~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE: ROUTERS, PROGRAMS, AND POWER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DSL / CABLE ROUTERS
As many of you know, once you've experienced high-speed internet access, nothing less will do. The always-on convenience of instant messaging, online order entry, and email can be true productivity boosters. With a relatively new product, DSL / Cable routers, a whole office can now share a single Internet account for less than multiple phone lines and individual dial-up modems.

DSL / Cable routers cost between $100 and $150. They interface between the DSL or cable modem and the network cards in each computer or to your network hub. If you are ordering a new service, be sure to request an Ethernet modem, not the USB variety. Also be careful that you order service from a reputable company. Many of the companies that had great deals last year are now gone.

You may still choose to have your current ISP host your web site and email if you are happy with their service. Moving these services is a lot more work than just adding DSL or cable for high-speed connectivity. If you do need web hosting or additional email accounts, maybe we can help. ARK Systems has worked with a major wholesale web / email hosting company for over a year and we have been very happy with their services, prices, and performance.

TOO MANY PROGRAMS OPEN
No matter how much memory or disk space you have in your PC, Windows can only swap so many programs at a time. An exact count of how many programs you can open is difficult to determine since some are bigger memory hogs than others. But if you have Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, a DOS application, your browser, and Solitaire all sitting on your task bar at once, you are crusin' for a brusin'!

A little program called Resource Meter is the best way to tell if you are opening too many applications. It is usually found in Programs, Accessories, System Tools. If not, you may need to install it from the Windows CD (Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Setup tab). Make sure the little meter in your system tray stays green.

CALIFORNIA SUMMER
Having the power go out unexpectedly can be devastating to your computers and your data. Unfortunately, it is something we all may be experiencing soon. What should you do to prepare? First off, register to receive free email warnings about upcoming blackouts. Register at: http://www.incident.com/edismail.html. Next make sure all servers, NT workstations, and mission-critical PCs, have a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply - not the brown truck kind). Buy ones with built-in shutdown cables and software. That way you can continue to work until the software tells you to stop. Also, servers will automatically be shutdown if no one is around. Check whether you have a free serial or USB port on your PC before buying the battery backup so you can get the correct type. We have had very good luck with the Belkin Pro Gold 350v or 500v models. They are available at many office supply and electronics stores. Periodically you should test your UPS. Close all your applications and pull the plug on the UPS. Check that the shutdown software works correctly and see how long the battery lasts.

Be sure to turn off all equipment once the power goes out so there will be no damage from surges when power is restored. Once the power does come back on, wait a few minutes to see if it's "for real". Then turn on your servers. Next power up PCs and printers. Re-index any database files and check the last entry you did. Now just be glad it's someone else's turn next.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
©2001 ARK Systems. All rights reserved. To remove yourself from this list, reply with "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject field. To SUBSCRIBE, send email to newsletter@arksystems.com with SUBSCRIBE in the Subject. Likewise, please send us your suggestions and ideas to cover in future issues. Thanks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~