Ammy Admin Remote Viewer

The configuration of Ammyy Admin is quite simple and won't take longer than a minute.

What should you do on remote PC which is going to be monitored:

1. Download Ammyy Admin. Most browsers download files to "My documents -> Downloads" by default, but you can set the folder manually.
2. Launch Ammyy Admin and click "Settings" – "Client" tab – "Access Permissions", as it shown in the picture 1 and 2.
   
   
   

   picture1

   picture 2

3. In the new window click "Add" button and in the field "Computer ID" type the word "ANY". Create complex password and type it in the field "password" twice and click "Ok" (picture 3 and 4).
   
   
   

   picture 3

   picture 4

4. In main menu Ammyy click "Service" – "Install". After that click "Service" – "Start". Now you can close application. Ammyy Admin will automatically run in hidden mode when Windows starts up (picture 5 and 6).
   
   

   picture 5

   picture 6

5. In menu "Settings" – "Client" tab uncheck all the checkboxes except top first one as shown on the picture 2 and click "Ok". This will disable all the signs of active remote desktop connection to this computer.
   
   Remember or write down the ID of this PC which is shown in the green field "Your ID" in main window of Ammyy Admin. It's needed for further connection to this PC 
   
   This was the final step of child pc configuration. Now you can connect to this PC from any remote computer.

What should you do on PC from which you want monitor child PC

1. Download Ammyy Admin. Most browsers download files to "My documents -> Downloads" by default, but you can set the folder manually.
2. Launch Ammyy Admin and type ID of your child PC (you put it down during remote pc configuration) in the field "Client ID/IP" (picture 7).
3. Check box "View only" and click "Connect" button (picture 7).
   
   
   
   
   picture 7
4. Type in password that you set up while configuring remote pc, in the authentication window
5. To listen what is going on at remote PC click "voice chat" button on the control panel of remote desktop window or initiate connection in "Voice chat" mode. If you don't want to be heard by the remote side you can go to menu "Ammyy –> Settings -> Common" and choose OFF for Audio Recording Device. Make sure that the remote side doesn't have the same OFF and microphone is turned on.
   
   After connection you'll see remote desktop window. You can view everything your kid is doing at the PC in real time and listen to what is going on. Your virtual presence at this remote PC will not be found out.
6. To stop watching just close remote desktop window.

In case you want to organize employee monitoring you should be aware that according to the law of some countries you have to notify your employees about it. In any case it may be quite useful because employees who are aware the boss keeps an eye on them will not spend work time for personal affairs, what can decrease risk of computer infection by a virus and corporate confidential information leakage. This will also increase employee effective work time.

How to set up and optimise your home network

The redesigned Network and Sharing Center screen has lots of options for advanced users to play with

Running a home network is pretty essential in this day and age.

Thankfully, modern hardware and software has reduced the complexities of configuring networks down to a few setup screens, and the relevant hardware often comes free with an internet connection.

If you have multiple computers, the chances are they're already talking to each other, either through wires or wirelessly. However, while your home network might be up and running, optimising it takes some doing. Follow our simple tips to extract the last drop of juice from your network hardware.

1. Change channel number

Wireless routers operate on a fixed channel. Since most routers ship with a pre-selected channel, the wireless signal may interfere with other routers in the vicinity that are operating on the same channel.

Changing the wireless channel from the factory default is a good starting point if your wireless signal strength is poor.

2. Give the router space to breathe

The biggest advantage of a wireless router is that it can penetrate doors and walls – but that doesn't mean you can just stuff it next to a wall or cordless telephone, or use it as a stand for your stack of DVDs. Treat it with respect.

Try to keep it in a central location, away from other wireless devices; make sure it's not in direct sunlight; lift it off the carpet; and ensure its vents and air holes aren't covered.

3. Improve reception

Try as you might, you'll find it's sometimes not possible to put the router in a good spot. One way around the problem is to buy a router with multiple antennas and point them in a variety of directions covering your home.

Alternatively, if you've already got a router, check whether it's possible to upgrade its antennas to something stronger. However, don't get disheartened if your router doesn't have any antennas. A wireless repeater compatible with your router is a perfect solution.

