COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE & SECURITY BLOG

Upgrade Your Portable Storage, Free Up Your Life

Upgrade Your Portable Storage, Free Up Your Life

Every computer user should be using portable or external storage. It may be for your local backup, moving files from one device to another, or for the truly savvy, as a bootable tails drive to ensure cybersecurity and privacy. But few ever give thought to the performance of that portable storage device, and how it…

April 6, 2019

How To Turn Off Google Spam Filtering

How To Turn Off Google Spam Filtering

I really like Google G-Suite products. And unless your email needs require PGP encryption (in which case I'd recommend only ProtonMail.com), Google Mail is my go-to solution. One of the reasons I so highly value G-Suite is their best-in-class spam filtering. However, it is possible that for some users, life would be easier without this…

February 2, 2019

Google G-Suite New Pricing

Google G-Suite New Pricing

Over the past week, the administrators of Google G-Suite service have been receiving notice of price increases. In case your slipped through the cracks, attached below is the letter in its entirety. I continue to hold that Google G-Suite for Business and G-Suite Enterprise offer among the best total value when Total Cost of Ownership,…

January 29, 2019

Get Enterprise-Level Anti-Malware For Your Home and Office

Get Enterprise-Level Anti-Malware For Your Home and Office

Having quality anti-malware (often called antivirus) software on all of your computers is vital. So vital, it is mandatory for all healthcare, banking, government, military, and any other IT systems that must meet compliance requirements. The anti-malware that is built into both Windows and macOS do a fair job of protecting your computer, but it…

January 22, 2019

Will Your Website Work after February 1, 2019?

Will Your Website Work after February 1, 2019?

On or around February 1, 2019, a major upgrade will be made to the Domain Name System (DNS), that may impact the ability of your website and email to function properly. As reported on the DNS Flag Day site: The current DNS is unnecessarily slow and suffers from inability to deploy new features. To remediate…

January 19, 2019

Q: How Do I Burn CD/DVD in Mojave (macOS 10.14)?

Q: How Do I Burn CD/DVD in Mojave (macOS 10.14)?

A: Due to a bug (feature?!) introduced in macOS 10.14 Mojave, when inserting a blank optical disc (CD or DVD), it will not display in the Finder. This creates a bit of a problem when wanting to drag and drop items into it for burning. Fear not, there is an easy solution... Insert blank disc. An…

January 17, 2019

IMPORTANT! Fix for ConnectWise Remote Control

IMPORTANT! Fix for ConnectWise Remote Control

If you are a Mintz InfoTech client who uses macOS, please take 10 minutes to read and follow this article. The recent massive overhaul to macOS internal security has broken almost all remote control software–including that used by MintzIT. Following this article now will fix the issue. If the fix isn't put in, you may…

January 15, 2019

Q: Which should I use for backups: Hard Drive or Solid State Drive?

Q: Which should I use for backups: Hard Drive or Solid State Drive?

A: Let's start with defining what these devices are. HARD DISK DRIVE (HDD) An HDD is an internal or external drive that uses rotating disks that are covered with a metal oxide (same as on video tape or cassette tape). This technology has been around since before the dawn of the PC. The cost is…

December 29, 2018

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity Planning

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity Planning

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity Planning (DRBC) isn't just one of the most mind-numbing topics to bring up at a party, it is vital for every organization.

December 19, 2018

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC Pro Access Point (Unboxed) (Quantity 2)

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC Pro Access Point (Unboxed) (Quantity 2)

The Ubiquiti UniFi is one of the finest Wi-Fi access points available.

Sales Products, Support Blog

December 15, 2018

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi AC HD Wave 2 Access Point (2 available) (New)

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi AC HD Wave 2 Access Point (2 available) (New)

The Ubiquiti Access Point is one of the most powerful, flexible, and reliable units available.

Sales Products, Support Blog

December 15, 2018

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi Gateway (Un-Boxed)

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi Gateway (Un-Boxed)

The Ubiquiti Security Gateway is one of the finest products on the market.

