790

Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because certificate validation on the remote computer failed.

• Error #791

Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because security policy for the connection was not found.

• Error #792

Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because security negotiation timed out.

• Error #793

Error Message: The L2TP connection attempt failed because an error occurred while negotiating security.

• Error #794

Error Message: The Framed Protocol RADIUS attribute for this user is not PPP.

• Error #795

Error Message: The Tunnel Type RADIUS attribute for this user is not correct.

• Error #796

Error Message: The Service Type RADIUS attribute for this user is neither Framed nor Callback Framed.

• Error #797

Error Message: A connection to the remote computer could not be established because the modem was not found or was busy.

• Error #798

Error Message: A certificate could not be found that can be used with this Extensible Authentication Protocol.

• Error #799

Error Message: Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) cannot be enabled due to an IP address conflict on the network. ICS requires the host be configured to use 192.168.0.1. Please ensure that no other client on the network is configured to use 192.168.0.1

• Error #800

Error Message: Unable to establish the VPN connection. The VPN server may be un-reachable, or security parameters may not be configured properly for this connection. 
Solution: 
1. Check your ADSL line as it is probably not synchronized 
2. Verify that your Security Options are correctly set in your connection options 
3. Either your Network Card or your modem might not work properly. Contact a technician if the problem persists

• Error #995

Error Message: Operation aborted.

• Error #1382

Error Message: Maximum length exceeded.

• Error #1793

Error Message: Account expired.

• Error #2250

Error Message: Network connection does not exist.

Cloud APM (CAPM)

Cloud APM (CAPM) is the process of monitoring user experience (UX) for application programs that are running in private and hybrid cloud environments. An important goal of any CAPM initiative is to provide administrators with the ability to identify a poor user experience quickly so the cloud service can be turned off until the issue is resolved.

Measuring the user experience for public cloud-hosted applications usually requires an intelligent agent to be placed on the application server to monitor application response-time. CAPM tools can then be used to combine data from disparate monitoring silos into a correlation engine and dashboard. The dashboard makes data logs easier to read and saves IT staff from memory-dependent and error-prone manual correlation and analysis.

Before the advent of APM tools, application performance troubleshooting was a time consuming and tedious task. As organizations begin to move enterprise applications to the cloud, however, the need for a tool that monitors and manages the performance and availability of applications across a distributed computing environment has become a must-have.

pick chart

A PICK chart (Possible, Implement, Challenge and Kill chart) is a visual tool for organizing ideas. PICK charts are often used after brainstorming sessions to help a group identify which ideas have a high payoff and can be implemented easily.

A PICK chart is set up as a large grid, two squares high and two squares across. The PICK acronym comes from the labels for each quadrant of the grid:
Possible - ideas that are easy to implement but have a low payoff.
Implement - ideas that are easy to implement and a high payoff.
Challenge - ideas that are hard to implement and difficult to determine payoff.
Kill - ideas that are hard to implement and have low payoff.

PICK charts are useful for focusing discussion and achieving consensus. Once each idea from the brainstorming session has been placed on the most appropriate square, it becomes easier to identify which ideas should be acted on first.

AN ADVANCED PERSISTENT THREAT(APT)

An advanced persistent threat (APT) is a network attack in which an unauthorized person gains access to a network and stays there undetected for a long period of time. The intention of an APT attack is to steal data rather than to cause damage to the network or organization. APT attacks target organizations in sectors with high-value information, such as national defense, manufacturing and the financial industry.

In a simple attack, the intruder tries to get in and out as quickly as possible in order to avoid detection by the network's intrusion detection system (IDS). In an APT attack, however, the goal is not to get in and out but to achieve ongoing access. To maintain access without discovery, the intruder must continuously rewrite code and employ sophisticated evasion techniques. Some APTs are so complex that they require a full time administrator.

An APT attacker often uses spear fishing, a type of social engineering, to gain access to the network through legitimate means. Once access has been achieved, the attacker establishes a back door.

The next step is to gather valid user credentials (especially administrative ones) and move laterally across the network, installing more back doors. The back doors allow the attacker to install bogus utilities and create a "ghost infrastructure" for distributing malware that remains hidden in plain sight.

Although APT attacks are difficult to identify, the theft of data can never be completely invisible. Detecting anomalies in outbound data is perhaps the best way for an administrator to discover that his network has been the target of an APT attack.

distributed antenna system (DAS)

A distributed antenna system (DAS) is a way to deal with isolated spots of poor coverage inside a large building by installing a network of relatively small antennas throughout the building to serve as repeaters.

The antennas are physically connected to a central controller which is connected to the wireless carrier network’s base station. Because distributed antenna systems operate on RF spectrum licensed to wireless carriers, an enterprise cannot undertake a DAS deployment on its own without involving at least one carrier. 

