Paul's Tech Talk

5 ways to improve your security with your Overdrive Pro (Virgin Mobile)!

PaulJune 1, 2013

The OverDrive Pro

After a long hard search for my old Mifi Device, I recently had to buy the Overdrive Pro (Virgin Mobile) mifi Card. So I went out to find a replacement for my card and came to this. I must say that with it having the option to have a way to increase Signal strength on the Mifi card by buying antenna’s for it. It is a good deal for me. I had a simple time getting it to work other than having to call Virgin Mobile Broadband (877-877-8443). I do however think you should update your card for more security and here are a few tips.

Open a web browser and go to http://192.168.0.1

Change The Default Password

Just by chance someone gets a hold of your password for your mifi card. They then can log into and change anything they want. So you should change the “admin” Password and possibly change the Wi-Fi Password as well. You can do this by going to the Admin Setup Page on the Mifi Device.

Change the SSID

By default the SSID for the Overdrive card is OverDrive Pro. You can leave it as it is but the problem with it is someone else might have the same exact SSID and you may accidentally give out your wifi password to a stranger. It should be unique and unguessable to people. This Also can be done in the Admin Setup Page.

Change your DNS

By default you are going to use Virgin Mobile/Sprint DNS servers. They may not be as fast as other servers and thus you can get a little more speed from changing the DNS to something other than Virgin Mobile/Sprint DNS. You do this by going into the Advanced Settings, Clicking the Router Tab and going into the LAN tab, Which is a separate tab from the top. You would then need to change DNS MODE to manual and enter two different IPS. See below for two suggestions.

Here are two that you can try and see which one works better for you.

Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

Don’t Display Wifi Password

This is another by default, it will display the password on the Mifi screen for any passer by to gain access to the network. If you have limited amount Gigabytes to use, you may not want to share that with a stranger. So by turning off the password no-one will have access to the mifi device without asking you first. That can also be changed and updated on the Admin Setup Page.

Change your Wifi Password

Finally the last step I would recommend is to change your Wifi Password so no other Overdrive Pro can have that same password. Again, it is possibility someone else might have that password so it is best not to keep it. Create a new password you can remember but nothing that everyone used. Just saying. You can do this also by going to the Admin Setup Page.

With these simple steps your OverDrive Pro Mifi Card is much more secure and less likely for someone to gain access unintentionally. So you can sit back and relax and have fun with your card and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making this blog post.

Paul Sylvester

What I have learned from being a leader and not a Follower!

PaulMay 28, 2013

Leadership and Qualities!

When you see someone walking down the road, do you stop or let them keep walking? This is where a leader and follower will differ. I am going to talk about what it is to be leader:

Yes, in all my research, the greatest leaders looked inward and were able to tell a good story with authenticity and passion. Deepak Chopra

Ever since the last few months, I have not had a lead role. I recently began to transition from a doer or a follower to leader. There is many facets to being ones people come to for help but it also comes with great responsibility. So nothing I say can ever get you ready to be a leader but I can sure try!

Take Every Chance, Drop every Fear!

This is something that I saw a few weeks ago that just kept on sticking in my mind. If your going to be leader you need to take risk. For example:

I was at work, and I know this assignment is going to end. I decided today was going to my day. I walked up to a lady and asked you out on a date. It didn’t go as well as I expected but at least I am not sitting at home wondering the old story of “What if’s??”

As you can see there are many ways you can take but the best results I have seen is know your capabilities and use them to your fullest. Some risks you can’t take but some risks, might make it just that much better for your TEAM.

There is no I in TEAM!

This is another good one, that just makes you understand more about how leading will impact your results. If you are constantly worried about me, then you can’t possibly be thinking about them. So when you want results, you put your team first and you become second, third, and so on. This is something I have found out to be true also. If you want to succeed in anything, you work with your team and you NEVER use I in any context unless it was to mean “I went to the bathroom!” Would be kind of hard for your team to go to the bathroom with you.

Even leaders need help!

Any day I go into work, I am certain of one thing. I will ask help for something or other because I know my limitations and I also know that to ask for help doesn’t show me weak but someone who wants to fix something or get something done. Those who don’t ask for help or ask questions are just asking for trouble but those who do ask gain everything.

These are a few simple rules I have started to follow and they seem to be working really well for me. I will keep looking and hopefully I will come up with even more. One other tidbit, learn to write better and that will help you get what you are wanting done.

Paul Sylvester

How NOT to fall for a Online Dating Scam!

PaulMay 25, 2013

It just gets harder!

When I first started this Journey, It didn’t seem like it would be this HARD. I was wrong, I keep fining these emails and instant messages on a few of these sites that just makes me wonder how many people fall for these Online Dating Scams?

I figure it was high time, someone at least talked about how to avoid these people and to recognize them for who they are.

Knowledge is Power!

