ComputerAccessible.com - Teaching Seniors The Easy Way

PC and In ternet Teaching Guides for Senior Citizens

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Legal N otice: otice : While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publications, neither the Author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. This publication is not intended for use as a source of legal or accounting advice. The Publisher wants to stress that the information contained herein may be subject to varying and/or local laws or regulations. All users are advised to retain competent counsel to determine what state and/or local laws or regulations may apply to the user's particular business. The Reader of this publication assumes responsibility for the use of these materials and information. Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, federal, state and local governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising and all other aspects of doing business in the United States or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the Purchaser or Reader. The Author and Publisher assume no responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of any Purchaser or Reader of these materials. Any perceived slights of specific people or organizations are unintentional. Unless otherwise stated, the copyright and any other rights in all material on this site are owned by COMPUTERACCESSIBLE.COM. You are permitted to print and save extracts from this report on the following basis: Use of documents and related graphics on this site is for information and/or personal use only; Any copies of these pages saved to disk or to any other storage medium may only be used for subsequent viewing purposes or to print extracts for personal use. No texts or related graphics in this report are to be modified in any way. Graphics on this site are not to be used separately from the accompanying text. No part of this report may be reproduced or stored in any other report or website or included in any public or private electronic retrieval system or service without COMPUTERACCESSIBLE.COM's prior written permission. No use or display may be made of the name or logo of COMPUTERACCESSIBLE.COM without COMPUTERACCESSIBLE.COM's prior written permission. Any rights not expressly granted in these Terms are reserved.

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This eBook w as designed and published by ComputerAccessible.com. For more reports visit our Web site at

http://www.computeraccessible.com/

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Table of Contents 1 . Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………….. 5 2 . Your Signpost to the Best Resources ……………………………………….. 6 3 . Aim of This Report …………………………………………………………………….. 7 4 . What is a PC? …………………………………………………………………………….. 8 5 . Desktops / Laptops – What’s The Difference? …………………………. 9 6 . Other Considerations in Choosing Your PC ………………………………. 12 7 . What Does All This Jargon Mean? …………………………………………….. 12 8 . Other Hardware Components ……………………………………………………. 12 9 . PC Software and Internet Security Explained ………………………….. 15 1 0 . Windows XP Security Center Video Tutorial …………………………… 16 1 1 . What is a Printer? ……………………………………………………………………. 1 7 1 2 . Laser Printers ………………………………………………………………………….. 18 1 3 . What is Broadband? ………………………………………………………………… 19 1 4 . What Do I Need to Get Broadband? ………………………………………. 2 0 1 5 . Wireless Broadband ………………………………………………………………… 21 1 6 . Broadband Internet Pricing Structure ……………………………………. 22 1 7 . Types of Broadband ………………………………………………………………… 23 1 8 . Security Issues When Using Broadband ………………………………… 24 1 9 . Download Our Free Internet Toolbar ……………………………………… 25 2 0 . Download Our Free Toolbar Video Tutorial .…………………………… 26 2 1 . Toolbar Features Video Tutorial ……………………………………………… 27 2 2 . Reports to Follow in This Series ……………………………………………… 29 2 3 . Testimonials …………………………………………………………………………….. 34

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Introd uction - Computer Computer Accessible Hi there and welcome to this, the first in a series of reports helping you get the most out of your PC including an easy to use Internet Guide primarily suited to fulfilling all requirements to get Senior Citizens online with the simplest of ease. We, Roger and Richard, want you to excel in how you use your PC, be it Internet surfing, emailing, word processing or even wait for it.... Designing your very own website and much more! We've put together a Range of reports which are simple to understand, easy to read, fully Illustrated, accompanied by video tutorials and best of all they are written and compiled by two expert trainers. With our training we try to help break down “Typical Barriers” and “Obstacles” which are responsible for stopping the majority of senior citizens learning the value in owning a PC and getting online, becoming interactive and benefiting from a multitude of online resources.

