Blog - Boomer Tech Guy

Boomer Tech Guy is YOUR Technology Help Site!

Welcome to your blog and website. Thank you for dropping by to see what you are writing. YES, you are creating the content here because our purpose is to serve your needs. Boomer Tech Guy exists to be your technology help site for your devices. We may write the articles and posts or take advantage of guest authors but you will decide the ongoing content. Our readers know more about what they want than we could ever guess.

So, what is the focus of Boomer Tech Guy’s technology help?

Your Smartphones, Tablets, and Computers

The purpose of Boomer Tech Guy is to support Boomers and their families in getting the most from their smartphones, tablets, and computers. This evolving technology help blog is driven by member feedback on topics of interest related to smartphones, tablets, and computers.

You bought that fancy new phone. Now what? Did you get some great help at that retail kiosk where the twenty-something showed you fifteen things you could do in twenty-seconds? They even had you set your passcode yourself. Might have even helped you set up your email account. Now, where was that icon? Even as an experienced user, I need a little help with a new device. Boomer Tech Guy is here for you.

Been Using Technology for Years

Maybe you are like my partner and me. You have been using technology for years and are comfortable with it. You even know how to Google to refresh your memory for that task you only do three times a year. What can we do for you?

Remember the curse of the competent, everyone asks you “How do I…?” You fill in the blank. You know who you are and what everyone knows you can do. Boomer Tech Guy can be your helper. Go from being a crutch to being a resource by referring your friends to a safe place to learn without you holding their hand several times a day. Working with us, you can tell them where to go and have them leave with a smile.

If you are the go-to source in your crowd, you will grow in value as you guide us in providing tools to answer the questions you are asked most often. I know what it’s like. Truth be told, I’m that guy too, and have been since college. I know first hand the struggle of wanting to be helpful and needing to meet my own commitments. Boomer Tech Guy is here to help you do both.

Who knows, you might even see a topic or two you haven’t become an expert on yet. Check out the list of some upcoming topics in development. While you’re here, add a comment on the three topics you are asked to help with most often.

Not a Boomer?

Are you about to leave because you are not a boomer? Hold on for one more moment. Do you know a boomer or have parents or grandparents that are boomers? Maybe even the next door neighbor.

You love answering all their questions about technology. Right? You look forward to that 3 o’clock call as you hurry to get snacks for the kids or finish two more emails before your next meeting. “Hey, how do I find Candy Crush?” or “I can’t see the kids pictures, where did you put them?”

We are here for you, with simple guides that you can use to teach your friends and family the basic tasks in today’s technology-enabled life. Whether you choose to print out a guide and walk them through it or just send them a quick link, Boomer Tech Guy is there for you and yours.

Who knows, you may find yourself printing a few cheat sheets to glance at on occasion.

What Will You Learn?

These are a few of the topics Boomer Tech Guy will be covering in Q3 2018. Your comments and suggests will make this list morph into your list. Please suggest additional topics and what you would like to see next.

Password Management – Passwords you must have
Email – The basics: Accounts, Clients, and Providers – They are different things!
Seeing the Grandkids – Want pictures or video?
Managing Contacts – Address books and contact management
Definitions and Surveys – What is what? What do you want to know?
Great Photos – Size isn’t everything – That phone can take great pictures
Using Voice to Text – That keyboard is small or my fingers are fat
What’s this about emoticons – A picture can be worth at least 3-5 words
Texting contact information or photos – And what do you do when you receive them?

Come Back a Few Several Times

Boomer Tech Guy may not be for you! But right now you don’t have enough information to know that. We are just getting started and you will decide our eventual value. Your feedback determines our direction.

Join our mailing list for our newsletter and new post updates. Every email will have an unsubscribe link. If you find you don’t like it, just click the link and you will be sent a confirming goodbye email, then you will be off the list forever.

It’s free! What do you have to lose?

Who are we? Just a quick page on the founders of Boomer Tech Guy.

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Coming Soon: Password Management Options

Security isn’t free applies to our online presence, our person, and property. Sandra and I were talking about what is important to share with our new friends that we meet here, security is at the top of the list.