4. Use WEP

Running an unsecured network will earn you brownie points from neighbours and hackers with cars, but that's about it. Wireless routers support a variety of encryption methods, such as WPA and WEP, but these aren't enabled by default.

WPA2 is the most secure method at the moment, but before deciding on an encryption method, make sure your network cards and adapters support it as well. Bear in mind that older machines – and games consoles such as the Nintendo DS – don't support WPA.

5. Restrict access to specific PCs

If you really don't want to use encryption, you can force your router to only connect to specific PCs. Your router identifies each computer by the unique MAC address of its network gear. Feed it a list of MAC addresses to connect to and you save yourself the trouble of entering a password each time you log in.

The disadvantage is that you'll have to add the MAC address of any new computer before it can get on your network – which is probably a more annoying way of getting things done.

6. Disable SSID broadcast

All wireless routers have a Service Set Identifier (SSID) that identifies them to network computers. Routers from the same manufacturer generally ship with the same SSID; 'Netgear' or 'Cisco', for example.

You should first change the SSID to something unique to set your router apart from those of your neighbours. Then, once all your hardware has been set up, it's better to turn off broadcasting the SSID altogether. This ensures your router isn't displayed in the list of available networks, and won't be a target for potential hackers.

7. Keep the firmware updated

Router manufacturers keep working on firmware, even after hardware has been shipped. In addition to tweaks in the user interface, new versions might make better use of the various components in the router, or add extra features.

Just like with an operating system, it's a good idea to upgrade the firmware of the router regularly – check the manufacturer's website for a new version. In the good old days, there was the risk of a botched firmware upgrade bricking your router, but it's a lot safer today.

8. Familiarise yourself with the router manager

All routers ship with a browser based manager. To use many of the tips in this article, you'll have to log in to this interface – try typing 192.168.1.1 into your web browser for the most common location.

It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with the various options and settings you can tweak from within this software. Many routers also have detailed documentation that's updated regularly, so hunt out the latest manual online.

9. Check your connections

There's nothing more irritating than receiving a 'cannot connect to remote machine' error. To ensure a solid connection, use Ethernet cables where possible. It's also a good idea to check the connection between the two PCs with the ping command.

To do this, simply open a command line and type, for instance, ping 192.168.1.2. You'll need to replace the address given here with that of your target machine. Ping works identically on Windows, Mac and Linux.

10. Forward ports



Many servers and applications – for example, file-sharing software, FTP servers and music-streaming servers – need to serve people outside the network. These applications accept connections on specific ports.

With port forwarding – check your router's interface – you can poke holes in your router and ask it to direct incoming traffic on a particular port (or, if you wish, a range of ports) to a specific computer that's on the network.

11. Change DNS providers

DNS is what fetches you a website by translating the human-friendly address, such as www.pcplus.co.uk, into a bunch of machine-friendly numbers. It also displays the '404 page not found' error, corrects misspelt URLs and finds the fastest route to a web server that hosts the site you want to visit, along with lots of other cool things.

Generally, it's up to the ISP to put up a DNS server. However, there are other free services as well, including the likes of OpenDNS and Google Public DNS.

12. Use USB adapters

These days, it's difficult to find a laptop or netbook without a built-in wireless module, but if you've used one, you'll know that they can't always be relied upon. Network cards with antennas are the best option, but they're really only suitable for desktops.

If you really need both mobility and assurance, make sure you get a USB adapter. Most of them ship with a Windows driver, but many work out-of-the-box on Linux as well.

13. Enable Dynamic DNS

The Dynamic DNS feature enables you to connect to your computer remotely. Back in the day, when real-estate on the web was expensive, it was a wonderful option to show off your HTML skills and host your own website.

Now, by associating your dynamic IP address with a domain name, DDNS enables you to connect to the internet-exposed home computer from anywhere in the world. In addition to enabling the feature on your router, you'll also have to register with a dynamic DNS provider, such as DynDNS.org.

14. Save power with Wake-on-LAN

What's the point of keeping a print server on when there's nothing to print? The smart way to save energy is to use the Wake-on- LAN feature of the network card. Thanks to this, you can put the machine to sleep after it's been configured to wake upon detecting network activity.