Sales Products, Support Blog

December 15, 2018

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi Security Gateway (New, In Box)

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi Security Gateway (New, In Box)

$139 List, $120 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Security-Gateway-USG/dp/B00LV8YZLK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544912730&sr=8-1&keywords=ubiquiti+security+gateway). $75 obo (plus shipping) MintzIT price. Integration with UniFi Controller The UniFi® Controller software conducts device discovery, provisioning, and management of the UniFi Security Gateway and other UniFi devices through a single, centralized interface. Powerful Firewall Performance The UniFi® Security Gateway offers advanced firewall policies to protect your network…

Sales Products, Support Blog

December 15, 2018

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi Gateway Pro-4 (Open-Box)

Special Sale! Ubiquiti UniFi Gateway Pro-4 (Open-Box)

The Ubiqiiti Gateway Pro-4 is one of the best units on the market.

Sales Products, Support Blog

December 15, 2018

Holiday Specials!

Holiday Specials!

MintzIT is clearing out all remaining hardware at dramatic savings. All products are new, some display models. Ubiquiti UniFi Switch 24 - 250W (No Box) $399 List price, $390 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UniFi-Switch-Managed-US-24-250W/dp/B00OJZUQ24/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544911083&sr=8-1&keywords=US-24-250W) $299 obo (plus shipping) MintzIT price. Advanced Port Management Each switch port offers custom settings: port name, PoE, network/VLAN configuration, and operation mode…

Sales Products, Support Blog

December 15, 2018

Q: Why is my internet speed so slow?

Q: Why is my internet speed so slow?

A: When purchasing a broadband connection from your DSL, cable, satellite, or another provider, you are sold a package with an estimated top speed–such as 20Mbs download. But it is exceptionally rare to get this speed. We receive complaints from clients almost every day about this, asking how we can fix the slow speed problem. Unfortunately,…

December 2, 2018

Q: My router died. Which router do you recommend?

Q: My router died. Which router do you recommend?

A: Most people know they need a router to connect to the Internet. Few understand what a router is or does. The primary purpose of a router is to connect one network with another. In most cases, this is to connect the network of your Internet Service Provider (ISP) (cable, DSL, microwave, etc.) with your…

November 27, 2018

Q: Why do I need to restart my computer so often?

Q: Why do I need to restart my computer so often?

A: Depending on the computer, operating system, applications used, and amount of RAM, a computer will need to be power-cycled (not restarted) once a day, once a week, maybe as rarely as once a month. Think of it like this: If you are anything like me, my car is washed (power-cycled) once a month. After…

November 1, 2018

Q: How to connect my pool house to my home network?

Q: How to connect my pool house to my home network?

A. There are a couple ways to do this (extend your home network to another building) economically: Extend an Ethernet cable from the router in the home to the pool house. This should be done by an electrician, either by trenching a cable or running it overhead (not recommended - risk of being hit by…

October 29, 2018

iOS 12 Released! Practical Paranoia iOS 12 Security Essentials Now Available!

iOS 12 Released! Practical Paranoia iOS 12 Security Essentials Now Available!

Apple has just released iOS 12 for iPhone and iPad–the most advanced mobile operating system ever. It is recommended that all iPhone and iPad users upgrade to take advantage of all the new features, including: Speed–Up to 200% faster FaceTime–Video and audio sharing with up to 32 people at once Notifications–Instant Tuning reduces interruptions Photos–Faster,…

Practical Paranoia, Support Blog

October 22, 2018

VOTE as though you life depends on it

VOTE as though you life depends on it

Every single day my staff and I battle criminals, enemy agents, malware, and wackadoodle ex’s from compromising your security and privacy. I think we do an excellent job of it. There is, however, a limit as to how much we can do. One of those limits just hit you and me, and in a way…

October 21, 2018

Marc L. Mintz

Marc L. Mintz

Marc L. Mintz is one of the most respected and highly sought-after IT consultants and technical trainers in the United States. With over 20 years experience, his technical support services and workshops have been embraced by hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals. He is author of the best-selling Practical Paranoia IT Security Essentials book…

Practical Paranoia

October 17, 2018

macOS 10.14 Mojave Released! Practical Paranoia macOS 10.14 Security Essentials Now Available!

macOS 10.14 Mojave Released! Practical Paranoia macOS 10.14 Security Essentials Now Available!