Some of the best ways to figure it out is simple common knowledge. When you have dealt with these types of people before you get to know just how to know some of the stuff. Here is a quick run down on what I know and hopefully it will help you to see them coming and avoid them.

Language!

We all have it and we all use it. Each culture and area of the world is a little bit different, just like if your reading this in China, or Europe it might not be as good unless you have studied and understood the US American culture. So what does this have to do with dating site? If you get a message or email from someone and the email isn’t as easy to read because of how it is worded. Then that should throw up a red flag. I am not going to say that is the most definitive way to know but it is the most common way I can tell if they live close or not. I will not talk to anyone who has doesn’t live close. Why put the energy into a relationship just to have it broken.

If it seems to Good to be True!

Then maybe it isn’t, You get emails from Guys/Girls who for a better word for it is eye candy. They look very nice and really out of your league. My one idea is that they don’t have to look extraordinary but they do have to be beautiful. So I come up wit ha chart that helps me. It is basically a 1 through 10 number system and if I pick a 10 then I am very leary of the person. The higher the number the the less likely it is a true person but that doesn’t mean I can’t be wrong it just seems to work for me.

Ask about them!

Here is my other safety tip, if you have went through all of the other two suggestions. You probably wondering if they are for you. This is where you will know for certain, ask about them and their family. If they say stuff about a family member or parents that are dead and them having to move to a far off country that is usually a tale tale sign that they aren’t trying to scam you.

Don’t open Attachments!

This probably don’t need to be said to much but you never know what a scammer intentions are an they may want you to open an attachment just to infect your system. So if they send you something then you shouldn’t use it. They might be trying to get your bank account or something else. If you open it then you might just get malware, or spyware an then you only have yourself to blame!

Internet Security 2013 Scareware and You!

PaulMay 21, 2013

Interesting Story

My Brother-in-Law had this come up on his computer and he needed help getting it removed. Some of the symptons were it would constantly say the file being executed had a virus and it would prevent you from loading any and all programs. Anything you do with your computer whether trying to remove this from your desktop was a hassle. I did have to do some things to remove it but I will talk about that in a few minutes!

Malwarebytes And SuperAntispyware!

If it was for Malwarebytes and SuperAntispyware, this would of been even harder remover than previous. I must say when I first install these a few years back, I didn’t know how well these guys worked and kept my system clean. I decided to try these two on my broather infected system to try to remove this scareware.

Removal of this virus!

If you are like me you probably used Google to find out how to remove this virus but I think the virus makers are getting smarter because it wasn’t as easy as it was a few years ago. They made it virtually impossible to find the answer with the computer you have that is infected. So you have to hope that you have another system to do the searching for the answer of the removal. Here is what I did to help remove this malware and scareware:

Startup in Safe Mode [LINK]
Login as Adminstrator
USE MalwareBytes and do a FULL SCAN, this will take a while and once done remove what you see.
Do a System Restore [LINK]. The Earlier the Better.

Once you have did those restart your computer then you should be able to install Malwarebytes to all users. When you can do that you are basically home free. Just install it again and do a full system scan, to help make sure you get rid of this scam and scareware malware. Once you do all this, if Malwarebytes did what you needed, it might be time to upgrade to Buy Malwarebytes Now!

I really am glad I had a full version of Malwarebytes to remove this annoying little scam and scareware. My brother is happy and I am happy.

Paul Sylvester

Why Google will make a Referrer Program!

PaulMay 20, 2013

Google refocuses!

When Google announces that they are closing their affiliate network program. I was really quite surprised and wondered what their plans were. Then later this week, a thought struck me as odd and a made me think. So I wanted to share with you what the thought was and how and why Google will make an Paid Referrer program and when to you can probably expect it!

Google Will have to compete!

Amazon and Apple have their own referrer program to draw people from all over the world into their sites. We also know both Apple and Amazon have their own affiliate programs and referrer programs that will help people encourage readers and people to visit their site. Google Play will have to come up with a way to get people to come to their store. This is the only way this will help increase Google’s Revenues and that seems to be the only way!

How and When?

I don’t know exactly when but If it is anything like the Kindle Fires prediction, then it will be really soon! As far as how, it would really be a simple as transforming the Google Affiliate Network into a Google Play Referrer Program. They have the tracking capabilities and it would be a shame and kind of a waste just to not use the infrastructure they have in place to track clicks to their play store and pay per click that goes their or even buys stuff from the Play Store.

I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t happen before the end of the year but that would just be a miracle in all aspects.

What I didn’t understand until just recently is that they would have to close the Google Affiliate Program to open up the Referrer program. The reason why they can’t have two is that would be almost a monoply type of problems. So Google probably decided to close it and make it a referrer program for their Google Play Store. Just a thought but I’d hate to be wrong on this one and I really don’t think so!