15. Encrypt your online activity

With the range of snooping tools now available, it isn't safe to do anything online without covering your footprints. There are lots of tools that promise to encrypt your online activity, making it completely unintelligible to anyone who might be listening in.

Some of the best ones to try are the Enigmail plug-in for Thunderbird,Psi for Google Talk and FireGPG, available for Gmail.

16. Get a Firewall distro

You can configure a firewall on a Windows or Linux machine, and there are also a bunch of third-party software firewalls available. However, building a firewall isn't easy. If you're serious about putting one up, download a dedicated firewall distro, such as Ebox.

17. Install the software

Ebox is distributed as a Live CD ISO and there are VirtualBox/VMWare images as well. It's based on Ubuntu Server 8.04. You can also pull in Ebox packages to a standard Ubuntu Server 10.04 installation. You can find it at www.ebox-platform.com.

18. Configure settings

Ebox can be adapted flexibly to your network. You can use it to restrict services that can be accessed and slice the network to keep some areas more secure than others. The distro runs a browser-based interface for adding, removing and configuring the components.

19. Filter content

Besides the firewall, intrusion detection (via Snort) and filtering content (via DansGuardian) are two other highlights of the distro. DansGuardian can also plug into the ClamAV antivirus scanner and filter content based on known virus signatures.

20. Exploit other features

In case you're still not satisfied, Ebox can also act as a gateway and provide a host of other services. It bundles various applications that enable you to turn your network into a VPN, host XMPP chat sessions or run a Postfix mail server, a Squid web proxy and more.

21. Turn on UPnP

Universal Plug and Play helps smart devices that support UPnP to discover each other without any user intervention. Once turned on from within your router, UPnP enables a compatible infrared device, a Bluetooth phone or a FireWire camera to see and talk to each other.

22. Write files remotely

The most logical use of a network is to share files. This is the job of the SMB protocol. Thanks to it, you'll be able to write files to a remote network share via Network Neighbourhood. On Linux, the SMB protocol is implemented by Samba.

23. Share printers remotely

In addition to sharing files, SMB can be used to share printers attached to a Windows machine. Once configured via the Windows Control Panel, a printer can be used to accept print orders or even be managed from a remote machine, irrespective of its operating system.

24. Format shareable partitions as FAT

PCs running Windows can easily see each other and share files. For Linux or Mac machines, ensure the partitions are formatted with the FAT filesystem. Create them as Samba shares and they'll show up under Network Neighbourhood.

25. Plug in USB drives

Once, if you wanted to share files on the network, a network-attached-storage, or NAS, device was the best bet. Not any more. New routers enable you to plug in one or more USB devices that are automatically accessible by all the users connected to the router.

Windows: Make the Caps Lock Key Beep When Pressed

          It’s extremely annoying when you’re typing and accidentally hit the Caps Lock key without knowing it. Here’s how to make it alert you when it’s pressed.

In Vista and Windows 7 Click Start >> Control Panel.

Next, switch to Classic View and click Ease of Access Center.

Scroll down under Explore All Settings, and click Make the Keyboard Easier to Use.

Then scroll down under Make it Easier to Type and check Turn on Toggle Keys. Make sure to save your settings and close out of Control Panel.

XP users can do this too. Just open Control Panel and double click Accessibility Options.

Then check Use ToggleKeys. Click OK.

That’s it. Now when you hit the Caps Lock key by accident or not, it will beep to alert you it’s been pressed. This comes in handy when typing and not accidentally SHOUTING at friends or colleagues.

If you find no use the Caps Lock key at all – just disable it.

Windows 8: Get the Start Menu Back on the Desktop

        One of the major complaints of Windows 8 is that Microsoft decided to get rid of the traditional Start menu. The menu that users have grown accustomed to since Windows 95. It was just a matter of time before developers started creating solutions to the problem. If you want the Start menu back without doing a long complicated hack, check out Start8 from Stardock. It’s an interesting take on the Start menu that incorporates Metro UI features too.

Once you download the small executable, launch it to install Start8. Installation is a piece of cake following the install wizard. It doesn’t even require a restart.