Apple has just released macOS 10.14 Mojave–the most advanced computer operating system ever. It is recommended that all Macintosh users upgrade to take advantage of all the new features, including: Stacks automatically organize files on your Desktop Finder is more powerful than ever–locate a file by how it looks, instantly see all file metadata, and perform…

Practical Paranoia, Support Blog

October 16, 2018

The Mintz IT Competitive Advantage & Security Newsletter

The Mintz IT Competitive Advantage & Security Newsletter

Welcome to the Competitive Advantage & Security newsletter, our weekly mucking and spreading of horse sense for all home and business technology users. 2015 brings us into a new chapter of our business. Our business model has been turned on its head, requiring not only a different name, but a different corporate entity. The "computer…

Practical Paranoia

October 10, 2018

Practical Paranoia for Windows 10

Practical Paranoia for Windows 10

Updated January 2016! The best-selling, easiest, step-by-step, most comprehensive guide to securing your home or business Windows 10 computers. Official workbook for the Practical Paranoia: Security Essentials Workshop. Designed for both workshop use and self-study. The entire workshop is contained within the book. Includes all instructor presentations, hands-on assignments, links to all software, security checklist,…

Practical Paranoia

October 8, 2018

Q: Would a school or business that bans personal WiFi routers be able to “scan” for them?

Q: Would a school or business that bans personal WiFi routers be able to “scan” for them?

A: WiFi routers can be scanned for by their wireless signal (the electromagnetic frequency that is easily triangulated), and can by way of device type on the network. Improperly configured, such a router could easily be a potential security vulnerability to the network and the devices connected to it. Even if properly configured, it would…

September 24, 2018

Practical Paranoia iOS 12 Security Essentials Released! 50% Discount!

Practical Paranoia iOS 12 Security Essentials Released! 50% Discount!

Apple released iOS 12 today–the most advanced mobile operating system ever. It is recommended that all iPhone and iPad users upgrade to take advantage of all the new features, including: 50-200% performance improvement FaceTime now supports video and audio with up to 32 people at once Personal Animoji The most advanced Augmented Reality Do Not Disturb can…

September 17, 2018

Windows 10 Guarantee

Windows 10 Guarantee

Practical Paranoia: Windows 10 Security Essentials, the best-selling, easiest, and most comprehensive guide to fully securing your home and office PC, has just received a significant update, and will be on bookshelves within 2 weeks. This update includes Windows 10 changes introduced over the past month, as well as a new chapter covering encryption of…

Practical Paranoia

September 7, 2018

Remove Adobe Acrobat “Please wait while the document is being prepared” alert

Remove Adobe Acrobat “Please wait while the document is being prepared” alert

Many of our clients have recently noticed a new alert appearing when opening files in Adobe Acrobat (both Reader and Pro). The alert reads: Content Preparation Progress. Please wait while the document is being prepared for reading." Adobe support says this alert should normally not appear, but may with large (number of pages or file size)…

September 5, 2018

Q: I’ve been told my file has illegal characters. What is that?

Q: I’ve been told my file has illegal characters. What is that?

A. Every operating system recognizes some set of characters. In the earlier days of computing that set was called ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange). This consisted of 255 characters including a-Z, 0-9, special characters such as !, and control characters such as carriage return. And then someone realized that some places on the planet didn't use…

September 1, 2018

Q: How do I perform directory repair on macOS?

Q: How do I perform directory repair on macOS?

A: Properly repairing the macOS directory isn't quite as easy today as it was in previous systems, but still doable by the end user. First, let's discover what is a directory. We can think of a computer storage device (hard drive, flash drive, solid state drive, thumb drive, etc.) as the digital equivalent of a…

August 31, 2018

Q: How can I permanently delete all of my work emails?

