Pick up your 2016 wall calendar, pocket calendar and pen/flashlight keychain at our office today. If you can’t make it in, please let us know and we will get them to you!

Thank you!

A few helpful tips on speeding up your Internet

One of the biggest annoyances of this day and age when it comes to modern technology is an Internet connection that is not being maximized to its full ability. Nothing gets us tapping our fingers out of our own impatience more than slow download times and sluggish page loads. There is hope, though! With a little inquiry, it is easy to manage your own bandwidth and use it to its full capacity (without even having to call your Internet service provider!).

One of the easiest ways to make sure your connection is running at its optimum speed is to make sure you have an up-to-date malware protection program installed on your computer. Malware eats up bandwidth and thus slows download time. Ensure that your device is protected against malware. It is also wise to avoid off-brand free-share and download sites. Always check sites that may contain unwanted add-ons (viruses) that may damage your computer or disrupt your software. Keeping current and updated anti-spyware and firewall programs on your computer is a good tactic in keeping your internet speed running at its largest capacity, but having too many programs blocking the same sites can slow down your speed as well, so it is smart to keep one comprehensive program that can perform all of those tasks at once.

The browser you use is also an important factor in the speed of your download time. A proficient tool in increasing your Internet speed is Internet Cyclone, and loband.org may be used as a browser inside of a browser that disables pages from loading with images, decreasing the time it takes to download the page. If you are using Internet Explorer or Firefox as your browser of choice, downloading Google Web Accelerator is a useful tool that is meant to speed up broadband connections, it may also slow the connection, though, so testing it on your device would be a good option to see what works best for you. If you are using Firefox specifically, the Fasterfox extension and Firetune are great accelerators for maximizing your download speed. Google Chrome has also proven itself to be an efficient browser, with quick download times and concise connections.

Among all of the tricks of the trade, making sure that you are operating with updated software is probably the best tactic you can use when optimizing your broadband connection. Having up-to-date software that is created to run at quicker speeds while taking up less space optimize your connectivity while not fully occupying your system. All in all, system maintenance and upkeep is the best bet when troubleshooting Internet connectivity.

Ranch Wireless is your first choice for business and residential internet, voice, and data services in South Central Texas including Seguin, Karnes City, Kenedy, Three Rivers, and George West. Ranch Wireless just completed building a new tower that will extend our coverage area for residential and business internet services to Sinton, Taft, Odem, Robstown, Cotulla, and Banquete, TX. Contact us today for the internet or voice solution that is right for you.

When shopping around for local Internet service, it often means that a customer will compare several different companies. Initially, it is wise for the customer to decide if they want a dial-up connection or broadband services. When comparing local ISP’s, some contributing factors in a customer’s decision will likely be the connection speeds offered, price, and location. In the end, a customer will make their final choice by selecting a local ISP that offers the best type of services that they are looking for.

A customer’s first step in selecting the best local ISP is to research and learn about the options available to them. A customer may find that they may acquire DSL, dial-up service, broadband, or satellite depending on where they live. Once a customer has learned what types of services they may enlist, their preferences are then determined.

The majority of people prefer broadband service to dial-up Internet, as broadband is a constant connection. Considering that going online with broadband Internet is as simple as perhaps opening a web browser, it makes it a more desirable Internet solution. With dial-up services, customers must have a local-access number and they must allow their computer’s modem to dial into the connection—this takes a few moments, and in comparison to a broadband solution, it may seem like it even takes too long. With broadband services, a customer is also able to talk on the phone and use the Internet at the same time.

The speed of a connection is also a critical determiner for when a customer is choosing a local ISP. In general, broadband services provide the fastest Internet speeds—though speed can differ from service provider to service provider. A customer would be wise to compare the speeds between services when looking for a local ISP. This way, they are able to gauge who provides the type of service and the Internet speed that they are looking for. If a customer is only using the Internet on occasion, or if they aren’t concerned with connection speed, they may select a dial-up service that meets their needs.

Local ISP’s also differ in their pricing structures. For instance, a dial-up service will typically be cheaper than a broadband solution. For a customer to select the very best local ISP for their Internet solution, it is wise for them to research and compare companies that provide what they are looking for. Often times, local ISP’s will offer introductory benefits for new customers that make services more affordable.

For questions or more information on Cloud Computing and what it can do for your business Contact Ranch Wireless today!

– Al Gore did, Right?

Well, no…Al Gore did, however, quite famously, make this statement during and interview with CNN in March of 1999 “…I took the initiative in creating the Internet…” Former Vice President Gore’s poor choice in words propelled enough media “hoopla” that it still has not died out more then 15 years later, leaving some to wonder who DID invent the internet?

– So, who then?

Depending on the definition of “The Internet”, who actually invented it, could be up for debate. As early and the 1940’s the United States Government envisioned a system of data that could be stored on one main frame and could be accessible to those within that main frames network. In 1968 Bob Taylor, a computer scientist with the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), had developed a plan that generally encompassed the idea of Time-Sharing, where MIT, UC Berkley and System Development Corp had systems that also connected to the pentagon. The concept of Time-Sharing, however, was initiated in 1957 by John McCarthy.

BBN Technologies won the bid to develop ARPA network in April of 1969. The BBN team, lead by Frank Heart, went on to develop the infrastructure that is the basis for todays Internet. In the 1970’s Xerox developed PARC Universal Packet or PUP which implemented the packet delivery system the Internet uses today. However in 1973 Robert Kahn and Vinton Cerf had come up with a “fundamental Reformulation” of existing protocols and TCP/IP the backbone of todays Internet was born.

– Ok…So Who Invented the Internet?

So, did the United States government invent the Internet or was it private citizens who invented it? It appears that the Internet was not “invented” by any one individual or entity, or even at all, but rather a collaboration of ideas and prototypes that fit together to “develop” the Internet over time. The most important invention on the road to the development of the modern Internet is notably TCP/IP protocol, without which today’s Internet would cease to function. One could also argue that because the majority of systems and prototypes leading to the Internet was developed under U.S. government grants, the United States Government invented the Internet. However, when all the evidence is weighed it does appear that the real answer to “Who invented the Internet?” is arguably, no one at all!

Ranch Wireless can offer a combination impeccable service found no where else. Contact Us for more info in Seguin, TX. We are dedicated to providing the best internet service to our customers.

National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) is observed in October of each year since 2004.

Following are some security tips from Ranch Wireless to help keep you safe online;

Keep your Machine UTD –

This means, always keeping your operating system, internet browsers, security software and generally all your software up to date with the latest updates and versions. This is especially important with your security and anti-virus software as well as your operating system. Keeping your automatic updates turned on can help keep your machine up to date if the option is available. The same is true for your smartphones, tablets and any other device you use to connect to the internet, including USBs and other external devices that can be plugged into your machine.

Open with Care –

Whether or not it is an email from a good friend, a tweet, a post on your Facebook timeline or an advertisement that popped up will shopping for that new pair of shoes you’ve been dreaming about, if it doesn’t look right, it’s probably not, so DON’T click on it to find out!!! Delete the email, message or post or close the pop up and move on.

When using free Wifi from your favorite coffee shop or your local McDonalds do not conduct any business online that you would not want to share with the world. In other words, things that are private, like passwords, credit card numbers and other sensitive data should not be entered while using a public Wifi connection, even if the site is secure (Contains the http[s]://) if your connection to the internet is public then so might the information you are keying in! Banking and shopping are online activities better left for home!

Help Keep the Web Safe –

Help Ranch Wireless in the fight cybercrime by reporting stolen finances and identities!