News in May 2018 coming from the FBI: Hackers found a flaw allowing them to take control of your router and read your network traffic. The FBI has taken down the identified sites being used to take advantage of this exploit, but new sites could spring up in the future.

Definitions: Detailed and Simple

Sandra’s eyes glazed over as she read the original draft of this post. After a little ‘remember when’ conversation, it’s clear that some definitions are useful.

There are two links for most items. One link goes to Wikipedia and gives a detailed definition. The second link goes to Boomer Tech Guy’s Jargon page with a short simple definition.

Network [BTG Jargon – Network] – A collection of connected devices that can exchange data.
Router [BTG Jargon – Router] – The router allows two or more devices (computers, printers, and others) to talk together and/or share a connection to the internet. Devices connect using RJ45/Ethernet cables. (RJ45 cables link is only for the very curious. Detailed spec information that made my eyes glaze over.)
Wireless Router [BTG Jargon – Wireless Router]- Router with Wireless Access Point (also called WAP or AP) that allows devices to connect by cables or through WiFi. Wireless Routers allow the addition of smartphones, tablets, enabled household appliances, thermostats and more onto the network.

What Should You Do?

The initial FBI recommendations are:

⁃ Step One: Reboot your router!

⁃ Step Two: Factory Reset your router!

⁃ Step Three: Update your router firmware!

Step One is easy. To reboot your router, you can just unplug it, count to thirty and plug it back in. You should be back up within 90 seconds.

Step Two is a little more challenging. Doing a Factory Reset may overwrite settings that allow your router to connect to your ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Each ISP/router combination may have different results following a Factory Reset. This link https://www.router-reset.com/30-30-30-reset-factory-defaults-wireless-router/ provides more detail on specific routers, including router dashboard/control panel IP addresses, default passwords by manufacturer and more instructions to consider.

Those two steps fix two-thirds of the problem. But the last third is to update your firmware. What does that mean? Some of us think firmware refers to our belly not covering our belt when we stand up.

What is Firmware?

Firmware is the software instruction set stored in nonvolatile memory (NVM) so that when a device powers up it knows what to do. You can think of it as similar to the brain’s instructions to the body telling the heart to beat and the diaphragm muscles to cycle so we breathe.

Updating Firmware – What You Need to Know

This post will not cover how you update your firmware because every manufacturer’s process is specific to the brand and model of your router. Instead, we will cover the generic process and some critical considerations to keep in mind during a firmware update.

What You Need For A Firmware Update

The following things are needed for a firmware update:

Router Manufacturer and Router Model # – The manufacturer and model # will be on a label affixed to the router or wireless router.
Current firmware version – To find the installed firmware version, you must connect to the administrator dashboard for your router via a web browser at the default address for your router. The most common address is 192.168.1.1. Your router may be different. Check here for your default router IP: http://www.router-reset.com/default-ip-address-list {Note: Some routers require a wired connection and will not allow wireless updating for security reasons.}
New firmware update file – Downloaded from the manufacturer’s website for your router model #.
Reliable power connection – If the power fails during a firmware update there are two typical outcomes.
1. You recover with the old firmware running, YEAH!
2. Your device is ‘bricked,’ meaning it is now worthless except for a photo shoot or paperweight.

If You Choose to Update the Firmware…

If you undertake a firmware update, please search for the specifics for your router on the manufacturer’s website. An update isn’t a difficult process, but it must be followed exactly to reduce the risk of a bad outcome.

I print the manufacturer’s directions, highlight the key steps, draw a checkbox for each step in the left margin, and check off step by step as I work through the instructions. No missed steps and if I’m interrupted, I know the last step I completed when I return to the process.

What Now?

This post gives you the information needed to reset and update your router. If you feel lost or intimidated, welcome to the party. After years of doing this, I still have that feeling. If you need help, contact your technical go-to person.

Boomer Tech Guy is in the business of providing personal technical support and training to the North Puget Sound area for those that would prefer help rather than searching through pages of how-to posts and YouTube videos to figure out what they need to do. Contact me for a personal consultation.

Technology Help from You!