Common Key Obstacles: • • •

Access Skill Intimidation

These same obstacles are responsible for preventing maybe you or your mother or grandmother/Father or great-grandmother/Father or anyone not seeing the great wealth of value and opportunities’ in owning a PC and discovering what the internet has to offer. Knowing what the factors are responsible for these reluctances and obstacles to interactivity allows us to learn how to break these barriers down. Through reading our reports you are already tackling the first key obstacle “Access” You will learn easily where to start. You will also have gained many basic “Skills” after having read only one of our reports, regardless of your knowledge of PC’s or internet whether you are a total beginner or a novice. By reading the information, viewing the illustrations and video tutorials and by using our tips, tricks and advice you will have gained lots of knowledge. With this knowledge you will soon see a regress in the “Intimidation” factor.

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P C and Interne t Teaching Guides for Senior Citizens

By reading our reports you will have jumped this initial hurdle and gained the skills required to help you develop a greater self-confidence, to feel more independent while enjoying your new found hobbies and entertainment by using your computer to its potential and getting connected to your newfound interactive media!

Research Research has show n how Seniors between the ages of 50 and 70 m ake use of Internet: 1. Stay Stay in touch w ith friends and re latives 94% 2. Stay Stay current with n ew s and events - 72% 3. Research health information - 70% 4. Make purchases online - 52% 5. Research other topics - 51% 6. Research products/ services to purchase offline - 49% 7. Research or check stocks and investments 38% 8. Play games - 35% 9. Genealogy Genealogy research - 27% 10. Access discussions - 17% 11. Access chat rooms - 13% 12. Perform investmen t transaction - 13% 13. Buy or sell on eBay - 12% 14. Other - 15%

You r Signpost Signpost to the best resources Also incorporated into our reports is lots of information coverin covering g many varied topics some of which include;Travel – Showing you where to find your ideal vacation destination and book it online from the comfort of your own chair. Family Names – Learn how to find your long lost friends and loved ones by using some great internet resources. Almost everyone can be tracked down nowadays by means of using internet resources; y o u j u s t n e e d t o k n ow h o w !

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Music – You will profit from suddenly knowing how to find the music you are looking for, no matter what era it may originate from. Together with this information you will gain the skills allowing you to create your own music compilations and play them either on your computer or in your CD player.

Telephone and Chat for Free - Phone or chat with your family or friends via the internet from f rom your computer for FREE. This is described in great detail in one of our reports with accompanying v i d e o t u t o r i a l s .

Email and Email Security – Discover how to send letters or photographs to whomever you want without leaving your house using e-mail (Electronic Mail). Many Senior Citizens have fallen prey to many of the varied Scams online. You You will learn how to recognize these scams and protect your personal details. Using the Mouse and Keyboard – Graphic illustrations easily explain these devices accompanied by video tutorials. The list above mentions but a few of the subjects covered in our reports. If you are a complete beginner we recommend using our reports to learn at your own pace with great results!

Aim of this report: This report will help you understand the type of PC you really need. You w ill learn learn the follow follow ing: How to identify the right computer for your needs. The differences between desktops and laptops. Understanding the terminology associated with PCs. What to do before, during and after you buy your PC – things many people do not realize. Understanding Internet connections – and finding which option is best for you. Securing and Protecting your PC – Getting to grips with Windows Security Centre – Video Tutorial included • • • •

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P C and Interne t Teaching Guides for Senior Citizens

Let's start w ith explaining exactly w hat a PC is. What's a P C? A PC or Personal Computer is a computer that is for your personal use. Years ago, computers were so expensive that they were shared, and then the personal computer was invented, which allowed Individuals to own their very own computer. Computers 20 years ago could not do a fraction of what computers can do today. “PC” is a generic term, and there are many manufactures of PCs including: Dell I BM Hewlett P ackard ackard Packard Bell (We'll discuss more about this later on in another report)

There are also also two “ types” of PCs: Desktop and Laptop (also commonly know n as a Notebook) Wh at's the the difference?