Distributed antenna systems can be passive or active. A passive DAS grabs cellphone signals from antennas on the roof and runs them through leaky feeder cables throughout the building. In this approach, the signal leakage distributes the signal. In an active system, the signal is passed from roof antennas through fiber cables. Along the way, systems boost and amplify signals as needed.

Deployment is the most expensive stage of a DAS project because installing antennas and stringing fiber optical or coaxial cable between antenna modules and the controller are all very labor intensive processes. Generally, the carrier bears the costs of installing the system as well as maintenance expenses and many times, the carrier will only agree to take on these costs if the deployment fits within their network plans, covers a large number of subscribers or fills an significant gap in service. To keep the cost down, a DAS may be shared by multiple carriers.

Distributed antenna systems are transparent to mobile devices, providing both voice and data services to mobile devices just like any tower on a cellular network. Densely populated indoor spaces such as shopping malls, medical centers and high-rise buildings are all good candidates for DAS deployments.

Over the past five years, wireless data traffic has increased more than 20,000 percent on AT&T’s wireless network alone. People are no longer only accessing the Internet at home or in the office, they are doing it wherever they are from their mobile device.

AT&T network engineers are helping enable this shift in Internet usage habits by putting in place new technologies, such as Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS). A DAS network consists of many antennas tuned to precisely match the areas of a building or venue where boosted service is needed. AT&T DAS helps address the exponential network traffic growth at large venues and other hard to serve areas, such as sporting and entertainment venues, hospitals, college campuses, airports, hotels, conference centers and more.

DAS helps boost mobile broadband coverage, improve reliability in heavily trafficked areas and enhance network capacity, alleviating pressure on wireless networks when thousands of people in close proximity are actively using their mobile devices simultaneously. DAS is seamless and invisible for customers, but the results are easy to see. Data and voice capacity more than doubled at the pro sports venues that installed AT&T DAS in 2011.

The Face of Innovation

Behind the scenes making this innovation possible are AT&T engineers implementing a variety of strategies to meet the unique needs of each venue or building owner.

Chad Townes, Vice President of AT&T’s Antenna Solutions Group (ASG), oversees all of the company’s DAS installations. As Towne’s group began to notice smartphone trends and usage patterns skyrocket, increased emphasis was placed on getting ahead of the curve by installing DAS in a variety of locations, including sports venues. As Vice President of AT&T’s ASG, Townes is responsible for the end to end deployment of AT&T wireless infrastructure delivered via DAS. This includes the Sales, Negotiations, RF Engineering, Design, and Construction of both in building and outdoor DAS applications throughout AT&T’s network.

Bill Schlough, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for the San Francisco Giants, sensed mobile data demand was on a sharp rise as early as 2009, which led his charge to create an extremely tech-friendly atmosphere at AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. Leading up to the 2010 baseball season, Schlough and his team already had an AT&T Wi-Fi system in place, but worked with AT&T to install a DAS to combat the data crunch coming from the nimble hands of smartphone-wielding fans at the ballpark.

Since the installation, the mobile experience at the ballpark has been night and day according to Schlough. While many fans might not know that DAS or Wi-Fi are powering their network at Giants games, they do notice the reliable and consistent mobile Internet connection they have come to trust and rely on to enhance the experience at games.

AT&T is a leader in the DAS space and annually installs hundreds of systems across the country. However, as new technology and opportunities present themselves, AT&T’s ASG will continue to adapt and modify the way its DAS perform and operate in order to provide the best possible end-user experience:

• Faster Speeds. As DAS deployments continue nationwide at sporting stadiums, campuses, airports and other venues, AT&T is beginning to upgrade and build new DAS with ultra-fast 4G LTE speeds.
• DAS on Wheels (DOW). At the recent major political convention in Charlotte, N.C. AT&T rolled out its first ever DAS on Wheels. The mobile DAS consisted of a mobile head end situated in an AT&T truck and portable antennas located throughout a major Charlotte Arena. AT&T is currently exploring future opportunities to deploy DOW.

Wireshark

Wireshark is an open source tool for profiling network traffic and analyzing packets. Such a tool is often referred to as a network analyzer, network protocol analyzer or sniffer.

Wireshark, formerly known as Ethereal, can be used to examine the details of traffic at a variety of levels ranging from connection-level information to the bits that make up a singlepacket. Packet capture can provide a network administrator with information about individual packets such as transmit time, source, destination, protocol type and header data. This information can be useful for evaluating security events and troubleshooting network security device issues.

Wireshark will typically display information in three panels. The top panel lists frames individually with key data on a single line. Any single frame selected in the top pane is further explained in the tool's middle panel. In this section of the display, Wireshark shows packet details, illustrating how various aspects of the frame can be understood as belonging to the data link layer, network layer, transport layer or application layer. Finally, Wireshark's bottom pane displays the raw frame, with a hexadecimal rendition on the left and the corresponding ASCII values on the right.