Q: How can I permanently delete all of my work emails?

A: Without knowing the details of your email server, a definitive answer isn’t available. But here are some issues to think about: You do not “own” your work mail. Your employer does. If you permanently delete work mail, this very likely has legal implications that you would not want to deal with. If your work…

August 28, 2018

Q: Will I get fired if my manager find out I sent the project file home, and they are very tight on security?

Q: Will I get fired if my manager find out I sent the project file home, and they are very tight on security?

A: This depends on your company IT Policies and Procedures. For most organizations that deal with sensitive information, that information is not permitted to leave secure controlled company IT infrastructure. Your home network and computer have not been through a security audit. It is almost certain there are significant security vulnerabilities (in 37 years of IT,…

August 28, 2018

Q: How do you create a fake screen that is locked, but it looks like your computer can be used?

Q: How do you create a fake screen that is locked, but it looks like your computer can be used?

A: Simple! Take a screenshot of how you want the lock screen to look. If needed, edit the image to your taste. Set your screensaver to that image. Configure your screensaver to have a password.

August 28, 2018

Q: Is MacBook Pro worth buying in 2018?

Q: Is MacBook Pro worth buying in 2018?

A: First, although my career has been dominated by Mac, my organization also supports Chrome, Linux, and Windows. This is to say I don’t have a dog in this race. COST People that point out that Mac’s are significantly more expensive than PC’s are comparing (literally) Apples to oranges. Comparing a BMW to a Yugo.…

August 28, 2018

Q: What equipment/services do I need to set up my home office for telecommuting jobs?

Q: What equipment/services do I need to set up my home office for telecommuting jobs?

A: In large part this depends on the specific needs of the telecommuting job, but here are the basics required by any telecommuter: A reliable computer that is faster than you. If your computer is a performance/productivity bottleneck, your employer will likely notice and find someone else who can be more productive. The software mandated…

August 28, 2018

Q: Is it better to buy an inexpensive smartphone every 2 years, or premium every 5?

Q: Is it better to buy an inexpensive smartphone every 2 years, or premium every 5?

A: If the smartphone is for business, and your own productivity can be improved with a quality device, it is more cost-effective to replace the premium unit every year, and then sell your old device. Think of it this way: If a premium phone costs $800, and a low-end phone costs even $0, you replace…

August 28, 2018

Free Upgrade to Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 Security Essentials

Free Upgrade to Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 Security Essentials

Free Upgrade to Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 Security Essentials In case you have been living in an ice cave the past few months, ransomware and hacker attacks are increasing faster than ever. A vulnerability on one computer can almost immediately lead to compromising all computers. Apple will be releasing its latest operating system–macOS 10.13, High…

Practical Paranoia, Support Blog

August 15, 2018

Practical Paranoia for iOS 12 Devices

Practical Paranoia for iOS 12 Devices

Updated 2018 The best-selling, easiest, step-by-step, most comprehensive guide to securing your home or business iOS iPhone and iPad. Completely revised and updated for iOS 12. Official workbook for the Practical Paranoia: Security Essentials Workshop. Designed for both workshop use and self-study. The entire workshop is contained within the book. Includes all instructor presentations, hands-on…

August 14, 2018

iOS 11 Practical Paranoia Security Essentials

iOS 11 Practical Paranoia Security Essentials

Live Versions are updated in real time for iOS 11 You don't need to be paranoid to know they are out there to get your computer, data, and identity. All you need is the best-selling, easiest, step-by-step, comprehensive guide to securing your home or business iPhones and iPads running iOS 11. In this easy, step-by-step…

Practical Paranoia

August 14, 2018

Practical Paranoia for OS X 10.12 Sierra

Practical Paranoia for OS X 10.12 Sierra

Updated August, 2016! The best-selling, easiest, step-by-step, most comprehensive guide to securing your home or business OS X computers. Completely revised and updated for OS X 10.12, Sierra. Official workbook for the Practical Paranoia: Security Essentials Workshop. Designed for both workshop use and self-study. The entire workshop is contained within the book. Includes all instructor…