Base Unit

A Desktop P C is a larger computer that requires requires more space. There are usually a number of separate components that make up a desktop P C: 1 . Base unit – this contains the brains or CPU of the computer (don't worry we'll explain everything shortly) 2 . Monitor – a device which attaches to the computer, like a TV that allows you to view information on the computer. 3 . Keyboard – a device that attaches to the computer which allows you to type or interact with the computer. 4 . Mouse – another device which allows you to move a little arrow (cursor) around the screen to control various functions.

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All of these parts make up the desktop PC – and all the parts (usually) have to be connected to the Base Unit. As you can imagine there will be some wires and cables which need to be connected, so you need to make sure that you factor this in when thinking of buying a desktop.

When you buy a laptop/Notebook you get all of the above devices built in to a portable unit. In a nutshell the Laptop Computer can be operated from your lap! At this point you might be thinking, do I get the same Quality of PC regardless of buying a desktop Vs. a laptop? Ok, there are some compromises. Usually to get the same power as the equivalent desktop you will need to spend a lot more money. For example if a computer retails for $1000 or equivalent in your local currency, the equivalent Laptop might be $1500 or even more. Laptops are great if you have limited space in your house or apartment. If you want to travel and take your computer with you, it's much easier when it's a laptop! Everything you can do on a desktop you can do on a laptop.

What do I need a PC for? Good question, and it's something a lot of people don't ask themselves – exactly what do they need the computer for. for. Answering the questions below will guide you in making your decision between a laptop/notebook and a desktop PC, depending on your requirements. Let's now get into the meat of buying a PC – we'll look at desktops first and then anything that needs to be clarified for laptop will be clarified.

What's the difference between a laptop and a desktop? On a very basic but important level – size! A laptop has the base unit, keyboard, monitor and mouse all built into one small unit. The unit can be quite small, light and compact in size. Compare this to a desktop that has a separate monitor, base unit, wires, keyboard, more wires.... You can see that a laptop is quite an attractive option.

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However like everything there are pros and cons to each type of machine which we list below:

Laptops Laptops / Notebooks Noteboo ks

Depending on your circumstances a laptop can be great in a smaller home or apartment. There's no need to invest in a huge desk, only one real cable to trip over! (Power supply), you can move the laptop from room to room or even from your house to another location very easily. However there can be some things you need to think about. Since a laptop is a lot smaller than a desktop by and large you pay more money to get the same performance as an equivalent desktop. Therefore if you see a desktop for $1000 or equivalent in local currency, the same laptop with the same power might cost $1500. The reason for this is that you are paying for the size and portability of the computer. One other consideration you must also take into account is the actual size of the laptop. Since it is quite small and compact this means that it is more fragile. We've heard of many people who have shattered the screen by leaving a pen on the keyboard and shutting the laptop. The price of a replacement screen can be nearly as expensive as replacing the whole laptop.

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Another consideration is that since everything is housed in one unit some people feel that the keyboard and screen are too close together and this might not be comfortable for them. However it is possible to buy an external keyboard/mouse for laptops which means you can sit a little further away from the actual screen. In fact you can also buy a “plug” and connect your laptop into another monitor, so the actual laptop becomes a base unit. However this in sorts defies the whole reason for having a laptop. Since everything is housed in one unit expansion possibilities might be limited.

Now let's look at the pros and cons of desktops:

Desktops

As you can see the overriding factor for getting a laptop vs. a desktop is the space issue. However many PC manufacturers now create very small desktops that won't take up too much space within your work area. When you wish to upgrade (replace or improve parts in the computer) this can be quite inexpensive and it's not too difficult. Given the casing of a desktop, the desktop can take quite a few knocks, and would be more durable than a laptop.

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Other Considerations Many people believe that once you buy the computer that's it – there's no other expenses or anything else to consider.... if only that was the case!

