Computer/ Internet Tips & News
February 2022

  • How to save money on your internet service
  • Change these Facebook settings now
  • Understanding 3G vs 5G vs 5 GHz
  • We can help with more than just computers...
  • ICYMI: Previous articles you may have missed or want to read again are available on our website and newsletter archives
Reno's PC & Technology Help Experts since 2003 

Affordable PC Repair - Experienced IT Consultants 
In-Home Service & Remote Support

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Support for Windows - macOS - iOS - Android
How to save money on your internet service
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Internet service is sold and priced at the speed of the internet connection you can expect at your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) modem/gateway located in your home.

As of February 2022 in Reno, Charter’s Spectrum service offers download speeds of 100 Megabits per second (Mbps), 400 Mbps and 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps or often referred to 1 Gig). AT&T’s Internet service offers slower download speeds ranging from less than 1 Mbps to 100 Mbps on their xDSL service, and speeds up to 5000 Mbps (5 gigabits) on their fiber service. Of course, the higher speeds will cost more money. Count on spending at least $50/month for reliable internet service, but anything above $95/month is probably unnecessary.

Faster internet speeds do not make your computer faster.
Change these Facebook settings now
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We’ve been receiving lots of reports from clients that their Facebook account has been hacked. In reality, usually it’s just been cloned. Here’s what’s happening: 

If you have a Facebook account, by default your friends list is set to “Public” – meaning anybody on the internet can see who your Facebook friends are. But miscreants can use this information along with other public information about you on Facebook to impersonate you by creating a new Facebook profile – even with your public profile picture(s). Continue reading...
Understanding the difference between 3G vs 5G vs 5 GHz
You may have heard about 3G cellular networks being shut down this year. Fortunately your cellular service provider should have notified you about the change long ago so you’ve likely already changed to a compatible 4G or 5G device.

So what is 3G, 4G, 5G?
3G, 4G and 5G are mobile wireless cellular radiotelephone generations. 3G networks were introduced in 1998, and eventually replaced earlier 2G and 1st generation mobile networks. 4G was first deployed in the United States by Verizon in 2011. 5G networks began deployment in 2019, and are predicted to have over 1.7 billion subscribers by 2025. But now wireless carriers want to free-up the frequencies used by 3G networks for 5G networks. Continue reading...
The latest scams to avoid
If you've read our information about scams before, it's worth taking a few minutes to review this important money-saving information and catch up on how to avoid falling victim to the latest scams.
Every month we help people who have been scammed. But had they read our newsletters and printed our website articles, they wouldn't have been scammed out of hundreds or thousands of dollars. Scammers are becoming increasingly clever. By using technology - automated email and phone dialing - hackers and scammers take advantage of the anonymity of the internet to reach millions of potential victims in attempt to trick them into giving up their money. With a little bit of knowledge of scams and how they work, you won't become a victim yourself.

We can help with more than just computers...
Did you know that Computer Techs can help with more than just computers? Check out some of our services that you may have not known about:

  • New computer or mobile device (smartphone/tablet) buying advice
  • New computer or mobile device set-up & transfer settings and apps from an old device
  • Help with recovery of forgotten passwords or hacked accounts
  • Printer troubleshooting or setup
  • TV streaming media device setup
  • Smart speaker / voice assistant device setup
  • Wireless camera and security device setup
  • Software installation
  • Microsoft Office help
  • Email setup/customization
  • Wireless router & Internet set-up
  • Wi-Fi optimization and troubleshooting
  • Computer data back-up solutions
  • Diagnose misc. software or hardware problems
  • Telecom bill audit/review to help you save money on your phone/internet/TV services
  • & much more
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
You can also view the Computer Techs YouTube playlist at youtube.CTreno.com
You can easily access tips and news from previous newsletters on our newsletter archives webpage. Articles you may have missed or wish to read again include:

  • How to recognize fraudulent emails
  • Microsoft pushing new Windows 11, Edge browser updates
  • 2 new iPhone features you should turn on now
  • Protect your mobile number from hackers
  • Check out our video playlist on YouTube
  • Google requiring 2-Step Verification to sign-in
  • Windows 11 released in October - what you need to know
  • Chip shortage likely to cause lower supply, higher prices
  • Top 5 password tips that you need to know
  • Reveal the passwords stored in your browser - and check for the logins exposed in a data breach
  • Verizon sells off Yahoo and AOL
  • Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide a discount of up to $50/month towards broadband internet service for eligible households
  • How to make it easier to read articles in your web browser - use Reader Mode
  • FTC Identity Theft website guides victims through the recovery process
  • How to spot scams that pop-up on your screen - and how to get rid of them
  • How to spot emails, texts and pop-ups that "phish" for your private information
  • Your old cellphone may stop working soon
  • We can help with more than just computers and smartphones
  • How to fix most printer problems
  • Watch the world from home
  • How to send a message or email from your phone correctly
  • Ad blockers becoming less effective
  • Why you don't need to buy AntiVirus for your device
  • Is it time to replace or optimize your Wi-Fi?
  • Be proactive about computer maintenance
  • Why you should keep your computer ON when you're not using it
  • Canceling your TV service
  • Why you should never unsubscribe from certain emails
  • How ads follow you around the internet
  • Are you prepared if you lost your data?
  • Check to see if your email address was exposed in a data breach
  • Are you fed up with your internet provider's email "service"?
  • The one spec your next computer must have
Please consider recommending us on Nextdoor
If you use the neighborhood social network Nextdoor, please consider recommending Mark Cobb @ Computer Techs Reno to your neighbors. We get lots of referrals from neighbors looking for a good "computer tech".


For more information about benefiting from our referral program click more...
Get regular computing device maintenance and priority support
It's time to be proactive about maintaining your computing devices - rather than calling after problems get out-of-control. With reports of websites and databases getting hacked occurring on a daily basis, and the increasing chance of your personal information being compromised, it’s more important than ever to keep your computing devices secure, up-to-date and maintained.

Thanks to the peace-of-mind that our Computer Maintenance Plan provides, clients that sign-up for the plan don't have to worry about the seemingly constant barrage of updates, security patches and computer hackers. They also get priority callbacks and messaging replies.

With our Computer Maintenance Plan we will maintain, update and check the security on your computer - and other devices (when performed on-site) - on a convenient regularly scheduled basis.

For more information read more...


Thank you!

Mark Cobb
Owner/Technician/IT Consultant