Because Wireshark can also be used for eavesdropping, an organization using the tool should make sure it has a clearly defined privacy policy that spells out the rights of individuals using its network, grants permission to sniff traffic for security and troubleshooting issues and states the organization's policies for obtaining, analyzing and retaining network traffic samples.

Improve data storage efficiency with archiving technology

Data archiving technology moves inactive data from primary storage to more suitable media. It may be used for compliance, governance or storage efficiency. By moving data to less-expensive media, an archiving strategy can help avoid new capacity purchases and reduce the amount of management required. Archiving is a mature technology with specialized products for various apps.

 Converged systems -- reconfigured bundles of storage, server and networking resources -- are popular as they can be deployed quickly and easily. Some vendors can tap their own product lines to assemble converged systems, while storage vendors partner with server and networking vendors.

Finally, our Quality Awards program collects user responses related to the service and reliability of storage products. We review the results of the eighth Quality Awards survey for enterprise and midrange backup and recovery software.

PREDICTIVE CODING

Predictive coding is a combination of machine-learning technology and work flow processes that use keyword search, filtering and sampling to automate portions of an e-discovery document review.

The goal of predictive coding is to reduce the number of irrelevant and non-responsive documents that need to be reviewed manually. The computer program identifies document properties and refines search parameters according to rules created by humans.

For example, in a legal context, predictive coding software uses a mathematical model to scan electronically stored information and locate data most relative to a case and coding means to digitally categorize a document as being responsive or unresponsive. The technology uses a computer-categorized review application to classify documents according to how well they match key concepts and terms in sample documents created by a legal team. After the program identifies relevant documents according to the key concepts and terms, a legal team reviews the documents.

Proponents of predictive coding say it saves time and money because, instead of examining a huge set of electronic files and records manually, the technology allows a much smaller portion of data to be reviewed manually.

How to Draw a Flowchart

Why a Flowchart?	Flowcharts are helpful in understanding a complicated process. This is especially true if you have to make decisions and do different steps depending on those decisions. By looking at a flowchart you can visually follow different paths through the chart. For each step on a flowchart you can ask yourself "Is this step necessary? Can it be improved?"
Basic Flowcharting Stencil	In RFFlow click the More Shapes  button. It is on the left above the stencils. The Stencils and Shapes dialog box will appear as shown below. Scroll to the Flowcharting folder and click the plus sign to open it. Then click Colored Edge Shapes and the Add Stencil button.
	The Colored Edge Shapes stencil will now show up on the left of the RFFlow Window as shown below.
Terminator	All flowcharts start and end with the terminator or terminal shape. This is a rounded rectangle and is shown below. You use this same shape for both the start and the end. You will see some charts with slightly different terminal shapes. For example, sometimes an oval is used. This is because there is no golden standard for flowcharting. Different companies and different technical areas use different shapes. There are a few basic rules and, beyond that, you can create your own rules for your organization. If you add your own shapes, it is important that you explain what they are used for, so others can understand your chart.Just click on the terminator shape in the stencil and then type in the text.
	To read a flowchart, you follow the arrows from shape to shape. To draw a line in RFFlow, click on the line in the stencil at the left and then drag the mouse to draw the line in your chart. It is faster to place all your shapes first and then draw all the lines at once.
Decision	The decision shape asks a question. "Are you under 65 years of age?" If you are less than 65 years old, you follow the arrow going down out of the decision shape. If you are 65 or older, you follow the arrow to the right.
Process	The rectangle is used for activities or action steps. These are things that must be done.
Circle	A circle containing a letter or number means that this chart connects to another chart on a different page. The same circle and number are then the entry point on the new page. It is best not to use these, but sometimes they are necessary.
Title	It is good to have a title on your chart. Just click on the word "Text" in the stencil and use a larger font size.
Putting it all together	The chart shown below could be part of the 2006 Federal Income Tax return instructions. You start at the top and follow the arrows from shape to shape. Flowcharts usually go from top to bottom or left to right, but you can do whatever you want. The circle with the letter B refers to a chart on a different page. You would find that page and look for a B in a circle. Almost all flowchart can be done with only these four shapes.
Moving you chart into a document	After drawing your chart, you can copy and paste the chart into Microsoft Word or any other Windows program. If you want to put the chart on the internet, you can save your chart as a PNG or HTML file.
Flowchart Key	If you are working in a group, it is advantageous to label each chart with the name of the person or group who created it and the date of creation. It is a also a good idea to have a key which lists the shapes you use in a chart and what they mean. An example is shown below:
Level of Detail	You or your group must decide the level of detail to use in drawing your chart. Usually it is best to start specifying only general steps and leaving the details for later. Whatever you do, the level of detail should be consistent throughout the chart. For example, if you are flowcharting editing a Microsoft Word document, you might have a rectangle with the words "Print Document." A detailed chart might split this rectangle into several rectangles that show each step of clicking on the Print button in Word, selecting the appropriate printer, etc. Make sure you are not wasting time by specifying at t