Whether you decide to buy a laptop or a desktop, it is a good idea to have one central area where it is used. Even with a laptop, it's good to decide “I will use it in the X room”, as although they are portable you want to make sure that you have a comfortable workspace to operate it in. Sure you can use the laptop on the train, or sitting on the edge of your bed – but it is it really that comfortable? Whether you buy a desktop or a laptop you must think about where your plugs are in your house. And especially where your incoming telephone connection is positioned as you will need to connect your Internet modem/router to this via a cable. If you wish to be comfortable using the computer you don't want wires to be stretching across the floor in order to allow you to plug in your computer. When talking about a desktop you're going to need at least 3 plug sockets – one for the monitor one for the base unit and one for the modem/router. Also take into consideration if you are connecting other PC components such as a printer or speakers, these also require a power source. Wh at does all the Jargon mean?

Ok, you see and ad for a PC and you're hit with some much jargon, but what does it really all mean? We're about to explain everything below so that you will know exactly what the sales person is talking about (in fact you will understand it even better than they do!!) Base Unit Components R A M – R andom A ccess M emory. This is memory that is used by the computer when it is switched on. All programs such as games, word processor etc are loaded into RAM – The more you have the more programs you can run at the one time, and the faster they will run. Buying more RAM for your computer can help it run faster. RAM is known as Volatile memory – when you turn off the computer anything stored in RAM, such as unsaved documents are erased.

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Hard Drive - This is often confused with RAM, because it is also memory, however this is permanent memory. All your programs, games and documents are saved here. When the computer is turned off they remain on the hard drive, unlike RAM. The larger the hard drive the more you can store. CD Copier Drive - This device allows you to play audio CD’s. New programs for your computer can be bought on CD and then put on your computer. A CD copier also allows you to save information onto a CD or copy CDs DVD Copier Drive - This device is mainly used for watching DVD movies on your computer. It differs from a CD (C ompact D isk) in that it can hold a lot more information. With a DVD (D igital V ideo D isk) copier you can save to a DVD and also copy from one DVD to another. USB Port a small slot located on your computer, either at the back or front that allows you to add devices to the computer. For example if you but a printer you connect it via the USB port. When you wish to transfer information from your digital camera to the computer, you plug the camera into the USB port. Processor this is the brains of the computer. It looks after the functioning of the computer. Everything you do is “processed” by the processor. There are many different types of processors. The most recent is the Dual Core. This is in fact two processors – the idea behind this is that the computer will run faster as each processor can process different ta sks at different times.

Broadband Ready nearly every computer you buy (unless you buy a very old second computer) will be broadband ready. This means it has a connection that allows you to connect to the Internet (more on this in a later report) Video Card/Graphics Card a video card displays images on the screen. Some computers come with a build in video card, also known as an on board video card. Others have separate video cards. Essentially if you are going to be doing a lot of work with graphics or playing a lot of games, you should buy a separate video card. One thing to remember is that the on board video cards get their memory power via the main RAM of the computer. This is something we will discuss further on in this report.

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FireWire port some computers will come with a firewire port. This is used to connection a digital video camera to your computer so you can edit movies – don't worry it's not that difficult! diff icult! Card Readers it is now quite common to find a card reader on new computers. This device allows you to transfer pictures from your digital camera to your computer very easily. You simply take out the special card in your digital camera and insert it into the card reader Floppy Drive not so common on modern computers. Floppy disk drives are/were used to take information off small 3 ¼ inch disks. They are not as widely used now as they used to be.

Other Hardware Components Monitor this is like a TV. It is used by the computer to show you what you are doing. Without the monitor you would not be able to interact with the computer. Most monitors these days are flat screen. They They are very slim and take up less space than previous monitors which had a lot of casing at the back of them. Monitors are known as an output device.