August 10, 2018

My Technology OMG! Moment

My Technology OMG! Moment

Years back, Business Week magazine published a study on what personal computer IT upgrade provides the biggest return on investment. Issues such as faster cpu, more RAM, larger storage (they didn't have "faster" storage back then as we do now with SSD and Flash drives), and monitor size were evaluated. The study prompted me to…

August 7, 2018

New, Best-In-Class Network Equipment For Sale

New, Best-In-Class Network Equipment For Sale

New, Best-In-Class Network Equipment For Sale MintzIT is clearing out our stock of new, best-in-class network equipment at great discounts. Asus RP-AC68U AC1900 Wireless Access Point New, never opened. 2 available. Currently selling on Amazon for $223 plus $21 shipping. Specs MintzIT Price: $175 plus $20 shipping. Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC Pro Access Point New. In box. 2 available.…

Sales Products, Support Blog

July 23, 2018

Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 1-Day Workshop

Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 1-Day Workshop

Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 1-Day Workshop with Marc Mintz Secure your Mac OS 10.13 computer from malware, criminals, snoops, and the whackadoodle ex. Concerned about being hacked? Your identity stolen? Your precious data stolen or encrypted? You should be. Hacking is a billion-dollar enterprise and everyone is a potential target. At risk are your personal and business messages, emails, photos,…

January 23, 2018

How can I convert my MacBook into a dedicated server?

How can I convert my MacBook into a dedicated server?

What are you looking for your server to do? For just under $20 you can get Apples server app, which gives you DNS, DHCP, mail, print, ftp, vpn, file, netinstall, netboot, network user accounts, and more (not that you can run all services concurrently on a laptop - ram and cpu resources come into play.)…

January 2, 2018

Can I use a basic software solution like Apple’s Mail to manage multiple email addresses?

Can I use a basic software solution like Apple’s Mail to manage multiple email addresses?

First, I’m a bit pressed to see Apple’s Mail as a basic software solution. I believe it has hit the sweet spot of performance, features, and stability. Ignoring that, yes! Outlook, Thunderbird, and almost all (maybe all) mail clients allow for multiple accounts. Where you will see the one-account limit is with web-based email (hotmail,…

January 2, 2018

If you could choose anyone to be your boss, who would you choose, and why?

If you could choose anyone to be your boss, who would you choose, and why?

Myself. He has a long track record of being on target more often than not, understands when I need time off, fairly smart, more than his fair share of empathy and leadership skills, and lets me sleep with his wife.

January 2, 2018

How do you pick the right wireless modem for a big house?

How do you pick the right wireless modem for a big house?

If you were to gather a group of 100 IT consultants and pose this question to them, you would likely receive 100 different answers. Bottom line is that if the house is large (2000sq’ or larger), or has thick walls (such as adobe), metal mesh in the walls, or significant metal objects in many of…

January 2, 2018

Why did Apple change all the ports on the Macbook Pro to USB-C when you can’t connect your iPhone to it with the usual cable? Is this against Apple’s motto of simplicity and seamlessness?

Why did Apple change all the ports on the Macbook Pro to USB-C when you can’t connect your iPhone to it with the usual cable? Is this against Apple’s motto of simplicity and seamlessness?

I may well have missed the memo, but as a Certified Apple Consultant and Apple Developer, I’ve never heard that Apple had such a motto, and it is nowhere to be found in their mission statement (I may not have the current statement). When would you like Apple to move to the next generation technology?…

January 2, 2018

The iMac pro at max config cost 14k. Surely people agree that it is a HUGE ripoff now?

The iMac pro at max config cost 14k. Surely people agree that it is a HUGE ripoff now?

When I started in the IT field (31 years back), I created a computer animation company. One of the first to use Macintosh systems. My Macs cost around $8K-$10K (in 1987 dollars). This was a bargain in a few ways. First, the competing systems started at $50K. My systems were faster. These blazing (for their…

January 2, 2018