After finishing the install wizard, you’ll immediately see the familiar Start orb from Windows7 Click on the Start icon and you’ll get a list of your installed apps and the Search field – Metro style

Right click on the Start icon and you’ll get a menu of extra options which include Run, Shutdown
and picking a different Start icon.

Here is a look at the list of different Start images available. You can even add an XP style button if you want.

    
  Here’s an example of using the XP Start icon. This is cool because it gives you the best of  both worlds. This is the way Microsoft should have done it to begin with in my opinion. 

And, if you want to use the new Start screen which is native to Windows 8 – just hover your mouse in the left corner like normal.

You can still pull up the power user menu by right clicking it too.

To get it, go to the Stardock Start8 site. Enter in your email address and you’ll get a link to 
 download it.

Start8 from Stardock is free and gives you the Start button on the Desktop that behaves how it should act. Now you don’t have to navigate between the Metro Start screen and the Desktop.

Update: Since I first wrote this article up, Stardock has included more features in Start8. You can control the Start menu size and the Windows Key will now show the Metro UI in Full Screen mode.

Remember this project is still in Beta, so expect some bugs — but also new features as the project continues.

For more, make sure to check out our continuing Windows 8 coverage.

Resize multiple photos with Windows Live Photo Gallery

The need to resize a few photos always seems to be a part of my daily routine. Unlike most people, however, I hate having separate applications for everything and I try to find apps that are all-in-one. A good example would be Windows Live Photo Gallery – a great image viewer, editor and resizer. Not sure about the last one? Allow me to prove it.

Resize Photos in Live Photo Gallery

Here I have a folder of some photos I want to prepare for posting on the web. Unlucky for me, their resolution is 6007×3994 (24 MP). Time to resize them.

I’ll open the first photo in Photo Gallery and click the Edit, organize or share button on the top left.

This will bring me to the folder view in Photo Gallery, from where I can select multiple items.

I can do that my using the small check box for each image on the top left, or with the good old Ctrl + Click.

After selecting, I can Right-click and pick Resize.

This will open the Resize window. From here I can use the drop down menu to select from a set of predefined sizes, or click Custom to enter my own dimensions.

For this set of images, I’ll chose my maximum width and height to be 1000 pixels.

I will also click the Browse button to define a location where I want my photos to be saved. (optional)

I’ll create a new folder where I’ll store only the resized photos.

After hitting OK, I can take a last glance to confirm everything is the way I want it to. Now I’ll press the Resize and Save button to begin the process.

A new window will appear, notifying me of the progress and displaying a thumbnail of the photo currently being resized. This process can take anywhere from seconds to hours depending on the amount of photos you’re resizing.

After the resizing is complete, Photo Gallery will brings us back to the folder, with the original photos selected.

The resized images come out with a maintained aspect ratio and a perfect level of compression. For those of you interested, here’s a comparison between the original 24 MP image and the resized one.

Pretty groovy, eh? I saved 8.74 MB for just one image! Enough space for at least two iTunes songs. Multiply that by 1200 (approximate size of my photo library) and you could free up a lot of space if you give resizing a try.

Google Mail Backup using Microsoft Outlook

Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook®

Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook® allows you to use Microsoft Outlook® 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2013 effectively with Google Apps. You get the cost savings, security and reliability of Google Apps, while employees can use the interface they prefer for email, contacts, calendar and notes.

The Google Apps Sync download includes Google Apps Migration for Microsoft Outlook® to import existing data to Google.

Help and information for Users

Help and information for Administrators

Download Google Apps Sync

System requirements:
Requires Google Apps for Business or Education

Windows XP (32 bit) SP3 
Windows Vista (32 bit) SP1
Windows Vista (64 bit) SP1
Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit)
Windows 8 (32 and 64 bit)

Microsoft Outlook 2003® SP3
Microsoft Outlook 2007® SP2 (or SP1 withhotfix)
Microsoft Outlook 2010® (32 and 64 bit)
Microsoft Outlook 2013® (32 and 64 bit. NOTE: Click-to-Run editions of Outlook are not supported)

More about system requirements
Help with installation

Currently using the free edition of Google Apps? 
Get a free trial of Google Apps for Business and try Google Apps Sync.