Keyboard: The keyboard allows you to “write” or type information into the computer. Using the keyboard you can write/type letters emails etc. Computers either have the keyboards attached to the base unit by a cable, or can be w i r e l e s s – they connect through means other than wires (Bluetooth and infrared ). A keyboard is known as an input device, because it is used to input information into the computer. Detailed information including illustrations is included on our report titled, “Us ing the Keyboard and Mouse”

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The Mouse, a device you rest your hand on, that moves a pointer, around the screen/monitor. screen/monitor. A mouse allows you to control the computer. In our report entitled, “Using the Keyboard and Mouse” we show you how to operate the mouse effectively. Mice either have a wire connecting them to the Base Unit or are wireless, like keyboards. A mouse is known as an Input device. Detailed information including illustrations is included on our report titled, “Using the Keyboard and Mouse”

Here are a number of tips to help you decide when buying your PC. Nowadays the price of PC’s is dropping dramatically and even the cheapest PC is quite powerful so buying a new PC is advisable as buying a used or second hand PC could only end up creating problems for you. Chances are that there are still files on a used PC which can contain software programs designed to disable your pc or infect your files with viruses. Viruses are software programs designed to infect and corrupt your documents on your PC and can also be responsible for disabling your PC altogether. These viruses can be removed and infection can be b e avoided by having a virus protection software program installed on your PC. Most new PC’s come with some kind of free anti-virus software. In our further reports we will be dealing in detail with protecting yourself from outside influences or preventing potential intruders from taking files from your PC Security” will through the internet. Our report “P C, Email and I nternet Security” teach you how to secure your PC from f rom any outside influences.

How does the PC Software Software help w ith Internet Security Security? ?

A firewall is a piece of software which acts like a security guard. It looks at all information entering and leaving your computer via the Internet. In essence it looks to see if each piece of information is allowed in or out of your computer (like checking for security id). If the information is not allowed in or out it is stopped by the firewall.

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Below you can click on the video link and view a video showing you what Security and to expect in our Report covering “ PC, Email and I nternet Security Firewalls ”.

Click on the V ideo Below

Video Tutorial – Window s XP Se Security curity Centre Centre

Online Viewers! An Intern et Connection Connection is required to View this Video

Click on the Video Tutorial picture above. Your I nternet Browser w ill open automatical automatically ly and you w ill be directed to the video. Please ensure Y our computer speakers are turned on.

The firewall will thus help prevent most attacks from hackers your computer. We'd recommend using the firewall built into your PC’s software. How to configure a firewall is covered in detail in a special report bonus in our P C, Email and Internet Security Security report. This report will teach you about threats from online activities and how to protect your PC from f rom these threat’s or intrusions.

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With most broadband packages offered by internet providers you are give what is know as a quota, or a fixed amount of data that you can receive and send on a monthly basis. This is known as your upload/download limits. By and large these limits are huge. You would probably never go over your limits unless you are downloading full length movies every other night of the week. However it may happen that you check your limits and find that you're using them up really fast, when in fact you've hardly used the Internet this month. You guess there's something strange going on. Well someone could be using and abusing your Internet connection. Remember we said you could share your Internet connection with your friends if they lived beside you. We assumed you were using wireless broadband . Again, securing your pc and internet connection will be covered in more detail in a separate report dedicated to teaching you the skills to make you feel safe and secure while using the internet.

Printing Your Documents and Photo’s: Once you have your computer, you will want to be able to type up letters that you can send via ordinary mail to people? Not everyone has email, e mail, and many people still like to receive a “real” letter. If you wish to do this you're going to need to buy a printer. If you buy a printer, where will it be located? Again this needs to be thought through, from not only a logistical level but also from the location of plugs as mentioned earlier! A printer is now an essential part of a computer system as printers allow you to see on paper exactly what it is you have on screen. People still like to read web pages/emails and documents on paper rather than on screen.

What is a printer? A printer is a device that connects up to your computer and allows you to get a physical printed copy of information that appears on your computer screen. This information could be a web page, a letter or an email or even your photos from your digital camera.

There are two main types of printers: Ink Jets Ink jet printers have always be very popular printers due to the low cost of buying them. Ink Jet printers can provide good quality printing at a relatively low cost.

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They work by spraying tiny droplets of ink (Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow) which can combine to produce any color you may notice that if you print out a large picture or photo the paper comes out saggy. This is because the paper is absorbing all of the ink, and is wet. You can stop this happening by buying better quality paper, rather than standard photocopying paper. What is DPI DPI ? When purchasing an ink jet printer you will see that it may have a rating of D P I or D ots P er I nch. In simple terms, the more dots of ink that are sprayed per inch, the better clarity of image you will receive in the printed out document.

Many ink jet printers are quite inexpensive, in fact it has been said that many companies sell their ink jet printers at a loss. Wh at about refilling cartridges? cartridges? It is possible to refill ink jet cartridges. Refilling means that you either go to a shop and they put a little hole into your existing cartridges and pour more ink in, or you buy refilled cartridges. It is also possible to buy kits which enable you to refill cartridges at home. There are also professionals who come to your home and refill your cartridges for you. Either way you will be required to change your cartridges depending on how often you make use of your printer.

WARNING: If something goes wrong with your printer while it is under warranty, and if the manufacturer discovers that you were using cartridges other than those produced by them, they may say that you have voided your warranty. Please consult your warranty for your printer for this information.

Laser P rinters: rinters: Moving up in the quality and expense we have laser printers. These printers work very much like a photocopier. An image of what you have on screen is literally “burned” onto the piece of paper. Unlike an ink jet printer, since there is no ink really touching the paper, the paper will never be saggy. For quality results the laser printer is the printer of choice.

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What is broadband? broadband? This is a word that many people have heard about but are not 100% sure what it is! Broadband is to do with how you connect to the Internet. Let's step back about 5 years or more. When a person wanted to connect to the Internet they had to set up an account with a company called an Internet service provider, who would then give them a username and password. Once you had this you would then need to connect the phone line to the back of your computer and you could “dial up ” the Internet (in a nut shell – make a call that connected you to the Internet). In ternet). Since computers communicate digitally and phone lines could only process analogue (non-digital) communication, communication, a device was needed called a modem that acted as a translator. This slowed down everything as you can imagine. Imagine if you had to have a conversation with someone, and you first said something, it was then translated, the other person had to them respond, that had to be translated, etc! As you can guess this was a very slow process. This process is now often referred to narrowband Internet Broadband allows much faster access to the Internet It uses a more enhanced part of your phone line that can transfer information across the telephone line a lot quicker. We won't get into the technical aspects here as there's loads of 500 page manuals that can help you really understand it!

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Suffice to say that broadband is a lot faster than dial up. See the section on pricing for more information.

What Do I need to get broadband? broadband? For the most part you need: A computer (with an inbuilt Network) A telephone line (please see later section for other options) A broadband router/ router/ modem (wireless or with cables) Network cables cables (from router/modem to pc) A Splitter/ Splitter/ Filter (to split telephone connection) A Connection for the telephone socket (connecting from telephone connection to splitter/filter)

By and large when you want to get broadband you need to have a computer, either a laptop or desktop. Unless your computer is very old you may not be able to run some of the software you need to install broadband. Traditional broadband is delivered over your standard telephone line. However whether you will be able to receive broadband or not can be an issue. In order to receive broadband your house must be within a certain distance of the local telephone exchange. Because of this many people have had to use alternative ways to receive broadband. Always double check with your telephone provider to make sure they can provide it. I say double check as I have heard of sales people who have sold people broadband, only to find it was not actually available in their area! When you do get your broadband enabled on your line you will be sent a broadband router/modem. This device allows you to access the high speeds over your phone line. You will also receive a splitter device. d evice. This is a plastic gizmo that will allow you to make phone calls and use your broadband at the same time. You connect the supplied cable into the right splitter connection, and connect the other end of this cable into the appropriate plug at the back of the broadband router. router. Then you must take the network cable (all of these are clearly marked) and plug one end into the appropriate plug in the broadband router. router. The other end of the cable is then plugged into the back of your computer!

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TIP: If you’re main telephone point is located in a place that is not close to where your computer is you're going to have to run a cable half way across your house! So before installing your computer or broadband find out where the main telephone socket or point is and then decide what you are going to do. Wireless Broadband: Ask the company providing the broadband if their customers have the option of using a wireless router for their internet connections. A wireless router is a device similar to the router you normally get, however it has an antenna at the side of it. What this allows you to do is send the broadband around the house to any computer that has what is called a w ireless card installed in it.

Ok, so let's take a step back. Wireless routers have no wires. In order to do this you must have a wireless router and each computer must have a corresponding wireless card or wireless device attached to it in order to ireless modem/ modem/ router router . connect to internet through your w ireless This one does take a little bit more to set up, but its advantages are that you can place the router in one place and your computer in another and not worry about the need to t o have wires trailing across the house. Most broadband providers offer the option to go wireless – take it if you can! Is it unlimited? The beauty of most broadband packages is that it is unlimited usage for one monthly fee. When people used narrowband (dial up) they paid a rate per minute – the more they used it the more they paid. The problem here was that people did not always realize this so they could run up huge bills from month to month; never knowing how much their Internet access might cost them.

When broadband was introduced it was billed at a flat rate per month. Regardless of how little or how much you used it you still paid the same rate. This is great however making sure you read the section entitled cautionary notes! If you are committing to broadband you need to make sure that you will use it often in order to get the best value from it. If you're only using the Internet once a day for an hour, hour, then it might be cheaper to stay with dial up, or check to see if your broadband provider has any special offers. Some providers offer metered broadband for a small charge, some for no charge. This can be useful but please read the cautionary notes section carefully.

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Broadband In ternet pricing structure: structure: Not all broadband Internet is equal, like so many things in life there's many options available to you!

An important note must be made here. Broadband is cheap for the speeds you are getting – the main reason for this is that it is a shared resource. This means that the main broadband connection running along your street could be shared by up to 48 other people. Imagine broadband being like a road from one town to the next. At 4am in the morning you can drive down that road very fast since there is no traffic, however at 8am you are in rush hour so everyone is sharing the road and things move slower. This is the same with broadband. The more people that use it on your street/area the slower it may get at certain times of the day. However broadband providers have solutions! The more you pay the better the broadband experience (in theory). A company m ay provide three levels of broadband Standard – speeds up to 2mb with 48 people sharing the line. Technically this is known as contention ratios. Fast – speeds up to 3mb with 24 people sharing the line. This is faster and there are less people on the line Super Fast – speeds up to 5mb with 12 people sharing line. This should technically be very fast as the connection is fast and there are less people using the line. As you go from Standard to Super Fast you will pay more money.

You need to decide exactly what you're going to do with your broadband. By and large for most people Standard is fine, however others who look at videos on the web a lot or deal with graphics may need the super fast option.

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Is it transferable to my friends’ house?

This is a question we get asked a lot. The answer is yes and no! (We'd have to say that!). Broadband that uses the standard telephone service is not transferable as it is only activated on your line in your home. Therefore even if you bring all the routers and splitters etc, it will not work in your friends’ house. However if you have wireless broadband and your friend lives right beside you they might be able to share your broadband (so might other peoples so please the section entitled dangers of broadband ). There is some broadband that is transferable from place to place, this is detailed below below .

Types of broadband: Standard broadband – this is the most common broadband connection method and uses the standard telephone line system. A lot of people use this method Cable broadband – this broadband comes via your television cable, and thus may not require you to have a phone line. Satellite broadband – this broadband is for people in remote areas. You can access the Internet at faster rates via satellite I have heard that with some systems you must also have your telephone line plugged in as some systems only allow certain data to be sent via satellite. Portable broadband – Quite common in some European countries. You receive a box with an antenna which you leave by your window and plug into the back of your computer. This is portable broadband as long as you are within site of the mast or a certain distance of it you can access the broadband at any location. 3G broadband – this is broadband that works using a sim card from a mobile/cell phone. You simply buy a special device that plugs into your USB port of your computer, insert the sim card into the device and then connect up. Wherever you can get a mobile/cell signal you can have broadband!

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Security Security issues w hen using broadband

You've probably heard of the dangers of the Internet in general, if not check out our report related to the internet. There are dangers of having ha ving your computer connected to broadband which are highlighted briefly below: •

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When your computer is turned on it may be automatically connected to the Internet – you need to check this with your broadband provider. This in essence means that anyone else who is connected to the Internet could potentially access your computer. There are people called “hackers” who's one intention is to attack vulnerable computers and either cause damage to them or make them cause damage to other computers!

Let's use an example here. A shop like Wal-Mart might be open 24 hours a day 365 days’ a year. Even though it leaves its doors open it still has security guards watching the premises constantly, as once your doors are open anyone could come in or out without you knowing. Now think of your computer, since you have it on and connected to the Internet, there is the possibility that unwanted visitors could come in and look around your computer. Therefore it is essential that you have some sort of protection in place to stop unwanted visitors. visitors. This is known as a firewall. As mentioned detailed detailed information on securing your PC from unwanted intruders is explained in our report titled “P C, Email and In ternet Security” This Free report will have guided you to owning your own PC. You are ready to become Interactive and start discovering a vast world of information relating to subject you can possibly think of. of. With your computer and internet connection you can now begin to talk to your family and friends for Free, find f ind any information regarding health matters, chat to family and friends for free, and send photos and documents but to mention a tiny few of the new activities available to you at your finger-tips with your new computer. To guide you through the basics of using your computer we have prepared a series of detailed reports showing you how to go about carrying out normal tasks on your computer. These reports are not only accompanied by detailed explanations but also include illustrations and video tutorials which at the click of your mouse will play automatically showing you how to carry out tasks simply and easily.

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We certainly hope you have gained at least a small appreciation a ppreciation of where to begin when making the decision to buy your PC. Below is a list of all our full reports designed to guide you painlessly through the process of becoming more skilled with your pc and learning about the wide range of resources available to seniors.

Another Totally FREE tool for you to download now! Dow nload our Free Internet Toolbar: This toolbar is loaded with handy resources, links, and information and also contains internet Radio functionality. Press on the picture below to download the toolbar.

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With the Google Powered Search Box you can search the internet directly from the toolbar by entering your search term and press return or GO on the toolbar Discover Tons of Resources and Links for seniors by using the Seniors Links Button. Here you will find a wealth of online information. No matter where in the world you are situated, by clicking on our Weather Icon you will be shown the weather forecast for your area. You can also receive forecasts for Listen to local or international radio stations with the click of a button. With this free internet radio receiver you can also search for your favorite radio and music styles no matter what your taste or style in music. We are constantly bettering and developing our toolbar for your use. You will receive toolbar updates automatically when our toolbar has been updated with new new com com onen onents ts..

Video Tutorial – Dow Dow nloading and Installing the ComputerAccessible Toolbar for Seniors

Online Viewers! An Internet Connection is required to View this Video

Click on the Video Tutorial picture above. Your I nternet Brow Brow ser w ill open automatical automatically ly and you w ill be directed to the video. P lease ensure Your computer speakers are turned on.

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Video Tutorial – Features of the ComputerAccessible ComputerAccessible Toolbar for Seniors

Online Viewers! An Internet Connection is required to View this Video

Click on the Video Tutorial picture above. Your I nternet Browser w ill open automatical automatically ly and you w ill be directed to the video. P lease ensure You r computer speakers are turned on.

Start Her e Click Click on the button to get our Toolbar!

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This is a free report issued by ComputerAccessible.com ©2008 For many great free resources be sure to dow nload our Toolbar by clicking c licking on the picture below .

Click to dow nload our Free toolbar Recommended Links http:// / communityitserv http: communityitservices. ices.co. co.uk/ uk/ http: htt p:// / w w w .inti intimesgone mesgoneby. by.com com

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Testimonials

To send your testimonial we have made it easy. By simply visiting our website at: www.computeraccessible.com click on the Join Now Link and fill in your details to create your free membership account. To send your testimonials via email please send to [email protected] A photo of yourself is not required but would be appreciated for posting with your testimonial. After joining our website for free and activation link will be sent to your email address, click on this and you will automatically return to our website as a member. By creating your free account you will receive free updates to our reports and special offers to help you on your way to becoming a skilled computer and internet user.

Respectfully,

&

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ComputerAccessible.com - Teaching Seniors The Easy Way

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